Home

Teen laps up close win at foreshore

Jackson Lavell-LeeBusselton Dunsborough Times
Australind swimmer Kyle Lee produced a storming run during the closing stages of Sunday’s Sunsmart Busselton Jetty swim.
Camera IconAustralind swimmer Kyle Lee produced a storming run during the closing stages of Sunday’s Sunsmart Busselton Jetty swim. Credit: Jackson Lavell-Lee

Australind teenager Kyle Lee sped past Dutch swimmer Lars Bottelier in the final 50m of the 25th Sunsmart Busselton Jetty Swim on Sunday.

Lee beat Bottlier by just 1.3sec. to record a time of 39min.41.5sec. just 6sec. slower than Rhys Mainstone’s record, set last year.

The 17-year-old went one better than the previous two years when he put in a mature and calculated swim in perfect conditions.

Lee said he was “pretty excited” upon arriving back at Busselton Foreshore to sprint up the sand ahead of Bottlier. “The race and the conditions were perfect, there was no wind and swell,” he said.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

“We were both trying to get ahead of each other at the end to see who could get the best run up the beach.

“Going into the event I was swimming eight times per week with two extra gym sessions.”

The focused long-distance swimmer said he dreamt of swimming at the Olympics for the Australian team. His next event is the Rottnest Channel Swim next weekend.

Jaime Bowler, of City Beach, was the first female in, with a time of 42:48.1 — breaking her own 2019 record by 1min.11sec.

Fourteen-year-old Neeve Fasher, of Ardross, was the first One Mile Swim To Shore female swimmer crossing the line in 23:33.1 and Xavier Foley, 29, of Leederville, was the first male in 25:29.0.

The oldest competitor was Ron Edwards, 84, of Eaton, taking out the solo swim in his 80-84 year old category in 1:18:30.

The event saw the largest contingent of competitors in its history with more than with 3000 swimmers taking to the water. Murray Johnson of Scarborough, Ian Mackay of Duncraig, Thelma Sharp of Bunbury, and Wendy Tapper and Glenis Tate both of Busselton were inducted as the Busselton Jetty Swim Foundation Swimmers having participated at every event over the past 25 years.

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails