Hometown Olympian firms as favourite following shock withdrawal

OLYMPIAN Nick Sloman (pictured) is a late withdrawal from tomorrow’s opening day of the 2026 Australian Open Water Championships with the experienced waterman hit by a sinus infection.

The 28-year-old will sit out the first event of Swimming Australia’s 2026 calendar and watch his fellow Dolphins, reigning Australian champions Moesha Johnson and men’s hot favourite Kyle Lee, on the first day of competition at Bunbury’s Koombana Bay.

Gold Coast’s multiple world champion Johnson and Bunbury’s very own world championship medallist Lee are joined by fellow Dolphins Tayla Martin and Thomas Raymond as well as Australian pool star Sam Short and Tiana Kritzinger.

Short and Kritzinger – who both practised feeding in the water for the first time last week – are swapping the chlorine for salt water in tomorrow’s 10km swim that has a $50,000 AUD prize purse on offer for the top 8 finishers of the men’s and women’s races.

More than 400 athletes, including a dozen internationals, will hit the water from January 22-25 over the four days of competition and there is more than national titles and prizemoney on the line.

Australia’s top senior contenders are also competing for funding ahead of qualification races in Spain and Italy for the Pan Pacific Championships to be held in California in August.

And junior athletes competing in the 18-19 years 10km and 16-17 years 7.5km events, which also feature on  Day 1, are racing for selection for the Junior World Championships in Argentina.

Emerging stars Daniel Carter (The Hills, NSW) and Olivia Galea (Chandler, QLD) are ones to watch after strong performances over the past 12 months.

Carter will defend his title in the boys’ 18-19 years 10km alongside last year’s silver medallist and Perth-local Thomas Dreverman while Galea, an avid pool swimmer, was a standout performer in 2025. This year she has moved into the 16-17 years 7.5km event.

In the girls’ 18-19 years 10km event North Coast’s Eleanor Flowers, Rocky City’s Amelie Smith, St Peters Western’s Ella Reynolds and Carlile’s Chloe Brodrick are all top medal contenders.

For the third year running, the event blends high-performance racing with the community focused OceanSwim races on January 24, attracting elite athletes and hundreds of amateur swimming enthusiasts.

A variety of distances are on offer for the community swim, including 500m, 1.25km, 2.5km, 5km, 7.5km and 10km options, with registrations to be taken right up to race time.

Spectators attending the Australian Open Water Championships & OceanSwim Festival held from 22-25 January will also be treated to a number of vibrant community events and foreshore activities.

The event is proudly supported by the WA Government, through the Tourism WA and the Regional Events Program, and the City of Bunbury and is hosted in partnership between Swimming Australia and Swimming WA.

Day 1 Program:

7.30am: Women’s 10km; Girls’ 18-19yr 10km

10.15am: Men’s 10km; Boys’ 18-19yr 10km

1.15pm: Boys’ 16-17yr 7.5km

1.20pm: Girls’ 16-17yr 7.5km