Dad, son lap up malaria challenge

By Kelly Yates
DANDENONG’S Oasis swimming pool will host the World Swim Against Malaria on 5 April.
The event will raise funds to fight malaria.
Tony Linossi, 79, and his son, Alex, 50, are two of the 10 members in the Australian team.
“The youngest member is 16 and the oldest would be me at nearly 80,” Mr Linossi said.
He said one million people around the world would be involved in the upcoming event to raise funds for specially made mosquito nets that kill mosquitos immediately.
“The nets are safe for humans but deadly for mosquitos,” he said.
The last event was on 3 December, 2005, in Dandenong and there were only 250, 000 swimmers participating throughout the world.
“I was the only swimmer in Dandenong at the time,” Mr Linossi said.
Training has begun for the father-and-son combo at the Oasis swimming pool.
“Alex and I train in the gym every morning for about an hour,” he said.
“My training, in particular, is going reasonably well but unfortunately I’m still not losing any weight.”
Mr Linossi said working as a team is the main factor of the event and the quality of swimming has nothing to do with it.
“Each member can swim 30 laps or just simply have a dip in the pool.”
Greater Dandenong mayor John Kelly and the Rotary Club of Dandenong have been invited to attend the event.
For further information contact Tony Linossi on 9793 5944.