Laddsworth Primary School is very proud of their Grade 3 teacher Jenny Ireland who inspires young and old to follow their passion. At the age of 5 Jenny fell into an empty swimming pool and her mom promptly decided to take her daughter for swimming coaching. The coach recognised Jenny's natural swimming ability as she took to the water enthusiastically.Jenny soon joined her school swim team at St Mary's DSG in Pretoria, and in her high school years swam for Northern Transvaal, during this time Jenny was named team captain, an unexpected honour as the only English speaking girl in the team. At Teachers Training College Jenny spent two years swimming for the Witwatersrand University team.
After starting her family Jenny took a break from swimming until her youngest son was eight and she took him for coaching with Dean Price. The lure of the water was huge and Jenny was quickly back in the water, loving it! Mrs Price suggested Jenny join the Gauteng Masters and train for the Midmar Mile which she has swum annually since 1995.
During the last 16 years Jenny has swum provincially to achieve her National grades, in 2000 she entered the World Championships in Munich and in the same year Jenny earned her SA Colours, which she has managed to achieve each year since then. This is a mighty feat as the FINA time is taken from the top ten percent of the best times achieved per age group per annum, as set by the world swimming body. This annual challenge keeps Jenny, who confesses to be horribly competitive, in the water.
The annual highlight of Jenny's swimming career is participating in the Nationals where her best event is the 400m medley swim.
Jenny says, 'Swimming is such a great sport as people aged 100 plus are swimming competitively. The focus of Masters is on Fun and Friendship, so all shapes, sizes, abilities and ages are welcomed.