2026 Australian Swimming Trials: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2026 AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING TRIALS

• Monday, June 8 – Saturday, June 13, 2026
• Sydney, Australia
• Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Commonwealth Selection Criteria
• Pan Pac Selection Criteria
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Storylines To Watch
• Live Recaps:
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2
  • Finals: Day 1
• Day 2 Finals Heat Sheet

The second night of action from the 2026 Australian Swimming Trials in Sydney is set to get underway with Commonwealth and Pan Pac roster spots on the line in six events, plus Para Pan Pac selection up for grabs across four multi-class events.

We’ll see the three women’s events run first, followed by the three men’s races (with the Para events sprinkled in between).

Leading off will be the women’s 100 breaststroke, where all eyes will be on 17-year-old Sienna Toohey, the top seed coming into the meet who set a new personal best of 1:06.43 in April, along with Ella Ramsay, who is coming off a strong runner-up finish in the 200 IM on Monday.

That will be followed by the women’s 50 fly, where Alexandria Perkins, the co-national record holder, will be the big favorite after a dominant showing on Monday in the 100 fly. Lily Price faded to 4th in the 100 fly, but was quick on the opening 50, so she’ll be dangerous as well.

All eyes will be on reigning Olympic and world champion Kaylee McKeown in the women’s 100 back, as the 24-year-old superstar is coming off winning the 50 back on Monday despite pulling out of the 200 IM due to illness. McKeown currently ranks 3rd in the world this season with her time of 58.06 from April, and she’ll be aiming to take over the top spot from rival and world record holder Regan Smith, who went 57.49 last month.

Iona Anderson, 20, led the way out of the heats in a time of 59.32, with McKeown following in 59.56.

• Day 2 Finals Heat Sheet

The men’s schedule will kick off with the 200 freestyle, which should be an exciting race with no clear-cut favorite and relay spots on the line for this summer. Edward Sommerville was the only Aussie man under 1:45 last year in 1:44.93, and he leads the national rankings again this season with his 1:45.34 clocking from the Japan Open in November.

The men’s 100 back will be headlined by 17-year-old standout Henry Allan, who recovered from a slow start to secure a runner-up finish last night in the 50 back final, showing impressive over-the-water form that’s a good indicator for the 100. Isaac Cooper, who won the 50 back, led Allan through the heats by a small margin, but has scratched the final.

Matt Temple has long been a dominant force on the domestic scene in the men’s 100 fly, and he popped off a stunning 50.60 swim in the prelims to move into 4th in the 2025-26 world rankings. Ben Armbruster has been impressive over the last year, breaking 51 last summer and clocking 51.22 at the Japan Open in November.

Kyle Chalmers set a new personal best of 51.04 in the prelims, but has scratched out of the final.

WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 1:04.13, Lilly King (USA) – 2017
• Commonwealth Record: 1:04.82, Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA) – 2021
• Australian Record: 1:05.09, Leisel Jones – 2006
• All Comers Record: 1:05.09, Leisel Jones (AUS) – 2006
• SA Qualifying Time: 1:06.17

‘A’ Final

1. Sienna Toohey (Albury), 1:05.97
2. Ella Ramsay (Nunawading,), 1:06.70
3. Sienna Harben (Griffith), 1:07.10
4. Tara Kinder (Melbourne Vicentre), 1:07.94
5. Matilda Smith (Miami), 1:08.49
6. Lily Koch (Melbourne Vicentre), 1:08.55
7. Keahne Bergin (Rackley), 1:08.83
8. Isabella Johnson (Nudgee College), 1:09.11

Sienna Toohey went out like a rocket and never looked back in the final of the women’s 100 breaststroke, picking up a decisive win and breaking the 1:06 barrier for the first time.

The 17-year-old Albury product blasted out to an opening 50 of 30.58, not too far off her lifetime best in the 50 breast of 30.39, and then was still able to close well, splitting 35.39 on the way home to touch in a final time of 1:05.97.

