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]
Year | Dates | Pool | City | State | 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 | |
1986 | 5–7 September | Mowbray Pool | Launceston | Tasmania | |
1987 | 25–27 September [4] | State Swimming Centre | Melbourne | Victoria | |
1988 | Not held | ||||
1989 | Not held | ||||
1990 | 2-4 March | Adelaide Aquatic Centre | Adelaide | South Australia | |
1991 | 27–29 September [8] | Adelaide Aquatic Centre | Adelaide | South Australia | |
1992 | 25–27 September [9] | Casuarina Pool | Darwin | Northern Territory | 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 | Western Australia | |
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 | Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre | Melbourne | Victoria | |
2008 | 20–24 September | Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre | Melbourne | Victoria | |
2009 | 8–12 August | Hobart Aquatic Centre | Hobart | Tasmania | |
2010 | 14–18 July | Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler | Brisbane | Queensland | SC Worlds 2010 |
2011 | 1–3 July | SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre | Adelaide | South Australia | |
2012 | 12-16 September | Challenge Stadium | Perth | Western Australia | SC Worlds 2012 |
2013 | 22–31 August | Sydney International Aquatic Centre | Sydney | New South Wales | |
2014 | 5–9 November | SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre | Adelaide | South Australia | 2014 SC Worlds |
2015 | 26–28 November | Sydney International Aquatic Centre | Sydney | New South Wales | |
2016 | 1–5 November | Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler | Brisbane | Queensland | Short Course World Championships 2016 |
2017 | 26–28 October | South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre | Adelaide | South Australia | |
2018 | 25–27 October | Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre | Melbourne | Victoria | Short Course World Championships 2018 |
2019 | 24–26 October | Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre | Melbourne | Victoria | |
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 | Melbourne | Victoria | Cancelled due to COVID-19. |
2022 | 24–27 August | Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre | Sydney | New South Wales | Short Course World Championships 2022 |
2023 | 13–16 September | Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre | Sydney | New South Wales |
See List of Australian Championships records in swimming