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Beyond the Blocks | 03 February 2025

Surf and Perf

In the second of our Beyond the Blocks stories we feature Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists Lani Pallister and Callum Simpson, who not only wear the green and gold of the Dolphins but the black and gold cap of Alexandra Headland Surf Club.

Surf and Perf

How the black and gold inspired the green and gold

LAST month, Lani Pallisterand Callum Simpson featured in Australia Day honours for playing their glittering historic part at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games but the gold-medal pair could have just as easily been awarded their OAMs for services to life saving.

Before graduating to Dolphins, the pair discovered their love of water as nippers at Alexandra Headland Surf Life Saving Club on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

And as avid beach goers and proud wearers of the black and gold cap of Alex Surf Club, Pallister and Simpson love belting out “our home is girt by sea” when they sing the national anthem but they also understand how surf safety matters more than most.

With water so intrinsic to Australia’s way of life, it is no surprise that 87 per cent of Australia’s 26 million population live within 50km of the coastline (2021 Australian Government State of the Environment Report).

Taking into account the 7.5 million tourists who visited Australia just last year alone – which contributed to 16 million-plus coastal visitations and almost 9000 rescues (2024 Surf Lifesaving Australia Report), Pallister and Simpson are keen advocates of learn-to-swim programs.

Pallister won Olympic gold in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay and Simpson won Paralympic gold in the men’s 100m freestyle S8 and as a heat swimmer in the mixed 4x100m medley 34pt relay – and both paid tribute to their salt water upbringing.

Pallister said: “I love Alex (Surf Club), they are incredibly supportive when it comes to my pool swimming career. In fact, they are some of the first people to congratulate me after a meet.”

The 22-year-old is a product of champion aquatic parents with her dad, Rick, a champion surf lifesaver and triathlete and Janelle (nee Elford) represented Australia in swimming at the Seoul 1988 Olympic and is an Auckland 1990 Commonwealth Games gold medallist.

“I have to credit my career as a swimmer and love for the water to mum and dad. It’s so special to have the opportunity to follow in their footsteps,” Pallister said.

“Growing up at Alex shaped my formative years. I’m no stranger to the surf and feel right at home at Alex… I know where the rips are and how to be safe in the water.

“What did actually first get me to do surf lifesaving was watching my older brother, Owen. Anything that he did, naturally, I wanted to do as well. So, I started Nippers at Alex (Headlands) when I was around five and I have done surf lifesaving there every summer since.”

Similarly, 17-year-old Simpson followed his older brother Henry to the club to start nippers when he was seven.

Simpson was born with microdeletion syndrome – a chromosomal abnormality and genetic disorder which causes learning delay and physical flow-on effects – which causes his left and right side not to work in unison. He also has dyspraxia, neurological disorders, and cerebral palsy.

At the age of two, Callum and the Simpson family were told that he wouldn’t be able to run, jump or swim like the other children as he got older. Swimming then became vital as form of therapy to build strength and coordination.

But for Simpson swimming in the surf offers more than that.

“A big part of why I started surf lifesaving is so I could always know how to be safe in the water. This is super important because we live at beach and it’s a huge part of our everyday life,” said the Year-12 student.

“These days I just get in and go, being a para-athlete in the pool has provided me with the base line fitness for it. But if I didn’t do nippers or join a surf club to experience first-hand how the ocean works then I would struggle, anyone would.

“I do prefer the pool but I love the surf and racing for my club. What is cool is that that it (the ocean) offers completely different elements, like how to catch a wave in or a rip out.”

Volunteering is a cornerstone of surf lifesaving and when Pallister and Simpson aren’t away on campaign for the Australian Swim Team, you can find them on beach patrol.

“Community give-back, like patrol, is really important for SLA (Surf Lifesaving Australia),” Pallister said.

“I’ve done my fair-share of first aid and rescues, thankfully never CPR, but enough to realise that things can happen in the surf very quickly.

“Being a proficient swimmer, I’m often sent into the water first with the tube to assist the swimmer in need. Then we wait for the boards to follow and get them in safely.”

Simpson, who volunteers twice a month during the summer, added: “Knowing how to swim, particularly in the surf, is so crucial here.”

“Alex Heads is a relatively safe beach but even so last Christmas holidays there was a major rescue with four to five swimmers stuck in a bad rip.”

Last year in April, ‘Adaptive Competition’ was introduced allowing multi-class athletes to take part in the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships for the first time in history.

For a Paralympian like Simpson, providing more inclusive pathways is a step in the right direction for those with disabilities to also to learn how to swim and be safe in the surf.

“It was pretty special to see that event introduced, even though I’ve competed in surf lifesaving my whole life, it is comforting to see others also with disabilities have a go,” said Simpson.

“That’s why having more multi-purpose aquatic centres, like the proposed NAC (National Aquatic Centre) in Brisbane, would be amazing. It would provide a pathway for others to access vital skills of water safety.”

But why have these highly successful pool athletes never considered not competing for their surf club?

Because they both define Alex Surf Club in one word … “SPECIAL!”

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