New-look Australia swim team using World Aquatics C'ships in S'pore to build towards LA 2028
Kaylee McKeown competing in the women's 100m backstroke final during the Australian Swimming Trials in Adelaide on June 10.
SYDNEY – Seasoned campaigners Kaylee McKeown and Kyle Chalmers spearhead a young Australia squad for the World Aquatics Championships (WCH) in Singapore as the swimming powerhouse undergoes a post-Olympics changing of the guard.
Since Paris, where Australia won seven golds to the eight by the United States, several big names have either retired or are resting.
Australia's most successful Olympian, Emma McKeon, has hung up her goggles as have other stalwarts including Mitch Larkin, Brianna Throssell and Jenna Strauch.
Four-time Olympic gold medallist Ariarne Titmus – who lost her 400m freestyle world record to Canadian Summer McIntosh in June – is on an extended break.
That has opened the door for 10 debutants to make the Australia squad for the World Aquatics Championships, where the swimming events begin on July 27 at the newly built WCH Arena.
Head coach Rohan Taylor characterised Singapore as the beginning of a new cycle building to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and a key learning experience for Australia's next potential superstars.
'I am excited by what this team can do over the next four years,' said Taylor.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore Singaporeans aged 21 to 59 can claim $600 SG60 vouchers from July 22
Singapore Miscalculation of MOH subsidies and grants led to $7m in overpayments, $2m in shortfalls
Singapore Singaporeans continue to hold world's most powerful passport
Asia Indonesia on high alert as dry weather fans forest, peatland fires in Sumatra
Singapore 2 charged over alleged role in posting bail for man who later absconded
Singapore Teen charged after allegedly selling vaporisers, advertising e-cigarettes on WhatsApp
Singapore 2,500 turtles seized in India and sent back to S'pore, put down humanely after salmonella detected
Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving
'This is the beginning of the third Olympic campaign I have been the head coach for, and this team has a strong nucleus in place.
'The end goal is LA, but to be great in LA this very young team, which boasts 10 rookies, is going to learn what is needed on the global stage in Singapore.'
Eleven of the squad are aged 20 or under.
At just 16, Sienna Toohey has Australian fans most excited after she came from nowhere to qualify for the 50m and 100m breaststroke.
Australia also have high hopes for fellow newcomers such as Hannah Fredericks (200m backstroke) and Ben Goedemans (800m freestyle), while Ella Ramsay, 21, will contest four events.
The experienced core of the squad is led by Paris Olympics 50m freestyle champion Cameron McEvoy, who will be at his seventh world championships.
His close friend Chalmers – who has won medals in the 100m free at three consecutive Olympics including gold on debut in Rio 2016 – toyed with packing up swimming after Paris, but a new coach has rejuvenated him.
He was in scintillating form at the trials, qualifying in speedy times for the 50m and 100m freestyle, and the 50m butterfly.
'I'm just trusting what I have been doing in training, listening to what my coaches are telling me, trusting that we've done the work,' said Chalmers, who has won 12 world championship medals, including five golds.
The women are headlined by McKeown, who retained her 100m and 200m backstroke titles in Paris.
The 24-year-old will also swim the 50m in Singapore – an event added to the Olympic programme in 2028 – looking to emulate the treble she won at the 2023 world championships.
Like McKeown, Olympic 200m champion Mollie O'Callaghan has been open about her struggles mentally after the high of Paris, where she achieved her dreams with three golds, a silver and a bronze.
She has refocused and is a gold-medal prospect in both the 100m and 200m freestyle.
Fast-rising teenager Olivia Wunsch is Australia's other women's 100m freestyle entrant, also qualifying for the 50m free alongside Olympic silver medallist Meg Harris.
Lani Pallister has taken giant strides since the Olympics and had a breakthrough trials.
She became only the third woman to swim under 15min 40sec in the 1,500m freestyle behind American great Katie Ledecky and the retired Dane Lottie Friis.
Pallister also shattered Titmus's 800m national record and went under four minutes for the first time in the 400m.
