In the first of our weekly Beyond the Blocks stories we feature teenage Para swimmer Declan Budd who put pathway coaches on notice with a world record.

Buddy Brilliant

How learn-to-swim classes inspired an LA story

A breakout 2024 – punctuated by a world record – has put pathway coaches on notice and accelerated the Paralympic dreams of NSW athlete Declan Budd.

The 17-year-old initially had the 2023 Brisbane Games in his sights, until a world record in September at the 2024 Australian Short Course Championships prompted a re-think.

Budd’s WR time of 25.7 seconds in the men’s 50m butterfly (SC) was a shock to the Knox Pymble S14 athlete (NSW) and his lifelong coach Rafael Rodrigues.

After dominating the 16-18 years bracket at the Australian Age Championships in April with seven gold medals across all strokes, Budd was selected as the youngest male swimmer (16) at the 2024 Para Swimming European Open Championships.

Additionally, he was selected for the inaugural Paralympics Australia AIS Para Start Strong Squad.

But every PB, national title and medal earned has shortened the odds for Budd to earn his Dolphins’ pin.

“Originally I was focused on Brisbane 2032 but after my performances in 2024, making the LA Paralympic Games seems much more possible than before,” Budd said.

“It was awesome to achieve that world record in Adelaide, I like to challenge myself and can proudly tick that off. It was one of my top moments in 2024.”

Another standout moment was his shock performances at the 2024 Australian Swim Trials in June.

Not only did Budd make it all five finals in all five of his events, but he also competed against his Dolphins’ idol Jack Ireland in the men’s 200m freestyle MC to place fourth overall.

“Making finals in all of my events was amazing. I had swum at Trials before back in 2021 for the Tokyo Games but I was so young back then that it was almost overwhelming,” he said.

“So, this time… I could truly enjoy it. The atmosphere felt incredible and now I want to become a Dolphin and race alongside my idols like Jack Ireland and Ben Hance in the gold cap even more.”

At just 18 months old, Budd contracted swine flu, leaving him with acute brain damage and cerebral palsy. But it wasn’t until Budd was eight years old that his disability was diagnosed after a family friend familiar with multi-class athletes recognised some signs and Budd’s potential.

Surrounded by the active lifestyle of his family, Budd spent his childhood enjoying the outdoors and participating in every sport he could. If his older sister Kirra played hockey, so did he. If his dad, Richard, surfed and fished, Budd was right there next to him.

The avid surfer grew up in Sydney’s Northern Beaches and learnt to swim at the age of five at the local Terrey Hills pool. His teacher? Coach Rafael Rodrigues.

“I remember when I first taught Declan how to swim, he was very small for his age. We didn’t know back then that he had a disability, but he was an active and determined kid who took to the water quickly,” Rodrigues said.

Hailing from Brazil, Rodrigues moved to Australia in 2003 to learn English and gain work experience in his field of Sports Science.

“I had only expected to live in Australia for six months but then I ‘accidently’ got a swim coach job by gatecrashing the interview and I also met my wife, so here we are over 20 years later still coaching and living here,” Rodrigues explained.

Rodrigues joined Pymble Ladies’ College as a Competition Stream Coach in 2016. In mid-2019, Budd heard that his old learn-to-swim coach was happily based there and quickly joined to become one of the few Para swimmers at Knox Pymble Swim Club.

Together at Pymble, Rodrigues and Budd have performed in the pool all around the globe with the support of their club and associated school.

Budd’s international tour to Portugal for the World Para Swimming Championships in April 2024 marked a pivotal moment in his budding swimming career.

Rodrigues said: “Competing at the Para European Open Champs bolstered his confidence towards making team for the 2024 Singapore World Champs and eventually LA 2028.”

“Going on tour, being involved and part of a squad, like Swimming Australia’s junior development Flippers Squad, shows that Declan can and does belong at that level.”

Budd credits the success of his relationship with Rodrigues to their like-mindedness and shared approach for not just racing but also life.

“With my intellectual disability and because English isn’t Rafa’s first language, we don’t complicate things. The goals we set, in and out of the pool, are straight-forward and we get the work done,” Budd said.

Similarly, Rodrigues reflected that “he (Budd) knows what he wants. He shows up and trains hard. For us it’s that simple.”

“We are both new on this journey, for me as a high-performance Para coach and for him as a high-performance athlete.

“We both understand that life gets thrusted upon you, so we have a shared mindset of just trusting the process.”

This year, Budd will graduate from Davidson High School in Frenchs Forest with his Certificate 2 in Construction.

“I’m taking 2025 step-by-step. First, I’ll complete my major work for metal – it’s a tool cabinet on wheels for Dad – then I’m looking forward to spending more time training for Singapore,” said Budd who is also looking at starting a part-time trade.

“I am proud of myself and of what I have achieved so far. I will give it my all at Trials in June to make the team for the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore in September. I want to be a Dolphin.”