After turning 100 this summer, B.C. swimmer Betty Brussel is setting her sights on making even more history in the pool, having already broken several records earlier in 2024. (Monia Blanchet/Radio-Canada)
Betty Brussel, a 100-year-old swimmer from New Westminster, B.C., has been defying the odds and breaking swimming records, inspiring many around the world. Despite turning 100 in July, she continues to make headlines globally, including in the U.S. and Europe. Two Canadian filmmakers, Hannah Walsh and Emma Puchniak, have even begun a Kickstarter to fund a documentary on her remarkable journey.
Brussel first gained wider attention earlier this year when she broke three world records at the age of 99. Her passion for swimming, something she’s loved for as long as she can remember, has kept her going strong even as she has surpassed the age of most of her competitors. She’s a regular at the White Rock Wave Swim Club, where she particularly enjoys the 400-meter freestyle event.
Brussel’s path to competitive swimming is unique. Growing up in Zaandam, just north of Amsterdam, she learned to swim in the canals with her siblings. Her childhood was tough, especially during World War II when her family struggled to get by, and she had to leave school to help her younger siblings. She moved to Canada in 1959, where she worked as a seamstress and raised three children. Now, most of her nine siblings are still alive, including her brother Jan, 92, who lives in Salmon Arm, B.C.
Despite only taking up competitive swimming at 68, after her husband passed away, Brussel has become a notable figure in senior swimming competitions. Her coach, Dr. Linda Stanley Wilson, speaks highly of her dedication and noted a quirky tradition where Brussel kisses dignitaries whenever she wins a medal. Just last September, Brussel attended the 55+ BC Games and proudly racked up nine medal-winning kisses.
One of her biggest inspirations was B.C. swimmer Joan Parnell, who helped improve Brussel’s freestyle stroke. They competed together in a relay at the Masters World Games in Torino, Italy, where they won gold. Brussel’s passion for swimming is fuelled by the weightless feeling of being in the pool, something she finds calming and rejuvenating.
Brussel’s impact reaches far beyond her generation. Former Olympic medalist Brittany MacLean, who won bronze in the 2016 Rio Olympics, expressed her admiration for Brussels’s tenacity. MacLean, also a distance swimmer, praised Brussel for taking on challenging events like the 400 and 800 freestyle, proving age is no barrier to greatness.
These days, Brussel enjoys swimming in the new təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre. She believes that whatever you do, it should be a joy and never feel like a chore. Her positivity and zest for life at 100 are as inspiring as her athletic achievements.
Brussel is a reminder that it's never too late to try something new. Her enduring spirit and passion for swimming make her a Canadian treasure, showing us all what’s possible when you love what you do.
