List of Australian Olympic medallists in swimming
Australia has competed in swimming at the Summer Olympics since the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, after only sending a runner, Edwin Flack, to the 1896 Summer Olympics. Frederick Lane was Australia's sole swimming representative at the 1900 Games, winning two individual gold medals. Women's events were added at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm; Fanny Durack and Mina Wylie, Australia's first female representatives, won gold and silver in the 100-metre freestyle, which was the first women's event on the program. At the 1908 Summer Olympics and the 1912 Summer Olympics, Australia competed as Australasia, sending a combined team with New Zealand. The table includes Malcolm Champion, a New Zealander who was part of the 4×200-metre freestyle relay team that captured gold in 1912.[1]
Australia has won a total of 58 gold medals in the sport, second only to the United States, who have won 217. East Germany is in third place with 32 golds, although this is widely attributed to state-sponsored systematic doping programs.[2][3]
Swimming is Australia's most prolific Olympic sport, having been responsible for 58 of Australia's 143 Olympic gold medals. In addition, a list of the top 100 Australian Olympians of all time, compiled by the Australian Olympic Committee, named 35 swimmers in the top 100, more than any other sport. Swimmers have been given the honour of carrying the Australian flag six times in twelve at the closing ceremony, which is traditionally reserved for the most successful athlete of the delegation.[4][5]
Australia's strongest-ever performance in swimming was at the 1956 Olympics on home soil in Melbourne. Australia claimed eight of the thirteen gold medals available, including both relays and a clean sweep of the medals in the 100-metre freestyle, considered the blue-riband event for both men and women. This is the only time that Australia has topped the medal tally in swimming, and the tally of gold medals has not been surpassed despite the expansion of the swimming program to its current 32 events.[1]
Australia has been most successful in the freestyle discipline, with 37 of the 58 golds coming in the stroke. Eight of the gold have come from the men's 1500-metre freestyle, the most victories in the event by any country, which has resulted in the event being dubbed "Australia's race" by Australian commentators. Australia's first medal outside of freestyle did not come until 1932 when Clare Dennis and Bonnie Mealing won gold and silver in the 200-metre breaststroke and 100-metre backstroke respectively. It was not until John Davies' victory in the 200-metre breaststroke in 1952 that a male swimmer had won a medal outside of freestyle. Backstroke is Australia's weakest discipline, with David Theile's two consecutive golds in the 100-metre backstroke being the only victories in the discipline.[1][6]
Individual medallists
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The following table includes only medals won by Australian swimmers in individual events.
- Shane Gould won three gold, one silver, and one bronze, all in individual events at her only Olympics, aged 15. In doing so, she became the first woman to win three individual gold medals at one Olympics all in world record time. She is the only Australian to win five individual medals and three individual gold medals at one Olympics.[7]
- Ian Thorpe and Gould are the most decorated Australian Olympic medallists in all sports.[8]
- Dawn Fraser won three consecutive gold medals in 1956, 1960, and 1964 in the 100-metre freestyle, becoming the first swimmer to win any event three times.[9]
- Murray Rose and Ian Thorpe have both won the 400-metre freestyle twice, while Kieren Perkins and Grant Hackett have won the 1500-metre freestyle twice. David Theile has won the 100-metre backstroke twice, the only Australian to have won a backstroke event. All were won consecutively.[1]
All medallists
The following table includes all those who have won medals, including as part of relay teams. Since 1984, swimmers who participated in the preliminary heats but not in the final were awarded medals if the final team went on to claim a medal, whereas those prior to 1984 did not. Those who swam in the heats only are marked with an asterisk, multiple times if multiple medals were awarded for swimming in heats only. Malcolm Champion, a member of the 4×200-metre freestyle relay team in 1912, was a New Zealander, competing as part of the combined Australasia team. His teammates in the combined relay team were Cecil Healy, Les Boardman, and Harold Hardwick.[1]
- Ian Thorpe is the most decorated Australian Olympian of all time, in terms of gold medals. His three gold and two silver at the 2000 Summer Olympics are the largest total in a single Olympics by an Australian.[8]
- Dawn Fraser and Murray Rose jointly held the previous records for gold medals, and Fraser the record of eight medals in total, prior to Thorpe.[98]
- Sandra Morgan, a member of the Australian women's 4×100-metre freestyle relay team in 1956, is the youngest Australian gold medallist of all time, aged 14 years and 6 months.[98]
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See also
Notes
- Andrews, pp. 412–423.
