Kevin Holtom

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Kevin Holtom, AM, member of the Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Class of 2020
Kevin Holtom AM is a member of the Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Class of 2020

Kevin John Holtom, AM is an open water swimmer and event administrator from Australia.

Open Water Swimming Highlights

Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Induction

KEVIN HOLTOM is an inductee into the Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame as a significant contributor to the development of OWS in Australia and around the world.

Kevin had an early introduction to the sport of open water swimming (OWS) when, as a 15 year old, he joined the West Perth Swimming Club in 1963. His coach, being a former surf lifesaving member, encouraged his squad members to participate in the many swim thru events conducted in the river each year and even to join a water polo and/or surf club to increase their swimming enjoyment rather than relying on just pool swimming events.

So began a period of nearly 45 years of involvement in aquatic sports in one form or another at all levels of competition and administration.

In 1979 he joined the Carine AUSSI Masters Swimming Club. He took up the position as Club Coach in 1980. The Club had a strong focus on open water swimming and was very successful at all levels of competition. In 1985 he was invited to form and Chair a committee to conduct OWS events for the AUSSI Masters State Branch. This Committee ran events up to 8km and formed the nucleus of future committees conducting events for both Australian Swimming and FINA here in WA (see below).

In 1988 Kevin was invited to join WA Swimming’s Technical Committee as its OWS Co-ordinator with the primary aim of running longer events for the Association’s members and increasing the memberships’ participation in OWS generally. He then joined the Australian OWS Committee, also in 1988, which had oversight of OWS events for the Federation across Australia. This lead to Kevin being offered the role of OWS Co-ordinator for the XI FINA World Swimming Championships (WSC) being conducted in Perth in 1991. For the first time OWS was included in FINA’s swimming program with the introduction of the 25km marathon swim.

Things developed rapidly from this point for Kevin. Over the next 17 years –

• He organised the inaugural international trial event for the 25km OWS in Perth on the Swan River in 1990 (also served as the inaugural Australian Swimming’s National OWS Champions).

• Co-ordinated and organised the conduct of the first 25km OWS World Championship swims for Australian Swimming/FINA in Perth in 1991.

• Was the Co-founder of the Rottnest Channel Swim Association (the first swim was held in 1991 and the Association has celebrated its 30th year in 2020).

• Subsequent to the 1991 WSC, he was appointed to FINA’s OWS Referees’ lists 1, 3 and 5 through until 2006.

• Chaired or sat on Committees which organised and/or oversaw the conduct of State, National and International OWS Championships and events up until 2007.

• Co-ordinated and organised the conduct of the inaugural 5km and the 25km OWS World Championships for Australian Swimming/FINA in Perth in 1998.

• Served on two National OWS Teams as a Swimmer’s Handler in 1995 in Atlanta, USA and as Assistant Manager in 1999 in Victoria, Australia.

• Attended three international OWS events as a FINA OWS Referee or Senior Official in 2001 in Fukuoka, Japan, in 2002 in New Caledonia and in 2005 in Montreal, Canada.

• Co-ordinated the conduct of the 5km, 10km and 25km World Championship OWS for Australian Swimming/FINA in 2007 in Melbourne.

• Co-ordinated the 12th FINA World Masters OWS Championships in 2008 in Perth.

Kevin has received numerous awards over these 45 years which acknowledged his contribution to the development and encouragement of, and participation in, open water swimming events and competitions. He was awarded –

• Life Membership of the Rottnest Channel Swim Association in 1998.

• Life Membership of Swimming WA in 2009.

• Honouree of the Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 2020.

Kevin rates his three biggest achievements during this time as –

1. Having been part of several committees and groups that have conducted many OWS events over the years that have greatly increased participation in open water swims. As an example, Swimming WA’s OWS events now attract some 6000+ entries each season.

2. Having the opportunity to co-ordinate and organise the very first world OWS championships for FINA.

3. Being a co-founder of the formation of the hugely popular Rottnest Channel Swim. This event in particular, after 30 years, still attracts 1000’s of swimmers each year.

Kevin feels his challenge way back in 1988 to increase the profile of, and participation in, open water swimming as well and truly “mission accomplished”.

Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Class of 2020 Honourees

External links

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