Set to Swim in Malaysia

COLIN Stanford is turning 80 this year and off to swim the World Championship Masters Games in Malaysia this month.

Two years ago he had a heart attack ad decided to get back in the pool, since then he has been to the Australian Championships in Perth scooping five gold medals  and said he is excited to be headed to the World Swimming Championships.

Robin and Colin Stanford are ready for the Masters Games in Malaysia.

“There will be 54 countries represented and we’ll see how we go,” said Mr Stanford.

“I think I am probably the oldest, because I’ve just outlived others, it’s just survival,” he laughed.

“I am going in the freestyle 800, 400, 200, 100 and 50 metres freestyle, and we can only go in five events,” he said.

“We’ve saved all of our pennies and we’re lucky Council helped us out as well,” he said.

“We’ve got about 100 chooks out the back and we sell eggs to the local supermarket and that helps us on our way,” Colin Stanford said.

Colin’s coach is his wife Robin and they describe themselves as newly weds having only been married four years ago.

Together they hit the pool three days a week, eat a clean diet and want to be an inspiration to other older people in the community.

“I had a heart attack two years ago and thought I better get back in the water again,” said Colin.

“I want the older people to get out and do something, once you stop you die, it doesn’t matter how old you are you need to be active and get out in the garden,” he said.

“We don’t have sugar and we threw out all the tinned food that has lots of sugar in it, we don’t have gluten and we try to eat a balanced diet of protein, carbohydrates, lots of greens and you know when you have had too much of one type of food,” he said.

“We’ve got a vege garden and I also do hydroponics,” he said.

“We are trying to be an example to our friends and family,” Colin Standford said.