The swim breaks Leisel Jones‘ Aussie Age Record for 17-year-old girls of 1:06.37, set in 2003, breaks Toohey’s own 17-year-old All-Comers Record of 1:06.43 set earlier this year, and moves her into 5th in the world this season.

Toohey also becomes the third-fastest Australian of all-time, only trailing Jones (1:05.09) and Sarah Katsoulis (1:05.86), after having previously been ranked 8th with her previous best of 1:06.43.

All-Time Australian Performers, Women’s 100 Breaststroke (LCM)

1. Leisel Jones, 1:05.09 – 2006
2. Sarah Katsoulis, 1:05.86 – 2009
3. Sienna Toohey, 1:05.97 – 2026
4. Chelsea Hodges, 1:05.99 – 2021
5. Tarnee White, 1:06.04 – 2008

Touching two-tenths under the SA qualifying time, Toohey books her ticket to the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships for the first time after making her senior debut at the World Championships last summer.

Nunawading’s Ella Ramsay had a solid swim to claim the runner-up spot in a time of 1:06.70, lowering her previous best time of 1:06.86 to move into 16th in the world this season. Ramsay also placed 2nd last night in the 200 IM.

Griffith University’s Sienna Harben, 22, was just eight one-hundredths off her lifetime best to round out the podium in 1:07.10, while Tara Kinder, 3rd in last night’s 200 IM, was the fourth woman sub-1:08 in 1:07.94. Her best time stands at 1:07.42, set last year.

WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Record: 24.43, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2014
• Commonwealth Record: 25.20, Francesca Halsall (GBR) – 2014
• Australian Record: 25.31, Holly Barratt / Alexandria Perkins – 2019 / 2025
• All Comers Record: 25.33, Rikako Ikee (JPN) – 2024
• SA Qualifying Time: 25.62

‘A’ Final

1. Alexandria Perkins (USC Spartans), 25.60
2. Lily Price (Rackley), 25.91
4. Mackenzie Burns (St. Andrew’s) / Claudia Fydler (Bond), 26.21
5. –
6. Olivia Hine (Somerville House), 26.37
7. Isabella Boyd (Nunawading), 26.49
8. Josephine Crimmins (Somerville House), 26.59
9. Chloe Rowe-Hagans (St. Andrew’s), 26.83

USC Spartan Alexandria Perkins made it two-for-two through two nights of racing in Sydney, winning the women’s butterfly in a time of 25.60 after dominating last night’s 100 fly.

The 25-year-old’s time is just shy of her season-best of 25.44, set in March, while her lifetime best and co-Aussie Record of 25.31 was established at the 2025 World Championships where she claimed the silver medal.

Perkins said post-race that she was simply getting the job done and is happy to add the 50 to her schedule at the Commonwealth Games, having slipped under the qualifying time by two one-hundredths.

Rackley’s Lily Price, who showed she had speed to burn early in last night’s 100 fly final, had a decent showing to crack the 26-second barrier in 25.91, narrowly missing her season-best of 25.84 set in March. Price owns a PB of 25.61 from the 2025 World Championships.

Nineteen-year-old Mackenzie Burns and 24-year-old Claudia Fydler tied for 3rd in a time of 26.21, both establishing new lifetime bests.

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY MC – FINAL

Top Three

1. Jasmine Greenwood S10 (Woden Valley), 1:06.63 – 829 pts
2. Kael Thompson S14 (USC Spartans), 1:07.26 – 805 pts
3. Montana Atkinson S14 (USC Spartans), 1:08.00 – 779 pts

Woden Valley’s Jasmine Greenwood, S10, topped the field in the women’s 100 fly multi-class, clocking 1:06.63 after already earning a Para Pan Pac spot with her 1:07.86 showing in the prelims. Greenwood won silver in this event at the 2021 Paralympics in Tokyo.

