Otago has a rich history of success in the water, spanning all the way back to 1902 - the year in which the Otago Swimming Centre was founded. From humble beginnings in Dunedin, the Otago Swimming Centre was founded to support aquatic activities across the region, and was led by George Harris until 1914.
We didn't have to wait long for our athletes' achievements to be recognised on the national stage. In 1904, H. A. Creaghe (whom migrated from Australia) became the first Otago athlete to break a New Zealand record. Creaghe also passed on his knowledge from across the ditch, particularly by introducing the Australian Crawl stroke to the region. But there was still some time to wait until Otago started making their mark on the international stage...
In 1928, two Dunedin swimmers - Kathleen Miller and Ena Stockley - were selected to represent New Zealand at the Olympic Games in Amsterdam, becoming our first Olympians. These two women paved the way for future Otago athletes to make their mark on the world's biggest sporting stage.
And Jean Hurring (née Stewart) did just that in 1952, earning a bronze medal in the 100m Backstroke to become the first New Zealand woman to win a medal at an Olympic Games in swimming (and the only woman to accomplish this feat to this day). Jean also stood upon the podium at the Empire Games (now known as the Commonwealth Games), inspiring Otago athletes for generations to come.
But it wasn't until a certain coach settled down in Dunedin in 1966 that things really took off for Otago's swimming success. Duncan Laing's name is synonymous with swimming in New Zealand, Otago, and the hallowed halls of Moana Pool. Over the course of his 40 years spent coaching at Moana Pool, Laing worked with more than 10 Olympians and Paralympians, including New Zealand swimming legends Danyon Loader and Jenny Newstead.
In 1996, Loader became the first New Zealander to win a gold medal in swimming at an Olympic Games, when he won double gold in the 200m and 400m Freestyle in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Newstead won seven gold medals across the 1992 and 1996 Paralympic Games, paving the way for New Zealand's future Paralympic success.
Today, the Otago swimming legacy carries on through the success of our current international representatives and future champions.
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