Making a SPLASH in Melbourne!

This year, Special Olympics Australia hosted the inaugural Melbourne SPLASH corporate swim challenge at MSAC on 1 March 2024 where eight teams raised over $40k to bring sport, joy and inclusion to people with intellectual disability and autism.

McGrathNicol, aided by Olympian Dean Puller and Special Olympics Australia athlete Athan Alexopolous, took out the inaugural Melbourne SPLASH trophy as their counterparts had done at the inaugural Sydney SPLASH in 2014. That means that McGrathNicol are the only organisation which have entered a team in every SPLASH event!

The final results for the SPLASH relay were:

🥇McGrathNicol

🥇Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre

🥉Workwear Group

4. Mills Oakley

5. Law Enforcement Torch Run Victoria Water Rats

6. Aurecon

7. Brighton Icebergers and Grant Thornton (equal place)

The highest fundraising team was awarded to Law Enforcement Torch Run Victoria who raised $15k.

At this event, Special Olympics athletes swam in a relay with Aussie Sports Stars, rather than against them.

Our three Aussie Sports Stars were:

🥉Dean Pullar OLY Puller who won a bronze medal in diving at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

💚💛Deborah Tsai OLY Tsai who competed in synchronized swimming at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

🏊‍♀️🚴🏃Liam Twomey, an elite Para-triathlete who is training hard to be selected for the Paris Paralympic Games 2024.

Special Olympics athletes Kylie Wilson, Bradley Dooley and Robert Goodrem swam with Dean Puller OLY.

Special Olympics athletes Maddy Fox, Athan Alexopolous and Luca Giannessi swam with Deborah Tsai OLY.

Special Olympics athletes Amanda Kozik, Justin Williams and Harry Mezger swam with Liam Twomey.