Australian Swimming Culture



After the reports nearly “toxic nature of Australian swimming” next their worst medal check inwards the terminal 2 decades inwards London 2012 Summer Olympics, the Australian swimming civilisation had been repeatedly slammed inwards the media past times journalists in addition to experts alike. However, The Land Down Under has a long in addition to proud tradition of excellence inwards all things competitive that include water, peculiarly swimming.

Even a glance at the listing of winners of international swimming competitions inwards the past times several decades reveals Australians’ undeniable swimming prowess, which is an impression somewhat tainted past times the reports next the London 2012 failure, which is how Australians label winning “only” 10 medals.

In this article nosotros examine the source of Aussies’ superiority inwards H2O in addition to what makes their swimming civilisation in addition to then potent in addition to vibrant.

Living on the Coast

Australians’ passion for swimming, real much similar their honey of cars in addition to sports inwards general, is inwards a agency a natural output of the continent’s geography in addition to climate. Because of the famous vicious weather condition inwards The Outback in addition to most of the continent, for that matter, most Australians alive inwards coastal cities in addition to close the sea.

More than 10% of Australian households have a swimming puddle installed (Australian Bureau of Statistics scroll downwards to "Swimming Pools" ed.), amongst the give away existence every bit high every bit over 1 puddle per four households inwards Northern Territory, in addition to almost 1 per v inwards Queensland. It is no wonder that they've developed some advanced measurements of regime puddle regulations; households amongst pools having to install puddle fencing or risking fines existence 1 of them.

It is estimated that 20% of kids inwards Commonwealth of Australia aren't able to swim the length of an Olympic pool(this source has moved delight allow me know if you lot detect it - Ed). Compared to Australia, 40% of British in addition to 40% of Caucasian American kids can't swim, spell the give away of Hispanic in addition to African American kids that can't swim inwards the United States rises upwards to an astounding give away – 60% in addition to 70% respectively.

As Rhys Mainstone, 1 of the most prominent active Australian opened upwards H2O swimmers says, this is the argue most kids acquire to swim in addition to by in addition to large pass a lot of fourth dimension close or inwards the H2O at a real immature age. “It exactly a agency of life, I’d say”, Mainstone concludes. The sheer abundance of H2O in addition to the mostly hospitable coastline render Australians amongst the perfect weather condition for moving the boundaries of competitive swimming. However, every bit nosotros all know, only having the chance is real rarely plenty for achieving excellence, allow lone staying inwards the real top of competitive swimming for decades. So, how practise they Aussies hone

The Superstars & The Craziness

First of all, having such a glorious tradition inwards whatever sport is sure to attract youngsters eager to follow inwards the footsteps of the likes of Shane Gould, Ian Thorpe, Dawn Fraser or Trent Grimsey. Having electrical flow champions to expect upwards to is likewise real helpful inwards attracting kids to whatever sport, peculiarly when those athletes are superstars inwards their ain right, every bit is the representative inwards Oz.

The fact that swimmers inwards Commonwealth of Australia are hailed every bit sport heroes every bit much every bit footballers inwards Europe or USA is past times itself an indicator of how seriously the Australians accept swimming. The other business office of the equation is the institutional back upwards necessary for the evolution of whatever competitive sports, provided inwards the cast of countless swimming events across Commonwealth of Australia in addition to peculiarly along the coast, some of them pretty unconventional, to rank the least.

Such is the representative amongst swimming amongst the dwarf minke whales that takes house during June in addition to July, when betwixt sixty in addition to lxxx of these gentle marine giants see the warm waters of Queensland to a greater extent than or less the Great Barrier Reef going nearly their business, uncannily eager for human company.

Education

However, every bit every sports lover across the globe knows, the basis of modern professional person sport tin move brutal. In gild to succeed on the highest level, in addition to that is the alone degree Australian sport lovers receive got heard of, at to the lowest degree when swimming is concerned, 1 has to prepare similar a professional person from a real immature age. That is why parents receive got a huge purpose inwards the evolution of a immature swimmer, much to a greater extent than in addition to then than inwards many other sports.

Again, the tradition in addition to the swimming civilisation plays a big, although somewhat indirect business office inwards this phase of the evolution of a immature swimmer. In a province where swimming excellence is considered a business office of national heritage, every bring upwards knows a thing or 2 nearly it, making them much to a greater extent than probable to encourage their kid to give it a go, which for certain wouldn’t move the representative if skiing was considered.

There you lot receive got it – the iii pillars of Australian swimming every bit nosotros run across them. Although these tin move dissected in addition to analyzed further, of course, but the heritage, institutional back upwards in addition to its nature are what drives Aussies’ thirst for aureate medals in addition to makes them such non bad swimmers. One could rank it only comes naturally to them.

Mark is an Australian father, a hubby in addition to a builder. He is a fleck of a security freak in addition to inwards gild to proceed his kids safe, he rigidly follows all puddle security regulations for his pool, institute here: http://www.aquavistaglass.com.au/FAQ.html#18