Australia’s Olympic champions are spearheading a nation wide fundraising Foundation drive to raise money for sick children.
Ariarne Titmus, Kaylee McKeown, Zac-Stubblety-Cook and Mack Horton were amongst a who’s who group of 20 Australian swimmers and surf ironmen who came together on the Gold Coast this week in an collective force to launch the 2023 Starlight Foundation Super Swim.
From 1-28 February 2023, thousands of Aussies will take the plunge as Super Swim Heroes – a challenge for all ages, all fitness levels, and at any location across Australia who will set a personal challenge and raise funds through their sponsors.
It was the biggest line up of swimmers ever assembled for a Charity launch – as the swimming, surf lifesaving and open water competition calendar hots up in Australia over the next four months.
STARLIGHT SUPER SWIM: Speedo ambassador Ariarne Titmus leading the way to raise funds for sick kids. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia).
“It is great to see all of us turn out here and to show what an important cause this is and when Starlight and Speedo reached out to get us together pretty much everyone said yes because it’s such an important cause,” said Titmus, who echoed the thoughts of her 19 aquatic colleagues.
Also joining the Olympic champions at the Miami Aquatic Centre were world champions and world record holders Mollie O’Callaghan, Elijah Winnington, Lani Pallister and Minna Atherton, Paralympic gold medallist Will Martin and Tokyo bronze medallist Tom Gallagher, Olympic bronze medallist Thomas Neill, Commonwealth Games gold medallists Sam Short and Clyde Lewis, singing star-turned swim star Cody Simpson, emerging teen stars Milla Jansen and Mikayla Bird, Ty Hartwell and Thomas Hauck and Nutri-Grain Ironmen Joe Collins and Cory Taylor.
Titmus, the dual Olympic champion from Toyko is encouraging people to get out and swim for the month of February and to donate to her page.
“Even though I am swimming every day in training I’m really encouraging people to get on board themselves and to get swimming,” said Titmus, who will set her sights on this year’s Fina World Championships in Fukuoka, en-route to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I think that it’s great in my position now I can use it to my advantage to do something actually bigger than just swimming…and raising money for sick kids is something that no one can say no to.
STAR-STUDDED LINE UP: Tommy Neill, Ty Hartwell, Thomas Hauck, Clyde Lewis and Lani Pallister will swim for Australia’s Starlight Foundation Super Swim. Photo Courtesy: Speedo Australia.
“The Starlight Foundation is so important and not just a Foundation that is raising funds for treatment but more than anything we forget that these kids are in hospital and still need to enjoy themselves while they are going through a tough time.
“It is great that Starlight raise funds so sick children can get out and about and do things they love and try and live as much as they can while they are unwell.
“It’s sad that any family is forced to go through this and I know members of my family who had to go through terminal illnesses and it’s really sad that people go through this but I feel privileged that I can do my part to raise as much money as I can, to encourage people to get out there and swim for February and hopefully raise money as well.
“Sometimes it puts life into perspective and while I’m here swimming for our country we may get stressed if we have an off training session but it’s really nothing in the main stream of things when we have kids who are terminally ill and we can put a smile on their faces…if I can play my part then that’s a great feeling.”
For Titmus she is piling on the laps “just trying to get fit again.”
“I have some training camps coming upon on the Gold Coast (with the National Team) and then we head to Thailand (with her St Peters Western Club) so w have that in the works and then pretty much training will get quite specific from March onwards leading into our World’s Trials in June.
TRIPLE JUMPS: World champion trio Kaylee McKeown, Mollie O’Callaghan and Elijah Winnington taking the jump at Miami Aquatic Centre for the Starlight Foundation. Photo Courtesy: Speedo Australia.
“And I’m really excited for our Trials –I haven’t really had a proper hit out since the Commonwealth Games where I thought I was a little under done after (suffering) COVID so if I can see what I can do – it’s going to be great – we will also go to Sydney for NSW States in March – and then there is the Australian Championships in April on the Gold Coast.
“I’m really motivated and ready to go and for the first time since the Olympics I feel really refreshed and ready to perform after last year which was a bit of a slog after the Olympics and with Paris which we say is now next year which is just crazy I’m feeling really motivated.
“I had a busy end of last year after Commonwealth Games……I was dipping my toe into everything other than swimming…I was still training…..but I must admit it’s nicer to start the New Year and just focus on swimming heading into World’s this year…these World Championships are going to be a big meet this year…heading into the Olympics next year…so its really important that I perform there and set myself up and get some great confidence racing up against my biggest competitors again and I’m really looking forward to that…
“The body feels refreshed but more than anything the mind is even more refreshed – and you forget that your body goes through a gruelling training week every week….and more anything it’s the mental grind…and after years now on the National Team you do need to have a break away and separate yourself from swimming sometimes….and I definitely did that in the second half of last year …and I think that has set me up and I’ll be ready to go for this year.”