australian swimming 93rd annual report 2001/2002

04 foreword
After the outstanding performance of
Australian swimmers at the Sydney Olympics,
who could have predicted the events of the
following year?
At the 2001 FINA World Swimming
Championships in Japan the Australian Swim
team laid decisive claim to best-nation
status—topping the gold-medal tally. To finally
topple the United States team was a fitting
farewell gift for retiring national head coach
Don Talbot.
The outstanding performances in Japan
are chronicled elsewhere in this report,
but a number of highlights are worthy of
special mention.
R Ian Thorpe’s six gold medals made him
the highest gold-medal winner in World
Swimming Championship history—with
a career total so far of eight gold. Ian also
broke four world records and was voted
‘Best Performer of the Meet’.
R Petria Thomas won the 100 and 200 metres
butterfly ‘double’, adding to the gold she
and fellow team-mates Dyana Calub, Leisel
Jones and Sarah Ryan won in the 4 x 100
metres medley relay.
R Grant Hackett smashed the world record for
the 1500 metres freestyle by more than
seven seconds—a well-earned reward for
his tenacity in chasing Kieren Perkins’ mark
set at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.
‘The Commonwealth Government, through the
Australian Sports Commission, has committed
$4.35 million to Australian Swimming.’
R World records were set by our 4 x 200 metre
freestyle relay team of Ian Thorpe, Grant
Hackett, Michael Klim and William Kirby and
by Geo≈ Huegill in the 50 metres butterfly.
Australian Swimming capped o≈ a remarkable
year by winning the 2001 Goodwill Games
swimming meet, topping the overall goldmedal
tally at the 6th FINA World Short Course
Swimming Championships and taking out a
host of other titles at FINA World Cups.
Australian Swimming continues to display
leadership in its support of swimmers with
disabilities. For the first time, swimmers with
disabilities have been integrated into the
national team for the up-coming
Commonwealth Games, participating in leadup
events such as Telstra Grand Prix meets and
pre-event camps. I know that the Australian
Paralympic Committee appreciates Australian
Swimming’s leadership. We all look forward to
seeing our united team support and encourage
each other at the Games.
I am also pleased to see that Australian
Swimming has forged formal partnerships with
state swimming bodies, with the intention of
delivering a national development strategy for
the sport.
It is encouraging to see national sporting
organisations such as Australian Swimming
take on a custodial role for the entire sport.
It is a big task. One of swimming’s greatest
challenges in the coming year will be to
continue to modernise and streamline its
governance and business practices at national,
state, association and even club level.
The Commonwealth Government, through the
Australian Sports Commission, has committed
$4.35 million to Australian Swimming in
2001–2002. The benefits will flow not only to
those at the high-performance end of the
sport, but to coaching, o÷ciating and club
development right through the sport.
Additional Sports Commission resources will
help the sport implement a membership
protection policy and encourage participation
by Indigenous Australians.
But while governments can help sports to
pursue their goals, partnerships with others
are necessary if those goals are to be realised.
I congratulate Australian Swimming’s key
corporate partners—Telstra, Qantas,
Fisher & Paykel, the Nine Network, Fox Sports
and Speedo—for supporting swimming
in Australia.
I am certain that through cooperation
and e≈ort we can transform Australians’ love
of sport into a more active—and healthier—
Australia.
I congratulate Australian Swimming on
an incredible year, and wish it the very best
for the future.
Senator the Honourable Rod Kemp
minister for sport and the arts