Para-swimming in South Australia has reached a new milestone, with Hannah Watkins becoming the country's first internationally accredited classifier for para-swimming.
Hannah joins national classifier Karyn Powell as part of our local classification team, strengthening the pathway for para-swimmers and ensuring opportunities to compete are fair and accessible.
Classifiers are the quiet heroes of para-sport, ensuring athletes are classified accurately so they can compete on a level playing field. It’s a role that sits at the very entry point of the sport for many para-swimmers, making it crucial to the sustainability of para-swimming in South Australia and beyond. And importantly, classifiers are volunteers, giving their time and expertise to support the dreams of athletes in our community.
Hannah’s pathway into classification was driven by her background in human movement, health and education, and her commitment to creating pathways for others in sport. As a swimming coach and Head of Sport at Scotch College Adelaide, Hannah has seen firsthand the impact that opportunities in sport can have on young people, and she was drawn to classification as a way to give back and ensure athletes of all abilities have those same opportunities.
Earlier this year, Hannah completed her international classifier accreditation with World Para Swimming and is set to travel to Chile in November for her first international assignment. Her appointment is a significant boost for para-swimming in Australia, helping align our national system with global standards and strengthening the pathway for athletes aiming to compete on the world stage.
We’re proud to see South Australians leading the way in this space, and we know Hannah’s work will make a positive difference to swimmers, coaches, and families, both here and around the world.
