This past Sunday a number of Australia’s finest swimmers competed alongside many other swimmers attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest mixed 100×400 relay.
The event was hosted by Swimwear Shack in Queensland, Australia and featured Olympians David McKeon and Brittany Elmslie, plus World Championship members Kaylee McKeown and Jack Cartwright. Also included in the lineup were Swimming Australia World Junior team members Minna Atherton and Gemma Cooney. The rest of the team was comprised of registered volunteers. Each volunteer swimmer was required to pay a $10 fee, which will be donated back to the cause.
The Guinness World Record for the mixed 100×400 relay was established in 2010 by SSV Ulm 1846 in Germany and set at a final time of 9 hours, 2 minutes, and 32 seconds. That averages out to approximately 5 minutes and 25 seconds per 400 meters. Following a long day of swimming, Jack Cartwright anchored the relay to a final time of 8:18.36.71. The time is now awaiting ratification.
Why attempt to break the Guinness World Record in the mixed 100×400 relay? To raise money for the Eloise Gannon Foundation and awareness of sudden cardiac death in youth.
The Eloise Gannon Foundation was established in 2013 following the tragic and unexpected passing of Eloise Gannon. Gannon, who had recently turned 15, was a healthy, fit swimmer throughout her life. At the age of 9, she was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW), however after extensive medical tests was deemed a low-risk for complications of WPW and was allowed to continue her normal, active lifestyle. She unexpectedly passed away just a few months after qualifying for the 2013 Age Group Nationals in Australia.
Today, the Eloise Gannon Foundation promotes four goals within their mission statement:
- To raise awareness and get people talking about the implications that cardiac arrhythmias can have on youth,
- To develop initiatives in early detection,
- To promote the importance of having accessible defibrillators at all sporting venues, training facilities, and schools, and
- To promote more research and funding regarding cardiac arrythmia and other associated conditions.
Additional sponsors of the event included Swimming Queensland and Speedo Australia.
For more information about the event, visit the event flyer from Swimwear Shack or their Facebook event.
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Good on ya’ll!! Congratulations on being a part of something big for many.