Swimming Legends to be celebrated in new Hall of Fame

Swimming’s rich history in the Australian sporting landscape is set to be immortalised with Swimming Australia officially launching its Hall of Fame.

With a legacy spanning more than a century back to Fred Lane at the Paris Olympics in 1900, the Swimming Australia Hall of Fame has been established to both recognise and celebrate those athletes and coaches who have left an indelible mark on the sport at the international level.

An inaugural class of Dolphins will be inducted this year, before the nomination process opens up to the broader swimming community from 2023 to identify those athletes and coaches they believe to be worthy of elevation to the Hall of Fame.

Swimming Australia CEO, Eugénie Buckley, welcomed the establishment of the Hall of Fame, saying it would provide just reward and recognition for some of Australia’s most celebrated athletes.

“From Freddy Lane in the River Seine through to Emma McKeon’s historic feats in Tokyo, our Dolphins have continued to deliver generation defining moments and memories for more than a century,” Buckley said.

“More than 1,100 athletes and over 150 coaches have represented Australia with pride on the international stage, with many writing their own chapters in the successful legacy now synonymous with the Dolphins.”

“Induction into the Hall of Fame will represent the highest honour and recognition that an individual can achieve within swimming in Australia, and it is only appropriate we establish such an avenue for celebration of those athletes and coaches whose performances have, and continue to, inspire the nation.”

To be eligible for induction, an athlete must have been retired from international competition for at least 5 years and won at least 1 individual Olympic or Paralympic Gold Medal, or multiple FINA or Para World Championships, or Commonwealth Games Gold Medals.

For coaches, elevation to the Hall of Fame can happen at anytime where a coach has provided long and dedicated service to the Dolphins team, has coached an athlete to at least 1 individual Olympic or Paralympic Gold Medal, or multiple FINA or Para World Championships, or Commonwealth Games Gold Medals, and is highly regarded amongst their peers.

Both athletes and coaches must also have brought significant international standing to swimming in Australia through their achievements and service.

The inaugural class of inductees will be unveiled at next month’s 2022 Swimming Australia Awards in Sydney, to be held at the Sofitel Wentworth on Sunday 28 August.