Anne Clark
Anne learned to swim nearly 60 years ago having joined the Sunderland Ladies Swimming Club and competed in many North East Championships and National Event.
In the mid 1950’s Anne qualified as an ASA Teacher, Examiner and Tutor which led to her being appointed Senior and Principal Tutor in swimming and synchronised swimming respectively.
In diving Anne was the winner in 1956 of the 1m and 3m British Rail Springboard Championships. She was selected to represent British Rail in the European Railway Championships in Budapest but due to Russia invading Hungary this did not go ahead.
During the early 1950’s Anne was a Water Polo player and competed in the Nancy Rioch Memorial Trophy Galas. Also at this time the baths manager asked some of the girls to learn Rhythmic Swimming Routines to be performed during galas, an early pre-runner of Synchronised Swimming, and this led Anne in to the area of the sport where she has devoted most of her career and talents.
On moving to Leicester in 1958 Anne joined a local swimming club. She became swimming coach of Leicester Ladies Swimming Club and Leicester Swimming Club.
At this time she met the then Midland District Education Secretary, Florence Wightman, which resulted in her becoming a member of the Midland District Synchronised Swimming Committee, and then Secretary.
Anne was a member of the ASA Synchronised Swimming Committee and then it’s Chairman. She retired from this committee when she was appointed Midland District representative on the ASA committee.
She held the post of secretary to the GB Technical Synchronised Swimming Committee for many years. In 1977 Anne was appointed to the GB Senior Synchronised Swimming team as Team Manager from which she attended several International competitions including the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
In 1993 Anne was Synchronised swimming manager for the European Senior event held in Sheffield for which she was awarded the LEN Bronze award. She was appointed a member of the LEN Technical Synchronised swimming committee in 1994 until 2004. In September 2004 at the LEN Congress held in London Anne was presented with the LEN Gold Pin in recognition of her work on the Committee.
Anne is married to Bill and has two sons and four grandchildren.
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