An 87-year-old Bay area woman will compete in Budapest this week for a swimming world championship.
- Joan Campbell swimming in Hungary this week
- She's been swimming since she was 59
- Say keeping active is the key to aging well
Joan Campbell's alarm clock goes off each morning at 3:45 a.m. and she goes straight to the Southwest Largo Recreation Pool.
"I'm probably healthier now than I was when I was 59," Campbell said.
That is the age she took up swimming and now she is a world champion and current record holder in the masters relay. Now she is soon off to Hungary to compete in the Master's World Swimming Relay Championship and says she expects to win.
"I won my first race and that was it, because I'm competitive," she said with a laugh.
It is that drive and determination that has kept her going. She said no matter how old or how young you may be, it is never too late to go after a big dream.
"I set goals for myself and I work towards those goals for every season," Campbell said. "And I've done that since I started swimming and I think that really helps, not just swimming for exercise."
She said keeping active is the key to aging well. In addition to swimming close to 90 minutes every day, she does yoga, walks and takes cardio classes.
She will compete Thursday in the 17th FINA World Championship.