RIDING a steep growth trajectory; Brittany Castelluzzo has taken the hedge trimmer to her PB in the 200m fly – shaving nearly two seconds off her previous best in the past 15 months to clock 2:06.86 at National Titles in April, 2025.

This form surge also includes a gold in the 200m fly at last year’s Singapore leg of the World Cup in October and at the same meet, a cheeky bronze in the 200m freestyle.

She then finished sixth in the 200m free final at World Trials – and with the retirements of Brianna Throssell, Leah Neale and Emma McKeon – is finding herself mentioned in conversations around the Dolphins’ 4x200m free relay squad.

This career-best form of her life, based on a non-stop racing program throughout 2024 and 2025, has Castelluzzo a very real chance to vault on to the podium in Singapore.

Training in Adelaide out of the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) under coach Craig Stewart and swimming for Adelaide-based club Tea Tree Gully, Castelluzzo competed at World Short Course in Melbourne, 2022.

“I’ve missed a few teams in recent years and missing out on Paris, as tough as it was, has actually set me up this year. I’m really enjoying the environment at SASI and I have worked so hard on my mental approach to swimming,” she said.

“I think that’s where I have made the biggest gains. I feel more confident and I handle my nerves so much better and my training seems to finally be transferring to performance.”

The student of Occupational Therapy, and part-time disability support worker, was also looking forward to racing Canada’s Summer McIntosh who has won the 200m at the past three Worlds … in quicker time each year.

“I just think how cool to be racing someone like Summer … I have been watching her for the past three years and she has achieved so much … to be honest, I think I might find myself fan girling,” Castelluzzo said.

POD POP UP STAT

STAY CALM AND CARRY ON – While the Dolphins were at Worlds’ staging camp in Darwin, an offshore earthquake of 6.7 magnitude was felt by residents – and our Dolphins.

For Castelluzzo this made it two out two for Darwin aftershocks after she felt an earthquake there on a training camp in May.