Triple Olympic medal-winning swimming legend and Olympic Swimming Ambassador Danyon Loader has joined the Caroline Bay Aquatic Centre project as its ambassador.
Loader, who was born in Timaru, accepted the role last week and his appointment by the Timaru District Council will see the international swimming star spearheading promotional initiatives and public speaking roles in Timaru as the Caroline Bay Aquatic Centre and its supporters club enters the "fit out the pool" phase of fund-raising.
Loader is one of the greatest sportsmen produced by New Zealand. He won the Olympic 200m butterfly silver medal at Barcelona in 1992 and reached a climax to his career at Atlanta four years later, winning the 200m and 400m freestyle gold medals.
Add into the mix three world championship medals and six Commonwealth Games medals and the stage was set for Loader to be named New Zealand's Athlete of the 1990s.
Loader said he was delighted to be associated with what will be a "fabulous aquatic facility" in the city of his birth and in which he trained while living in Dunedin during his lead up to Olympic stardom.
He said such centres were "an integral part of all of our lives".
"We are a nation of water lovers," he said.
"I cannot remember not being in it.
"My earliest memory of water was standing by the ocean in my father's arms and him lifting me to jump the small waves that came lapping at our feet and him putting me down again as the water ran back out."
But New Zealand was a country with an intemperate climate and that meant indoor water was needed to enjoy swimming all year round, he said.
"We are a country with the longest coastline in the world that is within three hours' drive for everyone who lives here," Loader said.
"With such a high water profile, added to by the number of lakes and rivers that New Zealanders love to play in, it was absolutely imperative that everyone, especially the very young, had the opportunity to learn to swim properly.
"It's a skill that everyone should have. You don't have to be an Olympic swimmer. What's important is that you have the ability to swim reasonably well to remain safe and enjoy our aquatic heritage.
"Aquatic centres provide easily the best learning environment and the Caroline Bay Aquatic Centre is a really exciting project."
He said it was important that aquatic centres provided other facilities as well to offer the total package.
"It's great that you will have a gym, a creche, a coffee shop and so much therapeutic water for people like the elderly who will love the warm water."
Loader said competitive swimmers would also have something really exciting to look forward to in 2012 when the centre opened.
"I remember coming to swim camps in Timaru with Duncan Laing [legendary coach] when I was at high school in Dunedin and we would train at Century Pool in Craigie Avenue and at Maori Park where your new pool will be.
"Timaru does have a swimming culture and I enjoyed being part of that."
Timaru mayor Janie Annear said she was delighted to have Danyon Loader on board.
"We are just so excited that he has agreed to be our ambassador for the aquatic centre.
"He is an outstanding athlete and role model and we are extremely proud of the fact he was born in Timaru," Mrs Annear said.
Aquatic Supporters Club chairperson Damon Odey said he looked forward to being able to bring Loader back to his hometown to be part of the project.
"Danyon's involvement is testament to how great this project is and how such a famous and important advocate towards swimming still has time to help raise awareness and drive one of the biggest projects the community will see for the next decade," Mr Odey said.
"Having Danyon on board is monumental to our public supporters' campaign and will continue to keep the buzz and excitement of this project alive over the two-year build period, along with being an excellent ambassador to our local school children."
He said Loader's role as an ambassador would reach beyond the Caroline Bay Aquatic Centre project and into schools to bring the message to the younger generation of the need to learn to swim confidently.
"It will be fantastic to be able to visit schools and have Danyon at our major fundraising events to add some real impact," Mr Odey said.
"I can only imagine how excited the school children would be to have an Olympic gold medallist visit them."
