Dent shows plenty of heart after operation

Digs deep to take Flannagan Cup

Nearly a year ago, New Plymouth's Craig Dent was on the Waikato Hospital operating table undergoing triple bypass surgery.

Yesterday, the 53-year-old was celebrating his first-ever win in the annual Flannagan Cup open water swim at New Plymouth's Ngamotu Beach.

"I first swam in the Flannagan Cup when I was 16. I've had a few seconds, but never won the race. It feels pretty good," he said. "I'm very proud of myself. It was one of my goals after surgery ... No 3 on my bucket list."

Goal No 1 on Dent's bucket list was the Auckland round of the national ocean swimming series last November, with No 2 being last month's Wellington round of the series.

"My next goal is the Across Taupo swim over 4.2km on February 26. Every day's a good day is my motto."

Starting off 16 minutes and 15 seconds in the handicap event, Dent pipped New Plymouth's Mark Goodwin by five seconds. Dent's time including his handicap was one hour, 21 minutes, with Goodwin clocking 1hr21min05sec, including his handicap of 19 minutes and 15 seconds.

Champion long-distance swimmer and backmarker Charlotte Webby was third overall, taking fastest time in 46min25sec for the 3.6km swim.

Dent said he was back swimming as soon as he could after the operation.

"My ankles are fused, so I can't run. My wrist is fused, so I am limited in what sport I can do. Swimming is about it. If a tsunami came, I could survive," he said. "I'm a surf swimmer, not a pool swimmer, and I didn't mind it choppy. I knew Mark was right behind me. I was a little off beam heading to the finish line, but still had enough left in the tank to pick myself up and get there first."

Goodwin, a past winner of the cup, said he thought he had the right line to the finish to pull in Dent.

"I thought I had him. I knew Craig was the one to beat in the race. I started three minutes behind him and nearly got him," said Goodwin, 47. "I'm glad he's won. He's been swimming well."

Webby, who heads to Australia for two distance swims in a fortnight, was happy with her swim. "It was pretty sweet. Third's not too bad," she said. "It was a bit choppy down the back, but that's the fun of it. If you've got strength, you can pick up some of the swimmers there. It was all good fun."

- © Fairfax NZ News