Trials Night 1 Preview: A Masterclass and a surprise mentor feature

A masterclass from Kaylee McKeown, a surprise mentor for rising backstroker Henry Allan (pictured) and a morning of absolute belters opened the 2026 Australian Swimming Trials at Sydney Olympic Aquatics Centre today.

The first session of heats included:

• After pulling out of the 200 IM due to illness, McKeown put down the fastest 50m backstroke this year – touching the wall in 27.22. The USC Spartans swimmer has said Glasgow will be her last Commonwealth Games but tonight’s final is loaded with talent with Mollie O’Callaghan and Iona Anderson touching under 27.67.
• In the absence of McKeown, who won bronze in the 200 IM at the Paris Games, Ella Ramsay (2:10.70), Tara Kinder (2:12.05) and Jenna Forrester (2:13.52) all posted encouraging times in the heats and could threaten the qualifying times for both Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacs.
• Backstroke prodigy Allan, all 203 cm of him, qualified second for tonight’s men’s 50m backstroke final (24.84) – behind Australian record holder Isaac Cooper – and then revealed he was being mentored by sprint king Kyle Chalmers. While the two will meet in person for this first time this week, the 17-year-old Allan said Chalmers had spoken to him about “racing under pressure” prior to the World Junior Championships last year.
• It’s been two years since Sam Williamson has done a taper, but back after suffering a severe knee injury and missing out on the 2025 World Championships, the Victorian punched out 59.11 in the men’s 100m breaststroke – the only swimmer to break the one-minute mark and to go under the qualifying time ahead of tonight’s final.

Tonight’s finals program will be opened by surging Sam Short who clocked 3:45.17 in the morning heats, to win by more than a body length ahead of his Olympic and Dolphins teammate Elijah Winnington (3:46.77).

Short, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion, has plenty left in the tank having already posted a 3:42.53 in April at the Australian Open, which ranked him the third fastest swimmer in the world.

PARA PAN PACS TEAM STARTS TO FORM

The first three tickets to California have been stamped with S14 athletes Maddie McTernan, Declan Budd and Jack Ireland all going under the Para Pan Pacific Championships qualifying time in their respective 200m freestyle events. Unlike able bodied selection, para athletes can qualify in heats.

McTernan, a Paralympian and member of Rick Pendleton‘s para squad at Griffith University on the Gold Coast, celebrated her 2:10.25 qualifying time in the women’s 200m freestyle multi-class with a big smile and a splash. Ireland, the men’s 200m freestyle S14 bronze medallist from Paris 2024, also topped the heats with an impressive 1:56.62.

National age champion swimmer Budd qualified second behind Ireland with his 1:57.10. The Knox Pymble athlete was the only rookie selected for the 2025 World Para Swimming World Championships and will be looking to cash in on his experience amongst the world’s best to secure his first international senior podium.

McTernan and Ireland will head to California via Glasgow after being named in the 18-strong Dolphins team for para swimming at the 2026 Commonwealth Games – a second Commonwealth Games appearance for the Dolphin pair.

The Para Pan Pacific Championships will be held in Walnut, California from August 28 – 30.