BEN JOHNSTON – Matamata Swimming Club

Matamata Swimming Club’s Ben Johnston has just returned from ‘Rescue 2014 – LifeSaving World Championships’, held in Montpellier, France from the 13th to the 26th of September.

Ben was Team Captain and a key member of the NZ Youth Team which finished in 2nd place overall in the International Competition. He was also a member of the Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club Youth Team which won the Overall Interclub Competition.

Ben had an outstanding campaign across both the International and Interclub Competitions – returning home with 17 medals in total –

Individual Medals - 2nd Board Race (Interclub) 2nd Board Race (National Teams) 2nd 50m Manakin Carry (Interclub) 2nd Rescue Medley (Interclub) 3rd Ironman (Interclub) 3rd 50m Manakin Carry (National Teams) 4th Ironman (National Teams) 4th 200m Obstacles (Interclub)

Team Medals - 1st Board Rescue (National Teams) 1st Board Rescue (Interclub) 1st Taplin Relay (Interclub) 1st Obstacle Relay (Interclub) 1st Medley Relay (Interclub) 2nd Taplin Relay (National Teams) 2nd Beach Relay (Interclub) 3rd Beach Relay (National Teams) 3rd Obstacle Relay (National Teams)

We asked Ben to sum up his experience in a few words –“ I had an amazing experience over the two weeks of competing against the best in the world at Surf Life Saving. It was a privilege to Captain the NZ Youth Team and be part of helping them place 2nd overall. Then to back it up a week later in our club colours and win the overall Youth Interclub Competition was awesome!”