CORTLAND, NY — Dorothy Durkin, 67, is a swimmer from Lumberland that recently won a gold medal in the Empire State Senior Games for the 200 yard breaststroke.

The Empire State Senior Games are for seniors 55 and older, Durkin said. There are categories such as swimming, golfing and pickleball. There were about 70 swimmers in attendance in June, she estimated. 

Durkin told the River Reporter that besides being a senior athlete, she is also diabetic, which can often pose some challenges for her.

But Durkin wasn’t always this athletic.

“The diabetic in me was very lazy until my doctor said, ‘You’re not going to live past the age of 35 unless you start exercising.’ So maybe between 38 and 40, I started swimming at the local college and the YMCA.”

While frequenting the Middletown YMCA one day, a friend told her about the Empire State Games and she decided to try participating.

Not only did Durkin win gold for her 200-yard breaststroke, but she also won a silver medal for her 50-yard freestyle. She said she was surprised that she was able to place, let alone win, as she “would have never thought I would have qualified to get there.”

Durkin said due to her Type 1 diabetes, which she’s had since she was a kid, she has to take two shots of insulin a day. During swim races, she brings her insulin, some food and Gatorade, and lets the referee know about her condition.

“It really is a struggle, but I don’t want to give into [it] being a struggle,” she said. “I just want to be very positive and keep moving,”

Besides needing extra resources, Durkin said that without proper precautions, swimming can be dangerous for her. “It’s very difficult to swim and be a diabetic, because you could go into a coma underneath the water,” she explained.

To prevent this, Durkin said she makes sure her blood sugar levels are above average before swimming, due to the sport burning many calories and lowering her sugar levels.

In the future, Durkin is planning to participate in the Florida State Senior Games in December. 

Durkin said she hopes her story inspires diabetic readers to pursue their dreams, regardless of their condition.

“I would like for them [readers] to know that you could do it yourself: Maintain all your blood sugars, maintain the food,” she said. “You could accomplish something in your life,”