Not only will Sale Swimming Club life member and Gippsland Swimming president Jackie Madden carry the Queen’s Baton ahead of the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, she will also be officiating at the event.
On Sunday, February 11, Madden will have the honour of carrying the baton during the 48th day of its 100-day journey around Australia to the opening ceremony of the games. Madden will carry the baton in Morwell for 200 metres.
Madden’s family joined the Sale Swimming Club in 2000, four years later she became club president, a position she served for three years.
During her time as club president, Madden trained to be an official.
In 2007, Madden was elected as president of Gippsland Swimming.
This was when her officiating duties increased.
Madden has officiated at national open and age swimming championships, Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa, Youth Olympics in Sydney and in 2017 the World Masters Open Water in Auckland.
To add to this impressive list of achievements, she has been selected as a technical official for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
“The sport of swimming is amazing, the people I meet and athletes I work with, at club, district, state, nationally and internationally, is why I stay involved,” Madden said.
“When I stop enjoying I will step down.
“Officiating at the Commonwealth Games was a personal goal I had set and I am honoured to have been selected and very excited to be a baton bearer.”
