Australian Olympic swimming world champion Max Giuliani has met with a wave of fans at Ferny Hills Aquatic Centre, passing on his skills to the next generation of Moreton Bay swimmers.
Hosted by Belgravia Leisure in partnership with Swimming Australia, the day brought together local families, GOswim participants, fans, squads and local swim clubs.
The young swimmers dove into an engaging few hours of activities and a Q&A session with the Olympic star, which revealed insights into Giuliani’s motivation and life outside of his competitive freestyle career.
Adding to the excitement, Giuliani took part in a meet-and-greet with the community, a 15-minute freestyle skills clinic and participated in races against swim clubs, squads and GOswim students.
Belgravia Leisure Area Manager for Queensland Michael Fox was there to welcome Max to Ferny Hills Aquatic Centre.
“We’re proud to create opportunities for kids to build confidence in the water and discover a genuine love for swimming. Having Max, an elite athlete here, really helps meet that need for the community and it gives young people a strong role model and inspiration. Bringing everyone together is what it’s all about.”
Fox continued, “By Belgravia Leisure and Swimming Australia working together to bring athletes like Giuliani into our local venues, families are gaining access to high‑quality learning experiences that build confidence in aquatic environments, strengthen their skills and encourage them to dream big.”
Max shared: “I’m excited to be here in Moreton Bay and share what I love about swimming with young athletes. Days like this remind me why I started: seeing kids gain confidence in the water is incredibly inspiring. If I can help spark their passion, that’s a win for them and everyone in the community.”
“Being at Ferny Hills Aquatic Centre gives me the chance to connect with young swimmers in a really hands‑on way. Helping them discover new skills and feel more at home in the water is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.”
An elite athlete’s rise to fame
At 22, Giuliani emerged as one of Australia’s brightest freestyle talents. After quitting swimming at age 17, the swimmer rediscovered his passion and moved to the Gold Coast to chase his Olympic dream.
He went on to make headlines at the 2023 Queensland Championships with a 1:44.79 lead leg in the 4 x 200m relay – the second‑fastest 200m freestyle ever by an Australian (just 0.73-of-a-second off Ian Thorpe’s record).
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the swimmer placed seventh in the 200m freestyle and helped Australia’s 200m freestyle relay team finish with a time of 7:01.98, two seconds off the gold medal.
Giuliani also contributed to Australia’s gold world‑title win in the 100m freestyle relay in Singapore – setting a championship and national record of 3:08.97 – and later claimed bronze in the 200m relay.
Belgravia Leisure – proud national partner of Swimming Australia’s GOswim program – delivers over three million swimming and water safety lessons each year. These lessons help address a broader community challenge: ensuring every child has access to safe, inclusive and inspiring pathways into sport.
