Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honors Melissa Gorman
Courtesy of Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
“When Melissa Gorman beat Olympic champion Larisa Ilchenko in Rome in 2009, it was one of the most unexpected upsets of the 21st century in the open water swimming world,” recalls Steven Munatones. “It was a shock to the community who had come to expect only victories from Larisa who had dominated the sport since she emerged at the age of 16 at the 2004 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships.”
Chris Guesdon and Gary Toner announced Melissa Gorman as a member of the inaugural Class of 2020 in the Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
They explained, “Melissa is Australian Swimmer representative no 605 for her selection in the FINA World Short Course Championships in 2004 held in the USA, making her debut for Australia in the pool. Melissa trained under legendary Ken Woods in Brisbane.
Melissa in the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships claimed a gold medal in the 5 km race in Rome in 2005. Melissa also placed third in the the FINA World Championships 10 km race in 2010 in Roberval, Canada.
Melissa also won an silver medal as part of the 5 km teams at the 2011 FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China and an individual 4th place in the 10 km race.
Melissa was be the first athlete picked in the Australian Olympic team for the London Games when she finished fourth in the 10 km marathon swim at the FINA World Championships in Shanghai. Melissa represented Australia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics finishing 15th in the 10 km race and again in the 2012 Olympics in London finishing 10th in the 10 km marathon swim.
Melissa also had 2 Top 10 finishes in the FINA World Cup races in 2014 finishing 8th in Hong Kong and 9th in China. Gorman was crowned Australian Open Water Swimmer in 2009 and 2010 of the year and named in the 2010 Australian Swimming International All Star Team, at the Swimmer of the Year Awards. Gorman has won numerous Australian 5 km and 10 km championships over her career.
At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Gorman won a silver medal in the 800m freestyle. At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Gorman won a bronze medal in the 800m freestyle. At the 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in the USA, Gorman won a gold medal in the women’s 1500m freestyle and set a new Commonwealth record. Melissa also won a bronze medal in the 10 km event.”
For more information Gorman, visit here and here.
The inaugural class of Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame honourees inducted on August 2020 include:
Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honourees – Class of 2020:
* Jennifer Anderson
* Lauren Arndt
* David Bates
* Clive Berry Rickards
* Kate Brookes-Peterson
* Roger Bruce
* Tamara Bruce
* Richard Campion
* Brendan Capell
* Graeme Carroll
* Cavill Family
* Melissa Cunningham
* William Ford
* Melissa Gorman
* Trent Grimsey
* Christopher Guesdon
* Susanne Guesdon
* Kevin Holtom
* Annette Kellerman
* Tracy Knowles
* John Koorey
* Susie Maroney OAM
* Chloë McCardel
* Linda McGill MBE
* Joseph Mitchell
* Lynton Mortensen
* David O’Brien OAM
* Penny Palfrey
* James Pittar
* Des Renford MBE
* Grant Robinson
* Rottnest Channel Swim Association
* Mark Saliba
* Josh Santacaterina
* Shelley Taylor-Smith
* Gary Toner
* Suzanne Toner
For more information, visit the Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Facebook here with Instagram @amshofame.
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