At a swimming meet in Sydney three years ago, a 13-year-old Sienna Toohey was helping out as a basket handler.

Olympic gold medallists Kaylee McKeown and Kyle Chalmers were among the stars, and Toohey – from Albury Swim Club – had the job of darting on and off the pool deck with the jumpers, socks and shoes they whip off moments before go time.

Fast forward to pool-side in Adelaide in June at the 2025 Australian Trials, Toohey – now 16 – had another photo taken with McKeown and Chalmers … but this time it was not only with the backstroke queen and freestyle king, but the entire Australian team selected for the World Championships in Singapore.

After taking out the 100m breaststroke, stood proudly among the stars she, not too long ago, aspired to be.

Of the 10 rookies to make their debut at the 2025 World Championships in Singapore, Toohey will be the youngest.

The head-turning performance of the teen sensation was the Australian Trials fairytale: her raw tears of shock and emotion from lane six equally matched by her mum Simone’s proud and pragmatic response: “We’ll have to make plans”.

Stunning performances at 2025 National Age Championships had Toohey mentioned as a potential bolter for the World Championships in Singapore, particularly after her 1:07.04 in the girls’ 100m breaststroke broke Dolphins’ great Leisel Jones’ 23-year-old national age record (1:07.31).

Then her Trials win in the 100m breaststroke – a blistering 1:06.55, a personal best by almost half a second that saw her touch ahead of Ella Ramsay (1:06.86).

“I’m definitely very, very happy with myself. Missing out on the Olympic team last year … was definitely something that I really wanted to be a part of, just watching it, and Ella, obviously being on it, all of these people being my idols. Now I get to be on the team. So I’m very happy,” Toohey said.

“I started swimming because I wanted to play water polo but my parents told me that I couldn’t do water polo if I didn’t swim. So I started swimming for that reason, and then my brother started to get really good at it when I’d watch him at State championships. And then I was like, hang on, this might be something that I want to do.

“So then I got to the point where I had to choose between swimming and water polo. Obviously I chose swimming and it was the right choice.

“I first met her (Liesel Jones) last year at Olympic trials on the final night. And then after Nationals this year, she sent me a video the night after I broke her 100m (breaststroke) record, just congratulating me.

“It honestly made my week. It meant a lot. Just getting something personalised from her and her just reaching out and telling me to keep going and that things can happen when you’re at a young age, it’s definitely inspiring.”

In April 2025, Toohey also dominated at the Australian Age and Multi-Class Age Swimming Championships in Brisbane. She walked away with four gold medals and two Australian age records — including the 50m breaststroke in just 30.73 seconds.

She was then selected for the Australian Junior Dolphins team to compete at the 2025 World Junior Championships in Romania from the 19th – 24th August, 2025 but has now withdrawn after her senior selection.

POD POP UP STAT:

Toohey’s preparation routine is tightly structured: compression boots, home-cooked meals from mum, and plenty of TV, including Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Before competing, at the last marshalling chair, she visualises every stroke, touch, turn, and finish. “I’ll give (my coach) a fist bump, and the last thing he will say to me is ‘you know what to do, go out there and do it.’”