2025 Australian Open Championships: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2025 AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Monday, April 21st – Thursday, April 24th
• Prelims at 10am local (8pm ET night before)/Finals at 6pm local (4am ET)
• Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Queensland, Australia
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam Preview
• Initial Entries
• Start List
• Live Results
• Livestream
• Day 1 Prelims Recap

The first finals session of the 2025 Australian Open is about to commence in Brisbane, with many of the nation’s top swimmers set to compete.

Tonight’s lineup features the men’s 100 breaststroke, women’s 200 IM, men’s 50 butterfly, women’s 100 freestyle, men’s 400 freestyle, women’s 50 breaststroke, men’s 200 backstroke, and women’s 800 freestyle.

As a reminder, this is not the Australian selection meet for the 2025 World Championships. Most swimmers are using this competition as a tune-up for the World Championship Trials, which are set for June 9–14 in Adelaide.

Follow along for live updates below.

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record – 56.88, Adam Peaty (2019)
• Australian Record – 58.58, Brenton Rickard (2009)
• Commonwealth Record – 56.88, Adam Peaty (2019)

GOLD – Sam Williamson, 1:00.46
SILVER – Bailey Lello, 1:00.66
BRONZE – Joshua Yong, 1:01.15

Melbourne Vicentre’s Sam Williamson claimed victory in the men’s 100 breast, stopping the clock at 1:00.46. The 27-year-old, who ranks as the 3rd-fastest Australian in history with his 58.80 from last June’s Olympic Trials, dropped 0.84 from his prelim time of 1:01.30.

Williamson, who placed 24th in this event in Paris but won the 2024 world title in the 50 breast, reflected positively on his performance afterward. “I think the time was pretty good,” he said.

“The good news for me is there’s the 50 now in LA, so there’s another event on the program I can take care of. This year was all about getting more front-end speed under my belt, and we have three more years to build on that. It’s exciting to go to Singapore this year to defend my title, but I know there’s also the individual 100 and the relays, so I’m still doing everything I can in the water to live for that relay.”

St. Peters’ Bailey Lello, 21, was the only other man to break 1:01 in the final, earning silver with a time of 1:00.66. He finished about half a second off his lifetime best of 1:00.11.

23-year-old Joshua Yong, who helped Australia secure bronze in the mixed 4×100 medley relay in Paris, hit the wall in 1:01.15 for 3rd. His career-best stands at 59.48, set at the Trials last June.

As a reminder, former 200 breast world record holder Zac Stubblety-Cook scratched this morning. He recently changed training bases, leaving Chandler and coach Vince Raleigh to train at Griffith University under their new coach, Mel Marshall, who has guided British sprint breaststroke legend Adam Peaty to multiple world records.

WOMEN’S 200 IM – FINAL

• World Record – 2:06.12, Katinka Hosszu (2015)
• Australian Record – 2:06.63, Kaylee McKeown (2024)
• Commonwealth Record – 2:06.88, Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (2016)

GOLD – Ella Ramsay, 2:10.15
SILVER – Tara Kinder, 2:11.29
BRONZE – Isabella Boyd, 2:13.13

In the absence of Kaylee McKeown, who scratched the final after posting the 2nd-fastest time (2:08.58) in the world this year, her training partner, Ella Ramsay, stepped up to take the gold medal in tonight’s 200 IM. Ramsay posted a time of 2:10.05, just shy of her best time of 2:09.32 from the Olympic Trials last June.

“That swim tonight was pretty good,” Ramsay said. “In-season swimming hurts a lot, and that one hurt quite a bit.”

“I’d say my breaststroke is starting to really come along, and I felt like my speed in that race was pretty solid, to be honest,” she added.

“We’ll head to a camp in Dubai to fine-tune everything, then back to Adelaide for World Trials to get a good hit-out. I’m taking it year by year and hopefully building the foundation so LA [the 2028 Olympics] turns out well.”

A split comparison between Ramsay’s personal best and tonight’s swim is shown below.

Splits Comparison:

The 20-year-old had the meet of her life at last June’s Olympic Trials, winning three events: the 200 breast, 200 IM, and 400 IM. She opted to focus on the 200 and up distances in Paris, making the Olympic finals in both IM races, with her highest finish being 5th in the 400.

Melbourne Vicentre’s Tara Kinder posted a slight best time to earn runner-up honors, clocking 2:11.29 to edge out her previous mark of 2:11.39. Her final 100 was the clear highlight, splitting 37.46 on breast and 30.73 on free—over a full second faster than Ramsay’s final 50.

19-year-old Isabella Boyd of Nunawading finished 3rd in 2:13.13, just missing her career best of 2:12.44.

Notably, 2023 World Championships silver medalist in the 400 IM and 4th-place finisher in the 200 IM, Jenna Forrester, placed 6th in 2:15.73—well off her personal best of 2:08.98.

MEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Record: 22.27, Andriy Govorov (2018)
• Australian Record: 22.73, Matt Targett (2009)
• Commonwealth Record: 22.73, Matt Targett (2009)

GOLD – Cameron McEvoy, 23.18
SILVER – Isaac Cooper, 23.63
BRONZE – Matthew Temple, 23.76

30-year-old Cameron McEvoy logged 23.18 to take the men’s 50 fly title, just 0.09 slower than his prelim mark of 23.09. The 50 free gold medalist in Paris earned bronze in this sprint fly event at the 2024 World Championships. He’s been as quick as 23.07, which he recorded at the 2023 World Championship Trials.

“I’ve been back in the water full-time for about three weeks now, so I’m really surprised with what I did today,” McEvoy said. “I’ve been focusing on the first 15 meters and the skill side of things.”

When asked about the 50 fly being added to the Olympic schedule, he said, “I think it’s great, obviously, I’m all for it. I think we’re going to see a wave of people coming down to these 50s, and it’s going to be really competitive.”

21-year-old Isaac Cooper, the 2024 World champion in the 50 back, secured silver in 23.63, also slower than his 23.63 heat swim. His personal best stands at 23.12.

100 fly Australian record holder, Matthew Temple, touched the wall in 23.76, clipping his morning mark by 0.06.

At the Stockholm Open last week, Kyle Chalmers notched his first-ever sub-23-second swim in the 50 fly, clocking 22.89. That performance still holds as the fastest Aussie time of the year.

Italian Thomas Ceccon, who was the fastest qualifier with a time of 23.00, scratched to focus on the 200 back.

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE — FINAL

• World Record: 51.71, Sarah Sjostrom (2017)
• Australian Record: 51.96, Emma McKeon (2021)
• Commonwealth Record: 51.96, Emma McKeon (2021)

GOLD – Mollie O’Callaghan, 53.12
SILVER – Meg Harris, 54.03
BRONZE – Alexandria Perkins, 54.21

In the women’s 100 free, 2022 and 2023 World Champion Mollie O’Callaghan took center stage. The 200 free Paris Olympic champion opened with a 26.10 split through the first 50 before closing in 27.02, finishing with a final time of 53.12, which ranks 2nd worldwide this season.

St. Peters’ O’Callaghan, who confirmed a knee injury to SwimSwam back in January, has since been focusing on healing and taking it “step by step.” She opened up about it a bit more after tonight’s swim.

“I think I gotta give myself a bit of a break. It’s been such a big past couple of months filled with lots of tears and a lot of things I’ve had to overcome,” O’Callaghan said.

“To come and do this time, it’s good to know I’m on the right track, but I still have that full determination to get fully back to training and be better than I’ve ever been before.”

When asked about backstroke, where she holds some of the fastest times in the history of the 50 and 100, she responded, “Look, if it’s a 200 back, I ain’t goin’ for it—I hate it so much. 100 free, love it. 200 free, love it. 50 free, nuh-uh, nope. 50 and 100 back, I love.”

Damien Jones-trained Meg Harris surpassed her season best of 54.31 from the Westmont Pro Swim Series in March, finishing 2nd with a time of 54.03. However, she was well off her 52.59 from this same competition last year, which remains her 2nd-fastest time ever.

USC’s Alexandria Perkins (54.21) rounded out the top three, setting a new personal best, pipping her previous mark of 54.54. Bond’s Hannah Casey logged an exceptional 54.52 for 4th, with the 18-year-old nearly matching her three-year-old PB of 54.30.

O’Callaghan’s training partner, Olympic relay gold medalist Shayna Jack, placed 5th with a time of 54.56. Jack, who finished 5th in the Paris Olympic final with a time of 52.72, was well off her best time of 52.28.

MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE — FINAL

• World Record – 3:39.96, Lukas Martens (2025)
• Australian Record – 3:40.08, Ian Thorpe (2002)
• Commonwealth Record – 3:40.08, Ian Thorpe (2002)

GOLD – Elijah Winnington, 3:45.97
SILVER – Benjamin Goedemans, 3:47.03
BRONZE – Matthew Galea, 3:51.42

2022 World Champion and 2024 Olympic silver medalist Elijah Winnington led the men’s 400 free from start to finish, clocking a time of 3:45.97. He finished ahead of teammate Benjamin Goedemans, who grabbed silver with a time of 3:47.03, shattering his previous lifetime best of 3:48.66 from the Olympic Trials last June.

Winnington posted a time of 3:41.41 at this meet last year before earning silver in Paris with a time of 3:42.21. His personal best remains the 3:41.22 that he swam to win the 2022 World title.

“Back to the drawing board,” Winnington said. “It wasn’t an amazing swim, didn’t feel fantastic, but it’s not about feeling—it’s about racing right now.”

Regarding his training, he added, “I’ll have to go and talk to my coach, make sure I work really hard, stay motivated, and keep chasing those guys that are in front of me.”

