Congratulations to Laurie Lawrence, who was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Australia Day 2025 Honours List “for distinguished service to water safety education, and to swimming as a high-performance coach.” This prestigious honour acknowledges his tireless advocacy for swimming education, his role in coaching world-class athletes, and his passionate commitment to water safety.
At 83 years young, Laurie Lawrence continues to bring the same energy and dedication to teaching beginner swimmers as he did when coaching Olympic champions. His lifelong mission has always been about more than just winning medals—it’s about saving lives.
A Champion in and out of the Pool
Laurie Lawrence’s coaching career has seen him mentor and develop some of Australia’s greatest swimmers, including world record holders Tracey Wickham, Steve Holland, Jon Sieben, and Duncan Armstrong. His most iconic moment came at the 1988 Seoul Olympics when Armstrong, ranked 43rd in the world, shocked the swimming community by winning Olympic gold in the 200m freestyle with a world-record-breaking performance. Laurie’s uncontainable celebration, famously hitting a TV reporter over the head with his program, remains one of the most memorable moments in Australian sporting history.
That historic Olympic triumph was a defining moment in Laurie’s career, one that he reflects on in his book, “Stuff the Silver, We Came for Gold.” The book details his extraordinary journey through the world of competitive swimming, sharing insights into his coaching philosophy, his relentless pursuit of excellence, and the unforgettable moments that shaped his legendary status.
But Laurie’s journey to the world stage wasn’t just through coaching—it started with his own athletic achievements. Despite having part of his lung removed as a child, he represented Australia as a halfback for the Wallabies in a tour of New Zealand. That same health challenge led him to swimming, where his father, Alan “Stumpy” Lawrence, supported his recovery by managing the Tobruk Memorial Pool in Townsville.
The Foundations of a Coaching Legacy
The Tobruk Memorial Pool became a pivotal training ground for Australia’s 1956 Olympic swim team, which included legends such as Dawn Fraser, Jon Henricks, Murray Rose, and Lorraine Crapp. Laurie saw first hand the training of these champions, an experience that set him on the path to becoming one of the most influential coaches in Australian swimming history.
By 1973, Laurie was poolside at the World Championships in Belgrade, coaching Steve Holland to a world record in the 1500m freestyle—an incredible feat where Holland also unknowingly broke the 800m world record mid-race. Laurie’s signature enthusiasm was on full display, celebrating in a way that showed the world just how much he believed in his swimmers.
A Passion for Water Safety
While his coaching career is filled with remarkable achievements, Laurie’s most profound impact is in water safety. His “Kids Alive – Do the Five” campaign has been instrumental in reducing childhood drownings across Australia.
“I never thought I’d be recognised on a national stage for something like this, and I think it’s amazing,” Laurie said. “This campaign has saved countless lives by pushing a simple yet vital water safety message: ‘Kids Alive, Do the Five – Fence the pool, shut the gate, teach your kids to swim, supervise, and learn how to resuscitate.’”
Laurie’s commitment to early childhood swimming education was inspired by Australian swimming pioneer Forbes Carlile. After witnessing Carlile’s groundbreaking work with infant swimming, Laurie was hooked. He has since dedicated his life to ensuring that children learn to swim from a young age, reinforcing the importance of water safety in Australia and beyond.
World Wide Swim School and Laurie’s Ongoing Impact
Laurie Lawrence’s passion for swimming education led him to establish World Wide Swim School, an innovative online platform dedicated to providing high-quality swimming education resources for swim schools, parents, teachers, and coaches. Through World Wide Swim School, Laurie continues to share his knowledge and techniques, ensuring that his expertise is accessible to swimming educators globally.
The platform offers comprehensive training modules, expert advice, and proven teaching strategies that align with Laurie’s decades of experience in swimming and water safety. By leveraging digital tools, Laurie has expanded his reach, reinforcing the importance of early swimming education and keeping children safe around water worldwide.
A Living Legacy
Even today, Laurie remains an unstoppable force in swimming education, personally teaching young swimmers and inspiring the next generation of Australian champions. His energy and humor are as strong as ever, keeping the sport fun while instilling lifelong skills.
His impact on the sport and water safety has been recognised with inductions into the Australian Sports Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Now, as an Officer in the Order of Australia, Laurie Lawrence stands as a national treasure whose influence will continue for generations.
From all of us at World Wide Swim School, we salute Laurie Lawrence for his incredible contributions to swimming and water safety. His legacy is not only measured in Olympic gold medals but in the countless lives he has helped protect.
