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Millersville University has professors with a vast array of interests and talents. One in particular, Dr. Ying Wushanley, professor emeritus of wellness and sport sciences, placed in the top 10 of the international World Masters Swimming Championship in Singapore this summer.
He competed in the 50-meter breaststroke, finishing in 9th place, as well as in the 200-meter breaststroke, finishing in 10th place. “I was very happy that I made it to the elite group in the world and that my effort paid off,” says Wushanley.
Wushanley has enjoyed swimming for most of his life but didn’t start Masters’ swimming, which is a class of competitive swimming for those who are 25 years and over, until 12 years ago. He originally wasn’t optimistic that he would be able to compete due to being overseas until he was inspired by a friend in Germany to commit to training daily for at minimum an hour at the local Lancaster City YMCA. This was all in preparation for overcoming the fear of swimming these two races in the 50-meter-long course pool.
Wushanley discusses the most memorable part of competing in Singapore, saying it was, “just the overall excitement that you are competing alongside the best swimmers from all over the world, many of them former Olympians and world champions.”
When asked about advice he would give to those interested in staying active and competitive throughout life, Wushanley says, “Choose activities that you enjoy doing or enjoy doing more relatively and stick to them. For those who have not been physically active, the enjoyment of exercise/sport must be discovered first. If we want to live a long and healthy life, we must first see regular exercise as a necessity than an extra effort. The easiest time to form a good healthy lifestyle is when you are in college. Because it is here when you have the most essential resources to pursue such a lifestyle.”
