Join us for an unforgettable evening as Swimming WA proudly acknowledges and honours the outstanding accomplishments of our vibrant swimming community in Western Australia.
The annual Awards of Excellence in October is a celebration of the remarkable achievements, dedication, and excellence displayed by our swimmers, coaches, officials, and volunteers. Together, they contribute to the unique essence of Western Australia's largest participation sport.
Nominated Awards
- Aqua Technics Age Swimmer Scholarship Award
- Lester Watkins Development Coach of the Year
- Technical Official of the Year
- Volunteer of the Year
- Club of the Year – Metropolitan & Regional
- Ben Beale Memorial Award
- Pathway Program of the Year
- Sustainability Award
- Swimming WA Hall of Fame
- Swimming WA Hall of Legends
- Swimming WA Life Membership
The Aqua Technics Age Swimmer Scholarship Award has been established to assist families meet some of the costs associated with the sport of swimming at national level. The Scholarship will be the responsibility of the SWA Management who will recognise one (1) athlete (male or female) who swims with a Swimming WA Club, no matter where that Club is based in the State. Girls must be aged 15 and 16, and boys must be aged between 16 and 17 years of age, as of 31st August 2023.
2024 – Jackson Anderson, Highlanders Swimming Club
2023 – Bianca Monaco, Westside Christ Church Aquatic
2022 – Sahmara Kirby, Westside Christ Church Aquatic
The Lester Watkins Development Coach of the Year (formerly known as the Swimming WA Development Coach of the Year until 2024) is presented to a talented, emerging accredited coach who has demonstrated an ability to coach at a high level across a range of abilities and ages, with a clear vision that reflects a journey towards excellence in all areas of coaching.
2024 – Taarna Cam, Australind Swimming Club
2023 – Gemma Herrington, Riverton Aquanauts Swimming Club
2022 – Lakshman 'Lucky' Weerakkody, Kwinana Swimming Club
2021 – Will Greenwood, Westside Christchurch Aquatic
The Technical Official of the Year is awarded to a Swimming WA Technical Official who has attained a level of excellence in the field of officiating.
2024 – Neil Doherty, Canning Districts Swimming Club
2023 – Kylie Baker, South Shore Swimming Club
2022 – Deb Doody, Riverton Aquanauts Swimming Club & Kim Blake, Geographe Bay Swimming Club
2021 – Steve Hill, UWA West Coast Swimming Club
The Volunteer of the Year is awarded to an individual who has displayed an outstanding level of volunteer commitment and contribution to the sport of swimming in WA.
2024 – Chris McMillan, City of Perth Swimming Club
2023 – Ingrid Iaschi, City of Perth Swimming Club
2022 – Steve Hill, UWA West Coast Swimming Club
2021 – Stephen Milford, Canning Districts Swim Club
The Club of the Year is awarded to a Metro Club AND Regional Club that has displayed an outstanding level of engagement within the community across multiple levels.
Metropolitan
2024 - Riverton Aquanauts Swimming Club
2023 - Guildford & Kalamunda Districts Swimming Club
2022 - South Shore Swimming Club
2021 - Guildford & Kalamunda Districts Swimming Club
Regional
2024 - Mandurah Swimming Club
2023 - Busselton Swimming Club
2022 - Australind Swimming Club
2021 - Geraldton Amateur Swimming Club
The Ben Beale Memorial Award has been established to celebrate and recognise those ‘champions’ of the SWA Club environment. This perpetual award will annually celebrate the ‘Best Club person’ (must be a current athlete) within a Swimming WA Club. The Award is designed to further the winner’s leadership skills and experience, with the objective that they will not only stay in the sport longer term but will also contribute to their Club in a meaningful manner, well beyond their days as an athlete.
2024 – Max Coten, City of Perth Swimming Club
2023 – Sarah Overheu, Westside Christ Church Aquatic
2022 – Emma Bond, UWA West Coast Swimming Club
2021 – Sienna Cummins, Kwinana Swimming Club
As of 2023, the Pathway Program Award recognises an affiliated Swimming WA club for excellence in its open and age performance program / squad / equivalent – with particular reference to performance, practice and values.
2024 – Highlanders Swimming Club
2023 – Highlanders Swimming Club
As of 2024, the Sustainability Award recognises the contribution and achievement of a Swimming WA club member or affiliated club to sustainability in the WA swimming community environment.
2024 – UWA West Coast Swimming Club
The Swimming WA (SWA) Hall of Fame is an alumni comprised of fifty-six (56) of the most prominent names in Western Australian swimming. The SWA Hall of Fame is an illustrious group of SWA’s most respected and celebrated champions who span time and achievement.
Induction into the SWA Hall of Fame is a public acknowledgement of attainment of the extraordinary feats of an individual at an international level that has set them above their peers and made a contribution that is ‘uncommon’.
Induction into the SWA Hall of Fame differs from SWA Life Membership. Life Membership of the Association acknowledges selfless commitment and long-term service to the Association and to the sport of swimming in Western Australia. Inductees into the SWA Hall of Fame do not automatically receive Life Membership of SWA and vice versa.
The SWA Board has engaged the SWA Honours and Awards Committee to manage the process on their behalf. The Committee oversees the SWA Hall of Fame nomination process and submits their recommendations to the SWA Board for their endorsement.
Induction into the SWA Hall of Fame is on an “achievement basis” and not necessarily an annual occurrence. SWA Hall of Fame inductees are recognised at the SWA Hall of Fame Induction function.
The Swimming WA (SWA) Hall of Legends is a new elite Alumni category designed to recognise outstanding achievement by Western Australian swimmers on the international stage. Members of the SWA Hall of Legends represent an illustrious group of SWA’s most respected and celebrated champions who span time and achievement. They are the “best of the best” who, (through their achievements), have made an enduring or significant contribution to the sport of swimming, inspiring young and old alike.
