Getting to know Tara Kinder

Tara Kinder is a swimmer who competes for Melbourne Vicentre. She has represented Australia at multiple World Championships around the world. She’s competes in the Women’s 200m Breastroke, 200m and 400m IM, and has been selected for the Australian team for the World Aquatics Long Course Championships in Singapore in July, 2025.

Congratulations on making the team for the Singapore World Champs, can you describe the feeling for us when you knew you’d made the team?

It was really exciting. I qualified on day one of a six day meet, so it was just a big relief to have that, and then to be able to back up and get the two breaststroke as well, those are my two main events over the last five years of my career, So it’s really exciting.

This is your first time making the Long Course National team, how does it feel to be in the team?

It feels really good. The last two years, since coming back to the sport I’ve put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears. So to have something come out like this is really exciting. [I made] my short course debut last year was really cool, but it being short course, it was half the team and just really different to what I imagine a long course team will be.

You had a bit of time away from the sport, how did that shift your perspective on what you really wanted to find with your swimming career?

It really went from becoming much of a chore, especially with school. You know, going to training in the morning, school, and then back to training. That’s why I stepped away. I felt like I had not really any identity outside of being an athlete, especially after graduating. And then spending that year and a half being anything but a swimmer I think I realised that I just needed something to have a goal towards and a drive, so I like to think I found my passion and purpose when I came back.

You’ve got all of these beautiful tattoos, are any of them swimming related, or do they have any particular, swimming meanings?

I do have a little mermaid, which I like to say is, something to do with swimming. And then I’ve got my lucky number, number four, which is always a lovely lane to be in, and it being the fastest lane. But a lot of them were collected when I first came back to the sport, So it’s just like a timeline sort of thing.

These facilities you get to train in every day here at MSAC, Why are they so great for your preparation for these long course meets?

To be able to train in an Olympic recognised training centre is really important. And obviously we’ve had a crazy amount of important races here. Two years ago we had World Champs trials in this indoor pool, which was actually my first meet back to the sport, so it’s a nice little link back, and I think  just having somewhere that helps encourage that high performance environment just makes you think about training as so much more important.

And do you have any advice for younger kids who are swimming, who are getting up in these early mornings and giving it their all for hope for success in the future?

I just say find a way to enjoy it. As much as it is really gruelling as a sport, It’s fun, whether it’s being around your friends or just enjoying floating in the water, it’s something that you’ve got to enjoy to be good at it.

Tara trains with Melbourne Vicentre at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. Any athletes wanting more information on joining the competitive squad program at MSAC can email an enquiry to info@vicentre.org.au