Three Swimming Australia Officials Selected For Rio Olympics and Paralympics

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Shortly after USA Swimming announced that three men will serve as officials at the Rio Olympics, Swimming Australia has released the names of three of its own that will be serving on the deck during the pool swimming competition in Brazil.

Ryan Arblaster and Ken Jones will be deck officials at the Olympics, while Paul Carter will be an official during the Paralympics. Arblaster, just 35 years old, will be officiating at his second Olympic Games, while Jones and Carter will mark their first time serving at the world’s biggest sporting event.

From the Swimming Australia press release:
With 15 years of officiating to his name, Arblaster is certainly no stranger to the sport and at just 35 years-of-age this will be his second Olympic Games after making his Olympic debut in London 2012.

The West Australian has an admirable history in the sport and has represented Australia as an official at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, 2007 Pan Pacific Championships and 2014 World Short Course Championships along with a number of other international events over the years.

In 2010 and 2012 Arblaster was recognised for his outstanding contribution to the sport and was awarded the Swimming Australia Technical Official of the Year, Roger Smith Award. He was also recognised by his hometown, Western Australia and was named the WA Sports Federation Official of the Year in 2012 and the Swimming WA Technical Official of the Year in both 2010 and 2013.

Arblaster, who is also Australia’s FINA delegate, said he was delighted to once again have the opportunity to represent Australia on the world stage and his passion to maintain a high standard in the sport is what continues to drive him.

“I’m honoured to have been selected to officiate in Rio, the first time in my capacity of FINA TSC (Technical Swimming Committee) member and second Olympic Games appointment, after officiating in London 2012. I look forward to the added responsibility this time around and working with a great group of technical officials.I am passionate about improving officiating standards, locally, nationally and internationally, and would like to continue assisting FINA with their officiating development programs,” Arblaster said.

Fellow official Ken Jones, has been in the sport for 20 years and found out about his Olympic appointment from Arblaster and said that representing Australia as an Official at the Rio Olympics was a dream come true.

“I found out whilst officiating in Samoa for the Commonwealth Youth Games. Our FINA Oceania delegates, Ryan Arblaster and Lesley Huckins, gave me the good news,” Jones said.

“The fact that I now get the opportunity to represent Australia as a technical official at the Rio Olympics is an incredible honour. You only dream of these opportunities, knowing how rare they are to achieve and also knowing you are one amongst a great group of Australian Referees. I am absolutely thrilled to be chosen. Ultimately the experience I have gained at our Australian meets gives me great confidence in getting the job done,” Jones said.

Jones’ international experience includes the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships, 2013 World Short Course and the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa and the 54 year-old said no matter the size of the job he continues to learn.

“I had my first Australian Referees role in 2006 at the Hobart Short Course Championships. I then did my FINA Referee accreditation in 2011 and my first Australian Open Championships that same year. I have now enjoyed having a Referees role in 13 Australian meets across the Age, Short Course and Open Championships and I continue to learn each time.

Whether it be at my own small club night, where I get chance to talk to the swimmers, or at an Australian meet where expectations are significantly higher, I continue to enjoy the challenge of officiating and very much enjoy the camaraderie amongst our world class officiating team.”

Speaking of Jones’ appointment Arblaster said, “I’m pleased that Ken Jones will be joining me on pool deck; Ken is a great ambassador for Australia and thoroughly deserves his appointment after many years of officiating at the top level,” Arblaster said.

Joining both Arblaster and Jones on the road to Rio is Paralympic Technical Official Paul Carter.

With over 25 years of officiating experience, Carter will make his Paralympic Games debut in Rio 2016.

The Northern Territory based official has been awarded a life member status at Northern Territory Swimming and has proven his potential in the sport at a number of international events including the 2011 Para Pan Pacs in Canada and the 2012 USA Paralympic trials.

Looking to the future, Carter said he hopes to continue to further his training and increase the opportunities for other technical officials to obtain necessary training to further themselves in the sport.

“It is very humbling when you consider the number of first class technical officials in Australia. I have just been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to do the training with the IPC and gain appointment.

My goal is to one day get the opportunity to officiate at a world Paralympic Championships. Train up to perform the Technical Director role at a Paralympic meet and help to train and mentor more Australian officials to become IPC accredited officials,” Carter said.

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