
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


You probably know the names of famous freestyle swimmers - whether it’s Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Ian Thorpe or Dawn Fraser. But do you know where the ‘freestyle’ swimming stroke actually comes from? It turns out it all started at a swimming carnival at Sydney’s Bronte Beach back in 1901…
In this episode of No One Saw It Coming, Marc Fennell (Stuff the British Stole, Mastermind) goes on a journey to discover the incredible story of Alick Wickham, a young Solomon Islander who had no idea of the impact he would make on the swimming world. Along the way he meets sports historian Gary Osmond and a relative of Alick Wickham, journalist Dorothy Wickham.
This is a story of success against the odds, during the era of Australia’s racist White Australia policy, and of the importance of remembering and acknowledging the true Pacific roots of the world’s most popular swimming style.
You can learn more about the Roviana Lagoon Festival HERE.
Get in touch:
Got a story for us? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]
By ABC4.9
4646 ratings
You probably know the names of famous freestyle swimmers - whether it’s Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Ian Thorpe or Dawn Fraser. But do you know where the ‘freestyle’ swimming stroke actually comes from? It turns out it all started at a swimming carnival at Sydney’s Bronte Beach back in 1901…
In this episode of No One Saw It Coming, Marc Fennell (Stuff the British Stole, Mastermind) goes on a journey to discover the incredible story of Alick Wickham, a young Solomon Islander who had no idea of the impact he would make on the swimming world. Along the way he meets sports historian Gary Osmond and a relative of Alick Wickham, journalist Dorothy Wickham.
This is a story of success against the odds, during the era of Australia’s racist White Australia policy, and of the importance of remembering and acknowledging the true Pacific roots of the world’s most popular swimming style.
You can learn more about the Roviana Lagoon Festival HERE.
Get in touch:
Got a story for us? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]

114 Listeners

79 Listeners

847 Listeners

781 Listeners

137 Listeners

64 Listeners

72 Listeners

223 Listeners

470 Listeners

326 Listeners

803 Listeners

40 Listeners

113 Listeners

3 Listeners

266 Listeners

12 Listeners

247 Listeners

43 Listeners

1,013 Listeners

61 Listeners

8 Listeners

48 Listeners

39 Listeners

274 Listeners

2 Listeners