Kaylee McKeown and Tim Hodge Claim Top Gongs At Swimming Australia Awards.
Two of Australia’s gold medal standouts of Paris 2024, Kaylee McKeown and Tim Hodge have been rewarded for their monumental campaigns, taking out the top gongs at today’s Swimming Australia Awards in Brisbane.
McKeown was named the Olympic Program Swimmer of the Year and Hodge the Paralympic Program Swimmer.
GOLDEN SMILE: Tim Hodge with gold medal 200IM Paris Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia) 2
While Paris 10km marathon silver medallist Moesha Johnson was named the Open Water Swimmer of the Year and Paralympic gold and bronze medallist from Paris, the Victoria-born Queenslander from the Sunshine Coast, Emily Beecroft, took out the prestigious Swimmers Swimmer of The Year Award – voted on by her Dolphins peers.
It was an historic Olympic campaign for McKeown, Australia’s Closing Ceremony flagbearer, who became the first Australian to win four individual Olympic gold medals at her second Olympics –with the successful defence of her 100 and 200m backstroke crowns.
And in doing so, surpasses the likes of swimming greats Ian Thorpe, Dawn Fraser and teammateEmma McKeon.
McKeown also became the first female swimmer to successfully defend the 100m and 200m backstroke titles in Olympic history, completing her Paris campaign with a total of five medals -two gold (100m and 200m backstroke), one silver (4x100m women’s medley relay) and two bronze (4x100m mixed medley relay and the 200 IM).
She now has a total of nine Olympic medals – five gold, one silver and three bronze medals.
The 23-year-old again put the world on notice in October last year when she broke the women’s 50m backstroke world record in Budapest with a time of 26.86 seconds, cementing McKeown as the first person to hold all three long course backstroke world records over 50m, 100m, and 200m.
Taking top honours from an all-star Australian women’s team that includes fellow golden girls Arianne Titmus and Mollie O’Callaghan as Australia’s female freestylers stole the show at the Paris La Defense Arena.
PARIS HERE I COME: Moesha Johnson’s smile tells it all. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia).
WHILE three-time Paralympian Hodge – earned himself the title of the Iron Man of Paris with the busiest program of all Olympic and Paralympic Dolphins – claiming his maiden individual Paralympic gold medal in the men’s 200m individual medley SM9 after adding his first gold in the Mixed 4x100m medley 34pt relay as well as a silver medal in the men’s 100m butterfly S9.
Hodge, 23, has been in a class of his own since winning back-to-back World Championships in 2022 and 2023, re-writing the world record books to earn favoritism for Paris where he triumphed in Paralympic record time.
Johnson, 26, won silver at her debut Games in the women’s 10km marathon swim and was the only Dolphin to compete at La Defense Arena (1500m) and the River Seine (Open Water).
The 1500m specialist turned open water swimmer, who has based herself in Germany to train alongside the dominant European open water swimmers has enjoyed an exceptional 12 months of results.
But it was in the choppy waters of Port Doha (Qatar) that the 26-year-old emerged bruised and battered to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Johnson’s fighting fourth place finish in a frantic finale to the Olympic qualifying 10km marathon cemented her Olympic spot.
She was also part of the mixed 4x1500m relay team that won gold at the 2024 World Championships in Doha and bronze at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka.
Dean Boxall, the Head Coach at the helm of Queensland’s powerhouse St Peters Western program in Brisbane won Olympic Coach of the Year for the second time in a row with Misha Payne winning Paralympic Coach of the Year.
While Noosa’s masterful war horse himself John Rodgers, who just keeps on keeping on, was again awarded Open Water Coach of the Year
Bond University’s Tokyo gold medal coach Chris Mooney won National Age Coach of the Year and Youth Coach of the Year for his work with the Junior Dolphins.
DISCOVERY OF THE YEAR: Callum Simpson AUS wins Para 100 free S8 Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
Queensland Sunshine Coast’s Paralympic debutant Callum Simpson, 17, cleaned up two awards after his dual gold medal winning performance in Paris where he took out the 100m freestyle for S8s and as a member of the Mixed 4x100m medley relay 34pt relay.
Simpson taking out the Flipper’s Paralympic Program Athlete of the Year and the AIS Discovery of the Year following his impressive achievements in Paris.
The Flipper’s Olympic Open Water Program Athlete of the Year went to Chloe Brodrick while Bond’s Milla Jansen was awarded the Flipper’s Olympic Program Athlete of Year after her standout performance at the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships.
In other awards, Rose Purcell won Pho3nix Foundation JX Swimmer of the Year.
The Roger Smith Technical Official of the Year was awarded to Darren McLachlan OAM.
Club of the Year went to Sydney based Lane Cove Swim Club and Local Legend of the Year was awarded to Warringah Aquatic Swim Club Life Member Ariel Darley.
Lane Cove Swim Club (LCSC) on Sydney’s lower north shore was established 60 years ago and promotes swimming at every level from recreational and fitness, to elite-athlete squad training, for competition at local, State and National swimming meets
As a club and in partnership with BlueFit Swimming, we provide a comprehensive squad coaching program for all levels of ability from beginner to elite swimmer, helping you improve your skills, fitness and performance.
Lane Cove Swim Club also provides a number of club activities throughout the year to further encourage our members to get the most out of their local club and swimming pool.
AUSTRALIA’S TOP CLUB: Lane Cove Swimming Club Members.Photo Courtesy Lane Cove Swimming Club.
The club is run by a dedicated team of volunteers and supported by swimmers and parents. We are grateful for the generous support of our community and Lane Cove Council.
While Ariel Darley is often described as the heartbeat of the Warringah Aquatic Piranhas a tireless worker from organising and running the WAC swim meets which raise significant funds for the club, to organising uniforms, managing our website, competition entries, camps and keeping club members up to date and inspired via our social media platforms.
2024 SWIMMING AUSTRALIA AWARD WINNERS
Olympic Program Swimmer of the Year
Kaylee McKeown
Paralympic Program Swimmer of the Year
Timothy Hodge
Open Water Program Swimmer of the Year
Moesha Johnson
AIS Discovery of the Year
Callum Simpson
Olympic Program Coach of the Year
Dean Boxall
Paralympic Program Coach of the Year
Misha Payne
Open Water Program Coach of the Year
John Rodgers
National Age Coach of the Year
Chris Mooney
Youth Coach of the Year
Chris Mooney
Flipper Athlete of the Year (Olympic Program)
Milla Jansen
Flipper Athlete of the Year (Olympic Open Water Program)
Chloe Brodrick
Flipper Athlete of the Year (Paralympic Program)
Callum Simpson
Pho3nix Foundation JX Swimmer of the Year
Rose Purcell
The Roger Smith Technical Official of the Year
Darren McLachlan OAM
Club of the Year
Lane Cove Swim Club
Local Legend of the Year
Ariel Darley
Hall of Fame Inductees
Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton
Priya Cooper
Kieren Perkins
Swimmers’ Swimmer
Emily Beecroft