Speech by Mrs Gina Rinehart, Patron of Australian Dolphins Swim Team
Executive Chairman of the Hancock Prospecting Group and
Executive Chairman of Roy Hill and S. Kidman & Co
Swimming Australia Awards Night, Sunday 24 November 2019, Sydney
Thanks John, good evening distinguished guests, our dazzling swimmers and your families, coaches, volunteers and the wider swimming community.
It is wonderful to be here with you for your night, our swimmer’s night, a night for each athlete to celebrate their achievements of 2019. Thank you to too their supportive families and coaches and volunteers.
Tonight, I’m here as Patron of Swimming Australia, however, my connection to our swimmers makes me feel like much more than a Patron – I hope you know that I’m one of your proudest supporters. I regard very highly the dedication you have to your sport, your self-discipline, your values, the sacrifices you make, your world class efforts, as well as the amazing patriotism you display each time you represent your country.
This country has been built by leaders who work hard and rise up to meet today’s challenges. Leaders have the ability to transform lives and change our country’s destiny.
Our Olympic swimmers are similar in many ways.
But the greatest responsibility is to yourself. so in years to come, indeed for the rest of your life, you can look back on your career with the utmost pride and say, I gave it my all.
So, I am very fortunate to be your Patron and look forward to seeing many of you fulfil your dreams at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics next year.
You inspire this country and you deserve the support of all Australians.
I should add, you are the reason people support Swimming Australia . People employed at Swimming Australia should never lose sight of that.
It is now my great pleasure to announce the three winners of the Patron’s Award.
This young woman has taken the swimming world by storm, breaking the Commonwealth Record in the Women’s 200m and 400m freestyle at the Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Championships in April, and then again lowering the 400m freestyle Commonwealth record in June this year. At the 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju she hunted down American superstar Katie Ledecky to claim gold in the 400m freestyle, and helped her team win gold in the Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay in a new world record time. Her prestigious accolades continued with recent nominations for the Australia Don Award and AIS Sport Performance Awards. On Wednesday nightshe was also awarded the 2019 Tasmanian Athlete of the Year.
Arnie please join me on stage, please put your hands together for Ariarne Titmus.
The next award is for an Olympic champion who stunned the world when at 18 years of age he took gold in the Men’s 100m freestyle at the Rio Olympics. This year at the FINA World Championships he won gold as part of the 4x200m Men’s freestyle relay creating history in defeating the US. He also won an individual silver medal in the 100m Men’s freestyle in a personal best time of 47.0 secs, only 1/100sec off gold.
Kyle, please join me on stage. Please welcome Kyle Chalmers to the stage.
May I ask all previous Patron’s Award recipients to join me on stage?
Thank you and enjoy your night!
