Payneham Swimming Club

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Founded in 1942 as Richardson’s Industries Patriotic Club and based at the Adelaide City Baths, the Payneham Swimming Club is one of the oldest swimming clubs in South Australia. The Club originally participated in many forms of aquatic sport including surf lifesaving but gradually restricted its activities to competitive swimming.

In 1951 the Chrysler Corporation of America purchased T.J. Richardson & Sons Motor Body Builders and the swimming club became known as Chrysler Swimming Club. In 1969 the Adelaide City Baths were demolished to make way for the Festival Centre and the Chrysler Swimming Club relocated to the newly opened Payneham Memorial Swimming Pool. The Club then became known as the Payneham Chrysler Swimming Club.

The Payneham Chrysler Swimming Club produced several champions and won the famous River Torrens ‘Swim Thru Adelaide’ from 1970 to 1977. In 1980 the Japanese company, Mitsubishi, bought Chrysler Australia and withdrew its sponsorship of the swimming club. The City of Payneham stepped in and the club became known as Payneham Swimming Club and helped to nurture Olympic medallists Glenn Beringen and Martin Roberts.