The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce the recipients of this year’s annual ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal (formerly the Paragon Awards 1996-2022). The ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal are presented annually to individuals or organizations for outstanding contributions to aquatics. This year’s recipients include Craig Hunter (GBR) for Competitive Swimming, Mitch Geller (CAN) for Diving, Ana Maria Lobo (BRA) for Artistic/Synchronized Swimming; Bret Beecher Bernard (USA) for Water Polo, Lisa Zarda (USA) for Water Safety and Mick and Sue Nelson (USA) for Recreational Swimming. This year’s awards will be held Saturday evening on September 13, 2025, in conjunction with the Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame Honoree Induction ceremonies, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
Make your plans now to attend the event, Saturday, September 13, 2025!
The annual awards are a spectacular event that celebrates the unsung heroes who make competitive and recreational aquatics possible. These are the people who save lives, promote water safety and further aquatic education around the world. We are proud to recognize these important individuals at the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
About this year’s award recipients:
Craig Hunter (GBR) – Competitive Swimming
Craig Hunter has been involved in aquatics for Great Britain for most of his life. He has served Great Britain in many capacities including as the Olympic Swimming Team Manager, as Chef de Mission at the Commonwealth Games, for the British Olympic Association, and with the Paralympic Association.
As an experienced swimming official, Hunter became the Chair of the FINA Technical Swimming Committee, adding to the same role that he held with LEN, now European Aquatics. He has been a referee at Olympic, World and European Championships in previous years. His first Olympic appointment as a FINA judge was the 2016 Rio Games, followed by his participation as referee at the 2020/21 Tokyo Games and Paris 2024 Games, where he was Chairman of the Technical Swimming Committee. Hunter is currently serving World Aquatics as the Chairman of the Technical Swimming Committee, a position he began in July, 2022. Prior to that he was the Vice Chair of the committee, as well as serving on the committee as a member, dating back to 2017.
Mitch Geller (CAN) – Competitive Diving
Mitch Geller has a storied career in Canadian sport and international diving. For nearly three decades, he served as a transformative leader at Diving Plongeon Canada (DPC), first as National Team Head Coach and later as Chief Technical Officer. During his tenure, Mitch’s visionary leadership elevated Canadian diving to new heights, establishing it as a world-renowned powerhouse.
Under his guidance, Canada achieved remarkable success, including medals at seven consecutive Olympic Games, along with numerous world championship, world cup, Pan Am, and Commonwealth Games victories. Mitch’s legacy also includes revolutionary innovations in sport development, program expansion, and cultivating global respect for Canadian diving.
Ana Maria Lobo (BRA) – Artistic Swimming
As an athlete, Ana Maria won a bronze medal at the 1963 Pan American Games, marking the first international participation of a Brazilian team in synchronized swimming. More than a personal achievement, this journey allowed her to introduce the sport to Brazil, coaching top-level teams at Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, Clube Paineiras do Morumby, and serve as the first coach of the Brazilian national team.
She later became an international judge for FINA, officiating at five editions of the Olympic Games, as well as numerous world and South American championships. Her passion for the sport also influenced her family, including her daughter and granddaughter, Cristiana and Maria Clara Lobo, both becoming Olympic athletes in the sport.
Bret Beecher Bernard (USA) – Water Polo
Bret Bernard has been involved in Aquatics most of his life, spanning almost 60 years, but water polo is his true passion. He has played on the national and international level, NCAA, World and Olympic level. He has coached at many different teams in water polo, been an international referee in two Olympic Games, 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta, and two editions of the World Championships, 1991 Perth and 1994 Roma. He has refereed too many international competitions to count, including FINA World Cups, Junior World Championships, Summer Olympic Games World Qualifying Tournaments, Goodwill Games, and the lists goes on. He has served on the FINA Technical Water Polo Committee, among others and was the first non-European AIA President.
Bernard has also been involved on numerous Championship planning and organizing site planning committees all the way up the Olympic Games. He has held the position of President, Vice President and Executive Director of United States Water Polo on a national level, and for his service to the sport he has been inducted into numerous Halls of Fames, recieved the Jimmy R. Smith Award in 2001, US Water Polo’s highest honor and in 2010, the sport named an award after him, The Bret B. Bernard Distinguished Referee Award.
Mick and Sue Nelson (USA)– Recreational Swimming
Mick and Sue Nelson have not only influenced the sustainable development of hundreds of pool projects, their “Save-A-Pool” efforts have kept aquatic facilities in danger of closing viable – increasing the opportunity for recreation swimming across the United States. They provide expert advice to anyone from individuals to working with municipalities, private businesses and even major public-private projects. The scope of projects they have been involved in are unmatched by anyone in the industry.
The Nelsons also had careers at USA Swimming for more than a decade, Sue working as a Programming Specialist providing resources and information for members, and Mick, the Club Facilities Development Director. The Nelsons have mentored so many in the industry, have held volunteer leadership positions on numerous boards and advisory councils, presented at dozens of aquatic industry conferences and consistantly nominated others for awards.
Lisa Zarda (USA) –Aquatic Safety
Lisa Zarda is the executive director for the United States Swim School Association (USSSA). Her career in association management spans over twenty-five years and includes earning the certified association executive (CAE) designation in 2010. Over the years she has held volunteer leadership positions with both the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Arizona Society of Association Executives (AzSAE). For the learn to swim industry, she has been involved in the Aquatics Coalition and Water Safety USA. In 2021 she received the Guiding Light Award from the USSSA for her dedication and leadership.
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The ISHOF Aquatic Awards, presented by AquaCal, will be held Saturday, September 13, 2025 at the Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach, 999 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL (954) 315-1460. In addition to the ISHOF Aquatic Awards, presented by AquaCal, we will also be honoring the recipients of the ISHOF Specialty Awards which include theVirginia Hunt Newman Award, the Every Child A Swimmer Award and many others. They will be announced next week.
Ticket information for all events, including the 2025 ISHOF Awards and MISHOF Honoree Induction Ceremonies will be forthcoming very soon.
For more information call Meg Keller-Marvin at 570.594.4367
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