Olympic swimmers return to iconic Sydney pool for 50-year reunion

Members of the 1976 Australian Olympic swim team gathered at the iconic North Sydney Olympic Pool to commemorate the 50th anniversary of their participation in the Games. The pool, a legendary venue in the sport's history, served as the training ground for a generation of elite swimmers during a golden era.

“

Our whole support group in those days was mum and dad and our coach. There was no sports psychologists, no specialists, no rub-downs … we did it by the bootstraps, basically.

Between 1953 and 1978, the harbourside pool was a crucible of competitive swimming, witnessing the setting of 86 world records. It was here that the 1976 team honed their skills before heading to the Montreal Olympics. Many team members went on to achieve significant international success, collectively holding numerous world records throughout their careers.

Graham Windeatt, who won silver in the 1500m freestyle at the 1972 Munich Olympics and captained the 1976 team, shared fond memories of the pool, where he first swam at the age of eight. He recalled setting a world record for the 880m freestyle there in 1971, a feat he described as "groundbreaking." Windeatt reminisced about the simpler support systems of the era, noting, "Our whole support group in those days was mum and dad and our coach. There was no sports psychologists, no specialists, no rub-downs… we did it by the bootstraps, basically."

“

That was very groundbreaking and it hasn't happened since.

Judy Hudson (née Laxton), who competed in breaststroke and butterfly events at the Montreal Games, also cherished her time at the pool. She described it as one of her favorites, recalling that she "swam the best in her career" during trials held there. Hudson attributed some of her success to the pool's saltwater composition, which she believed offered better buoyancy. She expressed delight that the pool's architecture remains, noting, "It's lovely to see it's still here, just the architecture. The deep end was the starting block."

“

It was one of the best Australian titles I ever did to get into the Games.

The North Sydney Olympic Pool, originally built in 1938, has recently undergone a substantial redevelopment. Initially projected to cost $28 million, the project's budget ballooned to $58 million before ultimately reaching a final price tag of $122 million. The public will once again have access to the refurbished facilities starting in August.

“

This pool was one of my favourites, it's lovely to see it's still here, just the architecture. The deep end was the starting block.