Australian Swimming Championships Explained

The Australian Swimming Championships is the national Swimming championships for Australia. They are organised by Swimming Australia and separate championships are held annually in both long course (50m) and short course (25m) pools. The two meets are the country's top domestic meet for their respective course.

The meet usually also double as a selection event for international competitions such as the: Olympics, Paralympics, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships. Some consider the meet the second-toughest domestic competition in the world, behind the USA's national championships.

The first edition of the championships was held in Sydney in January 1896 with events at the Natatorium, Sutherland Dock (Cockatoo Island) and on the Hawkesbury River.

The state that wins the most points at the championships is awarded the Kieran Shield, named in memory of Barney B. Kieran, a swimmer from New South Wales, who was a world record holder, and who died, aged 18, in 1905.^[1]

The 1990 Australian Swimming Championships saw events for para athletes added for the first time.^[2]

Editions

Long course

width=25	Year	width=90	Dates	width=170	Pool	width=60	City	width=120	State	width=250	Selection trials for
1930	25 January–1 February	City Baths, Footscray Baths, Brunswick Baths	Melbourne
	8–15 February	Sandy Bay Baths	Hobart
1931	10–17 January	Municipal (Domain) Baths, Drummoyne Baths, Coogee Aquarium	Sydney
	21–28 January	Valley Baths, Booroodabin Baths, City Baths (Toowoomba)	Brisbane
1932	Not held
1933	25 January – 4 February	Claremont Baths	Perth
	9–14 February	Crystal Swimming Pool	Adelaide
1934	24–30 January	Valley Baths	Brisbane
	3–10 February	Coogee Aquarium, Municipal (Domain) Baths	Sydney
1935	19–26 January	Melbourne Olympic Pool	Melbourne
	2–9 February	Sandy Bay Baths	Hobart
1936	8–17 February	Crawley Baths	Perth
1937	9–13 January	North Sydney Olympic Pool	Sydney
	25–30 January	Valley Baths	Brisbane
1939	31 January–2 February	Melbourne Olympic Pool	Melbourne
	6–11 February	Sandy Bay Baths	Hobart
1946	2–9 February	Richmond Baths; Brunswick Baths	Melbourne
1947	1–8 February	Adelaide Olympic Pool	Adelaide
1948	8–14 February	North Sydney Olympic Pool Granville Olympic Pool	Sydney		1948 Olympic Games
1949	19–26 February	Valley Baths	Brisbane
1950	9–17 December (1949)	North Sydney Olympic Pool	Sydney		1950 Commonwealth Games
1951	17–24 February	Melbourne Olympic Pool; Brunswick Baths	Melbourne
1952	16–23 February	Melbourne Olympic Pool	Melbourne		1952 Olympic Games
1953	21–28 February	North Sydney Olympic Pool Enfield Olympic Swimming Pool	Sydney
1954	20–27 February	Melbourne Olympic Pool	Melbourne		1954 Commonwealth Games
1955	19–26 February	Adelaide Olympic Pool	Adelaide
1956	16–23 February	North Sydney Olympic Pool Enfield Olympic Swimming Pool	Sydney		The selection trials for the 1956 Olympic Games were held in Melbourne in October.
1957	15–23 February	Canberra Olympic Pool	Canberra
1958	15–22 February	Olympic Swimming Stadium	Melbourne		1958 Commonwealth Games
1959	13–21 February	Hobart Olympic Pool	Hobart
1960	23–27 February	North Sydney Olympic Pool	Sydney		1960 Olympic Games
1961	17–25 February	Valley Pool	Brisbane
1962	17–24 February	Olympic Swimming Stadium	Melbourne		The selection trials for the 1962 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne in October.
1963	16–23 February	Beatty Park Aquatic Centre	Perth
1964	28 February–1 March	North Sydney Olympic Pool	Sydney		1964 Olympic Games
1965	27 February–1 March	Hobart Olympic Pool	Hobart
1966	25–27 February	Valley Pool	Brisbane		1966 Commonwealth Games
1967	23–25 February	Adelaide Olympic Pool	Adelaide
1968	23–25 February	Olympic Swimming Stadium	Melbourne		1968 Olympic Games
1969	21–23 February	Beatty Park Aquatic Centre
1970	27 February–1 March	Drummoyne Olympic Pool]	Sydney		1970 Commonwealth Games
1971	5–7 February	Hobart Olympic Pool	Hobart
1972	11–13 February	Valley Pool	Brisbane		1972 Olympic Games
1973	9–11 February	Adelaide Swimming Centre	Adelaide		The selection trials for the 1973 FINA World Championships were held in Brisbane in August. The selection trials for the 1974 Commonwealth Games were held in Sydney in December.
1974	1–3 March	Olympic Swimming Stadium	Melbourne
1975	21– 23 February	Beatty Park Aquatic Centre	Perth		The selection trials for the 1975 FINA World Championships were held in Brisbane in June.
1976	27–29 February	North Sydney Olympic Pool	Sydney		1976 Olympic Games
1977	25–27 February	Clarence Memorial Olympic Pool	Hobart
1978	23–26 February	Valley Pool	Brisbane		The selection trials for the 1978 Commonwealth Games and 1978 FINA World Championships were held in Sydney in June.
1979	22–25 February	Beatty Park Aquatic Centre	Perth
1980	20–23 March	Olympic Swimming Stadium	Melbourne		1980 Olympic Games
1981	26 February–1 March	Adelaide Swimming Centre	Adelaide
