Olympians share swimming with the Thursday Island community

Taylor McKeown, Lara Davenport and David McKeon travelled to Thursday Island this week to inspire more than 250 young Torres Strait Islanders to get into swimming and pursue their dreams during a special Australian Olympic Committee community visit.

The trio joined Australian Olympic Indigenous Coaching Scholarship (AOICS) graduate, Kamilaroi man Michael Faccin and Swimming Australia to run community swimming clinics on Thursday Island, with Michael sharing his coaching expertise with local aspiring coaches.

The athletes also connected with students at Tagai State College and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College on Horn Island through Olympics Unleashed, sharing the power of goal setting to overcoming challenges and achieving Olympic-sized dreams.

AOC CEO Mark Arbib said this showed the Olympic Movement in action – empowering communities, providing opportunities through sport and inspiring young Australians to believe in what’s possible.

“The Olympic Movement is about more than competition – it’s about inspiring Australians of all backgrounds to believe in themselves,” Mr Arbib said.

“Having Olympians connect with young people in the Torres Strait shows the true spirit of Olympism in action – one that is inclusive, community-driven, and full of hope.

“We are proud of the Australian Olympic Indigenous Coaching Scholarship and the role it plays in empowering Indigenous coaches like Michael Faccin. His work alongside Olympians demonstrates the deep value of cultural knowledge, lived experience, and mentorship in building stronger pathways for Indigenous athletes and coaches.

“I also want to thank Swimming Australia for providing their expertise and passion to inspire communities to get active and enjoy swimming in a safe and inclusive way.

“Visits like this create lifelong memories and open doors for young people. Whether they go on to compete or coach, or simply carry Olympic values into their everyday lives, the impact is profound.”

From winning relay gold in the pool at Beijing 2008 to developing the next generation of athletes through wellbeing and pathway roles, Lara Davenport has seen the impact great coaching can have.

“I’m so grateful to be able to share my love for swimming,” Lara said. “Coaching and teaching others the skills to love swimming and be safe in the water is so important here at Thursday Island.

“The kids have already got great role models and teachers and parents that can support them, they’re ready and willing to learn some additional skills to provide opportunities for water safety and for potentially the next Olympian or Paralympian to come out of Thursday Island.

“Olympians have an amazing opportunity to give back to community by sharing our passion for sport and for being your best version of yourself.

“Everybody has something that they’re good at and they’re passionate about, if we can unlock that, if we can provide that dream for others to find that and then the resilience to keep going towards their dream, you just never know what’s possible.”

The Australian Olympic Indigenous Coaching Scholarship (AOICS) program provides high-level professional development, education, and formal training to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Olympic sports coaches.

Kamilaroi man Michael Faccin graduated from the AOICS program and is using his skills to deliver coaching clinics and community sessions for community members.

“It’s been great to have the Olympians on side with us,” he said. “Seeing the impact the athletes have on young kids who aren’t exposed to athletes like this in in their communities has been great.

“We talk about inspiration of athletes and while not every kid will be an Olympian, every kid can aspire to be like an Olympian and carry themselves like an Olympian.

“Coaching is vital to getting people involved in the sport and sport is a way that we can bring each other together.

“Connecting coaches with community, whether it’s Indigenous communities, rural communities, that connection fosters that that positive sense of growth, health and wellbeing.

“The AOICS program has really opened a lot of doors, it’s allowed me to experience the country in a different way and sport in a different way. It’s been so valuable – to be introduced to a whole range of Indigenous coaches from different sports and different backgrounds, to bounce off ideas and how we connect with our athletes and our communities.”

Tagai State High School Principal Aleksandr Taylor-Gough praised the impact of having Olympians face to face with students.

“The Olympics unleashed session today gave our children an opportunity to reflect on the possibilities not only now but in the future,” he said.

“It’s given our students the opportunity that they can strive to do something that they want to do – they heard something today that just hooked them in and gave them a bit of confidence that maybe [they] could give this a go.”