Could A Bronte Campbell Inspired “Super Hub “Become A Game Changer for Future Australian Olympians?
Bronte Campbell’s tailor-made gold medal-winning Paris 2024 Olympic Games campaign has paved the way for what could well be a game-changing partnership in Australian swimming.
A newly formed collaboration announced today between the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS), Swimming NSW (SNSW), Swimming Australia (SA), and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), alongside a parallel Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian Capital Territory Academy of Sport (ACTAS), has established the Swimming Australia Technology Hub at the AIS in Canberra.
FOUR-TIME OLYMPIAN: Bronte Campbell a wave of success. Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Wade’s Photos)
The initiative creates a world class high-performance training environment that allows NSWIS scholarship holders and emerging NSW and ACT swimmers to live, train, and access world-class facilities in the ACT, keeping future Australian Dolphins on the green and gold pathway to LA28 and Brisbane 2032.
Campbell’s ability to split her time between Canberra and Sydney in 2024, training under Swimming NSW Performance Centre Head Coach and four-time Olympic coach Shannon Rollason while remaining connected to NSWIS support services, proved critical to her success.
Her Paris campaign demonstrating the effectiveness of dual-hub approach.
Bronte’s four Olympic appearances have yielded three gold medals and a bronze, and she has described the agreement as a positive development over the next six years leading into Brisbane 2032.
“I wouldn’t have competed in Paris had I not been able to split my time training between Canberra and Sydney,” Campbell said.
“I wanted to train under Shannon but also return to Sydney once a month, so I’m appreciative that ACTAS and NSWIS ensured I had the support services I needed as I moved between the two hubs.
“It’s because I know this arrangement works, I welcome the agreement. I believe it as a great development for fellow swimmers to have the option to train in an environment that suits their needs.”
The agreement allows NSWIS and SNSW to conduct training camps for its swimming cohort in the ACT..
NEXT GEN: Sienna Toohey in action in the 100m breast World Trials 2025 Photo Courtesy Delly Carr Swimming Australia
Apart from Campbell it has already allowed the likes of Albury’s emerging star 2025 World Championship debutant Sienna Toohey, teenage Olympic gold medallist Olivia Wunsch and Paralympic Games medallist Chloe Osborn to utilise the world class AIS facilities.Under this National system ‘first’ all eligible athletes will enjoy full access to the Australian Institute of Sport’s (AIS) pool, recovery facilities, world class technology, and its gymnasium.
ALSO UTILISE NSWIS / ACTAS athlete support services, including NSWIS biomechanist David Pease, highly respected AIS-based sports physiologist David Pyne and ACTAS’s gymnasium.
AS WELL as become exposed to the Swimming NSW Performance Centre headed by Rollason and his assistant coach Laura Brindley, using the AIS hub to hold ‘Next Gen’ camps, National Event and Relay Camps along with targeted testing of swimmers to improve their performance.
AND BUILD on Swimming Australia’s current capability to innovate and develop new technologies designed to enhance coaches’ capability and, ultimately, an athlete’s performance.
ALL HANDS ON DECK: Time check for Shannon Rollason (blue shirt) with fellow Olympic gold medal coach Chris Mooney (left) as Olympic trio Tom Fraser Holmes, Kyle Chalmers and Ian Thorpe keep an eye on proceedings. Photo Courtesy:Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
NSWIS High Performance Manager, Andy Burns said: “Bronte trained at the AIS with ACTAS support in the lead up to her gold medal winning performance in Paris whilst supported by NSWIS and training under Shannon’s guidance.
“Her performance demonstrated the model is conducive for both the athlete and NSW success. She opened an exciting opportunity for swimming in Australia.”
Swimming Australia’s Executive General Manager of High Performance Sport Greg Shaw saying: “You need to collaborate to innovate and this partnership will provide swimmers outside of Queensland with access to technology and expertise that has been available to others for the last two Olympic cycles – and keep expanding our performance footprint across Australia – keeping us on top of the podium.
“The AIS has led the way with swimming technology for more than 40 years and this partnership for the AIS Technology Hub will ensure our athletes are again starring on the global stage. “We saw Paris gold medallist Cam McEvoy use the high-tech block developed at the AIS to power his performance in Paris.
“Now this technology, and advancements on it, will be available to swimmers in Canberra and potentially help the next generation of NSW swimmers like Sienna and Olivia power to sprint and relay dominance.”
Rollason has certainly “been there done that” over four Olympic campaigns, coaching Jodie Henry to Olympic 100m freestyle gold in her outstanding triple-gold-medal performance in 2004 in Athens.
He was hands on for Campbell’s campaign in what was the most completive 100m freestyle environment in world swimming leading into Paris.
“It’s an exciting time in Australian Sport, and this collaboration provides a wonderful opportunity for NSW and regional talented swimmers to reach their potential,” Rollason said.
Swimming NSW CEO, Kirsten Thomson herself a Sydney 2000 Olympic silver medallist says the partnership represents a National system working creatively together to enable world class performances.
“Swimming NSW is proud to provide environments for swimmers across NSW and the ACT that will contribute to Australia’s success at a home Games in 2032,” said Thompson.
