For some athletes, there is just nothing like the experience of swimming in open water. For Madelaine Sayko, a 66-year-old Radnor woman, it is the thrill of beating her last time and the support of the other members of French Creek Racing that keeps her coming back, writes J.F. Pirro for Main Line Today

The first time she broke the 30-second mark for swimming 25 meters, she said, “It was just one second better than my previous best, but I earned that second. After that, I started thinking about all the other seconds — and second chances — in my life that I’d had but maybe didn’t appreciate.”

Based in Bridgeport, French Creek Racing is an open-water competitive organization founded by John Kenny, a professional triathlete and a five-time U.S. national open-water champion. Kenny offers lessons and practices, and members of French Creek Racing compete in triathlons and other races.

Sayko, who works for Main Line Unitarian Church in Devon, said she discovered the organization during the pandemic, and it has had a tremendous impact on her life. She gave a guest sermon at her church called, “Everything Is Different, Eight Lessons I Learned from Swimming.”

Read more about Sayko’s story and French Creek Racing in Main Line Today.

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