Diana Koski, making a splash for mental health

Diana’s entry to swimming began at the age of 9 years old, at Beatty Park with her two older brothers, who had been invited to compete in the Perth City club carnival which ran events on Sundays. After realising they were able to miss out on Sunday school to swim, she hatched a plan for them to teach her to swim, and eventually got the courage to go up to the coach and ask if she was able to join the club.   

At Diana’s first state championships she placed 1st for the under 9’s, before competing in a number of state competitions alongside her brothers, proving that she had a natural talent for the sport. Sadly, Diana’s mother passed away at 12 years old, making it difficult to get to swimming training and competitions, and eventually led to her needing to stop at 15 years old.  

Diana never lost her passion and starting swimming again after having children and has now been a member of the Fremantle Fins Masters Swimming Club for 20 years, competing at the Canberra Masters Games and the 2008 World Swimming Masters Games in Fremantle.  

The Australian Masters Games is what inspired Diana to start swimming again after stopping after her brother passed away in 2020.  

“My swimming training and entering the Australian Masters Games helps me immensely in supporting my physical health and my positive mental health as I suffer from depression. I’m looking to forward to competing again in the sport I love and am aiming to get my time down to what it was at my last games in 2018.” 

Her advice to other masters swimmers out there is to focus on your own personal best, and to remember to have fun and enjoy the day.