AusLeisure

Launched on the first day of summer, Swimming Australia has unveiled its 2020 Australia Swims campaign.

Now in its third year, the initiative encourages all Australians to celebrate their love of the water and commit the distance they plan to swim in January - whether it’s 50 metres or 50 kilometres - to a nation-wide challenge.

As the excitement builds towards the Olympics and Paralympics, this year’s challenge has a touch of Tokyo and will ignite traditional state rivalries, with states and territories competing in a virtual race to Japan’s capital - the destination of the 2020 Games.

Last year saw thousands of people commit their distance, accumulating a grand total of 40,358.43kms to successfully achieve the challenge of lapping Australia and surpassing 2018’s total of 39,113kms.

Encouraging all Australians to get behind the campaign this summer to make it the most inclusive and expansive Australia Swims initiative to date, Swimming Australia Chief Executive, Leigh Russell stated “I’m really excited to launch this year’s Australia Swims campaign which takes on an Olympic and Paralympic element in 2020 as states and territories race to Tokyo.

“This initiative is all about inspiring people of all ages and abilities to get in the water, so it doesn’t matter if you pledge 50 metres or 25 kilometres, every distance adds to your state’s grand total and edges your region closer to the goal of 7,154km.

“Swimming is such a unique sport and recreational activity. Whether you’re four years old and learning to swim, or 65 and swim each morning, there’s no boundaries to who can hop in the water - and the positive impact it has on your physical and mental health is well documented.

“I’d also encourage everyone who participates in the challenge to download Swimming Australia’s free iSwim app, so they track the distance they swim, commit their metres and keep up to date with open water events happening near them.”

A live map and leader board on the Australia Swims website enables visibility over who is clocking up the most kilometres and which state you need to catch, while everyone can share their swim experience on social media using the hashtag #AustraliaSwimsToTokyo.

 Swimming Australia has also teamed up with a number of marquee open water events around the country during the Australia Swims campaign, including the Pier to Pub in Lorne, the Portsea Swim Classic, the Great Australia Day Swim, the Great Victorian Swim Series, the World Swim Series and the Australian Open Water Championships to name a few.

Related Articles

27th November 2019 - Swimming Australia honours Gina Rinehart with Lifetime Contribution Award

12th November 2019 - Swimming Australia and Belgravia Leisure partner to deliver activity and experience-based swim school teaching

23rd October 2019 - Swimming Australia unveils Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic campaign

2nd October 2019 - Swimming Australia launches grant program to encourage physical activity

29th July 2019 - Swimming Australia scrutinised over handling of Shayna Jack doping result

24th July 2019 - Australia to send largest ever team to Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

18th April 2019 - Swimming Australia partners to research growth and development

9th February 2019 - Swimming Australia camps kick off around the country

15th January 2019 - Swimming Australia launches app to connect recreational swimmers

6th December 2018 - Belgravia Leisure join supporters of 2019 Swimming Australia’s swim challenge

2nd December 2018 - Swimming Australia announces closure of National Training Centre Transition Program

23rd August 2018 - Swimming Australia and Belgravia Leisure present new swim program to 40,000 children

17th July 2018 - Australian Dolphins Swim Team to help raise awareness of threats to Great Barrier Reef

28th March 2018 - Swimming Australia appoints Leigh Russell as new Chief Executive

16th February 2018 - Six million participants make swimming Australia’s top sport and recreational activity

9th February 2018 - Swimming Australia campaign delivers 721 swimming experiences

1st December 2017 - Swimming Australia launches Australia Swims participation campaign

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.