Hance headlines Aus Open with VIRTUS world records

Australia’s Paralympic stars lit up the pool across three days of racing on the Gold Coast, headlined by none other than Ben Hance (pictured).

Hance, the S14 100m backstroke world record holder and two-time Paralympic champion, left the field in his wake with a string of world-best performances at the Australian Open.

Training under Ash Delaney at St Andrew’s on the Sunshine Coast, Hance set two a VIRTUS world records – first in the men’s 50m butterfly where he shaved 0.10 off his original mark to clock 24.17, before blazing to 22.96 in the 50m freestyle.
(VIRTUS Games is an international competition for intellectually impaired athletes, this event is not a world para swimming event.)

This comes as 2028 Paralympic hopefuls continued to build towards LA, with the challenges of outdoor racing at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre serving as a valuable stepping stone on the green and gold runway.

World champion Rowan Crothers said: “This is the best outdoor swimming pool in the world and for the Paralympics in 2028, we’re racing in an outdoor pool as well.

“So, I’m really looking forward to spending as much time as possible racing in the Gold Coast over the next couple of years and then hopefully in the (National) Aquatics Centre in Brisbane after that.

Crothers (S10) struck gold in the men’s 100m freestyle multi-class, leading a strong podium that included 2025 World Championships Dolphin Alex Tuckfield (S10) second and S8 Paralympic champion Callum Simpson third.

Earmarked for their Commonwealth Games and LA potential, Declan Budd and Maddie McTernan are part of a recently announced squad that will head to New Zealand in May in preparation for this year’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Para Pan Pacific Championships later this year.

Read more about New Zealand Tour here.