FINA learnt today with great sadness about the death of former member of the FINA Technical Artistic Swimming Committee, Sue Edwards. Main promoter and developer for over five decades of Artistic Swimming in New Zealand, Ms Edwards was 74, having lost a brave fight against illness.
While informing FINA on this sad news, Bronwyn Stackpole, Secretary of Synchro Swim New Zealand, recalled: “Back in the early 1960s, she fell in love with the grace, elegance and physicality of synchro as a swimmer, which sparked a life-long interest. That interest took her from being an athlete to coaching, judging, refereeing, administration and governance here in New Zealand where she has led the sport for close to 20 years, retiring in late 2016. While retired, she still had an active interest in the sport – and shared her wisdom and experience with many of us as we worked to fill her very big shoes. There’s not much she didn’t know about synchro!”
Sue Edwards was member of the FINA Technical Artistic Swimming Committee (formerly Technical Synchronised Swimming Committee) for more than 25 years and in recognition for her outstanding services to the discipline she was awarded the “New Zealand Order of Merit” in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
“Her skills and wisdom will be sadly missed – as will the warmth and strength of her personality, and her passion for the sport that was a big part of her life”, concludes Stackpole, paying a fair tribute to the contribution of Sue Edwards to the development of the discipline.
To the family and friends of Sue Edwards, as well as to the entire Artistic Swimming community in New Zealand, FINA addresses its most heartfelt condolences.