USC Spartans Kael Thompson and Montana Atkinson both qualified for their first Para Pan Pac team by hitting the S14 qualifying time in 2nd and 3rd, while another USC swimmer, Emily Beecroft, S9, clocked 1:09.19 to punch her ticket to Irvine as well.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY MC – FINAL

Top Three

1. Declan Budd S14 (Knox Pymble), 57.11 – 854 pts
2. Timothy Hodge S9 (Blacktown), 1:00.47 – 846 pts
3. Alex Saffy S10 (Woden Valley), 57.67 – 828 pts

Though a few of them had already done it in the prelims, five men hit Para Pan Pac qualifying times in the final of the multi-class 100 fly, led by Declan Budd.

The S14 swimmer was within a tenth of the qualifying time in the prelims in 57.70, but left no doubt tonight by blasting his way to a time of 57.11 to get comfortably under the mark. His 854 para points edged out Timothy Hodge, S9, who clocked 1:00.47 for 846 points. He had already gotten under the S9 qualifying time with his 1:01.15 prelim swim.

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 57.13, Regan Smith (USA) – 2024
• Commonwealth Record: 57.16, Kaylee McKeown  (AUS)– 2025
• Australian Record: 57.16, Kaylee McKeown – 2025
• All Comers Record: 57.41, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2024
• SA Qualifying Time: 59.56

‘A’ Final

1. Kaylee McKeown (USC Spartns), 57.77
2. Iona Anderson (Highlanders), 58.60
3. Hannah Fredericks (St Peters Western), 59.79
4. Alyssa Burgess (Highlanders), 1:00.09
5. Emily Jones (Hunter), 1:00.99
6. Jaclyn Barclay (Griffith), 1:01.04
7. Heidi Shumack (SOPAC), 1:01.22
8. Zoe Ammundsen (Nudgee College), 1:01.24

Iona Anderson got out to the early lead, but it was all Kaylee McKeown coming home in the final of the women’s 100 backstroke, as the reigning Olympic and world champion delivered a blistering closing split to book the victory with a new season-best time.

McKeown split 28.52/29.25 en route to a time of 57.77, marking her first swim under 58 seconds this season after previously going 58.06 in April. She remains the third-fastest woman in the world behind Americans Regan Smith (57.49) and Isabelle Stadden (57.55).

McKeown won the 2025 Aussie Trials in a very similar time, having gone 57.71 last June.

Asked again about the illness that resulted in her dropping the 200 IM, McKeown said post-race she’s still feeling nowhere near 100%, but “a lot of people are in the same boat.”

As for Anderson, the 20-year-old Highlanders swimmers had a very impressive swim, splitting 28.46/30.14 en route to a time of 58.60, putting her under the SA qualifying time by nearly a full second.

After missing last year’s Trials due to a back injury, Anderson delivered the second-fastest swim of her career to move into 4th in the world this season, overtaking countrymate Mollie O’Callaghan (58.64) who scratched the event this morning.

Anderson set her personal best of 58.43 at the 2024 Australian Olympic Trials.

St. Peter’s Western’s Hannah Fredericks made it three women under one minute, clocking 59.79 to snag 3rd place and move into 20th in the world this season. She represented Australia in this event at the 2025 World Championships, where she set her lifetime best of 59.25.

MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: 1:42.00, Paul Biedermann (GER) – 2009
• Commonwealth Record: 1:44.06, Ian Thorpe (AUS) – 2001
• Australian Record: 1:44.06, Ian Thorpe – 2001
• All Comers Record: 1:44.06, Ian Thorpe (AUS) – 2001
• SA Qualifying Time: 1:45.60

‘A’ Final

1. Sam Short (Rackley), 1:45.16
2. Kai Taylor (St. Peters Western), 1:45.30
3. Harrison Turner (Nudgee College), 1:45.71
4. Edward Sommerville (Brisbane Grammar), 1:45.72
5. Charlie Hawke (Rackley), 1:45.99
6. William Petric (Nunawading), 1:46.76
7. Cameron Blade (Tigersharks), 1:47.25
8. Elijah Winnington (St. Peters Western), 1:48.48

It was an absolute barn-burner in the final of the men’s 200 freestyle, with nothing in between the top five swimmers coming down the last 15 meters, and it was the distance stalwart Sam Short getting the job done.

