The 2026 Australian Swimming Trials in Sydney are underway, with Commonwealth and Pan Pac roster spots on the line in six events, plus Para Pan Pac selection up for grabs across four multi-class events. The second night of action saw some impressive performances, with all eyes on the young stars of Australian swimming.
Sienna Toohey, a 17-year-old from Albury, made history in the women's 100 breaststroke, breaking the 1:06 barrier for the first time and becoming the third-fastest Australian of all time. Her time of 1:05.97 not only secured her a spot at the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships but also broke Leisel Jones' long-standing age record for 17-year-old girls. This was a remarkable achievement for Toohey, who previously held the All-Comers Record with a time of 1:06.43.
In the women's 50 butterfly, Alexandria Perkins dominated once again, winning the event in a time of 25.60. This was her second victory in two nights, showcasing her dominance in the 100 fly the previous evening. Perkins' time was just shy of her season-best of 25.44, set in March, and her lifetime best and co-Aussie Record of 25.31, which she set at the 2025 World Championships.
The women's 100 backstroke saw Kaylee McKeown, the reigning Olympic and world champion, deliver a blistering performance. She split 28.52/29.25 en route to a time of 57.77, marking her first swim under 58 seconds this season. McKeown remains the third-fastest woman in the world, behind Regan Smith and Isabelle Stadden.
Iona Anderson, a 20-year-old from Highlanders, had a very impressive swim in the women's 100 backstroke, splitting 28.46/30.14 en route to a time of 58.60. This put her under the SA qualifying time by nearly a full second and moved her into 4th in the world this season, overtaking Mollie O'Callaghan.
The men's schedule kicked off with the 200 freestyle, an exciting race with no clear-cut favorite and relay spots on the line for this summer. Edward Sommerville leads the national rankings with his 1:45.34 clocking from the Japan Open in November.
In the men's 100 back, 17-year-old standout Henry Allan recovered from a slow start to secure a runner-up finish in the 50 back final, showing impressive over-the-water form. Isaac Cooper, who won the 50 back, led Allan through the heats by a small margin but scratched the final.
Matt Temple has long been a dominant force in the men's 100 fly, and he popped off a stunning 50.60 swim in the prelims to move into 4th in the 2025-26 world rankings. Ben Armbruster has been impressive over the last year, breaking 51 last summer and clocking 51.22 at the Japan Open in November.
Kyle Chalmers set a new personal best of 51.04 in the prelims but scratched out of the final. Overall, the second night of the 2026 Australian Swimming Trials was filled with excitement and impressive performances, with young stars like Sienna Toohey and Alexandria Perkins shining brightly.
