Saxon Bird, the 19-year-old iron man who died at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships on the Gold Coast on March 19, also was an ocean swimmer. While not at every swim, he took part in enough, regularly, to be classified as "one of us". Saxon was a member of Queenscliff SLSC and Epping Bullets Swimming Club. He always seemed to pop up at Northern Beaches swims, and on the lower and mid north coasts. He won Avalon, and he won Pacific Palms, plus others that we can't be specific about here. He was a good swimmer.
Many swimmers knew him. They feel the grief.
Vale, Saxon Bird...
On Friday it was a bitter sweet moment for my family and friends, we were having a 18th birthday party for my daughter, who with friends present had trained and raced with Saxon Bird.
ReplyDeleteI do not know what to say at this time to the Bird Family.
I would like to end on a simple tribute to Saxon.
Over the years at training, club swim nights, ocean race swims, I always found Saxon pleasant and polite to talk too.
Peter McCrae
A Gentleman Swimmer and a great competitor. Our Prayers and Thoughts with the Bird Family.
ReplyDeleteAlex W on behalf of the Aquaburn Swim Club
Saxon was well remembered at the Balmoral swim today. The crowd shared a minute's silence for Saxon and his family. And many of his mates from Queenscliff and his swim club swam with tributes to him on their bodies. My thoughts are with his mum and dad, and his family, Dave
ReplyDeleteSaxon was also remembered at by St Pats School over the weekend all students wore black arm bands.
ReplyDelete