4 of the Most Decorated Australian Swimmers of All Time

Australia is not all about the unique outback, big kangaroos, cute koalas, creepy spiders, and the majestic Sydney opera house. This country is likewise famous for its beach and swimming culture. Since the country is surrounded by waters, it is not surprising that one of the most favorite pastimes of Australians is swimming. It is pretty normal to see people wearing plus size swimwear, proving how big swimming is in this country. Whether you live in the city or in the country, you can easily go to the beach or to public swimming pools. Because of this Australian culture, nobody should be surprised that some of the best swimmers in the world come from this part of the globe.

If you’re a big fan of Olympic events like swimming, then the name Ian Thorpe will ring a bell. Yes, the “Thorpedo” is an Australian. Known worldwide for his outstanding feats in the world of competitive spinning, Thorpe has raised the bar not only of Australian competitive swimming but Olympic swimming in general. In the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, Thorpe proved the resilient swimming prowess of Australians as he bagged fived medals, which include three gold medals and two silver medals. Because of this extraordinary accomplishment, he emerged the most successful athlete in the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Thorpe is not only the living example of solid Australian swimming skills. Australian women are also a beast when it comes to competitive swimming – they are among the world’s best. Some of the most successful and famous Australian women swimmers in recent history include that likes of Alva Colquhuon, Brittany Elmslie, Jacinta van Lint, and Sarah Ryan. These girls mean business when inside the pool. They’re competitive, skilled, and dedicated, which is why they are consistent podium finishers in prestigious swimming competitions like the Summer Olympics.

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Alva Colquhuon – Being one of the most decorated Australian Olympians during the 1950s and 1960s, Colquhuon became one of the trendsetters in the world of Australian competitive swimming. In the 1960 Summer Olympics, Alva brought pride and honor to Australia after bagging the silver medal in 4 x 100m freestyle relay. Colquhuon is best known as a powerful freestyle and butterfly swimmer.

Brittany Elmslie – This young Olympian is part of the new breed of powerful competitive swimmers in Australia. Born in 1994, Elmslie is all business when it comes to swimming competitions, not being afraid and intimidated by her more experienced and older opponents. Because of her great potentials and good showing of swimming skills, she was awarded with the YoungStar Sports Award (2011-2012). In the 2012 London Olympics, she became part of Australian’s delegation for swimming events. At the 2013 Australian Swimming Championships, Brittany won silver in the 100 m butterfly and bronze in the 50 m freestyle events.

Jacinta van Lint – This Australian Institute of Sports scholarship holder is one of the main reasons why Australia dominated the swimming events at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She represented the country in the said Olympics and bagged the silver medal for the 4x200m freestyle relay event. Van Lint is best known for being a highly-skilled freestyle swimmer.

Sarah Ryan – Definitely one of the most decorated female swimmers in Australia is Ryan. She is best known for winning relay medals at three consecutive Summer Olympics. In the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Ryan won silver in the 4x100m medley event. In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, she again bagged silver for the 4x100m medley event. Finally, in the 2004 Athens Olympics, Ryan ruled the 4x100m medley event by winning the gold medal.

Undeniably, Australia is one of the countries that have solid swimming lifestyle and culture. Aside from world-class swimmers, Australia is also the birthplace of world-famous brands of swimsuits, swim gears, and even plus size swimwear. When it comes to competitive swimming, leisure swimming, and other water activities, this country is definitely a step ahead.

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