Notable Swimmer Achievements
The club has had a very successful history with three swimmers representing Australia at Olympic Games, two swimmers representing Australia at Paralympic Games and one swimmer representing Australia at the Junior Pan Pacific Games. We have also had many swimmers compete at National Championships.
Olympic Representation
Debbie Palmer
Debbie Palmer won Burnside’s first ever national gold medal in the 200m Backstroke at the 1972 National Championships at 15 years of age. This outstanding performance gained her selection in the 1972 Olympic Games swim team. She competed in Munich and was a finalist in two events including the 4x100m Freestyle relay in which the Australian team set a new Commonwealth record.
Anna McVann
Anna McVann created history in 1984 when she became the first female swimmer to win all the freestyle events at the National Open Championships. To date, this achievement has not been repeated by any female Australian swimmer. Anna’s success earned her selection in the Olympic team to compete in Los Angeles in 1984 and she was a finalist in all four of her events. Anna was also a member of the 4x100m Freestyle relay team which also set a Commonwealth Record.
Melissa Morgan
Melissa Morgan achieved a FINA A standard qualifying time in the 200m Backstroke at the Australian Open Championships in 2004. This resulted in her selection on the Australian Olympic swim team to compete at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games where she made the semi-finals, placing 12th overall.
Para-Olympic Representation
Christian Stafford
In 2000, at 19 years of age, Christian Stafford became Burnside’s first Paralympian when he represented Australia at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games. Christian, who suffers from retinitis pigmentosis, competed in five events, placing 6th in the 400m Freestyle.
Esther Overton
In 2008, Esther Overton was selected as part of the Australian Paralympic swim team to compete in the Beijing Paralympics and again in 2012 Esther was selected to represent Australia in the London Paralympics. Esther suffers from arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, a condition that causes muscle weakness and bone breakages.
Pan Pacific Representation
Christopher Deegan
Christopher Deegan is a successful Open Water swimmer and in 2012 he won the 16&U 10km event at the Australian Open Water Championships. This achievement saw Christopher selected to represent Australia as a member of the Australian Junior Pan Pacific Team which competed in Hawaii.
National Representation
2021 National qualifiers
2021 Australian Age Championships: Isaac Au, Alice Braithwaite, Olivia Brown, Aleisha Burrows, Caitlyn Ekins, Natasha Eskandari, Emily Estcourt-Hughes, Regan Nelson, Zane Phua
2021 Australian Open Championships: Jessica Jackson
2021 Australian Championships (Olympic selection trials): Jessica Jackson
2021 Australian Open Water Championships: Caitlyn Ekins, Ella Myers, Jack Myers
2022 National qualifiers
2022 Australian Open Water Championships: Alice Braithwaite, Caitlyn Ekins, Ella Myers, Jack Myers
2022 Australian Age Championships: Ollie Atherton, Matthew Brown, Aleisha Burrows, Natasha Eskandari
2022 Australian Championships: Jessica Jackson
2023 National qualifiers
2023 Australian Open Water Championships: Ella Myers, Jack Myers
2023 Australian Age Championships: Oliver Atherton, Luca Bacon, Alice Braithwaite, Matthew Brown, Aleisha Burrows, Natasha Eskandari, Fred Hassell, Jasmine Linke, Luke Montes, Regan Nelson, Elysia Scarr
2024 National qualifiers
2024 Australian Open Water Championships: Sophie Ewer, Seanna Liemar, Ella Myers
2024 Australian Age Championships: Emilia Basic, Alice Braithwaite, Matthew Brown, Milla Buche, Natasha Eskandari, Fred Hassell, Milli Liemar, Jasmine Linke, Howard Liu, Alexander Macdonald, Luke Montes, Regan Nelson, Elysia Scarr, Thomas Spark
2024 Australian Olympic Swimming Trials: Regan Nelson