When Australian swimmer Tony Strahan runs in the baton relay for the Commonwealth Games next month, he will be transported back to 1962 and the memory of racing as a member of the winning 4x200m relay at the Perth Commonwealth Games.

"I can still remember those Commonwealth Games, the atmosphere, the euphoria and the tremendous satisfaction of doing so well in a team event," Strahan told Australian reporters. "To win a gold medal in front of 10,000 people cheering for us was amazing."

Strahan, now 63 and a surf lifesaver for the past 30 years, was part of the Australian swimming team that toured overseas in the 1960s. He still trains five days a week in the pool.

Strahan, who will run with the baton on March 9 at Werribee, has tickets to see Ian Thorpe race in the 200 metres freestyle.