Australian Swimming Championships 2025, day two: Alexa Leary breaks world record in heats
Australia's Paralympic darling Alexa Leary has shattered her own world record in the morning heats at the national swimming championships in Brisbane.
Dusting off the cobwebs in one of her first major competitions since she stunned the world in Paris last year, Leary blew her rivals away to stop the clock at 59.22 seconds.
Her stunning time eclipsed the world record of 59.53 for the S9 classification, which she set in winning gold at the 2024 Paralympics in the French capital.
But her new mark was so fast and so unexpected, it caught everyone by complete surprise, including Leary herself.
'I wasn't hundred per cent sure,' she said. 'I need to see the time on paper.
'Did I actually break the world record?'
Assured she had, a beaming Leary replied: 'Awww yes, that's a good backend speed as well. I knew I was hurting but not that bad.'
Adored in Australia because of her uplifting tale of survival and zest for life, the 23-year-old shot to international stardom last year as one of the princesses of the Paris Paralympics.
While her swimming is awe-inspiring enough, it's her unbridled joy at competing and winning that melted hearts around the globe and made her box-office gold.
Aussies always love a battler but Leary's courage under fire is one of the most uplifting sporting stories of all time after she cheated death following a horrific cycling accident four years ago.
Her mum and dad were left to confront every parents' worst nightmare - told to say goodbye to their daughter when she was in a coma in hospital after she had fractured her skull, scapula, ribs and leg and punctured a lung.
World hold on she’s done it again!!
The first world record of the the Australian Open Championships was broken this morning - naturally with a big flex from Lex ðŸ'°
Alexa Leary smashed out a 59.22 to better her old mark (59.53) from her gold-medal swim in Paris in the women’s… pic.twitter.com/bxZW3KJKXl
— Australian Dolphins Swim Team (@DolphinsAUS) April 22, 2025
She sustained permanent brain and leg injuries but has retained a positive and optimistic attitude that is infectious to anyone who sees or meets her.
In Paris last year, Leary won her first gold for Australia with a mind-blowing performance in the mixed relay that ranks alongside the best closing laps from Ian Thorpe and Cate Campbell.
Swimming the anchor leg, Leary dived in with the Aussies in fourth place, more than six seconds behind the Dutch, who picked a male to swim the closing freestyle leg and led by half a length, but she steamed past everyone to get her hands on the wall first.
In her individual 100m race, she broke her world record in the heats then lowered it again in the final and has a chance to replica that feat in Tuesday's final, after turning to her coach John Bell after the heats and saying:
'We'll do it again tonight!'
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