Couch concludes big month
- Updated: August 25, 2014
Bob Couch looks over at the clock for his time. In the main photo, he’s poised to race. (Photos courtesy of Bob Couch/Natalie Couch).
BOB COUCH
By Anna Elders
Special to East Alabama Sports Today
Bob Couch recently returned to Calhoun County after his second major swim competition in three weeks and despite feeling a bit under the weather had quite a successful run.
Competing in the Masters Swimming Summer Nationals at the University of Maryland, Couch posted five Top-5 individual finishes in his age division – three seconds – and was on a winning relay team. This came on the heels of five Top-7 finishes in the Masters World Championships in Montreal.
The 67-year-old Anniston jeweler finished second in the 800-meter freestyle (11:29.96), 400 individual medley (6:29.91) and 400 freestyle (5:27.23), third in the 200 IM (2:55.31) and fourth in the 200 freestyle (2:31.24). He also swam the anchor leg on the winning 200 freestyle relay (1:51.60) and three runner-up relays.
His individual times were a bit slower than he’d have liked, but he said he’d been fighting some illness the past few weeks and still hadn’t been feeling well.
Couch started swimming at age 6 and today is considered one of the fastest men in the world in the water at his age.
Through the years he has followed a basic piece of advice, and it’s one he would pass along to any upcoming swimmer.
“They have to enjoy it and commit 100 percent so they can say they did their best,” he said. “Some people would say this sport is insane, but I say just have a competitive drive.”
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