Betty Brussel took up competitive swimming at in her mid-sixties. Now 99, she’s won hundreds of medals - and just broke three world records in her age group. “When I swim, I feel so happy,” said Brussel, who lives in British Columbia. “It’s the most relaxing feeling to just glide through the water.”Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Last weekend, she broke the world record in her age group for the 400-meter freestyle - s

Betty Brussel took up competitive swimming at in her mid-sixties. Now 99, she’s won hundreds of medals - and just broke three world records in her age group.

“When I swim, I feel so happy,” said Brussel, who lives in British Columbia. “It’s the most relaxing feeling to just glide through the water.”

Last weekend, she broke the world record in her age group for the 400-meter freestyle - she swam it in 12 minutes and 50 seconds - beating the previous record-holder by nearly four minutes. Brussel competes in the 100-to-104 age category, as categories are determined by birth year.

She also set a new record for the 50-meter breaststroke, which she did in one minute and 52 seconds, and the 50-meter backstroke, which took her one minute and 24 seconds.

  • ColeSloth
    28·
    10 months ago

    You made that sound really goofy by saying birth date.

    They go by year born and not date born. So right now for instance, you’re at 100 years if you were born in 1924, regardless of if you’ve had your birthday yet.