1982	18–21 March	Warringah Aquatic Centre	Sydney		1982 FINA World Championships. The selection trials for the 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Sydney in August.
1983	24–27 February	Clarence Memorial Olympic Pool	Hobart
1984	23–26 February	Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler	Brisbane		1984 Olympic Games
1985	21–24 February	State Swimming Centre	Melbourne
1986	27 February–2 March	Adelaide Aquatic Centre			1986 Commonwealth Games, 1986 FINA World Championships
1987	26 February–1 March	Beatty Park Aquatic Centre	Perth		The selection trials for the 1987 Pan Pacs were conducted in Brisbane from 22 to 25 July.^[3]
1988	25–28 February^[4]	Warringah Aquatic Centre	Sydney		The selection trials for the 1988 Olympic Games were conducted in Sydney from 11 to 14 May.^[5]
1989	23–26 February	State Swimming Centre	Melbourne		The selection trials for the 1989 Pan Pacs were conducted in Perth in August.^[6] The selection trials for the 1990 Commonwealth Games were held in Adelaide in December.
1990	10–14 October^[7]	Brisbane Aquatic Centre	Brisbane		1991 FINA World Championships
1991	25–29 April	State Swimming Centre	Melbourne		1991 Pan Pacs
1992	1–5 April^[8]	Australian Institute of Sport	Canberra		1992 Olympic Games
1993	24–28 March^[9]	Claremont Superdrome	Perth		1993 Pan Pacs
1994	15–20 March	Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler	Brisbane		1994 Commonwealth Games. 1994 FINA World Championships
1995	30 March –2 April	Claremont Superdrome	Perth		1995 Pan Pacs
1996	21–27 April	Sydney International Aquatic Centre	Sydney		1996 Olympic Games
1997	5–11 October	Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler	Brisbane		1998 FINA World Championships. The selection trials for the 1997 Pan Pacs were held in Adelaide in March.
1998	27 April–2 May	Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre	Melbourne		1998 Commonwealth Games
1999	20–27 March	Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler	Brisbane		1999 Pan Pacs
2000	13–20 May	Sydney International Aquatic Centre	Sydney		2000 Olympic Games
2001	24–31 March	Hobart Aquatic Centre	Hobart		2001 FINA World Championships
2002	18–23 March	Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler	Brisbane		2002 Commonwealth Games, 2002 Pan Pacs
2003	22–29 March	Sydney International Aquatic Centre	Sydney		2003 FINA World Championships
2004	27 March – 3 April	Sydney International Aquatic Centre	Sydney		2004 Olympic Games
2005	12–19 March	Sydney International Aquatic Centre	Sydney		2005 FINA World Championships
2006	30 January–4 February	Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre	Melbourne		2006 Commonwealth Games, 2006 Pan Pacs
2007	3–10 December (2006)	Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler	Brisbane		2007 FINA World Championships
2008	22–29 March	Sydney International Aquatic Centre	Sydney		2008 Olympic Games
2009	17–22 March	Sydney International Aquatic Centre	Sydney		2009 FINA World Championships
2010	16–21 March	Sydney International Aquatic Centre	Sydney		2010 Commonwealth Games, Pan Pacs 2010
2011	1–8 April	Sydney International Aquatic Centre	Sydney		2011 FINA World Championships
2012	15–22 March	South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre	Adelaide		2012 Olympic Games
2013	26 April–3 May	South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre	Adelaide		2013 FINA World Championships
2014	1–6 April	Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler	Brisbane		2014 Commonwealth Games, Pan Pacs 2014
2015	3–10 April	Sydney International Aquatic Centre	Sydney		2015 FINA World Championships
2016	7–14 April	South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre	Adelaide		2016 Olympic Games
2017	9–13 April	Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler	Brisbane		2017 FINA World Championships
2018	28 February–3 March^[10]	Gold Coast Aquatic Centre	Gold Coast		2018 Commonwealth Games. The selection trials for Pan Pacs 2018 were held in Adelaide in June–July.
2019	7–12 April	South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre	Adelaide		The Australian selection trials for the 2019 FINA World Championships were held in Brisbane in June.
2020	17–21 April	HBF Stadium (Perth Superdrome)	Perth		Cancelled due to COVID-19. The selection trials for the 2020 Olympic Games in June in Adelaide were also cancelled.
	14–18 April	Gold Coast Aquatic Centre	Gold Coast		The Australian swimming selection trials for the 2020 Olympic Games were held in Adelaide in June.
	18–22 May^[11]	South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre	Adelaide		2022 FINA World Championships, 2022 Commonwealth Games
	17–20 April^[12]	Gold Coast Aquatic Centre	Gold Coast		The Australian selection trials for the 2023 World Aquatics Championships were held in Melbourne from 13–18 June.
	17–20 April^[13]	Gold Coast Aquatic Centre	Gold Coast		The trials for the 2024 Olympic Games will be held in Brisbane from 10–15 June.

