Australian Swimming Trials Night 2: Tale of Two Teens

The tale of two teenagers was on show on Night 2 of the Australian Swimming Trials at Sydney Olympic Park tonight.

While Sienna Toohey (pictured, a New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder ) punched her ticket to Glasgow with a direct KO, Henry Allan will have to wait for a “technical decision” from the judges.

Toohey shocked herself when she dropped a PB to clock 1:05.97 and win the women’s 100m breaststroke well under qualifying time and make her first Commonwealth Games team.

In comparison, Allan claimed the men’s 100m backstroke in 53.52 – which is outside the qualifying time – but has swum a time that might have him under consideration for the relay.

Both 17, and both from regional towns – it was Toohey that Allan has admitted had inspired him to dream of making the senior Dolphins team while still at high school.

With the 200m backstroke on Friday and the team announced on Saturday, it will be a long few days for Allan.

Meanwhile, Kaylee McKeown fought off a cold – and Iona Anderson – to add the 100m back title to the 50m back crown she won on opening night.

Eyeing her final Commonwealth Games appearance, McKeown said: “That’s the fourth fastest time in the world – I’d like to be faster than that.”

“But we’re our own harshest critics. And at the end of the day, I just need to do it when it counts.”

After pulling out of 200m individual medley heats, a still underdone McKeown fought off a spirited challenge from Iona Anderson to win the women’s final in 57.77 with Anderson clocking 58.60 – also a Games qualifier.

Anderson, who missed last year’s World Championships with a back injury, said her new training partner in Western Australia, experienced Dolphin Shayna Jack, had helped her reset for a big 2026.

The meet’s early breakout star Sam Short continued his blistering start, setting a personal best of 1:45.16 seconds to win the men’s 200m freestyle after taking out the 400m final on the first night of competition.

And a delighted Kai Taylor hit the wall in 1:45.30 to qualify for an individual swim in Glasgow in what was his first PB in three years.

In other events: Alexandra Perkins won the women’s 50m butterfly in 25.74 seconds, and para swimmers Jasmine Greenwood (NSWIS/women’s 100m butterfly MC) and from the men’s 100m butterfly MC final tonight Declan Budd and Alex Saffy (both NSWIS) qualified for Para Pan Pacific Championships.

Swimming Australia

Photo: Delly Carr/Swimming Australia