- "Swimming's big splash". BBC Sports. 5 July 2004. Retrieved 8 November 2006.
- "Phelps causes biggest splash". BBC Sports. 21 August 2004. Retrieved 19 November 2006.
- "100 of our Finest". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
- "Games at a Glance". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 20 November 2006.
- "Grant Hackett". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 180–182.
- "Ian Thorpe". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 165–168.
- Andrews, pp. 371–373.
- "Kieren Perkins". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Susie O'Neill". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 245–247.
- "Stephanie Rice". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 432–433.
- Andrews, pp. 459–460.
- "Leisel Jones". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Petria Thomas". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 85–88.
- "Lisbeth Trickett". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 13–14.
- Andrews, pp. 106–107.
- Andrews, pp. 129–131.
- Andrews, pp. 162–164.
- Andrews, pp. 236–238.
- Andrews, pp. 460–461.
- Andrews, pp. 147–148.
- "Kyle Chalmers". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- Andrews, pp. 99–101.
- Andrews, pp. 124–125.
- Andrews, pp. 128–129.
- Andrews, pp. 138–140.
- Andrews, pp. 202–203.
- "Jodie Henry". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Mack Horton". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- Andrews, pp. 265–266.
- Andrews, pp. 314–315.
- Andrews, pp. 325–326.
- Andrews, p. 397.
- Andrews, pp. 465–466.
- Andrews, pp. 43–44.
- "Daniel Kowalski". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Alicia Coutts". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- "Hayley Lewis". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 280–281.
- "Matthew Welsh". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Glenn Beringen". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Madeline Groves". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- "Brooke Hanson". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, p. 197.
- Andrews, pp. 198–200.
- Andrews, p. 214.
- "Michael Klim". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, p. 243.
- "Mitch Larkin". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- Andrews, p. 263.
- "James Magnussen". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- Andrews, pp. 286–287.
- "Scott Miller". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, p. 303.
- Andrews, p. 351.
- "Brenton Rickard". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Emily Seebohm". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- "Christian Sprenger". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- Andrews, p. 409.
- "Eamon Sullivan". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 464–465.
- Andrews, pp. 480–481.
- Andrews, p. 148.
- Andrews, pp. 194–195.
- "Samantha Riley". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Jessicah Schipper". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 469–470.
- Andrews, p. 8.
- "Bronte Barratt". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- Andrews, pp. 62–63.
- Andrews, p. 64.
- Andrews, p. 68.
- "Cate Campbell". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 82–83.
- Andrews, p. 125.
- "Scott Goodman". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 212–213.
- "Geoffrey Huegill". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 231–232.
- "Andrew Lauterstein". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, p. 249.
- Andrews, pp. 266–267.
- "Emma McKeon". Australian Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- Andrews, p. 295.
- Andrews, p. 306.
- "Justin Norris". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, p. 346.
- "Philip Rogers". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Nicole Livingstone". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Hayden Stoeckel". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, p. 475.
- Andrews, pp. 358–359.
- Won gold in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay in 2000 as a heat swimmer.
- "Melanie Schlanger". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won gold in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay in 2008 as a heat swimmer.
- "Emily Seebohm". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Todd Pearson". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won gold in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay in 2000 as a heat swimmer and silver in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay in 2004 as a heat swimmer.
- Won gold in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 2004 as a heat swimmer, swimming the butterfly leg.
- "Alice Mills". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won gold in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 2004 as a heat swimmer, swimming the freestyle leg.