After Kai Taylor flipped first at the 50, top seed coming in Edward Sommerville began to establish himself on the second 100, leading the field in 50.75, with Charlie Hawke (51.05) moving into 2nd and Taylor and Short close behind.

Things stayed relatively even over the third 50, and then coming home, things began tightening up, and you could almost draw a straight line across the top four five with 15 meters to go. The fifth man moving into the picture was Harrison Turner, the 200 fly World Championship medalist who stayed in contact through the first 150 and began to make a charge on the last length.

Coming down the stretch, Short inched ahead and secured the victory in a time of 1:45.16, improving on his hours-old personal best of 1:45.52 set in the prelims to move into 6th in the 2025-26 world rankings. He also becomes the sixth-fastest Australian ever.

Short joked post-race that he probably got a 50 and 100 free PB in this race because he has “no speed.” Per our research, his 24.89 opening 50 wasn’t a best, having been 24.54 in 2023, but has 100 split of 51.23 is his fastest ever.

Taylor, who, like Short, is just 22, had a breakthrough performance of sorts by placing 2nd in a time of 1:45.30, shattering his three-year-old best time of 1:45.79 set in 2023. Taylor said in his post-race interview that it had been a long time coming for a swim like this.

Turner charged home in 26.93, the fastest last 50 in the field, to move into 3rd in a time of 1:45.71, lowering the best time he set in the prelims by half a second (1:46.21). Coming into the meet, his PB stood at 1:47.01.

Sommerville fell to 4th in 1:45.72, but will still qualify for the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacs for the relay (and can swim the 200 free at Pan Pacs), while Hawke found himself back in 5th in 1:45.99, lowering his previous best time of 1:46.10.

Australia now has three men ranked in the top nine in the world this season in the 200 free, and six in the top 23.

William Petric, who was 6th in 1:46.76, has been as fast as 1:46.14 this season, which ranks him 23rd in the world, while Short (6th), Taylor (8th), Sommerville (9th), Turner (15th) and Hawke (21st) are also featured in the world rankings.

In the ‘B’ final, South Korea’s Hwang Sunwoo went out like a rocket, turning in 50.87 at the 100, before fading a bit coming home but still putting up a respectable time of 1:45.75. He leads the world rankings this season after going 1:43.92 back in October.

Rackley’s Thomas Neill had his fastest swim in two years, 1:46.79, to place 10th overall from the consolation heat.

WOMEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE MC – FINAL

Top Three

1. Madeleine McTernan S14 (Griffith), 32.63 – 868 pts
2. Michelle Fawer S10 (Engadine), 36.95 – 540 pts
3. Giselle Tapfield S10 (Tivoli), 37.21 – 529 pts

Griffith University’s Madeleine McTernan led the way in the women’s multi-class 50 backstroke, as the S14 athlete clocked 32.63 to score 868 para points, more than 300 points clear of the rest of the field.

The only swimmer in the field to hit a qualifying time was Esther Overton, competing in the S1 category, who clocked 1:34.10, though she won’t be eligible for Para Pan Pacs this summer.

MEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE MC – FINAL

Top Three

1. Benjamin Hance S14 (St. Andrew’s), 25.88 – 879 pts
2. Liam Togher S9 (Knox Pymble), 30.21 – 669 pts
3. Eli Kerr S9 (Warrnambool), 33.50 – 491 pts

Benjamin Hance, the reigning two-time Paralympic champion in the men’s S14 100 back, had an impressive showing to win the 50 back on Tuesday night in Sydney, clocking 25.88 to dip under his season-best of 25.92 set earlier this year. He also went 25.93 in the prelims.

