Tracey Wickham
Encyclopedia
Tracey Lee Wickham MBE
OAM
(born November 24, 1962 in Rosebud
, Victoria
) is an Australia
n former middle distance world champion swimmer. Despite her success in the pool, Wickham has battled financial hardship and personal tragedy throughout her life.
and mastered her technique under the guidance of Peter Diamond. At the age of thirteen, she was selected to be on the Australian team for the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games
but failed to reach the finals at that meet.
In 1977, Wickham’s family moved to California
, where she trained for six months with coaching legend Mark Schubert
. She returned to Brisbane at the end of 1977 and she came under the guidance of coach Bill Sweetenham
at the Commercial Swimming Club
. On 8 February 1978, Wickham broke her first world record, the 1500 m freestyle, in a solo swim at the Fortitude Valley Pool in Brisbane, clocking 16:14.93.
At the 1978 Commonwealth Games
in Edmonton
, Canada, Wickham won both the 400 m and 800 m freestyle
. That same year, she set world records in both events, and won both the 400 m and 800 m freestyle at the 1978 Berlin World Championships
, setting a world 400 m record of 4.06.28, which stood as the Championship record until 2007. Both world records stood until 1987, long after her retirement.
In 1980, Australia elected not to officially boycott
the 1980 Summer Olympics
. However Wickham, along with a number of other Australian athletes, elected to boycott the Games personally. The 800 m freestyle was won by fellow Australian Michelle Ford
at that meet.
Wickham retired at the end of 1979 due to financial problems. The policy of amateurism was upheld by the Amateur Swimming Union of Australia during this period, meaning Wickham could neither earn money from the sport nor receive any prizes.
Wickham returned to swimming in the early 1980s under coach Laurie Lawrence
. She won gold in the 400 m and 800 m freestyle at the 1982 Commonwealth Games
, where she took the Athletes Oath at the Opening Ceremony. Her gold medal for the 400 m was presented to her by Queen Elizabeth II and Wickham retired from swimming immediately afterwards.
Following the birth of her daughter, Wickham dived back into the water in May 1990, again with Lawrence as her coach. She competed in the 7.6 km open water
race from Magnetic Island to Townsville, placing first in the female division. She also won the female division of the Lake Trasimeno
20 km marathon race. She retired for good following the birth of her son in January 1992.
, in Brisbane
. Wickham married in 1986 and had two children, Daniel and Hannah. She divorced her husband in the mid-1990s and has not since remarried.
Her daughter, Hannah, died at the age of nineteen from synovial sarcoma
on 2 October 2007. Wickham is an ambassador for Hannah’s Chance Foundation, which supports teenage cancer victims.
.
On 10 December 1985, she was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
at Fort Lauderdale in 1992.
On 25 October 2000, she was awarded the Australian Sports Medal
for outstanding contribution as a competitor in swimming.
On 13 June 2005, she was awarded the Order of Australia Medal
for service to Australian swimming and to the development of young swimmers through teaching and coaching roles.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
OAM
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born November 24, 1962 in Rosebud
Rosebud, Victoria
Rosebud is a sea side town on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia located approximately 75 km southeast of the Melbourne City Centre. It is wedged between the lower slopes of Arthurs Seat, the shores of Port Phillip Bay and the plains of Boneo. Its Local Government Area is the...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
) is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n former middle distance world champion swimmer. Despite her success in the pool, Wickham has battled financial hardship and personal tragedy throughout her life.
Swimming career
Wickham began swimming at the age of eight at John Rigby’s pool in BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and mastered her technique under the guidance of Peter Diamond. At the age of thirteen, she was selected to be on the Australian team for the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
but failed to reach the finals at that meet.
In 1977, Wickham’s family moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where she trained for six months with coaching legend Mark Schubert
Mark Schubert
Mark Schubert has been USA Swimming's National Team Head Coach since June 2009). He took a paid leave of absence from his role with USA Swimming in September 2010....
. She returned to Brisbane at the end of 1977 and she came under the guidance of coach Bill Sweetenham
Bill Sweetenham
Bill Sweetenham is a competitive swimming coach. He was the National Performance Director for British Swimming until 2007, having previously been the National Youth Coach for Swimming Australia.Sweetenham has worked directly with more than 40 Olympians....
at the Commercial Swimming Club
Commercial Swimming Club
Commercial Swimming Club is a swimming club that is based at the Fortitude Valley Pool in centre of Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of the most successful clubs in Australia and has produced many Olympic swimmers and medalists.- Notable athletes :...
. On 8 February 1978, Wickham broke her first world record, the 1500 m freestyle, in a solo swim at the Fortitude Valley Pool in Brisbane, clocking 16:14.93.
At the 1978 Commonwealth Games
1978 Commonwealth Games
The 1978 Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 3 to 12 August 1978, two years after the 1976 Summer Olympics were held in Montreal, Quebec...
in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Canada, Wickham won both the 400 m and 800 m freestyle
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
. That same year, she set world records in both events, and won both the 400 m and 800 m freestyle at the 1978 Berlin World Championships
1978 World Aquatics Championships
The 1978 World Aquatics Championships took place in West Berlin, West Germany between August 20 and August 28, 1978.-Medals table:-Diving:MenWomen-Swimming:MenWomen-Synchronised swimming:-Water polo:Men-External links:***...
