Swimming dream comes true for soldier

For 10th Light Horse Regiment (10LHR) troop leader Lieutenant Sinéad Jameson, completing the 19.7-kilometre Rottnest Channel Swim solo has been a long-held dream.

CAPTION: Soldiers and officers from 16th Battalion, The Royal Western Australia Regiment, and 10th Light Horse Regiment run to shore during the Rottnest Channel Swim. Story by Major Sandra Seman-Bourke. Photo by Lieutenant Colonel Lachlan Bromley.

The part-time officer is a paralegal in Perth, completing the final year of her law degree.

“While a career in law is exciting, there’s almost nothing you can’t do in the Army,” Lieutenant Jameson said.

“There’s no other job in the world that puts a junior leader in front of a troop of people and is expected to plan and lead.”

More than 2500 competitors, boats and support crew were involved in this year’s event on February 25.

Lieutenant Jameson and a team of four from 10LHR joined two teams from 16th Battalion, The Royal Western Australia Regiment (16RWAR), with their small boat platoon providing support to all the swimmers.

The first Rottnest Channel Swim race was held in 1991 with 44 entries, 16 of them solo swimmers.

In near-perfect conditions, many records were broken this year, with 2582 swimmers representing 10 countries.

16RWAR’s Support Company team completed the course in 5 hr 49 min, followed by 16RWAR’s Bravo Coy team in 6 hr 46 min, Lieutenant Jameson in 7 hr 18 min, and 10LHR’s team in 7 hr 50 min.

Commanding Officer 16RWAR Lieutenant-Colonel Lachlan Bromley said being able to provide its small boat capability to support the Army swimmers on the day was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

“Taking part in events like the Rottnest Channel Swim shows the public that 13th Brigade and all our units are part of the community, and gives our soldiers an opportunity to challenge themselves and to develop resilience, problem-solving and team-working skills.”

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