NSWIS swimmers made a strong start to the 2026 Australian Swimming Trials, with established stars, rising talent and several Para athletes taking significant steps towards representing Australia at the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships.

Hardy and Schumack continue strong IM form

Kayla Hardy and Heidi Schumack both featured in the women’s 200m individual medley final, with the pair tying for fifth behind experienced Dolphins Jenna Forrester and Ella Ramsay.

Schumack, 16, entered the meet ranked seventh and continued her rise under NSWIS Head Swim Coach Adam Kable. The 2025 World Junior Championships representative produced a fast start and held her position well throughout the race, before stopping the clock in a time she was pleased with.

“I wasn’t even expecting much, but i was happy that race was over and that I executed it well,” Schumack said. “I looked at my time and I was very happy!”

“It was my first time getting into an A final, so that means for the future I just know I’m going to get better as the years go on.”

Hardy, a World Championship finalist from Budapest 2022 and dual silver medallist at the 2025 TYR Pro Championships in Irvine, again demonstrated her consistency against some of Australia’s strongest individual medley swimmers.

Saffy sets new men’s 50m Butterfly S10 PB

Paralympic bronze medallist Alex Saffy produced one of the strongest swims of the night, improving on his morning time by more than 0.45 seconds to win the men’s 50m butterfly Multi-Class in 26.24.

Fresh from being named in his second Commonwealth Games team, Saffy now has his sights set on securing a place on the Australian team for the Para Pan Pacific Championships.

Budd and Sisman deliver breakthrough performances

Twelve months after realising his dream of making the Australian team for the World Para Swimming Championships, Declan Budd delivered “a perfect swim” to claim the men’s 200m Freestyle Multi-Class title ahead of two-time Paralympic medallist Jack Ireland and fellow NSWIS teammate Darren Sisman.

“[Since World Championships I’ve just been] practicing the one percenters…don’t breathe into the turn, make sure to do 4 underwater kicks off each wall, and just being strong and carrying it all the way through the 200.”

Sisman also enjoyed a breakthrough performance, swimming under the qualifying time with Budd and Ireland to make his first senior Dolphins team.

The 19-year-old, who has built momentum through strong domestic results and international experience, said putting the nerves of the morning session behind him allowed him to focus on racing for himself.

“I was pretty satisfied [with the race]. I was happy that I followed through my process and didn’t overthink it,” Sisman said.

“[Pan Pacs] is more of a stepping stone to get onto the world stage, and to express myself…to show what i really got. People haven’t really seen a lot out of me.”

Osborn starts journey towards LA 2028

Four-time World Championship medallist and Paralympian Chloe Osborn….She was joined by emerging Para swimmers Steph Bruzzese and Maddie Hinds, with all three athletes strengthening their Pan Pacific aspirations.

“This was a pretty chill race for me…it was just to get the cobwebs out; have a hit out before my main events at the end of the week,” Osborn said.

“I just wanted to post a good time…and I did exactly that, so I’m happy”

Osborn is aiming to make her first Para Pan Pacific Championships team as she begins her campaign towards LA 2028, where many of her major rivals are expected to come from the United States.

Highlights:

  • Olympian Olivia Wunsch progressed to the women’s 100m Butterfly B Finals, finishing third.
  • 2025 World Junior Championships representative Jess Cole placed sixth in the women’s 100m butterfly A final.
  • Olympian Brad Woodward finished fourth in the men’s 100m backstroke final and will return to the pool tomorrow night for his preferred event.

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