City of Mandurah 2021 Sports Award Nomination for Masters Sports Person of the Year: Pauline Wingate

Performances and Achievements

What is her highest level of achievement in the last 12 months?

Pauline recently set three national swimming records, although she has previously

competed and medalled internationally.

Outline her performances and achievements in the last 12 months

Pauline Wingate is an outstanding person and athlete who currently competes in the

Masters Swimming Australia 80 to 84-year-old Age Group in the pool and open water

events.

Five years ago, Pauline faced the challenge of three separate life-threatening events. She

pushed through surgery and energy-sapping medication, exercising as much as she would

dare. Today, Pauline is still on follow-up maintenance medication, which has its moments.

However, she works very hard to maintain her strength and fitness with pool swim squad

training, cycling, and regularly working out in the gym.

Thus, it is even more remarkable that in the last 12 months, Pauline set three National,

fourteen State and twenty-three Club pool swimming records over Long Course (50m) and

Short Course (25m) distances. In addition, she won her Age Group in each of the three open

water long-distance swimming events she entered, as follows (for brevity, the list excludes

details of the Club records she has set in the last 12 months):

25/10/2020 - Stadium LiveLighter Long Course Club Challenge

State Record for 100m Breaststroke

15/11/2020 - Fremantle LiveLighter Long Course Club Challenge

State Record for 50m Breaststroke

16/1/2021 - Port Bouvard Cut to Club 3.5km Open Water Swim

Age Group winner

14/2/2021 - Busselton Jetty 3.6km Open Water Swim

Age Group winner

7/3/2021 - Coogee Jetty to Jetty 1.5km Open Water Swim

Age Group winner

27-28/3/2021 - Masters Swimming State Short Course Championships

State Records for 100m and 200m Freestyle

State Records for 25m, 50m, 100m and 200m Breaststroke

20/6/2021 - Riverton 400/800 Long Course Meet

State Records for 400m and 800m Breaststroke

18/7/2021 - Riverton LiveLighter Long Course Club Challenge

State Record for 200m Breaststroke

21/8/2021 - Maida Vale LiveLighter Short Course Club Challenge

National and State Records for the 400m, 800m and 1500m Breaststroke

In 2019, for her outstanding service, Pauline was awarded Honorary Life Membership of

Mandurah Masters Swimming. Pauline has been a Committee Member for 13 years,

including roles as Treasurer, Recorder and Registrar. In addition, Pauline has been an

official at our interclub pool meets for 15 years and regularly volunteers as a timekeeper for

other member's swims.

Considering her achievements in sport, Pauline has a friendly and humble nature. Together

with her determination to overcome life's challenges, she has earned respect and

admiration from all who know her. Not only is she an outstanding sportsperson, but she is

also an outstanding role model and inspiration to all.

In her own words, "Any form of exercise is beneficial. You do not have to be elite at

anything; just the fact that you are participating is rewarding".

How has she helped her community?

On the one hand, Pauline is an intelligent, competent, confident organiser, official and

source of wise counsel. On the other hand, she is friendly and fun-loving, and a joy to be

around. Her "superpower" is a unique ability to encourage and support community

members to join in and enjoy participating in sport regardless of their age or ability.

Pauline was an active participant and volunteer in the Mandurah Triathlon Club,

encouraging young people into the sport through Tri-Stars. In addition, she was the Event

Registrar for many years.

In addition, to her roles with Mandurah Masters Swimming as Club Treasurer and Recorder,

Pauline was the Club Registrar for many years. As Registrar, Pauline was the first point of

contact for community members' tentative first steps to restart or take up swimming. She

also regularly volunteers as an official at Interclub Pool Meets, the Mandurah Australia Day

Open Water Swim, and weekly Club Events.

Pauline has a passion for conserving our environment. Mandurah Masters Swimming

members swim at Doddi's Beach in Halls Head four times a week throughout the year, and

Pauline is a regular. Swimming in a natural environment, often in the company of dolphins,

is an inspiring experience and fuels Pauline's love for our coastal environment. At every

opportunity, Pauline volunteers with other members in Coast Care Beach Clean-up and

Sand Dune Revegetation events that the Club coordinates with the City of Mandurah and

DPAW.

At 81 years of age, overcoming and living with her medical challenges has impacted her

ability to contribute but not her desire. Whenever she is able, Pauline continues to

contribute to the community.

What are her other significant achievements?

Between 1986 to 2012, Pauline competed internationally in ten Biennial Fina World Masters

Championships. From 1998 to 2012, she won at least one Top Ten Finisher Medal. Her

medal tally includes two Bronze and a Silver Medal. Specifically:

• a Bronze Medal for the 800m freestyle in Morocco in 1998;

• a Bronze Medal for the 3000m Open Water Event in San Francisco in 2006; and

• a Silver Medal for the 3000m Open Water Event in Sweden in 2010.

The Silver Medal in Sweden being her most outstanding achievement given the quality and

number of European competitors.

Pauline has also competed in twenty Australian National Swimming Championships and

Australian Masters Games - gaining numerous medals and often the aggregate award for

her Age Group.

Over Pauline’s career, she has broken:

• eight Individual Australian Masters Swimming Records;

• one hundred and twenty-two Individual WA Masters State Records; and

• forty Relay WA Masters State Records.

Of the national and state records she has broken, Pauline still holds:

• three Individual Australian Masters Swimming Records;

• forty Individual WA Masters State Records; and

• nine Relay WA Masters State Records.

In addition, Pauline currently holds one hundred and thirty-one Mandurah Masters Club

Records spread across every Age Group from 60-64 to 80-84.

On top of being awarded Honorary Life Membership of Mandurah Masters Swimming in

2019, Pauline was awarded the Kathy McLeod Best Club Person Award in 2004 and again

in 2014. In addition, she has won the Club Challenge Swim Award nine times - more than

any other member.

End of Nomination