After months of training on water and in the gym, paddler and member of the Australian Auroras team Gill McCallum, has returned from the World Dragon Boat Championships, Thailand with six medals.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
During six days of racing Gill won silver medals for the mixed 2 kilometre race, the mixed 200 metre race, the 500 metre womens and 200 metre womens races; there was bronze too in the 1 kilometre mixed and womens races.
Gill said the competition was tough.
"The Americians and Canadians give you very good racing, they're extremely strong and on the last race of the last day we knew we had the Americians but had to bring something extra.
"We asked outselves what did we need to do to get this," Gill said
"Every time you race you find your new maximum, every time you're asked for more, you can find more. It's only two minutes (for the 500 metre race) and you think you're going to die but when you're asked for more you give it. The sweep keeps asking and you just keep giving.
"I didn't know whether we were in front or behind but I heard that urgency," Gill said.
In the end the Auroras were beaten by just the tiniest of margins, .1 seconds.
For Gill though it's about the racing and being part of an Australian Auroras team that encompasses under 16s through to senior C (60 plus).
READ MORE:
"I really enjoy the camararderie, building the team, that's a large part of it.
"One of the most emotional moments was as we finished the women's 2 kilometre race, the Cs came in home together with the senior Bs and the U16s," Gill said.
The training and the team building is a large part of the entire experience for Gill who loves the training needed to get to the Auroras level.
The trip to Thailand followed weekly training sessions at Moruya with Canberra and Nature Coast paddlers, and a training camp at Pittwater.
"What I really like is that we're now in a position here where it's easier to compete at this level because the whole club (Merimbula Water Dragons) is paddling better and that means there might be paddlers thinking about the next world championships which will be held in Germany," Gill said.
The World Championships in Thailand was marked by an event which had everyone cheering.
The Ukranian team got water logged halfway down the course but carried on, despite slowly sinking, to cross the line, amid huge cheers from the spectactors from many nations. (See them in the video at 2.28 minutes.)
"Everyone was cheering, they were a very popular team," Gill said.
She was impressed by the para paddlers too.
"The young para paddlers were so impressive and so inspiring."
Australia cam fifth in the medal tally with 7 gold, 11 silver and 42 bronze medals behind Canada first, China, the USA and Thailand.
If you would like to learn more about paddling contact Merimbula Water Dragons via the club's Facebook page.
Love your regional news? Then sign up for the Voice of Real Australia, news from across the country delivered free to your inbox