Dianne Farmer Receives Swimming NZ Life Membership
- dale493
- Oct 2
- 3 min read
Announcement of Swimming NZ Life Membership
We are thrilled to recognise outstanding contribution to Swimming NZ and our sport. During the recent 2025 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships, we acknowledged a member who has provided a lifetime of service across all levels of swimming by bestowing them with the greatest honour we can give, awarding Swimming NZ Life Membership.
Dianne Farmer (Palmerston North & Swimming Manawatu) was awarded Swimming NZ Life Membership on the third night of the championships in front of her peers and the swimming community in recognition of her more than 35 years of service to the sport.
Farmer has held a host of roles during her time in the sport. She has been a mainstay as a valued technical official across all levels of the competition pathway, particularly at our national championships. In fact, she has barely missed a national championships during this period and was our Technical Director at the NZ Short Course Swimming Championships last week.
Farmer has officiated internationally with distinction on countless occasions over the years, having been on multiple FINA Officials Lists. Most notably, she officiated at the pinnacle of swimming at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. In addition, she has officiated at other premier world championships, including the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, and three FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Istanbul, Turkey (2012), Hangzhou, China (2018) and Melbourne, Australia (2022). Farmer has also officiated at multiple Oceania Championships and Pacific Games over the years.
Farmer has shared her experiences as a technical official in many ways throughout her involvement with swimming, having been a member of the Swimming NZ Technical Advisory Committee for many years. She is currently an Assessor for the Swimming NZ officiating pathway and was the Technical Director for the recent 2025 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships.
In addition to her officiating, Farmer is a stalwart of Swimming Manawatu where she is currently the administrator for the region. She has filled countless roles overseeing the delivery of the region for 30 years.
Farmer was incredibly moved to receive this award.
“I was so surprised and overwhelmed to be a recipient of this huge honour. To be included with a group of people who have done so much in and for our sport is very humbling and I sincerely thank you.”
Farmer has loved every minute of her time with swimming.
“I have been lucky to have had many amazing experiences, both in New Zealand and overseas. I have officiated alongside wonderful people, made some incredible friends and seen some outstanding swims by New Zealand swimmers.”
As she reflected on her time involved with swimming so far, Farmer shared one of her favourite moments.
“My most exciting experience was at World Short Course in 2012, which was held in Istanbul. Lauren Boyle won the 800m freestyle in the lane I was officiating in which meant our national anthem was played during the medal ceremony – unforgettable!”
Swimming NZ President & fellow Life Member, Ron Clarke, paid tribute to Farmer for the years of service she has given to swimming.
“I am really delighted that Dianne has been recognised as a Life Member, and I would like to thank Dianne for her many years of service to Swimming New Zealand.”
Farmer was presented her Life Membership at the start of session six at the 2025 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships by fellow Swimming NZ Life Members John West and Jo Davidson.
Farmer becomes the 55th individual to receive Swimming NZ Life Membership. You can find the full list of Swimming NZ Life Membership recipients from our history below.
On behalf of the wider swimming community, we’d like to thank Dianne Farmer for her outstanding contribution to our sport over the past 35 years and congratulate her on receiving Swimming NZ Life Membership.
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