Short course

width=45	Year	width=90	Dates	width=170	Pool	width=60	City	width=110	State	width=250	Selection trials for
1979	August	Mowbray Pool	Launceston	Tasmania	FINA Cup, Tokyo
1980	29–31 August	University of NSW pool	Sydney	New South Wales
1981	Not held
1982	Not held
1983	Not held
1984	24–26 August	State Swimming Centre	Melbourne	Victoria
1985	30 August – 1 September	Warringah Aquatic Centre	Sydney	New South Wales
	5–7 September	Mowbray Pool
	25–27 September	State Swimming Centre
1988	Not held
1989	Not held
	2-4 March
	27–29 September
	25–27 September	Casuarina Pool			Oceania championships
1993			Melbourne
1994	29 September–2 October	Warringah Aquatic Centre	Sydney
1995	31 August – 3 September		Adelaide		SC Worlds 1995
1996	19–22 December	Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre	Melbourne	Victoria
1997	17–20 July	Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre	Melbourne	Victoria
1998	24–27 September	Challenge Stadium	Perth	Western Australia
1999	2–5 September	AIS pool	Canberra	Australian Capital Territory
2000	12–15 October	Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre	Melbourne
2001	3–7 August	Challenge Stadium	Perth
2002	2–5 September	Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre	Melbourne	Victoria
2003	2–5 August	Hobart Aquatic Centre	Hobart	Tasmania
2004	25–29 September	Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler	Brisbane	Queensland
2005	7–11 August	Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre	Melbourne	Victoria
2006	25–28 August	Hobart Aquatic Centre	Hobart	Tasmania
2007	29 August – 2 September
2008	20–24 September
	8–12 August
	14–18 July	Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler			SC Worlds 2010
2011	1–3 July	SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre
2012	12-16 September				SC Worlds 2012
2013	22–31 August
2014	5–9 November	SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre			2014 SC Worlds
2015	26–28 November
2016	1–5 November	Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler			Short Course World Championships 2016
2017	26–28 October	South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre
2018	25–27 October	Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre			Short Course World Championships 2018
2019	24–26 October	Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre
2020	27–29 November	various locations			Virtual Championship held in various locations replaced the originally planned Championships in Melbourne.
2021	23–26 September	Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre			Cancelled due to COVID-19.
	24–27 August				Short Course World Championships 2022
2023	13–16 September	Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre	Sydney	New South Wales

Championships records

See List of Australian Championships records in swimming

External links

• Swimming Australia

Notes and References

1. Web site: Fletcher . Russell . 1904-1905 - Membership 86. . Melbourne Collegians Water Polo Club Inc. - A History - 1894-1994 - The Beginning . Melbourne Collegians Water Polo Club Inc. . pdf . 19 July 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120327213146/http://www.mcwaterpolo.com/about/2_THE_BEGINNING.pdf . 27 March 2012 . dead .
2. Web site: Catherine Huggett . 5 May 2023. Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame .
3. Bill. Sweetenham. 1988. Australian Institute of Sport Report. Australian Swimming Inc. Annual Report 1987-88. 45. Australian Swimming. pdf. 11 May 2013.
4. Bill. Sweetenham. 1988. Australian Institute of Sport Report. Australian Swimming Inc. Annual Report 1987-88. 46. Australian Swimming. pdf. 11 May 2013.
5. Bill. Sweetenham. 1988. Australian Institute of Sport Report. Australian Swimming Inc. Annual Report 1987-88. 47. Australian Swimming. pdf. 11 May 2013.
6. 1990. National Team Report. Australian Swimming Inc. Annual Report 1989-90. 28. Australian Swimming. pdf. 11 May 2013.
7. 1991. Honorary Secretary's Report. Australian Swimming Inc. Annual Report 1990-91. 7. Australian Swimming. pdf. 11 May 2013.
8. 1992. The Year in Detail. Australian Swimming Inc. Annual Report 1991-92. 7. Australian Swimming. pdf. 11 May 2013.
9. 1993 . The Year in Detail . Australian Swimming Inc. Annual Report 1992-93 . 3 . . pdf . 12 May 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120425081854/https://secure.ausport.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/149204/Australian_Swimming_Annual_Report_1992-1993.pdf . 25 April 2012 .
10. Web site: 2018 Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Trials. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201031315/https://www.swimming.org.au/Events/2018-Hancock-Prospecting-Australian-Swimming-Trial.aspx#acc1. Swimming Australia. 19 November 2017. 1 December 2017. dead.
11. Web site: Hanson . Ian . Swimming Australia to stage a 2022 blockbuster swim trials with a major move from April to May 17-22 . Swimming World . 10 February 2022 . Retrieved on 11 February 2022
12. Web site: 2023 Australian Swimming Championships. Swimming Australia. 1 October 2022. 1 October 2022.
13. Web site: 2024 Australian Swimming Championships. Swimming Australia. 18 April 2024.