Swimming WA’s Nights of Nights…and a celebration of a 30 year partnership!

West Australian swimmers, swimmer’s family members, volunteers, and the wider WA swimming family came together at the historic Fremantle Sailing Club on Saturday evening to celebrate Swimming WA and our states’ hardworking and dedicated swimmers.

This year was particularly special, as we celebrated not only swimming’s best-ever Olympic year, but also celebrated 30 years of a wonderful partnership between Hancock Prospecting and Swimming WA.

Please see below a special video, celebrating this long-standing partnership.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OneeuATqSM8

Unfortunately due to Covid border restrictions, WA Swimming Patron Mrs. Gina Rinehart was unable to attend, however her address was read out on her behalf by her goddaughter – link below to the speech.

Amongst Swimming WA’s nights of nights, we were delighted to award both the Hancock Prospecting Perpetual Trophy and the female and male Swimming WA Patron’s Awards.

The Hancock Prospecting Perpetual Trophy is awarded to the athlete with the best performance at the National Open Championships. This year, the 2021 winner is Brianna Throssell, who was West Australia’s only Gold medallist in an Olympic event, claiming Gold in the Women’s 200m Butterfly. Brianna was also awarded the female 2021 Swimming WA Patron’s Awards for her amazing efforts – congratulations Brianna!!

The Swimming WA Patron’s Award is awarded to the best West Australia athlete at the international benchmark Meet. After an amazing performance in Tokyo, the male 2021 Swimming WA Patron’s Award was awarded to Ben Popham. Ben claimed two Gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics in the Men’s S8 100m Freestyle and Men’s 4x100m Freestyle. Congratulations Ben!!

Patron Mrs Gina Rinehart and all at the Hancock Prospecting Group, wish all involved with our state’s outstanding swimmers a very big congratulations, and huge thanks to the many parents and volunteers who contribute to West Australian Swimming.

Speech on behalf of Mrs. Gina Rinehart Patron of Swimming WA

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr7ZU-1Bgd8&feature=youtu.be

 

Good evening distinguished guests, swimmers and your families, coaches, and the supportive swimming family. Welcome and thank you all for coming together tonite to celebrate Swimming WA.

Unfortunately, due to Covid restrictions, I am unable to be here in person this evening, especially sad not to be with you all as we’re also celebrating 30 years of our support for west Australian swimming, but I do hope you all have a wonderful night.  And thank you to my goddaughter, for reading this speech on my behalf. These awards are such a special occasion – a time where we can come together and celebrate your successes, and what a year this has been!

I want to start off by congratulating our returning Tokyo Olympians and Paralympians – can I have a very big applause for Brianna, Tamsin and Zac, all who medalled in their relays.

And another applause for our Paralympian superstar Ben, who took home three medals – two of them gold, and one a world record!

Warmest congratulations to you all. I was certainly cheering even a bit more so seeing my fellow west Aussies win their medals! There are very few people who can say they have represented their country internationally, against the world’s best, so you have every reason after your immensely hard work, to be proud of yourselves – I know everyone in this room is. As is our company, Hancock prospecting, who has joined with me, for the last 30 years wanting to support WA swimming.

I am so delighted to be your Swimming WA Patron. The traits that you possess are admirable – the dedication, self-discipline and hard work is amazing, combined with your desires to represent your state and country so well. You are Wonderful ambassadors for West Australia, and, Australia too.

Swimming is a sport which is iconic and synonymous with the Australia spirit – from youngsters learning to swim, and on,  – it’s ingrained in the Aussie lifestyle, so it has been wonderful to support Swimming WA for 30 years now. Our support started from a love of swimming and to helping children with asthma, and to keeping children off the streets into a more positive environment than parties, excess drinking and drugs.

Over the years, it has been rewarding to support Swimming WA , but of course, our support wouldn’t have been effective without the incredible support of the many volunteers. Please join me in a huge round of thanks for the volunteers.

I am pleased to welcome our new wa CEO Sophie Row, and new President, Dominic Sheldrick, who have huge responsibility to Swimming WA heading to a greater state representation in Paris 2024 and onwards to Brisbane 2032. I want to see many more west Aussies competing on the international stage!  Don’t you? And look forward to greater contact with these new leaders and outstanding coaches, to make greater west Australian international achievements a reality. Let’s hear lots of enthusiasm to make west Australia the outstanding swimming state that we should be.

With thanks to our past Olympians for making west Australia proud. Let’s hear more applause for our past and current west Australian Olympians.

As a swimmer’s parent, I do know something of the years of very real sacrifices parents make for their children to get them too early morning training and meets, so they can follow their dreams and train hard, so I think we should have a round of applause for all of the very dedicated parents!

And another big thank you for our volunteers – without you all, the competitions and behind-the-scenes help, competitions the swimmers need, wouldn’t be possible. Swimming is a team sport – you all make up the team.

I hope you all enjoy the evening.  Again, warmest congratulations and very best wishes to our swimmers, and our award winners, and very best wishes to swimming WA’s future. . Thank you.

And now for some awards!

It is my great pleasure to now announce the winner of the 2021 Hancock Prospecting Perpetual Trophy –

Winner. This award is given to the able-bodied athlete with the best performance at the National Open Championships. This year, the winner is  Brianna Throssell, who was Western Australia’s only Gold medalist in an Olympic event, claiming Gold in the Women’s 200m Butterfly. Congratulations Brianna!!

And now, for the 2021 Swimming WA Patron’s Award. This award is given to the best West Australia athlete at the international benchmark Meet. After an amazing performance in Tokyo, it’s is my pleasure to announce Ben Popham as this year’s winner.  Ben claimed two Gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics in the Men’s S8 100m Freestyle and Men’s 4x100m Freestyle outperforming his Western Australian counterparts.

And for the females 2021 swimming WA patrons award, Brianna Throssell.

Photos from the event to follow.
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