Two friends who are Masters swimmers persuaded her to join them eight years ago and what started out as a fun way to get fit and lose weight turned into a passion. This year Liz has broken seven South African Masters swimming records in the 50 – 54 age group and has been awarded SA colours. Her proudest achievement however was being the second female home after Natalie du Toit in the Cadiz Vista Nova Robben Island Freedom Swim this April. Liz says that combining the historical significance of Robben Island, the backdrop of Table Mountain, the possibility of encountering dolphins, seals, jellyfish and yes, perhaps a shark and the challenge of swimming 7 ½ kilometres in freezing water without a wetsuit is hard to beat. She has done other longer swims such as Simon’s Town to Muizenberg but none compares to the physical and emotional high you get from doing a Robben Island swim. She has swum it three times and this December plans to do the longer route to Three Anchor Bay rather than to Bloubergstrand.
Liz does her swimming training three times a week and she goes to the Navy gym at least twice a week. She says that she is very lucky to have Petar Kartev (of Fish Hoek) a physical coach to train her in the gym.