World Champion Teaches Free Ocean Swimming to Women Over 60

Shelley Taylor-Smith spent decades racing through some of the world's most challenging open waters as a marathon swimming champion. Now at 64, she's back at the Perth beach where she learned to swim, teaching mature women the skills and confidence she gained over six decades in the water.

A year ago, Shelley posted a simple invitation on social media asking people to join her for laps at Mettams Pool twice a week. She thought she was reaching a handful of neighbors. Instead, 30,000 people saw her message, and women started showing up ready to learn.

The free lessons have attracted women with vastly different swimming backgrounds. Kathy, a former swim teacher who hadn't worked in 30 years, heard Shelley on the radio and felt called to help. She watched terrified beginners gradually transform into swimmers who confidently complete lap after lap.

Diane hadn't taken a swimming lesson since high school and would never have approached the ocean alone. The group's camaraderie gave her the courage to enter the water. Her friend Hilly arrived needing help getting in and out of the pool, but now completes a dozen laps of the reef-protected lagoon with ease.

At 75, Hilly calls herself the group's matriarch. She's amazed by how this random collection of women connected so deeply that she knows they'll remain lifelong friends.

Why This Inspires

The group tackles a serious issue with joy. Adults aged 65 and older accounted for one third of all drowning deaths in 2025, according to Royal Life Saving. But Shelley's approach focuses on building confidence through community rather than fear.

Several women who once feared the ocean are now training for the Busselton Jetty Swim, an iconic event with distances ranging from 500 meters to 3.6 kilometers. To celebrate their courage, Shelley dug out hundreds of gold medals from her state and national championship wins. She awards them to the women for pushing past their comfort zones.

What started as swimming lessons has become something deeper. The sessions involve as much chatting as swimming, creating bonds that extend beyond the water.

Shelley worried the medals might seem corny, but she wanted the women to feel truly empowered. They earned those gold medals by showing up, facing their fears, and discovering strength they didn't know they had.