The sobriquet Superfish aptly describes Kieren Perkins, one of Australia’s greatest distance swimmers and holder of 11 world records. These weren’t just any records—he was the first to hold the Olympic, world, Commonwealth, and Pan Pacific titles simultaneously.
His childhood was marked by boldness and a few misadventures. At eight years old, he ran through a plate glass window. While most would rest during rehab, Perkins, cut from a different cloth, took to swimming as part of his recovery.
Perkins, now the CEO of the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), is in Gujarat for a seminar on the Australia-India Sports Excellence Forum. In a candid conversation with a national daily, he urged inclusion in sports, especially in gender and Paralympic categories.
He seems convinced India holds immense promise in badminton and wrestling, but felt that focus on swimming could add cubits to India’s stature as an aspiring sports nation.
Perkins also highlighted the value of sharing knowledge, as he drew from Australia’s experience in hosting major events like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. He reminded the attendees of Australia’s ongoing contribution to sports infrastructure in India, such as the design of a sports park near Narendra Modi Stadium, and discussed the potential for more cross-border collaborations in technology and programme development.
Turning to Brisbane’s preparations for the 2032 Olympics, Perkins reflected on the advantage of having 11 years to plan. He shared insights into Australia’s high-performance sports strategy, the Windwell strategy, which focuses on Olympic and Paralympic sports. While discussions about infrastructure are still ongoing, Perkins stressed that the aim is to create long-term facilities that serve the community well beyond the Games.
Perkins also lauded the IOC’s new norms for making the Games more sustainable, emphasising cost reduction, minimising environmental impact, and ensuring social benefits. He believed these amended norms should allow flexibility to cater to the different needs of each host country.
The cricket angle couldn’t be missed. He did broach the topic of cricket’s potential inclusion in the Olympics. While cricket will make its return in Los Angeles in 2028, its place in the Brisbane 2032 programme isn’t certain. Perkins expressed confidence that cricket would be a priority, saying that it would be high on the list for Brisbane, and hoped it would remain part of the Olympic programme.
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