Day 2 Finals Wrap 2025 Australian Opens Championships

NO world record but still world class.

Alexa Leary (pictured), the athlete who set La Défense Arena on fire with back-to-back world record swims and danced atop the dais in celebration, went all out tonight to replicate the feat again at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre and claim her first 2025 national title.

A big flex from Lex (S9) saw a world record in today’s heats of the women’s 100m free multi-class, and the Paralympic gold medallist went so very close in tonight’s final – her 59.32 just 0.1 outside her newly minted world’s best result (59.22).

Paralympians Chloe Osborn claimed silver with Keira Stephens third.

“It felt so good to break that world record and I was confident that I could (do it again),” Leary said.

“I know all the hard work I’ve done since Paris so I said to myself ‘come on Lex you’ve got to bring something home’ … I’ve really worked on my backend speed with my coach Jon (Bell), so in that last 50m I was hurting hard and going for it.

“I’m like a tenth of a second off (the world record) and that hurt a little bit but now I’ve just got to double down and get it next time.

“Every day I challenge myself, especially in swimming … Singapore is only five months away and I’ve got big things to do there. And then we’ve got the Commonwealth Games next year so it’s exciting times ahead and I’m really looking forward to both major events.

“And I’ve got my eye on that sub-59 seconds.”

Men’s 100m Freestyle Multi-Class – Rowan Crothers

Rowan Crothers (S10) is on a quest to do what no para-swimmer has done before – break the 50 second barrier for the 100 metres.

But first there was a seventh consecutive national title to win at the Australian Open Championships.

Crothers, 27, launched his 196-centimetre frame off the blocks at Brisbane Aquatic Centre and led from start to finish to touch in at 52.13 with Nicholas Layton second (52.97) and Alexander Tuckfield third (53.59).

“Seven titles in a row is sensational but I’m not about trying to beat Aussies. It really is all about to trying to represent Australia for me. I love racing in Australia and I love getting pushed to my limits by other Aussies because that’s just going to make all of us better when it comes to World Championships and then Paralympics,” Crothers said.

Crothers, who moved from Brisbane to follow his coach Kate Sparkes to Marion in Adelaide, added: “It’s been an interesting transition going from Brisbane to Adelaide. Kate is just such an incredible coach. She got me to my first gold medals and World Championships wins, so I have so much faith and trust in her and in the entire SASI program as well.

“It’s great to be training every day in an elite and competitive integrated environment with top able-bodied athletes from all around the world as well as myself there representing the Paralympic side.

“I’m training partners with Matt Temple. He’s trying to go 49 seconds for the 100 fly and I’m trying to go 49s for the 100 free, so we’re just toe-to-toe every single session.”

Women’s 100m Backstroke – Kaylee McKeown

McKeown put on a clinic tonight, posting a time that would have won her gold in Paris.

At the Games, McKeown (57.33) was quicker than USA’s Regan Smith who won silver (57.66). Tonight’s effort was fastest in the world this year but still slower than her Paris Olympic title (57.65).

“At this time of year, people are just gearing up for trials and then it’s on to Worlds,” she said.

“It’s been hard getting back in. I am not going to beat around the bush … I believe it builds character and makes you stronger. So LA’s looking good.”

Good mate Mollie O’Callaghan was the only other swimmer to break one minute, clocking 59.23 with Hannah Frederick’s third (1:00.41)

Men’s 50m Backstroke – Isaac Cooper

As the reigning 50m backstroke world champion and with the recent inclusion of all 50m form strokes on the LA Olympic swimming program, Cooper was hyped and ready for tonight’s sprint event. Proving himself as a sprinter to beat, Cooper already won silver in the men’s 50m fly behind Cam McEvoy and tonight upgraded to gold.

His 24.80 well clear of Enoch Robb (25.39) and Kalani Ireland (25.56).

“I was glad that I was able to step up tonight. I’ve only been in the water for about seven weeks now, with broken training as well. I was very, very sick last week, so to be able to go two races under 25 seconds, I’m really happy with how that sits near this corner season,” he said.

“Now that 50s have been announced in the Olympic program, it’s very interesting to see people coming out of the woodwork, leaning into these 50m events. I’ve been leaning towards the 50s for a while now. I’m currently number one in Australia in the 50m backstroke and also ranked number one in the world in this event so I’m happy to see these guys come in and give me some competition.”

In other events:

Women’s 50m Freestyle – Meg Harris

A day in the life of the Olympic silver medallist Harris saw her splash and dash her way to a 24.85 in her heat, before heading to Griffith University where she is studying nursing, only to return for tonight’s final which she promptly won in 24.57. Butterfly specialist Alex Perkins touched second (25.00) in a personal best with O’Callaghan third (25.01).

Men’s 1500m Freestyle – Benjamin Goedemans

With master coach enthusiastically looking on, Dean Boxall looking on, Goedemans scorched his way to a big PB and into Australia’s rich distance swimming history.

Dipping for the first time under the gut busting 15-minute mark, Goedemans was urged on by the crowd and his St Peters crew to stop the clock at 14:57.75 with open water specialist Thomas Raymond second (15:17.74) second and Matthew Galea third (15:20.31).

Women’s 400m Individual Medley

Known as a breaststoker, Tara Kinder is proving herself as a talented IM swimmer to watch, especially after her gold medal swim in the women’s 400m individual medley. The Victorian has gone toe-to-toe with Paris Olympian Ella Ramsay across the women’s individual medley and breaststroke events this meet.

Kinder won gold in the 400 IM tonight, hitting the wall four-seconds ahead of the rest of the field (4:37.14). Ramsay, who won her first national title in the 200m IM last night ahead of Kinder (silver), placed second in the 400m (4:41.27) and Jenna Forrester came third (4:45.70).

The pair also lined up again tonight in the women’s 100m breaststroke. Ramsay (1:07.80) and Kinder (1:08.20) won gold and silver respectively, which comes at the perfect time for the Dolphins’ breaststroke stocks following the retirements of Olympic medallists Jenna Strauch and Chelsea Hodges. Sienna Harben won bronze (1:08.45).

Women’s 200m Butterfly

Lani Pallister is a top-class contender for the middle to long-distance freestyle events who has won a slew of 400m, 800m and 1500m medals, but threw herself into the women’s 200m butterfly and surprised herself, crowds and fellow Dolphins with a top five finish in the final.

South Australia’s Brittany Castelluzzo won gold (2:06.86), Paris Olympian Abbey Connor secured silver (2:08.79) and 18-year-old Jessica Cole from Wests Illawarra won bronze (2:11.94).

> Heats start 10am.
> Finals from 6pm AEST.
Full results here: https://liveresults.swimming.org.au/sal/2025Opens/