Elevation from the SWA Hall of Fame into the SWA Hall of Legends is a public acknowledgement of attainment and the extraordinary feats of an individual, at an international level, that has set them above their peers and captured the attention of the swimming world.
Induction into the SWA Hall of Legends differs from induction into the SWA Hall of Fame. The SWA Hall of Fame acknowledges those who have achieved outstanding results at a National and International level. The Hall of Legends celebrates achievements that are of a level that can only be described as elite and world class (i.e. winning an Olympic medal). Inductees into the SWA Hall of Legends do not automatically receive Life Membership of SWA and vice versa.
The SWA Board has engaged the SWA Honours and Awards Committee to manage the process on their behalf. The Committee oversees the SWA Hall of Legends nomination process and submits their recommendations to the SWA Board for their endorsement.
Induction into the SWA Hall of Legends is on an “achievement basis” and not necessarily an annual occurrence. No more than 15% of the Hall of Fame may be inducted into the Hall of Legends. SWA Hall of Legend inductees are recognised at the SWA Awards of Excellence.
Nominations for Life Membership may come from an area of level of expertise within the sport of swimming in Western Australia and shall have no boundaries as to the environment (e.g. Club, Technical Official, Swimmer, Administrator, etc.) field of endeavour, age, or gender.
The objective of Life Membership is to acknowledge the dedicated and selfless contribution of a person who has provided high quality volunteer service to SWA over an extended period of time.
SWA seeks to acknowledge the achievements of these individuals, by extending to them an appropriate honour in recognition of their outstanding contribution to SWA.
Other Awards
- Swimming WA Patron’s Trophy
- Sir Frank Beaurepaire Trophy
- Age Swimmer of the Year
- Swimming WA President’s Award
- Swimmers’ Swimmer of the Year Award
- Grant Stoelwinder Coach of the Year
- Elizabeth Edmondson Swimmer of the Year
- Shelley Taylor-Smith Swimmer of the Year
- Lyn McClements Swimmer of the Year
The Swimming WA Patron’s Trophy is awarded to an outstanding West Australian pool or open water swimmer for their performance both in and out of competition, at benchmark international competitions: Olympics, World Championships or Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.
2024 – Iona Anderson, Breakers Swim Club
2023 – Joshua Yong, UWA West Coast Swimming Club
2022 – Alex Saffy, Bunbury Swimming Club
2021 – Ben Popham, Arena Swim Club & Brianna Throssell, UWA West Coast Swimming Club
The Sir Frank Beaurepaire trophy is awarded to the Western Australia resident swimmer who has the highest world ranking as of 30th September.
2024 – Iona Anderson, Breakers Swim Club
2023 – Alex Saffy, Bunbury Swimming Club
2022 – Alex Saffy, Bunbury Swimming Club
2021 – Ben Popham, Arena Swim Club
The Age Swimmer of the Year is awarded to the resident Western Australian swimmer, substantively aged between 13 years to 16 years for girls and 14 years to 18 years for boys who returns the most outstanding performance during the defined period.
2024 – Lucas Fackerell, Breakers Swim Club
2023 – Alex Saffy, Bunbury Swimming Club
2022 – Iona Anderson, Breakers Swim Club
2021 – Joshua Edwards-Smith, UWA West Coast Swimming Club
This award is presented to the Swimming WA member who has contributed to the sport of Swimming and is at the discretion of the Swimming WA President.
2024 – Tommaso D'Orsogna, Highlanders Swimming Club
2023 – Briana Crisp, Karratha Swimming Club
2022 – Tony Ball, Kwinana Swimming Club
2021 – Nick Watkins, Southside Penrhos Wesley
This award is a peer selected award by swimmers aged 16 years and over for that season in a 3,2,1 voting system. Eight (8) athletes, to be determined in advance by the Athlete Advisory Group, will be eligible to receive votes.
2024 – Iona Anderson, Breakers Swim Club
2023 – Iona Anderson, Breakers Swim Club
2022 – Iona Anderson, Breakers Swim Club & Alex Saffy, Bunbury Swimming Club
2021 – Kieren Pollard, North Coast Swim Club
The Grant Stoelwinder Coach of the Year (formerly known as the Coach of the Year until 2024) is awarded to a resident Western Australian accredited coach, who returns the most outstanding results during the defined period.
2024 – Ryan Steenkamp, Highlanders Swimming Club
2023 – Ian Mills, North Coast Swim Club
2022 – Ian Mills, North Coast Swim Club
2021 – Simon Redmond, Arena Swim Club
The Elizabeth Edmondson Swimmer of the Year is awarded to the resident Western Australian para-swimmer who returns the most outstanding performance during the defined period.
2024 – Alex Saffy, Bunbury Swimming Club
2023 – Alex Saffy, Bunbury Swimming Club
2022 – Alex Saffy, Bunbury Swimming Club
2021 – Ben Popham, Arena Swim Club
The Shelley Taylor-Smith Swimmer of the Year is awarded to the resident Western Australian swimmer who returns the most outstanding performances during the defined period.
2024 – Kyle Lee, North Coast Swim Club
2023 – Kyle Lee, North Coast Swim Club
2022 – Kyle Lee, North Coast Swim Club
2021 – Kyle Lee, North Coast Swim Club
The Lyn McClements Swimmer of the Year is awarded to the resident Western Australian able bodied pool swimmer who returns the most outstanding performances during the defined period.
2024 – Iona Anderson, Breakers Swim Club
2023 – Joshua Yong, UWA West Coast Swimming Club
2022 – Holly Barratt, Rockingham Swimming Club & Kieren Pollard, North Coast Swim Club
2021 – Brianna Throssell & Zac Incerti, UWA West Coast Swim Club