, setting a world 400 m record of 4.06.28, which stood as the Championship record until 2007. Both world records stood until 1987, long after her retirement.
In 1980, Australia elected not to officially boycott
American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott of the Moscow Olympics was a part of a package of actions initiated by the United States to protest the Soviet war in Afghanistan...
the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
. However Wickham, along with a number of other Australian athletes, elected to boycott the Games personally. The 800 m freestyle was won by fellow Australian Michelle Ford
Michelle Ford
Michelle Jan Ford MBE was an Australian long distance freestyle and butterfly swimmer of the 1970s and 1980s, who won a gold medal in the 800 m freestyle at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. She was the only non Soviet bloc female swimmer to win an individual gold medal at the boycott-marred games...
at that meet.
Wickham retired at the end of 1979 due to financial problems. The policy of amateurism was upheld by the Amateur Swimming Union of Australia during this period, meaning Wickham could neither earn money from the sport nor receive any prizes.
Wickham returned to swimming in the early 1980s under coach Laurie Lawrence
Laurie Lawrence
Laurie Joseph Lawrence , is an Australian swimming coach. He was also an Australia national rugby union team member in 1964.-Early life:...
. She won gold in the 400 m and 800 m freestyle at the 1982 Commonwealth Games
1982 Commonwealth Games
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September–9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium , in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the venue which was used for the athletics and archery competitions during the...
, where she took the Athletes Oath at the Opening Ceremony. Her gold medal for the 400 m was presented to her by Queen Elizabeth II and Wickham retired from swimming immediately afterwards.
Following the birth of her daughter, Wickham dived back into the water in May 1990, again with Lawrence as her coach. She competed in the 7.6 km open water
Open water swimming
Open water swimming takes place in outdoor bodies of water such as open oceans, bays, lakes, rivers, canals, and reservoirs.The beginning of the modern age of open water swimming is sometimes taken to be May 3, 1810, when Lord Byron swam several miles to cross the Hellespont from Europe to Asia.In...
race from Magnetic Island to Townsville, placing first in the female division. She also won the female division of the Lake Trasimeno
Lake Trasimeno
Lake Trasimeno , also referred to as Trasimene or Thrasimene in English, is the largest lake on the Italian peninsula south of the Po River with a surface area of 128 km2, slightly less than Lake Como...
20 km marathon race. She retired for good following the birth of her son in January 1992.
Personal life
She was educated at the All Hallows' SchoolAll Hallows' School
All Hallows' School is a Catholic day school for girls, located close to the central business district of Brisbane, Queensland.Founded in 1861, the school follows in the tradition of the Irish Sisters of Mercy, and caters for over 1,300 girls from years five to 12...
, in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. Wickham married in 1986 and had two children, Daniel and Hannah. She divorced her husband in the mid-1990s and has not since remarried.
Her daughter, Hannah, died at the age of nineteen from synovial sarcoma
Synovial sarcoma
A synovial sarcoma is a rare form of cancer which usually occurs near to the joints of the arm, neck or leg. It is one of the soft tissue sarcomas....
on 2 October 2007. Wickham is an ambassador for Hannah’s Chance Foundation, which supports teenage cancer victims.
Honours and awards
On 30 December 1978, she became a Member of Most Excellent Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
.
On 10 December 1985, she was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around...
at Fort Lauderdale in 1992.
On 25 October 2000, she was awarded the Australian Sports Medal
Australian Sports Medal
The Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.Recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintained sporting facilities and services. Over 18,000 Medals were...
for outstanding contribution as a competitor in swimming.
On 13 June 2005, she was awarded the Order of Australia Medal
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
for service to Australian swimming and to the development of young swimmers through teaching and coaching roles.
Swimming achievements
- 1976 Montreal Olympic Games1976 Summer OlympicsThe 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
- Team member
- 1978 Edmonton Commonwealth Games1978 Commonwealth GamesThe 1978 Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 3 to 12 August 1978, two years after the 1976 Summer Olympics were held in Montreal, Quebec...
- 400 metres freestyle - gold medal
- 800 metres freestyle - gold medal
- 200 metres freestyle - silver medal
- 4 x 100-metre medley relay (butterfly leg) - silver medal
- 4 x 100-metre freestyle relay - bronze medal
- 1978 Berlin World Championships1978 World Aquatics ChampionshipsThe 1978 World Aquatics Championships took place in West Berlin, West Germany between August 20 and August 28, 1978.-Medals table:-Diving:MenWomen-Swimming:MenWomen-Synchronised swimming:-Water polo:Men-External links:***...
- 400 metres freestyle - gold medal
- 800 metres freestyle - gold medal
- 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games1982 Commonwealth GamesThe 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September–9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium , in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the venue which was used for the athletics and archery competitions during the...
- 400 metres freestyle - gold medal
- 800 metres freestyle - gold medal
- 200 metres freestyle - silver medal
- 1990 Magnetic Island to Townsville Swim
- First place
- 1990 Italian Gran Fondo Marathon Lake Swim
- First place
Book
- Tracey Wickham's biography Treading Water: My Life In And Out Of The Pool by Peter Meares was published by Random HouseRandom HouseRandom House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
Australia October 2010.