| WIND gusts of up to 30km/hr forced a restart of the 2026 Australian Open Water Championships blue riband men’s 5km open water race as a “runaway” buoy had to be reeled in and the course reset at Koombana Bay in Bunbury.
The race was abandoned just one lap into the four-lap circumnavigation but the delay did not disrupt hometown hero Kyle Lee claiming his third gold medal of the championships – adding the men’s 5km open title to his 10km open and mixed 4×1.5km relay titles.
In a race which saw former 400m world champion Sam Short set a cracking pace, Lee (56:49.00) made his move in the second last lap, moving through the field to pick up Short’s feet to then slip past the pool Olympian (56:50.30) at the last turn. Thomas Raymond touched third (56:50.40).
Lee’s triple treat also helped North Coast to be awarded the champion club on points.
Meanwhile Lee’s Dolphins teammate and multiple world champion Moesha Johnson (pictured) also took home a hat trick of titles with a dominant performance in the women’s 10km, today’s 5km and the 3km knockout sprint.
Johnson stopped the clock at 58:43.60 with Japan’s Sachika Kajimoto second (58:49.70) and Dolphin Tayla Martin third (1:00:39.50).
After a breakout 2025 season, Johnson has become the world’s premier female open water athlete but today’s 5km field also featured another champion in 19-year-old Chloe Broderick.
In an act reflecting the spirit of the Pierre de Coubertin Medal, the Australian Junior swimmer paused her own race to come to the aid of a fellow swimmer and call for assistance before resuming and winning bronze.
For Lee and Johnson, their 10km efforts resulted in an $8000 winner’s cheque and funding for qualification races in Spain and Italy for the Pan Pacific Championships to be held in California in August.
Meanwhile for age-group athletes, the meet was a chance to put themselves in front of selectors for the Junior World Championships in Argentina with Daniel Carter, Lachlan Evans, Ryley Meares, William Thorpe, Eleanor Flowers, Bianca Monaco and Mia Hoo all putting themselves in contention.
Dolphins head open water coach Fernando Possenti said there were many positives out of the four-day meet including the form of Johnson, the decision making of fellow Dolphins Martin and Kyle Lee, and the emergence of pool swimmer Short and junior Hoo.
In today’s multi-class events; S19 Amie Holwill, from Bunbury, went back-to-back to win national titles in the 5km women’s multi-class 14 & over while Daniel Rigby (S9, Knox Pymble) won the men’s 5km multi-class 14 & over.
DAY 4 FULL RESULTS
Women’s 5km
1. Moesha Johnson, 58:43.60 (Miami); 2. Sachika Kajimoto, 58:49.70 (Japan); 3. Tayla Martin, 1:00:39.50 (Carlile); 4. Sienna Deurloo, 1:00.41.00 (Toowoomba Grammar)
Men’s 5km
1. Kyle Lee, 56:49.00 (North Coast); 2. Sam Short, 56:50.30 (Rackley); 3. Thomas Raymond, 56:50.40 (Kawana Waters); 4. Euan Liney, 57:14.60, (Knox Pymble)
Women’s 5km multi class
1. Amie Holwill, 1:07:32.70 (Bunbury); 2. Ikuh Nakahigashi, 1:11:00.60 (Japan); 3. Amelia Steiner, 1:21:03.70 (St Andrew’s); 4. Maddison Hinds, 1:23:45.10 (Hornsby)
Men’s 5km multi class
1. Daniel Rigby S9, 1:14:05.10 (Knox Pymble), 2. Ky Milllican S19, 1:16:10.60 (Goodlife); 3. Ben Morrison S14, 1:16:27.20 (Miami)
Girls’ 19 years 5km
1. Bianca Monaco, 1:01:03.90 (North Coast); 2. Macy Beuzeville, 1:02:28.20 (St Peters Western); Chloe Broderick, 1:04:41.70 (Carlile); 4. Ivy Gerstner, 1:06:43.80 (Campbelltown)
Boys’ 19 years 5km
1. Daniel Carter, 1:00:16.30 (The Hills); 2. Thomas Dreverman, 1:00:20.60 (Westside Christ Church); 3. Samuel Zollner, 1:00:44.00 (Westside Christ Church); 4. Nathan Williams, 1:01:44.00 (Campbelltown)
Girls’ 18 years 5km
1. Eleanor Flowers, 1:01:11.50 (North Coast); 2. Amelie Smith, 1:02:24.60 (Rocky City); 3. Charlotte Bowmer, 1:02:35.50 (SLC Aquadot); 4. Holly Fleming, 1:04:08.70 (Chandler)
Boys’ 18 years 5km
1. Aidan Mills, 1:00:28.00 (North Coast); 2. Hayden Headling, 1:00:30.50 (North Coast); 3. Cody Robinson, 1:01:25.20 (Albany); 4. Jurgens Wilson, 1:01:29.10 (Westside Christ Church)
Girls’ 17 years 5km
1. Isobel Mulchay, 1:03:09.60 (Carlile); 2. Allegra Anderson, 1:03:09.90 (Griffith University); 3. Piper Cameron, 1:05:37.20 (Norwood); 4. Madison Brand, 1:05:48.20 (Nunawading)
Boys’ 17 years 5km
1. Riley Meares, 59:24.40 (St Peters Western); 2. Ashton Rodgers, 1:01:39.70 (Rocky City); 3. Bodi Bone, 1:03:10.30 (Gosford Stingrays); 4. Julian Falzon, 1:03:28.80 (Nepean)
Girls’ 16 years 5km
1. Saffron Favios, 1:06:04.10 (Albany); 2. Lara Green, 1:06:04.70 (North Coast); 3. Sutton Miller, 1:07:10.80 (Unley); 4. Lua Wilson, 1:08:27.80 (Westside Christ Church)
Boys’ 16 years 5km
1. William Thorpe, 59:28.30 (St Peters Western); 2. Jordan Tucker, 1:01:40.90 (Marion); 3. Thomas Valassis, 1:03:05.00 (Revesby Workers); 4. Finn Kelly, 1:03:05.00 (Nepean)
Club Point Score
1. North Coast, 413; 2. Carlile, 320; 3. St Peters Western, 262; 4. Westside Christ Church, 200 | 
