Swimmers' Six Pack: Day 3 Open Championships

Apprentice to the Professor Josh Conias hits the water today and taking the blocks in the same heat this morning will be his mentor, training partner and Olympic gold medallist Cam McEvoy. World record holder and Para gold medallist Tim Hodge and the ironwoman of this meet, Lani Pallister also back in the pool.

Today’s racing features:

Alex Perkins | USC Spartans, QLD

The Sunshine Coast swimmer has really come of age in the past 12 months. Won silver in the 4x100m medley relay in Paris and was one of the Dolphins form swimmers at December’s World Short Course championships in Budapest. The butterfly specialist snatched silver with a PB in the women’s 50m free last night following a bronze in the 100m free earlier in the program and is ready to rip into the 50m fly today.

Matt Temple | Marion, SA

Matt Temple holds the Australian record for the men’s 100m butterfly, his time of 50.25 set in 2023 in Japan still standing. Chasing the rubber chook is paying off for the Marion swimmer who boasts the only seed time sub 51 seconds (50.65). Lining up on either side of Temple today is Italy’s Olympic gold medallist Thomas Ceccon (52.15) and St Andrews’ Jack Carr (52.66)

Josh Conias | Somerville House, QLD

Conias, apprentice to Professor Cameron McEvoy, continues his rapid rise up the sprint free ranks. At 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 22.35 to post a qualifying time for the World Junior Championships in Romania later this year. And the 17-year-old is in the same heat this morning with McEvoy and Isaac Cooper.

Tim Hodge | Blacktown, NSW

Last time Tim Hodge raced in Brisbane Aquatic Centre he broke the men’s 200m individual medley (SM9) world record. Now he’s back for more but this time it’s with a Paralympic gold medal. A true leader amongst athletes, Hodge has represented the Dolphins at three Paralympic Games, two Commonwealth Games and multiple World Championships and this year was awarded an OAM for his services to sport following the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Since making his Paralympic debut in Rio 2016 when he was just 15, the boy from Blacktown has proudly stood on the podium six times, including twice at the top in Paris.

Lani Pallister | St Peters, QLD

Is there anything the Olympic gold medallist can’t do? Dominated the women’s 800m free – winning by over four seconds with a time of 8:18.71. Her time was faster than her performances in Paris, where she swam 8:20.21 in prelims and 8:21.09 in finals. Had a crack at 200m fly last night and will back up in the 400m free today – where she has the very capable and accomplished New Zealand distance swimmer Erica Fairweather and Olympic open water medallist Moesha Johnson in the same heat.

Keira Stephens | Southport Olympic, QLD

Keira Stephens started competitive swimming at Hervey Bay and it only took her three years to earn her first Australian cap in 2018. Now, she’s got two Paralympics under her belt. Stephens won an individual bronze on debut in Tokyo and was a key part of Australia’s winning 34pt 4x100m mixed medley relay team in Paris. Racing off the back of injury and an extended break from Paris, Stephens will contest the 200m IM multi-class – the same event she won bronze in at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Heats start at 10am I Finals from 6pm AEST
Watch the Australian Open Championships live and free exclusively on 9Now