Swimming Australia Awards Life Membership on Michael Bohl, Nicole Livingstone and Matthew DunnLegendary coach Michael Bohl OAM, and fellow former Australian Dolphins and accomplished administrators Nicole Livingstone OAM and Matthew Dunn OAM have all been awarded with Swimming Australia Life Membership, celebrating their exceptional service to the sport.
A member of the Australian Commonwealth Games swimming team in 1982, Bohl’s greatest successes have come as a coach and mentor to some of Australia’s most decorated athletes as he has firmly cemented his place as one of the premier coaches in international swimming.
COACH FOR LIFE: Michael Bohl with Australia’s winningest Olympian, Emma McKeon. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia).
The modern day Super coach has guided athletes onto the podium at every Summer Olympics from Beijing to Tokyo, including Australia’s most successful Olympian of all time, Emma McKeon and triple Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice as well as the likes of Glen Housman, Mitch Larkin, Maddie Groves, Madi Wilson, Grant Irvine, Bronte Barratt, David McKeon, his own daughter Georgia Bohl and more recently Emily Seebohm, Mack Horton, Cody Simpson, Kaylee McKeown and Brendon Smith.
“I’m truly humbled by this prestigious honour of being awarded Life Membership of Swimming Australia,” Bohl said.
“Swimming has been a major part of my life for the past 55 years and I have had the good fortune of being involved with some outstanding athletes, coaches, administrators and volunteers who have all played an important role in shaping the me into the coach I am today.”
A member of the Australian swimming team for more than a decade, winning three medals – a silver and two bronze medals across three Olympic appearances – Livingstone has left an indelible mark on the sport helped raise the profile of swimming – bringing the sport to life through the 1990s and 2000s on television and radio.
Beyond the pool, Livingstone has served as a member of the AOC Athlete’s Commission, as CEO of the Melbourne Vicentre Swimming Club and in a variety of Director roles on Boards including Swimming Australia, Sport Australia Hall of Fame, Victorian Institute of Sport and the Australian Sports Drug Agency, now known as Sport Integrity Australia.
BREAKING NEWS: Newly appointed Life Member Nicole Livingstone in her role as a swimming broadcaster, on deck with Olympic champion Libby Trickett. Photo Courtesy: Swimming Australia.
“Swimming for Australia and contributing to Swimming in Australia has been a major part of my life and has brought me much joy,” Livingstone said.
“Swimming has been very good to me over the years and I have always tried to give back, whether through competing, broadcasting or administering the sport. To be added into the history books as a life member of Swimming Australia is an honour.”
A decade long Dolphin in his own right, Dunn also represented Australia at three Olympic Games finishing in Sydney 2000 and has a resume including multiple world records, six Commonwealth Games Gold medals and a remarkable 33 Australian Swimming Titles.
Following his retirement, Dunn has maintained his commitment to the sport through a variety of roles including as a Director of the Swimming Australia Board, a member of the FINA Athletes’ Commission and WADA Athlete Committee, President of the Oceania Swimming Association and his now current leadership role with swimming’s International Federation as Second Vice President of FINA.
“It’s an amazing honour to have been recognised in this way,” Dunn said.
“Swimming has given me so much as an athlete, was how I met by beautiful wife and is now the sport my three boys enjoy so much. It’s been a privilege to have had the opportunity to give back to aquatics at multiple levels over the last 15 years and I thank Swimming Australia for this award.”
DUNN DEAL: Swimming Life Member, triple Olympian Matthew Dunn. Photo Courtesy: Matthew Dunn.
Swimming Australia thanks all three new Life Members for their selfless contributions to our sport and congratulates them on this honour.
Swimming Australia CEO, Eugénie Buckley, offered her sincere congratulations to the trio on the thoroughly deserved recognition.
“Michael, Nicole and Matt represent the very best of Australian swimming, not only by virtue of their respective success both in and out of the pool, but also their ongoing contributions to the growth and advancement of our sport,” Buckley said.
“All three epitomise the values we hold dear in our broader swimming community and our sport is undoubtedly better for their involvement, so it is only fitting they each be bestowed our highest honour.”