Submitted by Bellingham Bay Swim Team
Brad Jones is finding that 60 looks pretty good in a swim cap.
The Bellingham swimmer and coach returned from the 2026 Long Course Masters National Championships in Sacramento with three top-three finishes, two new Pacific Northwest Masters records, and a few more reasons to keep getting up for those early morning workouts.
Competing against more than 1,500 swimmers from around the country at the North Natomas Aquatic Complex, Jones finished:
- 2nd — 100-meter butterfly: 1:05.69
- 2nd — 200-meter individual medley
- 3rd — 400-meter freestyle
His 1:05.69 in the 100-meter butterfly was the highlight of the meet. The swim broke a Pacific Northwest Masters record in the 60–64 age group that had stood for 10 years. Jones also set a new PNW Masters record in the 400 Freestyle. (4:54.32)
Jones also competed as a member of the Puget Sound Masters team, giving him the opportunity to swim on several fast relays in addition to his individual events.
Swimming is only part of Jones’ daily routine. Most mornings begin with a 6 a.m. workout with the Bellingham Masters group at Arne Hanna Aquatic Center. After swimming, Jones works as a Certified Rolfer before heading to the pool again in the evening, where he coaches swimmers with the Bellingham Bay Swim Team.
For Jones, the combination of swimming, coaching and staying involved in the sport is what makes Masters swimming so rewarding.
“Masters swimming is incredibly fun, and a big part of my life,” Jones said. “I love swimming, competing, the Masters community, and seeing what I’m capable of as I get older.”
That last part has become an important motivation for Jones. Rather than viewing turning 60 as a reason to slow down, he sees it as another opportunity to find out what he can still accomplish.
The results at Nationals suggest the answer is: plenty.
Jones’ performance also reflects the community that surrounds Masters swimming in the Pacific Northwest. He trains regularly with the Bellingham Masters group, competed at Nationals with Puget Sound Masters, and spends his evenings coaching the next generation of swimmers with the Bellingham Bay Swim Team.
“It’s pretty special to be able to swim in the morning, work during the day, coach in the evening, and still get to compete at this level,” Jones said.
After three trips to the podium, a 10-year-old record erased from the books, and some memorable relay swims with his Puget Sound Masters teammates, Jones came home from Nationals with a pretty good reminder that getting older doesn’t necessarily mean slowing down.
Sometimes it just means finding out what you’re capable of next.