Reflecting on training with four-time Olympic champion Leon Marchand over the past few months, Winnington noted, “It was incredible. Leon is the best swimmer in the world currently. Training alongside him every day, not necessarily just his times but how he carries himself, even Thomas [Ceccon] who is still training here every day.”

WOMEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record – 29.16, Ruta Meilutyte (2023)
• Australian Record – 30.05, Chelsea Hodges (2022)
• Commonwealth Record – 29.72, Lara van Niekerk (2022)

GOLD – Mia O’Leary, 31.23
SILVER – Sienna Harben, 31.27
BRONZE – Tilly King, 31.51

Mel Marshall-coached Griffith University representative Mia O’Leary sprinted to the wall in 31.23 to win the women’s 50 breast. She nearly slid under her career best of 31.17 from this same meet back in 2021.

“We spend a lot on finishes, a lot on turns, and a lot on starts, so it’s good when it pays off,” O’Leary said.

Speaking on her reaction to this event being added to the Olympic program, she added: “I don’t think it changed anything. It’s really fun for us sprinters. I’m still chasing that 100, so the 50 win tonight gave me a great bit of confidence.”

Bond teammates Sienna Harben (31.27) and Tilly King (31.51) secured the final two podium spots, with both notching new best times.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 1:51.92, Aaron Piersol (2009)
• Australian Record: 1:53.17, Mitch Larkin (2015)
• Commonwealth Record: 1:53.17, Mitch Larkin (2015)

GOLD – Thomas Ceccon, 1:55.71 *Italian Record*
SILVER – Joshua Edwards-Smith, 1:58.23
BRONZE – Kane Follows, 1:58.96

Italian star Thomas Ceccon, who holds the world record in the 100 back and won that title in Paris, captured tonight’s 200 back victory with a new Italian record of 1:55.71. He eclipsed Matteo Restivo‘s previous mark of 1:56.29 from the 2018 European Championships. Ceccon’s splits included 27.40, 29.50, 29.62, and 29.19.

Ceccon’s best time prior to tonight’s swim was the 1:56.49 that he posted at the Athens World Cup stop in October 2023.

Ceccon is currently training with Dean Boxall at St. Peters. He is using this meet to qualify for the World Championships this summer, after receiving special permission to compete here instead of at last week’s Italian Nationals.

The time required to automatically qualify for Team Italy’s World Championship roster in this event was 1:56.29—the same mark as the previous Italian record.

The fastest Aussie on the day was Griffith University’s Joshua Edwards-Smith, who clocked 1:58.23 to finish 2nd in the final. New Zealand’s Kane Follows touched 3rd in 1:58.96, the only other swimmer under the 1:59 barrier. Edwards-Smith, who trains alongside female world record holder Kaylee McKeown, has been as quick as 1:55.42 in this event.

Se-Bom Lee (2:01.05) and Bradley Woodward (2:03.61), who represented the Green and Gold in Paris, placed 8th and 10th, respectively.

Notably, 20-year-old Enoch Robb won the age final with a time of 1:58.37, which would’ve been fast enough for 3rd in the ‘A’. 400 IM specialist William Petric touched 2nd in that heat, clocking a massive personal best of 2:00.72—a promising sign for his IM events, as backstroke is typically his weakest leg.

WOMEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: 8:04.79, Katie Ledecky (2016)
• Australian Record: 8:12.29, Ariarne Titmus (2022 & 2023)
• Commonwealth Record: 8:09.86, Summer McIntosh (2025)

GOLD – Lani Pallister, 8:18.71
SILVER – Erika Fairweather, 8:23.19
BRONZE – Moesha Johnson, 8:25.42

Olympic relay champion Lani Pallister was simply dominant in the women’s 800 free, winning by over four seconds with a time of 8:18.71. Her time tonight was faster than her performances in Paris, where she swam 8:20.21 in prelims and 8:21.09 in finals. It was also right on par with her 8:19.38 from this meet a year ago.

She recently made the move from Griffith University—where Michael Bohl departed at the end of last year and her mom remains an assistant coach—to join St. Peters Western under Boxall.

Pallister’s best time in the 800 stands at 8:15.11, which she posted at the Budapest stop of the 2023 World Cup. She has seemingly been on the verge of making numerous individual international podiums in both the 800 and 1500 for quite some time, but a string of illnesses at both the 2022 World Championships and the 2024 Olympics have derailed her hopes.

She was able claim an individual bronze at the 2022 Worlds in the 1500 before before being forced to withdraw from the 800 due to contracting COVID, and in Paris, she faced a similar setback, pulling out of the 1500 after testing positive for COVID again.

New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather, who won the 2024 World title in the 400 free, logged a time of 8:23.19 to finish 2nd tonight. Miami’s Moesha Johnson, who won silver in the 10k open water in Paris, clocked 8:25.42 to round out the top three. Johnson missed her best time by just 0.02.