CROWNING A CHAMPION
STORYBOOK NO 4.
There are many words that can be used to describe Ceinwen
Roberts - courageous, determined, successful, amazing, inspiring
to name a few. She has done so much, and it all started years
ago in Wales with young man and a book on swimming.....
This is her story.
When he was young Ceinwen's father wanted to learn how to
swim, but unlike Australia where we have a long association with
the water, pools and swimming lessons were uncommon in Wales.
His father found a book on swimming and taught his son how to
swim.
By 16 he had broken every Welsh record! He went on to
represent Wales at the Commonwealth Games.
You would then think similar swimming success would have been expected for Ceinwen. However she says when it
came to the pools her sisters were better and faster and broke records. It wasn't until she discovered open water
swimming that she truly came into her own.
Since then Ceinwen has completed the Rottnest Island Swim a number of times and has was the first woman to
complete a triple crossing, approximately 60km and 19 hours of ocean swimming.
More challenges followed. Ceinwen swum across the English Channel from Dover to Calais - 34km against strong
tides in 15 degree water. In June 2013 she completed the Manhattan Island swim - a distance of 46km in cold,
polluted tidal waters. She was one of only 11 finishers out of a field of 40, taking out first female and placing 4th
overall.
And as required by the rules, all of this was done without a wetsuit.
What was next for Ceinwen?
Perhaps it was time to aim for the "Triple Crown" of open water swimming and tackle the 34km Catalina Island
Crossing. She had already completed the English Channel and Manhattan Island Swims and a successful swim would
place Ceinwen among only three Australians who had successfully completed all three major swims, and among 70
people in the world.
She was fit and had done all the necessary training and thought she would give it a crack.
It was then she came to ACTON. Like many athletes Ceinwen has personally financed all of her previous swims and
while the time was right physically to attempt the Catalina Island swim, it would be financially challenging.
WWW.ACTON.COM.AU