Published: Thursday, 11th September, 2008 8:35am

Dunfermline swimmer's in deep water

Comments (0) | Print | Email

DUNFERMLINE woman Andrea Gellan proved age was no barrier after winning the North District Open Water Championships Senior Female race at the weekend.

The fifty-one year-old was one of only two competitors who completed the 4 mile course on Loch Oich in a time of 1hr 56 secs.

And the win saw her pick up £125 prize money, finishing second overall in the Scottish Open Water Grand Prix, behind Dalgety Bay swimmer Jennifer Davis

The mum of three said, 'It feels great to win the race as I was the oldest person to enter it.

'The conditions were really bad – it was cold, windy and very rough.'

When asked what gave her victory, she added, 'My training and my experience probably gave me the edge over my opponents.

'The best thing about open water swimming is the freedom of being outside in the fresh air and the scenery.

'Because conditions are so changeable, no two races are the same.'

Andrea continued, 'I love swimming and even more so swimming outside.

'It can be a bit rough in the busier races, but I like the argy bargy.'

The 5 ft 4in industrial chemist trains outside at Lochore Meadows and Aberdour Beach in the summer season.

She also combines this with indoor preparation at the pool at HMS Caledonia in Rosyth.