Geelong Swimming Club has triple win for inclusivity

THE Geelong Swimming Club has gone three for three at this year’s Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards.

The VDSR Awards ceremony, livestreamed on Thursday last week, celebrate the achievements of sportspeople with disability, the coaches, organisations, officials and volunteers who support them and the inclusive sport and recreation sector across Victoria.

The Geelong Swimming Club was a finalist in three categories – the Carbine Club Team of the Year, Phoebe Mitchell for Female Sportsperson of the Year, and Sadat-Jon Hussain for Coach of the Year – and won all three.

The club swims in both pool and open water, and has competed in local, state, national and international competition over the past 12 months, including at the INAS Global Games, the World Deaf Championships, the Special Olympics state championships, and the Australian Down Syndrome Championships.

Mitchell, who lives in Bellbrae, was one of three winners in the Female Sportsperson of the Year category. She is a middle to long distance swimmer in backstroke and breaststroke and a short distance swimmer in freestyle.

Over the past year she has won eight Australian titles – 200m individual medly, 50m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, 200m breaststroke, 50m backstroke, 200m freestyle, 100m breaststroke and 200m backstroke – and broken four world records in 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 200m breaststroke and 4×100 medley relay, respectively.

Hussain is the head multiclass squad coach at Geelong Swimming Club, as well as the Victorian Down Syndrome Swimming coach and the assistant Australian Down Syndrome Swimming coach.
He has created a strong squad of seven multi-class swimmers with a variety of disabilities including hearing impairment, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disability.

Geelong Swimming Club president Glenn Benson said the entire organisation – comprising the Geelong Swimming Club, the Geelong Swimming Club Foundation and Fiona Skinner Learn to Swim – was very excited by the wins, especially given the difficult nature of 2020.

“Though in the short term, we’ve done extremely well. Sadat-Jon is very good with kids, so we’ve actually increased our numbers over COVID-19; people have heard about our dryland training and how we do it through Zoom.”

Hosted by Disability Sport & Recreation, the VDSR Awards celebrate what is truly great about accessible and inclusive sport.

“Last night’s event was a fantastic way to reflect on the incredible talent, initiatives and individuals that contribute to the Victorian sport and recreation sector and celebrate International Day of People with Disability,” Disability Sport and Recreation chief executive officer Richard Amon said.

He said the awards would be followed by a new virtual version of the Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Festival, featuring videos from exhibitors, interactive activity sessions and time to ask questions, all from your smartphone or computer.

“Running from Friday, December 11 to Saturday, December 12, the festival gives people the chance to learn about the different inclusive and disability sport and recreation programs and services across Victoria and how to get involved with them in the new year. With access now easier from all over Victoria, it may even be better than being there in person.”