Youngsters follow challenge instructions to the letter
Perth City Swim Club challenged its members to stay fit during lockdown and they responded by completing a full lap of the planet.
The club launched a virtual challenge at the start of May to try and cover the distance - by walking, running or cycling - to all summer Olympic host cities.
More than 100 adults and children took part and they completed the full 16,891km distance to Melbourne shortly before the end of May.
To keep members motivated, the club then challenged them to see if they could make it“home”before the end of June.
And they did not just make it back they smashed through the total and added a further 1000 km to finish with a total of 34,794 km.
Club president Carol McPartland said: “We know what a challenging time it has been for people, and especially for children.
“Our swimmers were missing the pool and the routine of training so we wanted to give them some structured activity to help keep them active and fit.
“We just did the May Challenge to see how it would go really, and the response from members was absolutely fantastic. They were very motivated.
“As people reported in their daily exercise mileage, it quickly became clear they could get a lot further than we had initially expected.
“To get all the way - virtually at least - to the furthest Olympic host city of Melbourne inside a month was a great effort by lots of people.
“We deliberately made it a team effort so people at different ages and stages could contribute without having to compete with each other.
“At the end of May we decided we should carry on and try to complete the return journey by the end of June, which would normally be the end of the swim season for our younger swimmers anyway. To keep it interesting we introduced an anagram element and asked the swimmers to take a photo demonstrating each day’s letter.
“This was a good way to keep the younger ones engaged and I think some of our parents enjoyed expressing their creative sides.”
Carol said the club had organised medals for the winners of the best photographs and a number of other swimmers chosen from a random draw.
She said:“The past two months has demonstrated to the committee that the club is not just about the swimming. It performs a role beyond that.
“Our members are part of a community and people are there to support each other in whatever way they can when times are tough.
“Hopefully it won’t be too long before we get back into the water, and the momentum to reopen pools is certainly picking up.”
She added:“Our younger swimmers can enjoy their holiday now, but hopefully they will keep up the level of exercise they have been showing during our May and June challenges.
“If you and your friends can circumnavigate the planet in two months, you can do anything.”