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Club and Community | 28 October 2022

Trio Joins Life Membership Honour Roll

Swimming Australia is proud to announce three new recipients of the governing body’s highest individual honour.

Legendary coach Michael Bohl OAM, and former Australian Dolphins and accomplished administrators Nicole Livingstone OAM and Matthew Dunn OAM have all been awarded with Swimming Australia Life Membership, celebrating their exceptional service to the sport.

Swimming Australia CEO, Eugénie Buckley, offered her sincere congratulations to the trio on the thoroughly deserved recognition.

Michael, Nicole and Matt represent the very best of Australian swimming, not only by virtue of their respective success both in and out of the pool, but also their ongoing contributions to the growth and advancement of our sport,” Buckley said.

All three epitomise the values we hold dear in our broader swimming community and our sport is undoubtedly better for their involvement, so it is only fitting they each be bestowed our highest honour.”

A former Australian Dolphin himself, Bohl’s greatest success has come as a mentor to some of Australia’s most decorated athletes as he has firmly cemented his place as one of the premier coaches in international swimming.

The Supercoach has guided athletes onto the podium at every Summer Olympics from Beijing to Tokyo, including Australia’s most successful Olympian of all time, Emma McKeon.

I’m truly humbled by this prestigious honour of being awarded Life Membership of Swimming Australia,” Bohl said.

Swimming has been a major part of my life for the past 55 years and I have had the good fortune of being involved with some outstanding athletes, coaches, administrators and volunteers who have all played an important role in shaping the me into the coach I am today.”

A member of the Australian swimming team for more than a decade, including three Olympic appearances, Livingstone has left an indelible mark on the sport not only as an athlete, but also an innovative administrator and passionate advocate through her more than two decades of work as a broadcaster in the media.

Beyond the pool, Livingstone has served as a member of the AOC Athlete’s Commission, as CEO of the Melbourne Vicentre Swimming Club and in a variety of Director roles on Boards including Swimming Australia, Sport Australia Hall of Fame, Victorian Institute of Sport and the Australian Sports Drug Agency, now known as Sport Integrity Australia.

Swimming for Australia and contributing to Swimming in Australia has been a major part of my life and has brought me much joy,” Livingstone said.

Swimming has been very good to me over the years and I have always tried to give back, whether through competing, broadcasting or administering the sport.  To be added into the history books as a life member of Swimming Australia is an honour.”

A decade long Dolphin in his own right, Dunn also represented Australia at three Olympic Games finishing in Sydney 2000 and has a resume including multiple world records, six Commonwealth Games Gold medals and a remarkable 33 Australian Swimming Titles.

Following his retirement, Dunn has maintained his commitment to the sport through a variety of roles including as a Director of the Swimming Australia Board, a member of the FINA Athletes’ Commission and WADA Athlete Committee, President of the Oceania Swimming Association and his now current leadership role with swimming’s International Federation as Second Vice President of FINA.

It’s an amazing honour to have been recognised in this way,” Dunn said.

Swimming has given me so much as an athlete, was how I met by beautiful wife and is now the sport my three boys enjoy so much. It’s been a privilege to have had the opportunity to give back to aquatics at multiple levels over the last 15 years and I thank Swimming Australia for this award.

Swimming Australia thanks all three new Life Members for their selfless contributions to our sport and congratulates them on this honour.