Recognition likely for pool heroes

Dunedin City Council aquatic services manager Steve Prescott, pictured at Moana Pool yesterday,...
Dunedin City Council aquatic services manager Steve Prescott, pictured at Moana Pool yesterday, says renaming two of the venue's pools in honour of swimmer Danyon Loader and late coach Duncan Laing is a well-deserved honour. Photo by Craig Baxter.
Double Olympic gold medal-winning swimming sensation Danyon Loader spent countless hours at Dunedin's Moana Pool, his every stroke scrutinised by the late champion coach Duncan Laing.

Now the two swimming greats are set to make another appearance at the complex by having two of the venue's pools named in their honour.

The move would see the 50m pool named the Danyon Loader Pool and the nearby learner pool the Duncan Laing Pool.

Dunedin City Council aquatic services manager Steve Prescott said the change would provide appropriate recognition.

"I think both of them deserve recognition. I would be lying if I didn't say these guys are up on a pedestal, and that's where they should be.

"To do what they have done, from a little place like Dunedin, is pretty amazing really.

"I don't think we are really going to get many more of them, in my lifetime anyway."

The idea of naming the pools after the pair was first raised by Moana Pool patron Bob Smith late last year, and backed by Swimming Otago, he said.

The move was supported by the council's community development committee last month and, if approved at this month's full council meeting on Monday, the changes could be unveiled early next month, Mr Prescott said.

Loader hit the headlines after winning the Olympic 200m butterfly silver medal at Barcelona in 1992, followed by the 200m and 400m freestyle gold medals at Atlanta four years later, in 1996.

He also won three world championship medals and six Commonwealth Games medals and was named New Zealand's Athlete of the 1990s.

Laing's 40-year coaching career was also studded with accolades before his death, aged 77, in 2008.

He was made a companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2005, and was also awarded an OBE in 1993, made a life member of Swimming New Zealand in 1996 and inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

Laing - who worked with 11 Olympic swimmers over the years - was also twice named New Zealand's top sports coach at the Halberg awards, in 1992 and 1996.

Mr Prescott said as well as renaming the pools in the pair's honour, large 2m x 2m photographs of each man would be installed above their respective pools.

Loader, his parents, other guests and dignitaries would be invited to an unveiling ceremony on September 2, Mr Prescott said.

Add a Comment

 

Advertisement