Hance set the S14 world record this past December in a time of 25.76.

MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 51.60, Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 2022
• Commonwealth Record: 51.85, Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 2025
• Australian Record: 52.11, Mitch Larkin – 2015
• All Comers Record: 52.38, Mitch Larkin (AUS) – 2019
• SA Qualifying Time: 52.57

‘A’ Final

1. Henry Allan (Bendigo East), 53.52
2. Stuart Swinburn (City of Sydney), 54.62
3. Adam Graham (Manly), 54.64
4. Bradley Woodward (Minagra) / Jack Morrow (St. Andrew’s), 54.75
5. –
6. Enoch Robb (Griffith), 54.85
7. Matthew Magnussen (Nudgee College), 55.59
8. Tate Sirianni (Cranbrook), 55.49

Seventeen-year-old standout Henry Allan came through under pressure to win the Australian national title in the men’s 100 backstroke, doing so in dominant fashion.

The towering Bendigo East swimmer held the slight lead over the rest of the field at the 50-meter turn in 26.21, and then took off coming home, splitting 27.31 on the way back to finish in a time of 53.52.

The time falls just shy of the 53.45 personal best he set at the Australian Age Championships in April, which ranks him 14th in the world this season.

Although well shy of the incredibly quick SA qualifying time of 52.57, Allan will likely be named to the Commonwealth and Pan Pac teams for the medley relay.

City of Sydney’s Stuart Swinburn was the only other swimmer in the field to break 28 seconds on the second 50, splitting 26.65/27.97 to claim the runner-up spot in 54.62, out-touching Manly’s Adam Graham (54.64). Swinburn set a personal best of 54.58 in the prelims, having come into the meet with a best of 54.61, while Graham broke 55 seconds for the first time.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Record: 49.45, Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 2019
• Commonwealth Record: 49.99, Josh Liendo (CAN) – 2024
• Australian Record: 50.25, Matt Temple – 2023
• All Comers Record: 50.45, Matt Temple (AUS) – 2024
• SA Qualifying Time: 50.88

‘A’ Final

1. Matt Temple (Marion), 50.50
2. Ben Armbruster (Bond), 51.00
3. Harrison Turner (Nudgee College), 51.47
4. Joseph Hamson (Knox Pymble), 52.05
5. Alex Quach (Nudgee College), 52.54
6. Thomas Nankervis (Griffith), 52.83
7. Cash Milner (St. Andrew’s), 53.13
8. Charlie Lutton (Brisbane Grammar), 53.35

Matt Temple backed up his blistering prelim swim with another sub-51 outing in tonight’s final of the men’s 100 fly, soaring to his sixth national title in the event.

The 26-year-old veteran had nearly identical splits to his morning swim, opening up a small lead at the 50 in 23.60 before coming home in a blistering 26.90 to touch in a final time of 50.50, the third-fastest swim of his career.

The Marion swimmer had gone 50.60 in the prelims, splitting 23.67/26.93, to slot into 4th in the 2025-26 world rankings. Tonight’s performance keeps him there, but inches him closer to his 2023 lifetime best and Australian Record of 50.25.

Bond’s Ben Armbruster, who joined the sub-51 club last year, was right with Temple at the 50-meter mark in 23.69, and though he fell back a bit on the second length, he still closed well to finish in a time of 51.00, the second-fastest swim of his career to slot into 7th in the 2025-26 world rankings.

While Temple cleared it, Armbruster was 12 one-hundredths shy of the SA qualifying time of 50.88.

Harrison Turner, fresh off an impressive finish in the 200 free earlier in the night, came home like a freight train to earn his second 3rd-place finish of the night in 51.47, two one-hundredths under his previous best time. The 22-year-old was 5th at the 50 in 24.51, but came home in a blistering 26.96.

In the ‘B’ final, South African Matt Sates, who is attempting to gain Australian citizenship prior to the LA Olympics in 2028, led the way in a time of 52.83.