Celebrate the Induction of Synchro Swimmer Beth Carey Into the International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame

Photo Courtesy: Andy Ross

Beth Carey has been a member of the Ramapo (New York/New Jersey) Aqua Masters since the team’s inception. Now in her 80’s, she began swimming with the team at age 45, and has competed in the U.S. Masters Nationals since 1983. In 1992, she made her first trip to a Masters World Championship, when it was held in Indianapolis, and earned her first two World Championship gold medals. She has competed in eight Fina Masters World Championships winning 20 medals. She has also competed in Masters World Games, Pan Pacific Masters, Pan American Masters and Canadian National Championships.

Carey has been the Aqua Masters team representative since 1994 and has been active with the overall structure of USA Synchro’s Masters program, including being a Masters Athlete representative one year at the USAS Convention. When the team looked like it might not survive, Carey was the constant that kept the team going.

Beth Carey swam water ballet with Cortland State Teacher’s College (now SUNY at Cortland) and was quoted as saying, “There is no comparison between the water ballet of my college years with synchronized swimming of today.” Carey got a degree in Physical Education from Cortland State Teacher’s College in 1959 which is now SUNY (state university of New York) at Cortland. We had a water ballet club based on Esther Williams swimming. She was elected to the Cortland College Hall of Fame in 2000 for swimming as a sport for life. Beth also won the Mae McEwan Award in 2006, which is an award given to “Someone who has made Outstanding Contributions to and best exemplifies the spirit of Masters synchronized swimming.”

Continuing to swim as much as possible, she recently received a clean bill of health after a battle with Pancreatic Cancer. She credits synchronized swimming for her good health and for giving her the energy she needs for her five children, 22 grandchildren and seven great-grands.

“Exercise,” Carey says, “is the most important thing as you age.” Now, at 81, she is still in fantastic shape. “I know that the swimming plus daily exercise is keeping me healthy as I am in my 80’s. My goal is to compete into my 90’s.”

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