Latest news with #DolphinsAUS
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Aussie teen eclipses Leisel Jones feat as poolside interview leaves fans stunned
Teen sensation Sienna Toohey has broken down pool side after collecting her ticket to the World Swimming Championships in Singapore having become the youngest Australian to break the 1:07 mark in the 100m breaststroke. Toohey has long been touted as a future swimming star for the Australian Dolphins having recently broken Liesel Jones' longstanding age group record in the 100m breaststroke. And the 16-year-old has delivered in front of her swimming rivals at the Australian world championships trials this week having eclipsed Ella Ramsay to win the 100m breaststroke on Tuesday night. Toohey edged out in front of Olympic silver medallist Ramsay to finish with 1:06.55 and book her ticket to Singapore later this year. She finished in front if Ramsay, 1:06.86, and Sienna Harben, 1:07.02, in a close swim. And immediately after the race, Toohey joined Aussie swimming icon Cate Campbell poolside for a chat. And the 16-year-old was overcome with emotions have realised she had achieved a lifelong dream. "I am just so excited because I have worked so hard," Toohey said as she broke down in tears. "I was so nervous, I am just so happy I have done them proud. "I have been training in Canberra for the last six weeks, because my club has taken a break, so it has been very hard. So coming out here I just knew I wanted to get it because I have made a lot of sacrifices and so has my family. So it's a lot. I know my brothers would miss me so much. They've just given up so much for me to be able to do this." Ramsay was a little of her PB and was frustrated with her race knowing she hadn't undertaken too much sprint training heading into the trials. Regardless, Australia has a new face on the swimming scene with Toohey slowly working her way up the ranks. In April, Toohey broke Jones' 23-old record of 1:07.31 to become the fastest 16-year-old. However, her latest achievement has seen her eclipse all other Australians and record the 9th fastest time ever for a junior. Not even the legendary Jones achieved this feat in the juniors. Although she does have some way to go to break Jones' PB of 1:05.09 in the 100m breaststroke, which she achieved in 2005. "All of these people being my idols, now I get to be on the team with them," Toohey said after her swim. "These are people that I was watching two years ago, saying I want to be like them." The moment 16-year-old Sienna Toohey broke through to cement her senior Dolphins selection with a massive PB 🤯🔥🐬With mum watching on, the girl from Albury won the women's 100m breaststroke (1:06.55) at the Australian Swimming sensational Sienna 👏🥹 🔗… — Australian Dolphins Swim Team (@DolphinsAUS) June 10, 2025 16 years old and going to her first World Champs as a senior Dolphin!Sienna Toohey won the 100m breaststroke at the Aussie Swimming Trials last night in 1:06.55, a PB of more than half a second, which has secured the ticket to Singapore.#TeamAUS | @DolphinsAUS | @SwimmingAUS — AUS Olympic Team (@AUSOlympicTeam) June 11, 2025 Sienna Toohey climbs to ninth place all time — nuotostat (@nuotostat) June 10, 2025 Guys, we've got a good'un here. 16yo Sienna Toohey is going to be a star! — John Dean (@JohnDean_) June 10, 2025 SIENNA TOOHEY OMG A 16YO JUST QUALIFIED FOR WORLD CHAMPS IN BREASTSTROKE WE FINALLY HAVE A GOOD BREASTROKER — TeamThiem (@MedvedevMeddler) June 10, 2025 Having been around Toohey during her time at the Australian trials, five-time Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown has offered some advice for the teenager. Having been through a similar career trajectory as the girl from Albury, McKeown claimed Toohey needs to try and enjoy as much of her development as possible as she joins the Australian Dolphins. "Just to enjoy yourself," McKeown said when offering advice to Toohey. "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." Only this week, McKeown offered an insight into her own struggles after the Paris Olympics. The Aussie sensation won four individual gold medals in Paris, but admitted the sudden change after an Olympics took a toll on her mental health as she took a little time away from the sport.
News.com.au
22-04-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
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… — 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!'