'I think I've shown what I can do and I'm excited to build on it – I don't think this is my limit,' she said. REUTERS
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
13 minutes ago
- Straits Times
South Africa's Van Schalkwyk hits first ever YODI double-century
Find out what's new on ST website and app. South Africa's Jorich van Schalkwyk became the first batter to score a double century in a Youth One-Day International (YODI) when he smashed 215 off 153 balls against Zimbabwe in Harare on Friday. Opener Van Schalkwyk, 18, who's innings contained 19 fours and six sixes, beat the previous record of 191 by Sri Lanka's Hasitha Boyagoda against Kenya in 2018. It comes after the right-hander hit a South African record 164 against Bangladesh on Tuesday, which he has now beaten and taken the overall YODI top score to boot. Batting first, South Africa posted a team record 385 all out in one ball shy of 50 overs, before bowling Zimbabwe out for 107. The 278-run margin of victory is also a YODI record, topping Australia's 209-run win over Namibia in 2012. REUTERS

Straits Times
43 minutes ago
- Straits Times
China top artistic swimming medal table with four golds at the World Aquatics C'ships
Team China competing in the team acrobatic final at the World Aquatics Championships on July 25, 2025. SINGAPORE – Taking to the pool last at the World Aquatics Championships Arena on July 25, China delivered when it mattered most with a terracotta army-themed performance that clinched the team acrobatic title and consolidated their spot at the top of the medal standings. Heading into the final event of the artistic swimming competition, China, Spain and Russia, whose athletes are competing under neutral status, each had three golds, all with a chance to finish first in the artistic swimming medal table. In the end, it was the Chinese who prevailed, finishing top of the standings for the third time in four editions, with four golds and three silvers. Behind them were Russia's neutral athletes (3-3-2) and Spain (3-2-4). However, it was a far tighter contest than the 2024 world championships in Doha, where they claimed seven golds across 11 events. Later that year, China also swept the duet and team titles at the Paris Olympics, with powerhouses Russia absent. Cheered on by a near-capacity crowd at the 4,800-seat venue, the Chinese scored 229.0186 points. They were followed by the neutral athletes from Russia (224.7291) and Spain (221.0962). China head coach Zhang Xiaohuan said: 'Although the Chinese team won three team gold medals, I don't believe the Chinese team possesses absolute dominance. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Singapore MRT service changes needed to modify 3 East-West Line stations on Changi Airport stretch: LTA Singapore S'pore could have nuclear energy 'within a few years', if it decides on it: UN nuclear watchdog chief Life 'Do you kill children?': Even before independence, S'pore has always loved its over-the-top campaigns Singapore Lung damage, poor brain development, addiction: What vaping does to the body Singapore Career setbacks among challenges raised by those seeking fertility help in S'pore: Survey Singapore Fine for couple whose catering companies owed $432,000 in salaries to 103 employees Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly 'Every competition is different and every competition presents different situations. Moreover, the new rules will be revised again starting next year.' Expectations remained high after a strong showing at the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup Super Final in June, when China swept all team titles and secured seven golds on home soil. An emotional Zhang shared that the team had faced challenges throughout their campaign – three days before they left for Singapore, Zhang Yayi fractured her foot and had to fly in a wheelchair. On July 25, Xu Huiyan, who had won the women's solo technical title earlier in the competition, came down with a high fever but still competed after taking medication. When asked if she was satisfied with the medal haul, Zhang admitted that she had higher expectations but also noted that they were still a work in progress. She said: 'This is the current strongest performance of our team in this new cycle, with this new line-up. I expect us to have an even better performance next time. 'We are also in the process of exploring and we are learning from our opponents. It's not like we're absolutely confident and feel like we're sure to win.' Meanwhile, Russia showed they remain a force on their return to the world meet after missing three editions due to sanctions imposed by World Aquatics in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Aleksandr Maltsev led the charge for the Russians, contributing to all three golds, after winning the men's solo technical and free, as well as the mixed duet technical title with Mayya Gurbanberdieva. Russia's Olesia Platonova said: 'We are very happy to be here. Of course, we see a higher level of athletes, many more members and competitors, especially men's artistic swimming, mixed duet – the level is higher year by year and this championships are a real celebration of that.' Spain capped an impressive campaign with their team acrobatic bronze, just hours after Iris Tio Casas and Dennis Gonzalez Boneu won the mixed duet free title with a score of 323.8563. They finished ahead of neutral athletes Maltsev and Platonova (323.4438) and Britain's Isabelle Thorpe and Ranjuo Tomblin (322.0583). In Singapore, they delivered several historic results, with Tio at the forefront. She claimed Spain's first women's solo title with her win in the solo free and also contributed to the country's first duet titles – both in the women's and mixed duet free – alongside Lilou Lluis Valette and Gonzalez Boneu respectively. Spanish coach Andrea Fuentes (second from left) hugging her artistic swimmers after they completed their performance in the team acrobatic final at the World Aquatics Championships. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO They credited their performance to coach Andrea Fuentes, who returned home after guiding the United States to a team silver at the Paris Olympics. The Spaniard, a former artistic swimmer, had not expected success to come so quickly, but emphasised that her team's goals extended beyond medals. She said: 'Today, I told them in the morning, I don't care if it's gold, bronze, silver or 10th. What I want is when you finish and you say, 'I did my best', and that you make people enjoy, because otherwise you are not useful for society. 'Our job is to create this magic that inspires others – otherwise it's useless, just legs in the water, for what? It's so silly. But if the values that we represent are useful for others and make them feel stronger, then it's useful and it's much better than all the effort.'

Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Iris Tio Casas makes history for Spain with artistic swimming solo free gold at World C'ships
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Iris Tio Casas won Spain's first women's solo title at the world championships with her victory in the solo free event on July 22. SINGAPORE – This time in 2024, Iris Tio Casas was moved to tears as she watched Celine Dion perform Hymne A L'Amour during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on television. On July 22, the Spanish artistic swimmer was again stirred by the same melody at the World Aquatics Championships (WCH). Accompanied by the haunting Edith Piaf tune, Tio put on a virtuoso display in the women's solo free event at the WCH Arena, before shedding tears of joy when her triumph was confirmed. The 22-year-old scored 245.1913 points to come from behind to beat top qualifier China's Xu Huiyan (241.0025) for the gold. Belarusian Vasilina Khandoshka (239.5437), who was designated as a neutral athlete, rounded off the podium. And for the first time, Tio, who had earned bronze medals in the solo technical and team free events, is a solo world champion. 'It means a lot because it's my first gold medal in solo at the world championships and also my first medal in solo free, so I'm super happy, I can't believe it right now,' said Tio, who added the title to the team bronze from the Paris Games and the team technical gold at the 2023 Fukuoka championships. 'I feel very emotional because my parents are in the stands, it's a dream come true.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Singapore MRT service changes needed to modify 3 East-West Line stations on Changi Airport stretch: LTA Singapore S'pore could have nuclear energy 'within a few years', if it decides on it: UN nuclear watchdog chief Life 'Do you kill children?': Even before independence, S'pore has always loved its over-the-top campaigns Singapore Lung damage, poor brain development, addiction: What vaping does to the body Singapore Career setbacks among challenges raised by those seeking fertility help in S'pore: Survey Singapore Fine for couple whose catering companies owed $432,000 in salaries to 103 employees Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly Having qualified third, Tio upped the degree of difficulty for her routine from the preliminary round, a move that Xu did likewise. She then had to endure a tense wait to find out if her effort was enough, with Khandoshka and Xu performing after her. Spanish champion Iris Tio Casas (centre) with China's silver medallist Xu Huiyan (far left) and Belarusian Vasilina Khandoshka at the World Aquatics Championships Arena. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Tio said: 'She (Xu) improved the difficulty and Khandoshka also had good difficulty, so I tried to improve, to put more between the preliminary and final, and it worked out. 'I was hoping that because I give my everything in the water that it would pay off and have a reward.' Her victory also made history for Spain, as it was the country's first women's solo title at the world championships. Tio again choked up when the Spanish national anthem was played during the victory ceremony, but the tears were wiped clean moments afterwards as her teammates embraced her and sang 'campeones, campeones, ole, ole, ole' in the mixed zone. In a country where football reigns supreme, Spain's artistic swimmers are proving they can compete on the world stage as well. Winning a solo world title had been a lifelong goal for Tio, a dream she said became possible thanks to the pioneers of the sport in Spain, including former world champions and Olympic medallists Gemma Mengual, Andrea Fuentes and Ona Carbonell. Fuentes, who returned to Spain after guiding the United States to a historic team silver at the Paris Games, is leading her country's artistic swimming campaign at these world championships. On the growth of the sport in Spain, Tio said: 'We have really good coaches. The federation is putting in a lot of effort to make artistic swimming important in Spain. We are improving a lot. 'We always have the strength that is artistic impression, which Andrea Fuentes has been promoting a lot for us. It's because of the work of the coaches and the federation that artistic swimming is growing in Spain.' It was a day to remember for Tio, who returned to the podium later after helping Spain bag the bronze in the team technical event with 294.8575 points. Defending champions China took gold (307.8001), while the Russians, competing as neutral athletes, clinched silver with 300.6183. China's artistic swimmers took gold in the team technical event on July 22. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO China coach Zhang Xiaohuan described the day as a special one for the team, especially as they faced off against powerhouses Russia, who returned to the world meet as neutrals after missing out on the past three editions. Russia had not competed in the world meet since 2022, due to sanctions on their athletes, along with those from Belarus, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The team also did not participate in the Paris Olympics. Despite their absence from international competition in recent years, Zhang said their rivals remain a formidable force. She said: 'They have a deep foundation in artistic swimming, and even with such a young line-up, with many born in 2007 or 2008, they're still able to perform at such a high level. They give us a lot to think about for the future. We only just barely edged ahead in this competition... 'For us, we must keep working diligently and humbly. We must always see ourselves as challengers, not champions. China doesn't yet have the over 20 years of dominance Russia has had, so we must keep improving.'