Born in 1971, Karin Van Wirdum joined the Redcliffe Leagues Swimming Club as a youngster and subsequently as a freestyle swimmer, competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics for Australia, starting in 1988.
Karin won an individual bronze medal in the 50m freestyle final at the Pan Pacific Championships in Brisbane in 1987, when she was 16 years old recording 26.44 seconds
in the final.
Karin was selected to represent Australia at the 1988 Seoul Olympics where she placed
8th in the 50m freestyle and 14th in the 100m freestyle. She also was in the Australian
4x100m Medley Relay Team that placed 4th in the final, however with an inquiry regarding
the doping of East German athletes , who placed ahead of her, she may well be awarded
an Olympic bronze medal in the future.
Games recording 56.48 seconds in the final and won a silver medal in the 50m freestyle
final recording 26.00 seconds in the final. Karin also won 2 golds with the Australian
team in the 4x100m relay final and the 4x100m medley relay final.
Karin won a silver medal at the Perth World Championships in 1991 as a member of
the 4x100m medley relay team.
At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics Karin competed in the 50m and 100m freestyle event.
In the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games, she won gold in the 50m freestyle final with
25.90 seconds and won a silver in the 100m freestyle final in 56.42 seconds. She also
won a gold medal with the Australian 4x100m Medley relay final and a silver in the
4x100m Freestyle relay final.
Her 3rd Olympics representing Australia was at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics where she competed in the 50m freestyle event.
Karin van Wirdum is listed on the wall of the Redcliffe Wall of Fame:
A collection of portrait and information honouring the achievements of individuals who have influenced and shaped Redcliffe. The collection is in the Jetty Arcade at 139-141 Redcliffe Parade.
For a complete list of people who appear on the wall click on the following blog post: