Aussie Henry Allan Takes Down Aaron Peirsol’s 25-Yr-Old All Comers Age Record

2026 Australian Age Championships

• April 11-18, 2026
• Gold Coast Aquatic Centre
• LCM (50 Meters)
• Meet Central
• Heat Sheets
• Live Results

The 2026 Australian Age Championships kicked off with a bang, as our first national age record bit the dust to get the party started.

Racing in the prelims of the 17-year-old boys’ 200m backstroke, Henry Allan of Bendigo East fired off a new lifetime best of 1:57.56 to handily beat his competitors en route to capturing the top seed.

Allan’s effort obliterated the former Australian Age Record for 17-year-old boys, a mark of 1:59.09, which retired Olympic medalist and world champion Mitch Larkin established 15 years ago.

Splits for Allan’s prelims swim included 27.41/29.92 (57.33)/30.14/30.09.

Entering this competition, Allan’s lifetime best rested at the 1:59.23 he turned in last December at the Queensland Championships, so he crushed that former outing with his morning performance.

However, Allan had more in the tank, as the teen dropped even more time in tonight’s final.

Allan ultimately delivered a powerful result of 1:57.00 to not only lower his own newly minted Age Record but to overtake the All Comers Age Record of 1:57.35 that five-time American Olympic gold medalist Aaron Peirsol had held for over 25 years.

Splits for his evening effort came in at 27.52/29.66 (57.18)/30.23/29.59.

The next-closest swimmer was represented by Brisbane Grammar’s Thomas Garbanzo, who touched in 2:01.84 followed by Carlile’s Reagen Cheng‘s time of 2:03.26.

Of his impressive performance, Allan told Swimming Australia, “To come back here tonight after heats and repeat the record … I am so proud of myself. The 200m is never my specialty and I am excited to see where I can take it.

“I would be honoured to step into (Australia’s) medley relay – just the amount of excellence in the men’s and whole Dolphins’ squad.”