Carla Stampfli is a Swiss swimmer who competes for Swim Regio Solothurn. She reached finals and semi-finals at World and European Championships, competed at the 2004 Olympic Games, and is now rediscovering competitive swimming through the masters circuit, on what she says is her own terms.
She came to swimming late by elite standards, picking it up at 12, retired from the Swiss national team at 24, and then found her way back to competition again from the age of 28. In between, there have been breaks, a full-time job, and a life to organise. But the pool keeps pulling her back.
It started with something hard to name. “Swimming itself and the joy of moving through the water,” she says. That and a curiosity to see what times she can still produce as an older swimmer with limited training time.
Sport has always been part of how Stampfli structures her days. Before swimming took over, there was artistic gymnastics and figure skating. As is usually the case with athletes at any level, that brings a certain dicipline that stays with you throughout life.
“Even after I stopped competing on an international level, I maintained that structure in my daily life through training and work.” Training, she says, has always given her energy and variety that studying and then a full-time job alone couldn’t provide.
She acknowledges that sometimes work and her training can get in the way of each other, but this doesn’t bother her. “If there are times when my full-time job and training become too much for me, I cut back on training until I feel like swimming again.”
Race day has also changed.The nerves are still there, but the weight behind them is gone. “I’m still nervous, but I’m feeling much more relaxed as I line up at the start.” Masters swimming, she explains, has let her pursue the sport without pressure. “If I swim fast, I’m delighted. And if I don’t, it’s still been a great experience.”
Every international masters competition she has entered in the 40–44 age group has felt like a highlight. The 2026 European Aquatics Masters Championships this August is another such occasion, and she approaches it with the same gratitude she brings to all of them. “It’s simply a joy for me to be able to experience events like this and the emotions they bring. It’s not something to be taken for granted.”
Success in 2026, for Stampfli, won’t be measured only in the pool. “When I return with a backpack full of wonderful experiences: exploring a new swimming pool, a new city, meeting new people, and perhaps clocking up a few fast times.”
For anyone her age who might be tempted by masters swimming, her message is direct: “You really must give it a go. Otherwise, you’ll miss out on some amazing experiences that will stay with you for the rest of your life.”
As for how long she plans to keep going, the answer is the kind that can’t really be argued with: “I’ll keep swimming as long as I enjoy it.”
The European Aquatics Masters Championships Samorin-Bratislava-Graz 2026 takes place from 18–30 August.
Stephen Stanley for European Aquatics
