Regional teen queens Sienna Toohey (pictured left) and Mia Hogan (pictured right) have put on a clinic this year, putting their town of Albury on the 2028 green and gold runway

Grassroots to LA Dreaming

At a swimming meet in Sydney three years ago, a 13-year-old Sienna Toohey was helping out as a basket handler.

Olympic gold medallists Kaylee McKeown and Kyle Chalmers were among the stars, and Toohey – from Albury Swim Club – had the job of darting on and off the pool deck with the jumpers, socks and shoes they whip off moments before go time.

Pool-side in Adelaide last week at the Australian Swimming Trials, Toohey – now 16 – had another photo taken with McKeown and Chalmers … but this time it was not only with the backstroke queen and freestyle king, but the entire Australian team selected for the World Championships in Singapore. Toohey, after taking out the women’s 100m breaststroke, stood proudly among the stars she not too long ago aspired to be.

Quietly, there was another 13-year-old swimmer that was making waves at the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre – also wearing the pale blue of Toohey’s Albury Amateur Swimming Club.

She goes by the name of Hogan. Mia Hogan.

Both regional teen queens have been flagged as standout talents ahead of 2028 LA Games – breaststroker Toohey for the Olympics and all-rounder Hogan for the Paralympics.

Hogan made her international racing debut at 12 years of age at the 2025 Para Series hosted in Melbourne. The rapid improvement of Hogan – who is visually impaired and trains under Wayne Gould, who also coaches Toohey, has her flagged for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, LA 2028 Paralympics and beyond.

At Trials, Hogan (S13) clocked 5:06.29 which wasn’t quick enough to advance through to the finals but did overwrite the girls’ 13-years 400m freestyle Australian record. The young Albury swimmer also finished third in the women’s 50m freestyle multi-class behind Paralympians Alexa Leary (S9) and Keira Stephens (S10).

Her efforts in the pool have recently been recognised by global sport non-profit organisations the Pho3nix Foundation with a Pho3nix Kids Award.

Held twice a year, the Pho3nix Sports Awards celebrate young athletes who inspire through action. Winners are chosen by public vote, recognising those who embody the Foundation’s values of resilience, community and rising to the challenge.

The Pho3nix Kids Award is presented to a participant from any Pho3nix Kids initiative who exemplifies what it means to rise – and Mia Hogan has been soaring.

A dual JX Gold qualifier since the 2022/23 season, Hogan dominated at the recent Australian Age Championships with eight golds.

Pho3nix JX – delivered in partnership with Swimming Australia – celebrates outstanding performances by young swimmers through local clubs and clinics nationwide. It aims to inspire the next generation of champions by providing encouragement and recognition at a pivotal time in their sporting journey.

Almost all of the World Championships Dolphins team that will compete in Singapore can flex that they are a JX (kid), including Olympic and Paralympic champions Mollie O’Callaghan and Tim Hodge.

Most recently in Adelaide, a record 115 swimmers turned up to attend a JX clinic taken by local girl and newly-minted Singapore Dolphin Brittany Castelluzzo. We can’t help but wonder how many of those 115 will wear the gold cap of the Dolphins from now through to Brisbane 2032 and beyond.

Developing healthy habits in the pool, cultivating persistence, resilience, confidence and goal setting, the Pho3nix JX program seeks to develop life skills that help junior swimmers become successful in and out of the pool.

More than 200,000 swimmers have participated in the program since it launched in 2007, and now Toohey and Hogan are on their own golden path, inspiring Australia through swimming.

Cover picture supplied by Albury Swim Club.

We hope you enjoyed this Beyond The Blocks read!

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