Ethan Haegebaert, 16, Swims 22.39 in Prelims at Aussie Age Champs, Just .06 from Chalmers’ Record

2026 Australian Age Championships

• April 11-18, 2026
• Gold Coast Aquatic Centre
• LCM (50 Meters)
• Meet Central
• Heat Sheets
• Day 1 Recap/Day 2 Recap/Day 3 Recap/Day 4 Recap
• Live Results

Australia has been wonting for new talent in the men’s sprint freestyles for a few years, with their aging superstars Kyle Chalmers and Cam McEvoy nearing the end of their careers and not a ton of depth behind them to build around.

They may have found a new addition to their next generation on Wednesday in prelims, when 16-year-old Ethan Haegebaert swam 22.39 to qualify first through the heats of the 16-year-olds 50 free at the Australian Age Championships.

The Knox Prymble product was already in the country’s all-time age group top 10 thanks to a 22.83 in December, but now moves all the way to a tie for 3rd place in the event.

All-Time Top Performers, Boys’ 50 LCM Freestyle

1. Kyle Chalmers, 22.33 (2015)
2. Joshua Conias, 22.35 (2024)
3. • Flynn Southam, 22.39 (2022)
   • Ethan Haegebaert, 22.39 (2026)
5. Te Haumi Maxwell, 22.48 (2010)
6. Cameron Jones, 22.64 (2013)
7. Vincent Dai, 22.72 (2014)
8. Cam McEvoy, 22.76 (2011)
9. Brayden McCarthy, 22.87 (2014)
10. Jack Cartwright, 22.93 (2015)

The only other two new additions to this top 10 list since 2015 when Kyle Chalmers set the record* were Joshua Conias, who swam 22.35 in 2024, and Flynn Southam, who swam 22.39 in 2022 (the man that Haegebaert is tied with). Neither swimmer has progressed much in this event since 16: Southam’s current best four years later is 22.22, while Conias’ best of 22.23 came at the World Junior Championships last year that ranked him 5th.

Editor’s note: Cartwright’s swim, also in 2015, came after Chalmers’.

Conias raced in the 18-year-olds category earlier in the meet, where he finished 3rd behind Ollie Moclair, another talented young sprinter. Moclair swam a breakout 21.73 in prelims for his first sub-22 swim.

The Australian men’s 400 free relay are the defending World Champions, so the group is healthy currently. Especially so with 3 of the 4 legs being in their early 20s (Southam is 20, Kai Taylor is 22, and Max Giuliani is 22).

But at this week’s junior meet, a number of swimmers have risen to the occasion, especially in the 50 free – where Australia only had one swimmer advance to the semifinals at Worlds last year (McEvoy, who won gold).