Sport
4 February, 2025
Ice swim champ
Armatree athlete Peta Bradley returns with world-class results.
Local athlete Peta Bradley recently won one gold and two silver medals at the sixth International Ice Swimming Association (IISA) World Championship held in Molveno, Italy. The championship began on Tuesday, January 14 and was swum across five days till Saturday, January 18.
Peta hails from Armatree, an area not exactly known for its ice. Despite this, she won two silver and one gold medals across three events, competing among over 750 athletes from around the world.
“I was always a swimmer growing up,” said the former Gilgandra High School student. “Learning to swim was a part of growing up. I always swam throughout school, competed in carnivals on weekends and did state level swimming,” said Peta.
It was during COVID, while living in Armidale for her job with Meat and Livestock Australia, that she discovered ice swimming. With public pools closed, Peta and her fitness group found lakes and dams to swim in instead.
“In March it was alright, but when it got to June with the frost on the ground… it got us wondering what kind of community [for ice swimming] was out there,” said Peta.
It was a gradual progression getting used to swimming in ice-cold water.
The first ‘extreme’ swim Peta undertook was an ice mile; as the name implies, it’s a mile-long swim in water below five degrees celsius.
Peta completed the swim in 2022, the 469th person to officially complete the swim.
Wyatt Song, the first ice mile swimmer and president of IISA Australia, introduced her to the competitive scene.
“I was told about the world championship in France [in 2023]… since then I competed last year (July) in New Zealand in the southern hemisphere championships,” she said.
Peta commented that, while competing for your nation is amazing, the preparation to compete is what she enjoys most. Training comes in three parts: mental preparation, physical conditioning, and perhaps most importantly, acclimatisation - the process of getting the body used to a new (in this case colder) environment.
“I got to have a few weeks of travelling around Europe to get used to the cold,” said Peta.
“The UK, Scotland, Geneva… swimming in places like Loch Ness and getting used to the cold water.”
A large part of Peta’s training involves “overcoming discomfort” to get ready for one of the greatest discomforts of all, swimming in literally freezing water.
“Being a tourist in the cold was interesting. I remember one morning in Berlin going for a run in a t-shirt [in the snow], the locals looking sideways at what your doing,” said Peta. Since coming back to Australia, the reaction to her results have been “overwhelming,” according to Peta. “[Coming back] has been overwhelming. Firstly, because it was 40 degrees… [also] the support I’ve felt, even when I was over there racing.
“People were interested enough to get up at 3am to watch the races. Since coming back, the interest in my experience has been overwhelming, particularly from the community of Gilgandra and Gulargambone… they’re proud, and I’m proud to come from this area.
“One of the most incredible parts of my trip was the 200m freestyle. Lloyd and Gai Gilmour (locals), they were in that part of Italy for my race. It was my least favourite event but my most favourite race because I knew a touch of home was in the crowd.” Peta is content enjoying swimming and fitness as a regular routine for now, unsure if she’ll compete again, but the option is there for her.
“I’m sure I’ll get bored of that within two weeks. Don’t count me out, but right now I’m just enjoying it without the looming thought of competition,” Peta said.
She passed along thanks to her local community, clubs and sports groups, and her supportive family. “[The journey] has been amazing.”
