Day 8 Finals Wrap 2025 Australian Age Championships

THEY are big flippers to fill but Josh Conias is the apprentice to the professor Cameron McEvoy, as the 17-year-old continues his rapid rise up the sprint free ranks.

On the penultimate night of the Australian Age Swimming Championships at Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Conias – who trains with Olympic champion McEvoy in Tim Lane’s Somerville House program, ripped a 22.39 to post a qualifying time for the World Junior Championships in Romania later this year.

But ooh it was closer than the plastic on pre-sliced cheese with Ollie Moclair (Cranbrook) also posting a qualifying time and just 0.03 behind.

For the first time at junior level, selectors are replicating the selection policy used by the senior team at a major benchmark event. This means the qualifying times set are based on the Top 8 times set at the previous World Junior Championships – which was Israel in 2023. This is to increase the chances of athletes competing in both heats and finals.

Conias (pictured) gave himself zero wriggle room to qualify for Romania after withdrawing from the 100m freestyle earlier in the week and was easily one of the most relieved swimmers in the warm-down pool post race.

On a night that saw eight swimmers go under qualifying, All Saints’ swimmer Julia Remington was the only female swimmer to appear with the big “Q” on the results sheet – her 4:48.47 gut-busting effort in the 17 years’ 400m individual medley a good five seconds ahead of Sopac’s Rafaela Kopellou (4:53.56) with Cruiz swimmer Rachel Allen third (4:59.74).

Also busting a gut was Warringah’s Samuel Higgs won took gold (4:21.66) in the 18 years 400m IM with North Albury Oscar Kreutzberger (4:26.71) claiming silver and Xavier Metcalf (4:28.54) bronze.

Athletes that miss selection for the World Juniors remain eligible for selection for the Next Wave Competition Camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in July.

In other finals:
>  Rockhampton claimed a 1-2 finish in the girls’ 14-years 200m butterfly. Annaliese Matthews (2:18.50) and Mackenzie Wyeth (2:21.92) from Rocky City won gold and silver respectively. Emma Ng secured bronze (2:23.13), helping boost Carlile’s lead in the club point score.

> Backing up from his two golds, Jack Morrow doubled down on his ticket to Romania with another qualifying swim. Morrow hit the wall at 54.82 in the boys’ 17-years 100m backstroke. Campbell Wilson-Moran (55.65) and Sam Hicks (56.80) touched the wall closely behind but just missed qualifying.

> In the girls’ 16-years 50m freestyle sprint NSW dominated with SOPAC’s Asha Ring in first at 25.67, followed by Woy Woy’s Jodie Mead (25.79) and Heli Childs from PLC Sydney (25.89).

> Marcus Da Silva won his first gold of the meet in the boys’ 18-years 100m freestyle. His time of 49.30 was closely followed by WA’s Xavier Collins who picked up a silver (50.03). Southside’s Thomas Booth (50.40) won the bronze, adding to his haul of three individual golds.

FINAL DAY TOMORROW. Heats start at 9am AEST.
Full results can be found here: https://liveresults.swimming.org.au/sal/2025Age/