After rediscovering competitive swimming, Whitfield resident Randy Russell keeps finding national success
Jun. 17—Randy Russell surprised himself with the success he had in 2019 when he returned to competition in the sport of his youth.
The Whitfield County resident made a successful return to competitive swimming when he won a gold medal in the National Senior Games three years ago, 40 years removed from competing with the University of Georgia's swim team.
Even with that success — and even with his role as a swim instructor at the Calhoun Aquatic Center — he wasn't sure whether he wanted to continue with the rigorous training schedule that would allow him to compete with the nation's best in is age group.
Russell decided to pursue a spot in the National Senior Games — often referred to as the "senior olympics" — again in 2022, and it paid off.
Russell medaled in four events at this year's game in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in May. The 60-year-old earned the bronze medal in both the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle in the 60-64 division, while his relay teams won gold medals in the 55-and-over age group in both the medley and freestyle relays. Russell swam the breaststroke leg of the medley relay and the anchor leg on the freestyle.
His return to competitive swimming was pretty new in 2019, but this year's games, which were delayed a year because of COVID-19, offered him an opportunity to put his experience as a swim coach to use.
Swimmers qualify for the senior olympics by placing in a qualifying event at the state level. Russell competed in both the Tennessee and Georgia qualifying events, qualifying in 12 separate events. The games only allow each swimmer to compete in six events.
"I picked what I thought were my best six and was able to compete at the national level," Russell said.
Russell and training partner Elizabeth "Bitsy" Aldrich of Calhoun traveled to the games where Russell quickly took charge of trying to set up the best relay squads possible.
Relay teams at the national games are made up individual of qualifiers from each state.
"I was kind of the captain for the Georgia and Tennessee team, and I was able to put together a few different relays," Russell said. "That was quite a big deal, trying to get to where we could recruit people to get in and put the best teams together. I kind of took on the role of manager to try to put together the relays."
The same relay team, made up of Russell, Karen Bland, Randy Marchman and JoAnn Rogers, was together for both gold medals, while Russell helped organize other relay teams.
Russell said since his 2019 return to the water, he's been training to stay active, to teach his students at Calhoun Aquatic Center and to stay ready for any additional competitive swimming events.
"I coach and swim at the same time, so, everything I teach, I'm in there doing it," Russell said.
He and Aldrich, who brought home six silver medals from May's event, practice swimming five to seven times per week.
After waiting three years to get another crack at national championship medals in the National Senior Games, Russell won't have to wait long for another chance.
The games are next summer, in an effort to get the event back on an odd-year schedule after the COVID-19 delay, in Pittsburgh.
Russell wasn't sure after the 2019 games whether he wanted to continue pursuing competitive swimming, but he's already in the water, preparing for next year.
"That's the plan," Russell said.