- "Felicity Galvez". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won gold in the 4 × 200 m freestyle and 4 × 100 m medley relays in 2008 as a heat swimmer, swimming the butterfly leg in the latter.
- "Alicia Coutts". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- "Brittany Elmslie". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- "Adam Pine". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won gold in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay in 2000 as a heat swimmer. Won silver in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 2000 and 2008 as a heat swimmer, swimming the butterfly leg.
- "Giaan Rooney". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won silver in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 2000 as a heat swimmer, swimming the backstroke leg.
- "Sarah Ryan". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won gold in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay in 2004 as a heat swimmer. Won silver in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 2000 as a heat swimmer, swimming the freestyle leg.
- "Bronte Barratt". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 63–64.
- Won bronze in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 1984 as a heat swimmer, swimming the freestyle leg.
- "Angie Bainbridge". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won gold in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 2004 as a heat swimmer, swimming the breaststroke leg.
- "Kylie Palmer". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Tarnee White". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won gold and silver in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 2008 and 2000 respectively as a heat swimmer, swimming the breaststroke leg.
- "Ashley Callus". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Shayne Reese". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won gold and bronze in the 4 × 100 m medley and freestyle relay respectively in 2008 as a heat swimmer, swimming freestyle.
- Won bronze in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 1984 as a heat swimmer, swimming the butterfly leg.
- Andrews, pp. 51–52.
- Andrews, pp. 81–82.
- "Lara Davenport". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Christopher Fydler". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "William Kirby". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Yolane Kukla". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- "Linda Mackenzie". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 307–308.
- Andrews, pp. 328–329.
- Andrews, pp. 440–441.
- "Christian Sprenger". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won silver in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 2008 as a heat swimmer in the breaststroke leg.
- "Matthew Targett". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won silver in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 2008 as a heat swimmer in the freestyle leg.
- Andrews, pp. 366–367.
- Andrews, pp. 44–45.
- "Dyana Calub". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, p. 89.
- Andrews, pp. 97–98.
- "Ashley Delaney". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won silver in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 2008 as a heat swimmer in the backstroke leg.
- Andrews, p. 127.
- "Helen Denman". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won silver in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 1996 as a heat swimmer, swimming the breaststroke leg.
- "Blair Evans". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- Andrews, p. 153.
- Andrews, pp. 174–175.
- "Elka Graham". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won silver in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay in 2000 as a heat swimmer.
- "Regan Harrison". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, pp. 196–197.
- Andrews, pp. 203–204.
- Andrews, p. 204.
- "Angela Kennedy". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won silver in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 1996 as a heat swimmer in the butterfly leg.
- Andrews, p. 247.
- "Antony Matkovich". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won silver in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay in 2004 as a heat swimmer.
- "Ryan Mitchell". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won silver in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 2000 as a heat swimmer in the breaststroke leg.
- Andrews, p. 312.
- "Jade Neilsen". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- Andrews, p. 352.
- Andrews, p. 395.
- "Nicholas Sprenger". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, p. 404.
- Andrews, p. 406.
- "Craig Stevens". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won silver in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay in 2004 as a heat swimmer.
- "Kirsten Thomson". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, p. 434.
- "Jacinta van Lint". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Josh Watson". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won silver in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 2000 as a heat swimmer in the backstroke leg.
- Andrews, p. 453.
- Andrews, p. 464.
- Andrews, p. 132.
- "Leith Brodie". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won bronze in the 4 × 100 m and 4 × 200 m freestyle relays in 2008 as a heat swimmer.
- "Patrick Murphy". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won bronze in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay in 2008 as a heat swimmer.
- "Grant Brits". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, p. 112.
- "Steven Dewick". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, p. 135.
- "Nicholas Ffrost". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Julia Greville". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Toby Haenen". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won bronze in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in 1996 as a heat swimmer in the freestyle.
- "Emma Johnson". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- "Lise Mackie". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Won bronze in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay in 1996 as a heat swimmer.
- "Kirk Palmer". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
- Andrews, p. 360.
- Andrews, p. 383.
- Andrews, p. 460.