Before Laurie Lawrence saved lives, he had to be saved himself.
The renowned swim coach, master motivator and water safety advocate is among a batch of sporting luminaries feted in the Australia Day Honours, the 83-year-old appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO).
The honours list includes the late Lionel Morgan - Australia's first Indigenous rugby league representative in 1960 - who has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).
Other sportspeople appointed with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) include sailor Lisa Blair, Matildas stalwart Clare Polkinghorne, snooker star Neil Robertson and rugby league's Penrith great Royce Simmons.
Gold medallists from the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics including pole vaulter Nina Kennedy, Saya Sakakibara (BMX), Cameron McEvoy (swimming) and the nation's youngest-ever gold medallist, 14-year-old skateboarder Arisa Trew were also appointed OAMs.
The recognition comes from the latest edition of the Olympics, which Lawrence described as "the greatest sporting event in the world".
Lawrence was head coach of Australia's swim team for three Olympics from 1984 before the gregarious character was given a unique role as a motivator for the entire team for the following four Games.
"(Athletics legend) Herb Elliott said: 'We have got a job for you. Live in the village with the athletes and get them to think about winning because too many think about going to the Olympics and just doing their best'," he told AAP.
"Well, your best is well and good. But you have got to have a higher goal than that because if you don't think you can win, you're not going to win."
Lawrence's affinity with swimming started at age eight, when he was diagnosed with bronchiectasis and had his left lung removed.
"That is what saved me as a kid - having a lung out," he said.
Lawrence was told to swim to aid recovery and his father quit his job as a pub owner to manage the Tobruk Memorial pool in Townsville, Queensland, where Australia's 1956 Olympic swim team trained before the Melbourne Games.
Lawrence later moved to Brisbane and in 1964, earned selection on Australia's rugby union tour of New Zealand.
But water remained the true love of the qualified teacher whose concern at the number of children drowning prompted a lifetime of advocacy.
"It actually came about when Queensland led the world per capita with pre-school drownings," Lawrence said.
"We needed to fence the pools - and fencing pools was not palatable in Queensland.
"It had to be legislated and so to soften the legislation, the government said 'let's get that silly bastard who jumped in the pool at the Olympics to push the message'.
"When we started (in 1988), 63 kids under the age of five drowned in Australia that year ... and last year, we were down to 15.
"We're not there yet but we're getting there."
Lawrence remains the pre-eminent face of water safety campaigns with his affable nature helping the message cut through from the upper echelons of government to everyday people.
"My old man ... used to say to me: 'Mate, you have got to learn to eat with kings and break bread with the normal man'," he said.
"That's what life is about.
"It doesn't matter - I shouldn't say it - if you're black, white or brindle, it doesn't make any difference to me. I'll sit down and have a yarn with you."
He remains involved daily at his swim school on the Gold Coast in addition to water safety campaigns.
"I like to do something every day with the swim school because if you don't, you might as well lay down and die," he said.
"I am 83 now so I'm feeling wear and tear but you have got to just keep going, mate."
