Olympic swimmer joins Swimming New Zealand Board

Olympic swimmer and successful business executive Nick Tongue has joined the Board of Swimming New Zealand.

Tongue, who won three Commonwealth Games swimming medals and competed at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, was elected to the vacant position by the members of Swimming New Zealand. He took up his new role at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting held on Sunday.

Tongue, from Auckland, is currently director of sales and marketing and member of the executive board at Panasonic New Zealand.

Bruce Cotterill was re-appointed for his second term on the Board by the independent appointments panel of Swimming New Zealand. Cotterill, also from Auckland, is a former competitive swimmer and is also involved in surf lifesaving, open water swimming and triathlon. He is a professional director and has been deputy chair of Swimming New Zealand since being appointed in 2012.

A number of awards for service to the sport were also announced at the AGM.

Service awards went to Dave Beattie (Counties Manukau), Suzanne Speer (Auckland, Fiona Campbell (Canterbury West Coast), Horst Miehe (Counties Manukau).

Honours awards went to Ron Clarke (Canterbury West Coast), Judith Wright (Auckland), Jo Draisey (Auckland), Lyn Sutherland (Southland), Dianne Farmer (Manawatu) and Donna Bouzaid (Taranaki).