The Australian Swim team has been called the Australian Dolphins since 1989. It is one of the biggest national swim teams in the entire world and competes at both national and international levels.
The Dolphins are one of the best swim teams in the world. It is one of the few swim teams to have 36 swimmers included as part of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. You have probably heard one or two of the following names: Ian Thorpe, Dawn Fraser, Grant Hackett and Murray Rose.
Top Class Swimmers
The Australian Dolphins have excelled at all levels of competition including the Olympics. The year 2020 was one of their best years. The team won 21 medals including 9 Olympic golds.
Another good Olympic year for the Dolphins was 2008 when they returned home to Australia with 20 medals.
The Paralympic team won 74 medals in 1984 and in 2020 they yet again managed to rank well and came back home with 33 medals. Ten out of the 33 medals were gold.
FINA Long Course World Championships
The team has also excelled at the Fina World Championships. The last time a Fina competition was held was back in 2019 when the team won 19 medals. Other years that deserve a mention are 2003 and 2005. Both years, the team won a staggering 22 medals.
Open Water Swimming
Not only does the Australian’s Dolphins excel at swimming in a pool environment. They are some of the best open water swimmers in the world. In 2010, they had a gold medal rank of 10.
Commonwealth Games and Other Championships
The Australian swim team is a real crowd pleaser at the Commonwealth Games. It is amazing to think that in 2018, they ended the competition with the staggering result of 73 medals. That is more than in any other year.
They have also done very well in the Pan Pacific Championships from which they came away with 29 medals in 2019.
Not only do the senior Dolphins do well. The Junior Dolphins also excel in the sport. Their most noticeable year was 2017 when the junior team won 12 medals.
If you are looking for a source of inspiration, this is the team to look out for.
How Does Australia Produce So Many Great Swimmers?
All of this makes you wonder how Australia manages to produce so many top class swimmers in all categories.
First of all, it has to be pointed out that swimming is one of the most inclusive sports in Australia. No matter what, you are welcome to join a swim club in Australia.
Australia also has some of the best swimming facilities. Having great beaches help, but the pool facilities are also second to none.
Top class coaches are another important factor that plays a role. Leading coaches such as Jayden Hadler’s passion for the sport translates into excellent results.
On top of that, swimming is one of the best financed sports in Australia. Both public grants and private sponsorships are available. This is backed up by an endless team of volunteers working hard raising funds for grass roots swim clubs across Australia.
How Many People Are Members Of Swim Clubs In Australia?
According to the latest records, Swimming Australia has over 100,000 registered members.
They are spread over a network of 1100 clubs. Members take on a variety of roles including swimming, coaching, official duties and fundraising.
Getting involved with a swim team in Australia is easy. All you have to do is to contact your local club.
Swimming Australia acts as the governing body of all of the clubs. It also helps to oversee the development of the sport at a national and international level.
As a national swim association, it helps to organise local and international events. This year, 2022, Swimming Australia is very much the driving force behind the Duel in the Pool that takes place in Sydney.
A Brief History Of Swimming Australia
- The first major swimming championships were held in Australia in 1894 and Australians have been taking part in the Olympics since 1896.
- As there was such an extensive interest in swimming, the Amateur Swimming Union of Australia was founded in 1909. James Taylor was the first appointed president and he served for 35 years.
- In 2004, Australian Swimming became a company and Glenn Tasker served as CEO of Swimming Australia Ltd until 2008.
- In 2014, the team went through a re-branding process and is now the called the Australian Dolphins Swimming Team.
- Swimming Australia is one of the leading swimming organisations in the world. It runs the Swimming Australia National Training Centre which is located at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.
The Queensland Association
Did you know that Queensland has produced more championship swimmers than any other state in Australia?
Since the new records began, Queensland has been leading the tables. It all started with Glenn Housman in 1990 and the last Queensland based swim champion was Cate Campbell in 2018.
Swimming is one of the most popular sports in Queensland. It is has over 40 affiliated clubs in the state.
Not all members are championship swimmers. Many are members because they enjoy the sport and take part in recreational swimming. Others enjoy the social aspects of belonging to a swim club. All are welcome.
Getting Involved with Swimming in Australia
If you enjoy swimming, getting involved with your local swim club is a great idea.
Swimming is one of those exercises you can carry on doing for the rest of your life. No matter what your ability, you are going to be welcome at your local club.
If you don’t want to swim, but feel passionate about the sport, there are many other activities you can take part in such as fundraising. Swims clubs need support staff and volunteers for many roles.
With lots of competitions and meets taking place all of the time, your local swim club needs all of the support it can get. Get in touch with your local club and get involved. Swimming is good for the body as well as the mind.
