By Rita Mingo

CALGARY – Everybody at the pool knows her as Betty.

You don’t need a last name or any other information.

Betty Brussel, who competed at the 2023 Speedo Canadian Masters Swimming Championships, is everyone’s inspiration. A 98-year-old (she turns 99 in July) who is as at home in the water as she is out of it and whose achievements have become stuff of legend.

Most people, if they live that long, have trouble doing the most routine things. Brussel – white hair peeking out of her yellow cap – steps onto the block and when the starting signal sounds, she’s off and doing what brings her so much enjoyment, same as the much younger individuals in the lanes beside her.

Originally from Holland, Brussel is one of 11 children who learned to swim in the canals around Amsterdam. She came to Canada in 1959 with her family and calls New Westminster, B.C., home.

“I always swam for fun,” explained Brussel, a self-proclaimed ‘late bloomer.’

“But I really started to swim when I was 68. When you come to Canada, you need to establish yourself, so I always worked. When I retired, I moved to Grand Forks and they built a new pool and we started to swim there and I got into the provincial senior games.

“I swam there for 30 years. The first time I swam at the senior games, I could only swim for one day. I did the breaststroke and I didn’t even do it right. So I just learned with the girls in the pool, people giving me advice.”

A good listener, Brussel began to win awards and then some at the games she took part in. Despite suffering a heart attack, broken bones and a torn shoulder, she has continued to compete in her sport of choice.

She lost her husband of almost 65 years, Gerrit, and one can only imagine how proud he would be of his bride.

“I have a lot of medals and stuff, but to be able to do it, that’s the most important thing,” she noted. “Your swimming should be fun; it should not be a chore. When I’m in the pool, I forget my worries, I just feel so good.”

Twice a week, Brussel swims in Surrey, for about 50 minutes or until she gets tired. She even drives herself to the pool.

“The water is beautiful, the swimming is beautiful,” she said. “The people are also very nice. Everybody’s friendly. I get a little bit embarrassed about all the attention, because I’m not used to it. I’m so lucky I’m healthy.

“I feel very fortunate. When I don’t swim, I walk. I live on the bottom of a hill and I walk up slowly and when I come back I walk fast, for about 40 minutes.”

Her hobbies are not all sporting ones.

“I live alone, I look after myself,” she related. “I read a lot, and I do embroidery, cross-stich. I keep my house clean. I grow tomatoes and flowers on my little balcony.”

She also has three children and grandchildren.

“We come together every Sunday,” she said of her kids, “and we take turns making dinner. Every few weeks I have them and then I go to their places. We play cards and we have a good visit.”

On the opening day of the 2023 Speedo Canadian Masters swimming championship at the MNP Community and Sport Centre, Brussel competed in the women’s 200m freestyle. On Saturday, she swam both the 400m and 100m free.

On Sunday, her third day, Brussel finished the 50m freestyle in 1:14.89, then followed up with the 50m breaststroke in 1:59.39, once again eliciting the biggest cheers in the building. She had planned to do the 800m, as well, but she admitted to feeling a bit tired so opted out.

No one could blame her for that.

She was also one of three athletes and coaches honoured at this meet. She received the Swimming Excellence Award for demonstrating consistent and outstanding results at the highest level of competition in Masters swimming.

“Everybody knows me,” she shrugged, smiling, “but it’s not the most important thing. It is keeping healthy and having fun. I think I’ve been given these extra years … I should enjoy myself.”