NSWIS swimmers following the wake of McKeon, Thorpe and other Aussie greats

The latest intake of NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) swimmers walked a few inches taller at their induction this week after learning that by becoming NSWIS scholarship holders they were following the wake of some of Australia’s greatest swimmers.

The swimmers, who represent the cream of their sport in NSW, learnt that by becoming NSWIS scholarship holders they now have something in common with such giants as Emma McKeon AM (pictured), Australia’s most decorated Olympian; five-time Olympic gold medallist  Ian Thorpe AM; Ellie Cole AM, the nation’s most decorated female Paralympian;  James Magnussen, who was dubbed the Usain Bolt of swimming when he became the world 100m freestyle event’s champion, and a multitude of other Olympic champions including Cate and Bronte Campbell and bronze medallist, Geoff Huegill.

High Performance Manager Andy Burns described the mood, and the excitement, among the swimmers as the continuation of the programs ‘momentum building.’

“It’s all aspirational,” said Burns. “We’re committed at NSWIS to building towards something special.  

“We’re also taking a long-term and short-term view of it because a lot of the athletes who were in that room will be the ones who deliver at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and they’ll either be the ones who’ll compete in Brisbane in 2032 or will have laid the foundations for the next wave to come through.”

Burns explained how Adam Kable (pictured above), the Head Coach of the NSWIS swimming program, encapsulated the aim of the program when he addressed the athletes.

“Adam said we’re obviously building towards LA, but he added while it’s good to dream, it’s important to stay focussed on moving yourself forward,” said Burns.

“I thought that was a really good message because what Adam was saying is if you’re focus is on the Nationals or Trials then it’s important to deliver your best possible result there and then. However, he was also telling the swimmers that it’s just as important to reassess . . . see where your gaps are . . . and move forward.

“It was a really good message about the importance of having a long-term ambition while keeping focused on what you can do today and tomorrow to improve.

“It was also special for the swimmers to have Kirsten Thomson, the CEO of NSW Swimming address them. She told them that she worked at NSWIS for 15 years, she was a NSWIS scholar before that, and she was at the Sydney Olympics when our swimmers won all of the gold medals.

“Kirsten told them about the days when NSW was a powerhouse in world swimming and not just Australian. And as Kirsten – an Olympic silver medallist herself – told them, that’s where we’re looking to return to.”

The young swimmers also had three incredible role models – and fellow NSWIS athletes – in Paris Paralympic champion Timothy Hodge (pictured above), Paralympic silver medallist Chloe Osborn and Paris Olympic silver medallist William Yang alongside them.

“That was great because those three are the standard bearers in the sense that they’ve done it, but they’re still with NSWIS and trying to build,” said Burns. “It was symbolic.”

Burns revealed the NSWIS Swimming programs ambition is to double its representation on the teams at the next Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“That’s what is shaping the athlete cohort,” he said. “Doubling our representation on the Olympic and Paralympic teams is the strategy we’ve put in place in NSW.

“So, last year we put five on the Paris Olympic team and three at the Paralympics and they returned with three and four medals respectively. So, the aim is to have at least 10 swimmers on the Olympic team and six on the Paralympics.”

Daniel Lane, NSWIS