It’s not everyday that you break a world record! Over the weekend, two South Aussies did exactly that. Local athletes Taj Ward, 21, and Fletcher Luscombe, 20, broke the longstanding Open Male Line Throw record at the Pool Rescue State Championships on Sunday at the SA Aquatic Centre.
While the result is subject to approval by the International Life Saving Federation (ILS), these two blokes completed the race at just 8.99 seconds!
“We saw history being made over the weekend with Taj and Fletcher becoming the first team in the world to throw under nine seconds in the Open Line Throw event and breaking a record that stood for 12 years,” says Surf Life Saving SA Sport & Member Development Manager, Mel Davis-Bishop.
“Thanks to our world class facilities here in Adelaide, as a state we certainly punch above our weight in the pool rescue discipline.
“The amount of training that our athletes, and particularly Taj, put into this event is exemplary and we are so proud of them for putting SA on the map once more.
“While often not considered a mainstream part of surf lifesaving, Pool rescue events offer a direct path to the Australian team, and we can’t wait to see what this duo might do at Aussies next month.”
Mr Ward and Mr Luscombe beat the world record by a slim 0.2 seconds – previously set by Stöckli Zöllig 12 years ago at 9.01 seconds.
“This literally means everything. I’m speechless,” said Taj Ward on social media. “It’s been a dream for a long time…”
Mr Ward continued to share that a lot of “mental preparation” was required throughout the season and the win is “fantastic for our state”.
The ‘Line Throw’ event refers to a two-person relay where one person is a ‘thrower’, and one person is a ‘patient’.
“The patient acts as a casualty. So, the thrower throws a line or piece of rope that’s 17 metres long and has to throw at 12 and a half metres. The casualty has to catch the rope and you pull them in. So, it’s a very quick race, this one,” says Mr Ward.
Mr Ward mentioned how much the win meant to his mother, Di Wallace-Ward – another talented SLS legacy, who was the first woman from SA to make the Nutri-Grain Ironman/Ironwoman series in the early 1990s.
“…My mum was in tears, she was in absolute awe,” continued Mr Ward.
“Mum understands that this absolutely means a lot and that she was an Australian team representative for boards in the World Lifesaving Championships in the 80s.
“…This truly means a lot for her and for me.”
Mr Ward and Mr Luscombe will go on to compete at the Australian Pool Rescue Championships held at the Southport Aquatic Centre on Queensland’s Gold Coast, from 5-7 August 2022.
The Australian Pool Rescue Championships is one of the key qualifying events for the national surf lifesaving teams. Moreover, it is an opportunity for the country’s elite lifesavers to “display the skills that keep them rescue ready for the start of the patrol season”.
To find out more about the Australian Pool Rescue Championships, click here.
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