SWIMMING AUSTRALIA - ONE HUNDRED YEARS
Swimming Australia: One Hundred Years, by author Murray Phillips, tells the fascinating story of how swimming evolved into the celebrated sport that it is today and how Australia became a superpower on the international swimming stage.
From the humble harbour beginnings with the Cavill family, through the days of the great Andrew "Boy" Charlton, onto Dawn Fraser, Murray Rose, Shane Gould and Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett, Libby Trickett and Stephanie Rice our affinity with the water has been a shining light in our extraordinary history.
It's a colourful history with tales of amazing feats, of courage and punching above our weight, of innovation and rising to the occasion - because we're Australians.
Swimming in Australia is deserved of a history, to show what we've done, how we've done it and to celebrate those pioneers who have paved the way from cork lane ropes of rocks pools in Coogee and Bondi to the stately North Sydney Olympic Pool and the multi-million dollar Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.
From those early accounts and community involvement via local swimming clubs and schools, to the nation's contribution to stroke development and coaching innovations, Swimming Australia: One Hundred Years paints a comprehensive picture of the sport that has become so central to Australian lives.
The book profiles our most successful swimmers, coaches and administrators, and provides lively commentary on key events, behind-the-scenes details of big races and the sport's controversies, all brought to life with stunning archival photographs.
Illustrated with over 125 colour images, many of which have not previously been seen, the book celebrates the sport that Australians have embraced as a nation.
Australia's retiring swim team captain Grant Hackett led the Dolphins to a 20-medal haul at this year's Beijing Olympics and he knows what it's like to be an Australian on the world swimming stage.
"This book is an asset to the sport and a testament to the significance and importance we place on swimming in this country," says Hackett.
"Understanding how the foundation stones of our sport were assembled generates even greater esteem for not just Australian swimmers but all Australians...I trust you will enjoy travelling through each memorable page as much as I have."
Murray Phillips trained as a competitive swimmer then went on to become a sports historian. Currently he teaches sport history in the School of Human Movement at The University of Queensland. He has written on the historical dimensions of amateurism in sport, rugby league and union, sport and race, sport and war, sport coaching as well as the theoretical dimension of sport history. Major publications include From Sidelines to Centre Field: A History of Sport Coaching in Australia (2000) and Deconstructing Sport History: A Postmodern Analysis (2006).
Swimming Australia: One Hundred Years will be available at leading bookstores, or online through the UNSW Press website: www.unswpress.com.au/code13/N10819