McKeown wins gold, breaks Olympic record
Kaylee McKeown comes from behind to win gold in the women's 100m backstroke, and sets a new Olympic record. © International Olympic Committee
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The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
If you've never heard of Sienna Toohey, now is the time to take note
Toohey is faster at the same age. Yes, times have changed, but there is something special about this youngster. Australian swimming was buzzing with excitement on night two of the national trials when Toohey won her race in a personal best time of 1:06.55, just clear of Ella Ramsay (1:06.86). The time would have won a gold medal at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. By the time Toohey was being interviewed poolside, she was almost inconsolable. 'I'm just so excited because I worked so hard,' Toohey said as tears rolled down her cheeks. 'I was so nervous and so happy I have done it. 'It's been very hard living in Canberra for the last six weeks.' Toohey waved to family in the stands before greeting reporters. She'd spoken to some a year earlier when, as a 15-year-old, she'd narrowly missed making a maiden Olympics team. 'It was definitely something that I really wanted to be a part of,' Toohey said. 'It was definitely [tears of] relief.' How did she get into swimming? When did the dream really kick in? '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,' Toohey said. 'I started swimming just to do it and then my brother started to get really good at it. I got to the point where I had to choose swimming or water polo. Obviously, I chose swimming. It was the right choice.' Next month, the shy schoolgirl will travel to Singapore and represent her country at the world championships. Not a bad story to take back to school. 'They're very curious about swimming but they don't really understand most parts of it. They know that I'm good though,' Toohey said. 'I've told them my goals and they're very supportive. I'm sure I'll go back and I'll have numerous messages from them all.' Astute swimming judges have been whispering Toohey's name for some time. Last year, she broke Jones' 15-year-old age record that had stood since 2000. Earlier this year, Toohey lowered Jones' national record among 16-year-old breaststrokers in the two-lap event. Jones' best time as a 16-year-old was 1:07.31. Toohey is nearly a second quicker at the same age, but is now gunning for Jones' overall Australian record of 1:05.09. Toohey, who is now the eighth-fastest Australian in the event, was lucky enough to meet her hero during last year's Olympic trials. 'After nationals [this year] she sent me a message the night after I broke her record,' Toohey said. 'It honestly made my week. Getting something personalised from her … and her telling me to keep going and that things can happen when you're young, was definitely inspiring. 'I watched some of her races when I was first chasing down her records.' When the Brisbane Olympics arrive, Toohey is likely to be in the prime of her career, still at a tender age of 23. Toohey admits she has thought about the prospect of competing at a home Olympics. She is living proof that the Olympic dream burns bright in the nation's young athletes. 'When the Brisbane Olympics first got announced, that was the Olympic team I was hoping to get on. Now I've made this [world championship] one, we'll have to push the timeline up a bit more,' Toohey said. 'It'd definitely mean a lot being in my home country, plus some family members could come. Loading 'I just want to reach the top and hopefully get a medal at the Olympics one day.' Once Toohey had finished her interviews, she was greeted by some of her teenage friends. 'I now know someone who's going to be famous,' one was overheard saying.
Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
If you've never heard of Sienna Toohey, now is the time to take note
Toohey is faster at the same age. Yes, times have changed, but there is something special about this youngster. Australian swimming was buzzing with excitement on night two of the national trials when Toohey won her race in a personal best time of 1:06.55, just clear of Ella Ramsay (1:06.86). The time would have won a gold medal at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. By the time Toohey was being interviewed poolside, she was almost inconsolable. 'I'm just so excited because I worked so hard,' Toohey said as tears rolled down her cheeks. 'I was so nervous and so happy I have done it. 'It's been very hard living in Canberra for the last six weeks.' Toohey waved to family in the stands before greeting reporters. She'd spoken to some a year earlier when, as a 15-year-old, she'd narrowly missed making a maiden Olympics team. 'It was definitely something that I really wanted to be a part of,' Toohey said. 'It was definitely [tears of] relief.' How did she get into swimming? When did the dream really kick in? '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,' Toohey said. 'I started swimming just to do it and then my brother started to get really good at it. I got to the point where I had to choose swimming or water polo. Obviously, I chose swimming. It was the right choice.' Next month, the shy schoolgirl will travel to Singapore and represent her country at the world championships. Not a bad story to take back to school. 'They're very curious about swimming but they don't really understand most parts of it. They know that I'm good though,' Toohey said. 'I've told them my goals and they're very supportive. I'm sure I'll go back and I'll have numerous messages from them all.' Astute swimming judges have been whispering Toohey's name for some time. Last year, she broke Jones' 15-year-old age record that had stood since 2000. Earlier this year, Toohey lowered Jones' national record among 16-year-old breaststrokers in the two-lap event. Jones' best time as a 16-year-old was 1:07.31. Toohey is nearly a second quicker at the same age, but is now gunning for Jones' overall Australian record of 1:05.09. Toohey, who is now the eighth-fastest Australian in the event, was lucky enough to meet her hero during last year's Olympic trials. 'After nationals [this year] she sent me a message the night after I broke her record,' Toohey said. 'It honestly made my week. Getting something personalised from her … and her telling me to keep going and that things can happen when you're young, was definitely inspiring. 'I watched some of her races when I was first chasing down her records.' When the Brisbane Olympics arrive, Toohey is likely to be in the prime of her career, still at a tender age of 23. Toohey admits she has thought about the prospect of competing at a home Olympics. She is living proof that the Olympic dream burns bright in the nation's young athletes. 'When the Brisbane Olympics first got announced, that was the Olympic team I was hoping to get on. Now I've made this [world championship] one, we'll have to push the timeline up a bit more,' Toohey said. 'It'd definitely mean a lot being in my home country, plus some family members could come. Loading 'I just want to reach the top and hopefully get a medal at the Olympics one day.' Once Toohey had finished her interviews, she was greeted by some of her teenage friends. 'I now know someone who's going to be famous,' one was overheard saying.
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Perth Now
Schoolgirl surfaces as future of Australian swimming
An emotional 16-year-old schoolgirl is being hailed as the future of Australian swimming after earning world championship selection. Sienna Toohey left seasoned campaigners including Kaylee McKeown in awe with a stunning swim at Australia's selection trials in Adelaide on Tuesday night. The Albury teen, who only started swimming because she wanted to play water polo, triumphed in the women's 100m breaststroke. Toohey's victory, in a personal best time of one minute 06.55 seconds, secured her berth at the world titles in Singapore from July 27 to August 3. "All of these people being my idols, now I get to be on the team with them," Toohey said. "These are people that I was watching two years ago, saying I want to be like them." The daughter of the relieving principal at Albury High School, Toohey initially wanted to be a water polo player. "My parents told me that I couldn't do water polo if I didn't swim, so I started swimming," she said. "And then my water polo progressed and my swimming was too at the same time. "I got to the point where I had to choose swimming or water polo. Obviously, I chose swimming - it was the right choice." Five-time Olympic gold medallist McKeown was among those impressed with Toohey's feat at the South Australian Aquatic Centre. "I was 16 when I made my first team and it really taught me a lot being with the older guys," McKeown said after winning the 100m backstroke final on Tuesday night. "I'm excited to see young swimmers coming through the ranks. "The more experience that they can get leading into LA (the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics), we have a really good chance of doing Australia proud." McKeown, who has told of the mental toll during her decorated career, offered some advice to the precocious Toohey. "Just to enjoy yourself," McKeown said. "The more you be serious, the more you're harsh on yourself, you keep just digging yourself in a bit of a hole and it's quite hard to get out of." For Toohey, she now will revise plans which had centred on the goal of swimming at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. "The team I was first aiming to get on was definitely that one," she said. "Now that I've made this one, we'll have to push up the timeline a bit more." Also on Tuesday night, Alex Perkins threatened the national women's 50m butterfly record by clocking 25.36 seconds, 0.05 shy of Holly Barratt's benchmark set six years ago. Injury-plagued Ed Sommerville, 20, made his first senior long-course national team by winning the men's 200m freestyle in 1:44.93 ahead of Sam Short (1:45.71). Joshua Edwards-Smith prevailed in the men's 100m backstroke in 54.28 and and Matt Temple took out the men's 100m butterfly in 51.00.
