Olympic Gold Medallists Emma McKeon and Mack Horton Elected To Swimming Australia Athletes Commission
Australia’s most celebrated Olympian Emma McKeon and fellow Olympic gold medallist Mack Horton are amongst a new look Swimming Australia Athletes Commission announced today.
The Commission, which is part of Swimming Australia’s revised governance structure, will serve as a direct link between the athletes and the Swimming Australia Board.
Its mission is to represent swimmers and support them in their sporting and non-sporting endeavours.
Elected to the new committee are: recently retired triple Olympians McKeon and Mitch Larkin; Rio gold medallist Horton, who is also President of the Australian Swimmers’ Association; dual Olympian Jenna Strauch; Tokyo Olympian Jess Hansen, recently retired Commonwealth Games representative Bowen Gough and dual Paralympian Ashleigh McConnell.
They join incumbent Athlete Director, Rio Olympian and former Australian Team leader Matt Abood who was elected Chair and remains the representative on the Swimming Australia Board.
Abood emphasising that the Athletes’ Commission plays such an important role within Swimming Australia’s governance structure.”We have a great mix of individuals representing our athletes. They span decades of experience both in and out of the water and their quality of care and dedication to the sport is undeniable, “Abood said.
“For instance, Mack as ASA president and Bowen in his new role at Swimming Victoria enables us to speak on State grounds as well as across the wider swimming community,”
“The Athletes Commission keeps the organisation in touch with the opinions, values and needs of our athletes and its mission to put athletes at the heart of High Performance and the Olympic Movement.
“It’s crucial that our athlete voices are heard and the Athletes’ Commission establishes a direct connection that enables this with the Board and Executive.
“It’s a connection that works both ways and I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity to lead that – an opportunity to strengthen athlete representation and engagement at all levels, which in turn, supports the athlete’s life cycle from aspiring Dolphins, to current and the legends who give back to their sport.”
Interim Chair Hayden Collins added: “The establishment of the Athletes’ Commission ensures that the athlete voices are enshrined in Swimming Australia’s decision-making process.”