August 3, 2015 at 4:15 p.m.
Local woman wins medals at National Senior Olympics
Local woman wins medals at National Senior Olympics
By Kayla Thomason-
Bev Linnihan-Moye, 77, won the gold medal in the 500-yard freestyle, silver in the 200-yard backstroke, and bronze medals in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard Individual Medley.
"The 100-yard IM (Individual Medley) and the 100-yard backstroke were both third place but the 100-yard backstroke was off from the silver by hundredths of a second," Linnihan-Moye said. "That's less than a bat of the eye."
She competed against seven other women.
"I was blown away, as the expression goes," she said. "(Winning the gold in the 500-yard freestyle) was a big surprise because it was the very last race of the meet and I was thinking of scratching it and leaving because I didn't think I was going to place very high."
Two years ago she took first place in the 100-yard backstroke, but she thought she'd do a bit better this year.
"I was hoping to do very well in my IM because two years ago I took the silver in it and I was hoping to place higher in the 200 freestyle, which I took fifth in," she said.
This was her fourth time competing in the national competition which is held every two years. A state competition is held every year.
Her favorite category to compete in is the 500-yard freestyle.
"I do better at longer distances," she said. "I sort of just get warmed up the longer the race goes."
The hardest stroke for her to learn was the butterfly and she is still striving to perfect it.
She will go to state next year and if she wins medals it will qualify her for nationals in 2017.
Linnihan-Moye found inspiration at the competition this year.
There was a 101-year-old woman at nationals who swam the backstroke and she completed her 100 yards and received a gold. She was the only one in her age group.
"Did she inspire all of us younger swimmers?" Linnihan-Moye pondered. "I don't consider myself a young swimmer, but I'm 25 years away from what she is and I consider her to be quite an inspiration to me."
Linnihan-Moye starting swimming to get stronger and healthier, which led to her meeting a group of master swimmers who were at least 50 years old. That fateful encounter got her into the competitions.
She began swimming competitively at the age of 65, but had more of an emphasis on triathalons until two years ago when she severely sprained her ankle.
"I messed up my ankle to the degree that I still haven't been able to return to running," she said.
She is rehabilitating her ankle in hopes of getting back out there and competing in her 19th triathalon.
"At 65 (years old) I was motivated to do swimming because I was doing triathalons and you can't do triathalons without swimming," she said.
Although she loves the grueling races she is equally as passionate about swimming because it is low-impact.
"It's an aerobic exercise that has no stress on my joints," Linnihan-Moye said. "My favorite part is that it totally relaxes me and gives me a good workout."
Linnihan-Moye isn't the only one in her family who participates in the Senior Olympics.
Her husband, Paul Moye, is a swimmer as well and has been competing for five years. He qualified for this year's competition but couldn't compete due to a surgery.
"He was there cheering me on and I probably wouldn't have accomplished as much as I did without his great support," she said.
She trains at the YMCA of the Northwoods' pool six days a week when she is here in the summer months.
"I am grateful to the staff at the YMCA because they have been extremely supportive," she said.
When she is training she will swim 1,000 to 1,500 yards a day.
She said she would advise others interested in competing to find a training partner and plan to have fun with it.
"Find somebody to swim with that you enjoy being with and do it at least three times a week and maybe there will be an opportunity for some coaching by a high school coach or somebody who is a really good swimmer," she suggested.
If someone's skills aren't perfected they can still participate at the state level.
"At the state level one doesn't have to have the total technique," Linnihan-Moye said. "If one can move themselves through the water that's all the technique that's needed."
People who participate in the competitions aren't recreational swimmers. They train with a competitive goal at the end.
"The people who do this are fitness-oriented," she said. "They love the fact that they can do more things in their daily life because they have expanded their energy level and their activity level."
She uses her energy to play with her grandchildren.
Linnihan-Moye had one final bit of advice for people who wish to be more active.
"The most important thing is that they believe that they are not disabled at the age of 65," she said.
Kayla Breese may be reached at kayla@ rivernewsonline.com.
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