Sue Guesdon to Receive the 2019 Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award

FORT LAUDERDALE – The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) will recognize Sue Guesdon, for her extensive contributions to the administration of open water swimming with the 2019 Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award.  The Award will be presented to Sue, on Saturday evening, during the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies, on March 9^th in Melbourne Australia.  The Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award is presented annually by International Swimming Hall of Fame to the organization or individual who has contributed the most to the administration of open water swimming.

This year’s award honors Sue Guesdon, an open water swimming administrator from Australia who has served the sport for more than 50 years.  She has contributed in a wide range of roles and assisted at many events across the world.   Sue’s roles included:  Race Director, Organiser, Coach Handler, Administrator, Team Official, Lecturer, Judge, Health & Fitness Advisor, Licensed Boat Captain, Writer and Open Water Official. 

Over this half century she assisted at marathon swimming events in the following countries:  Australia, Canada, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Papua New Guinea, United Kingdom and USA.  Selected examples help illustrate the range of Sue’s contribution:

Official - 40km Port Philip Bay Big Swim 1968; Coach handler - English Channel 1970, 1975 and 1977; Escort handler - Hong Kong Repulse Bay Marathon October 1977; Australian Team coach handler- silver medal- Capri Napoli World Championship 1975; Official Clerk of Course & Judge Fiji Open Water Championships 2001; FINA OWS Certificate - Technical Officials Clinic Cook Islands 2007 and Clerk of Course/Official South East Asian Games OWS event 2009.

Her ability in so many aspects of the sport gives her an understanding of the athletes and officials and was paramount in her success as a technical official lecturer and teacher and was a driving force toward the positioning and development of marathon swimming in the world. 

For additional information, please call Ned Denison in Ireland at (+353) 87-987-1573 or ISHOF at (954) 462-6536, or visit http://www.ishof.org