| Maribyrnong Mantas Swimming Club |
 formerly Maidstone Swimming Club (est 1967)
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| "life is short, some days you win, some days you learn" |
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From Article in "The Advocate" 26th May 2009 Edition Click here for original article. |
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Family pledge propels a champ 26/05/2009 4:00:00 AM |
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AS a successful swimmer, Ben Morrison is not short of medals. But of all the accolades at home, there are two gold medals the 17-year-old is particularly proud of. This isn't because he received them for coming first in 50-metre freestyle and backstroke events at the Victorian secondary school swimming championships on April 9. His mother, Jane Morrison, explains that it is because he had promised his grandparents, Lloyd and Mary Martin, that he would win gold at the championships for them - and it was the year 12 student's last chance to do so. It's also why he chose to compete instead of attend his grandparents' funeral. They died in the Black Saturday bushfires. "Those are two of his proudest [possessions]," Mrs Morrison said. "He calls them Nan and Grandpa's medals." Ben, who has an intellectual disability and autism, works hard to achieve success in the pool. When he is not attending Ascot Vale Special School, the Footscray resident is training. He swims for more than two hours at Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, he spends an hour in the gym at Ascot Vale Leisure Centre with a personal trainer. And on Sundays he is either training for his club, Maribyrnong Mantas, or for the Special Olympics Victoria. It's a long way from where he started. Mrs Morrison said she had to push Ben to get active at the age of 10 because he was overweight and only interested in computer games and movies. "He had a 36-inch waist at the age of 10. I had to buy him men's clothes and take them up in the leg." Ben says he likes to win because "you get the prizes and hot women". He is not shy about what he wants to become - an Olympic champion. He will have two opportunities to get there, as a competitor in the Special Olympics national championships and the Australian multi-disability championships, which can lead to a spot at the Paralympics. |
 Medal winner: At the age of 10, Ben Morrison's mother had to buy men's clothes to fit his 36-inch waist. Swimming has turned his life around. Ben is pictured with trainer Trevor Fletcher. Picture: Fiona Evans |
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