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Coming home to where it all began

Fast forward a decade, and that same pool – the one where Australia’s most decorated Olympian first chased the quiet thrill of progress – now bears her name.

This week, in a moment steeped in emotion and pride, the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ of ¾«¶«´«Ã½ officially renamed its UniActive swimming pool ‘the Emma McKeon Pool’, paying tribute to the hometown athlete and former UOW student who has gone on to rewrite Olympic history.

It wasn’t the only honour. During a moving graduation ceremony, Emma was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Health Sciences, recognising not just her record-breaking swimming achievements, but her tireless work advocating for children and young people through her role as a UNICEF Australia Ambassador and as 2024’s Young Australian of the Year.

Rooted in ¾«¶«´«Ã½

Standing before a sea of graduating students, Emma spoke with the same quiet clarity that has defined her career. Her message was simple, yet powerful: take time to reflect and be proud.

“Today, take the time to pause and be proud, even though there is more you want to achieve,” she told the crowd.  “Be proud of not just the outcomes, but of the persistence, the sacrifices and the resilience it took to get here.”

For Emma, that starting point was right in the centre of the Illawarra. She grew up in ¾«¶«´«Ã½, trained in its pools and braved its surf. Her family name is synonymous with Australian swimming (her father, Ron, is a dual Olympian and her mother, Susie, competed at the Commonwealth Games), but it’s Emma’s humility, drive and deep connection to place that have made her a local hero.

“¾«¶«´«Ã½’s always been home to me,” she said. “I started swimming here, did Nippers down at the beach. I always feel the support of the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ community when I’m competing overseas, and coming home is always really special.”

A new chapter: from performance to presence

Emma McKeon has won a total of 14 Olympic medals across her career (six gold, three silver and five bronze), confirming her status as Australia’s most decorated Olympian and making her one of the most successful swimmers and athletes in Olympic history. But she’s always tried to acknowledge that success is not just a medal count, but the way you carry yourself in the world.

Emma stands with her family by the newly renamed Emma McKeon Pool, recognising her incredible legacy in Australian swimming.

“I just want to be the best I can be and see what I can achieve,” she told Swimming World Magazine in 2021. “I’m not really thinking about medals. I just want to see my potential and how far I can push myself.”

At 31 and now retired from professional sport, Emma’s message to UOW graduates has reflected a shift in perspective and a beauty of hindsight – a reminder to look inward, pause and resist the cultural pressure to constantly perform.

“We don’t often stop to acknowledge how far we’ve come,” she said. “But having pride in what you’ve achieved doesn’t mean you’re finished or you’re satisfied. It’s simply recognising the courage and effort it took to get to this point.”

Emma’s words landed softly with a generation coming of age in an era of fast everything.

An enduring inspiration, at home and beyond

Following the ceremony, the official pool renaming took place, with UOW Chancellor Michael Still and Vice-Chancellor Professor G. Q. Max Lu joining Emma McKeon to unveil the new signage.

“This pool has helped shape countless young athletes over the years, including Emma,” said Mr Still. “Renaming it in her honour is our way of saying thank you – for what she’s achieved and for the pride she brings to ¾«¶«´«Ã½.”

Emma McKeon’s legacy now ripples out far beyond the Illawarra coastline. As an Olympic legend, a role model and a quiet force for good, she continues to inspire young Australian athletes with her values: perseverance, humility and heart.

And for the UOW community, every lap in the Emma McKeon Pool is now imbued with the spirit of possibility – a tribute to the hope that each stroke, each ambition and each project can carry us somewhere greater.