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World Swimming Championships

Thoughts on swimming for Brisbane 2032 to be held at a legacy venue instead of Brisbane Live but only if they add retractable hard floor system on top of a permanent pool

by Sports Benches March 22, 2025

Over the past 1-2 days, it seems the Queensland Government wants to axe the prolonged proposal of building the multi-use Brisbane Live arena so they can allocate federal funding of a new stadium at Victoria Park, even though the latest independent review report recommends this to be built on a vacant GoPrint site next to The Gabba.

Now the best foot forward for them is to build a National Aquatics Centre next to the existing Centenary Pool in Spring Hill – also next to a proposed 60,000 seater Olympic Stadium venue in Victoria Park.

That way, the aquatics centre can be cheaper to build in the region of just $650 million than the inner-city arena itself which is currently set at $2.5 billion thanks to support from the Federal Government.

Okay, as someone who follows swimming here from time to time, particularly with the Dolphins – yeah, wouldn’t mind a world-class swimming venue for the state that can set up the next golden crop of swimmers for years & decades to come.

But only if they insert a retractable flooring system to be built on top of a permanent swimming pool so indoor sports and concerts can be played there on top of everyday swimming use to maximise revenue potential for the best of both worlds – Swimming Australia + Brisbane Bullets (NBL) and also top-tier Netball.

They can do this for around $200 million either before or even after the games when the existing Boondall arena and even the current Swimming Centre in Chandler are both approaching “end of life” post-games and they can use the funds from their own suggested relocation sales and insert that world-class retractable flooring system at a legacy swimming venue in Spring Hill.

Then the seating layout is a bit of another concern when it’s a dedicated swimming venue and not a multi-use arena, especially with the front-tier layout.

Perhaps, they could also add some retractable front-tier seating by turning it into a proper indoor vibe and back for netball & basketball + combat sports like WWE or AWE wrestling when they’re not swimming for laps at the main pool.

All of this can be achieved while Swimming Australia can continue to use the main pool everyday including future Swimming Championships at all levels including a potential Worlds event (regardless if it’s 50m or 25m) someday.

While it’s kinda disappointing that the current state government leadership is unable to get the best out of an inner-city Brisbane Live arena, they can solve that issue by adding a retractable flooring system that makes this legacy swimming place so unique on its own when there should be room for other indoor sports.

And last thing, call it the National Centenary Centre when it comes to the main swimming section but use this to replace the “Aquatics” wording and make it a retractable swimming and indoor main venue post-games.

March 22, 2025 0 comment

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The Aussie Dolphins Swim Team finished 3rd in the 2024 World Swimming Championships after they picked up two gold on the final day in Doha, Qatar

by Sports Benches February 18, 2024

It might not have been the right time to dominate another World Swimming Championships feat like it was in Fukuoka, Japan, last year. However, we wrapped the big weekend up on a high with two gold medals on the final day from Isaac Cooper in the Men’s 50m Backstroke & the Women’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay team consisting of Iona Anderson, Abbey Harkin, Brianna Throssell & Shayna Jack.

We also collected three silver yesterday when USA’s Clare Curzan broke the Aussie hearts yet again this time to Jaclyn Barclay in the Women’s 200m backstroke, while Cam McEvoy’s bid for gold fell short to Ukrainian Vladyslav Bukhov by only 00.01 secs in the Men’s 50m Freestyle sprint final. And don’t forget we didn’t do bad in the Mixed 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay.

The Aussie Dolphins Swim Team finished 3rd in this medal tally behind China & Team USA as this is all about giving our other swimmers including Sam Williamson (got the gold in the Men’s 50m breaststroke Final) as well as a few next generation teenagers a chance to fill in some of the star names, who chose to prioritise the Olympics this year over another World Championships in very short time. Now these swimmers who were there in Doha will get the chance to test themselves v our best come the National Olympic Trials in June followed by the Olympics in Paris in July-August. The next goal awaits in topping this medal tally again but this time at the Olympic Games.

February 18, 2024 0 comment

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2024 World Swimming Championships, Shayna Jack the only Aussie to take out bronze for the night on Day 6 after she came 3rd in the Women’s 100m Freestyle Final

by Sports Benches February 16, 2024

Day 6 of the 2024 World Swimming Championships was all about Shayna Jack for the Dolphins Swim Team even though she was the only Aussie to take out the bronze for the night after she finished 3rd in the Women’s 100m Freestyle Final. Now she might be nowhere near Marrit Steinbergen from the Netherlands (52.26) and even Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey (52.86) by just a second behind these two but she didn’t do bad though where Jack managed to keep the last medal podium spot right through the end of the wall at 52.83 secs. There is a few gold medal opportunities up for grabs this weekend starting tomorrow with promising signs from Cam McEvoy who was fastest in both his heat and the overall the Men’s 50m Freestyle semi-final as he will look to take out the gold again tomorrow morning. He will be joined by Isaac Cooper in this meet as they both want to make a 1-2 for our Aussie Dolphins. Look out for Alex Perkins having been second fastest in semi-final 2 of the Women’s 50m Butterfly ahead of team-mate Brianna Throssell in 4th where they will both look to get the job done inn the final tomorrow. Don’t forget there will be another USA v Australia challenge this time in Jaclyn Barclay v Clare Curzan in the Women’s 200m backstroke & Barclay hopes it’s her moment by ending Curzan’s unreal dominance up front for the gold. And both Maddy Gough & Kiah Melverton will round out the Super Saturday golden line-up in the Women’s 800m Freestyle Final.

As said, forget about smashing the medal tally again since most of our top swimmers are going for the Olympics which is more important than just going in at another World Champs in such short time. But again, it gives some other swimmers a chance to make a name for themselves including a few teenage/juniors who are part of our next generation cohort & sure they will make that count this weekend on a high note before looking ahead at the National Olympic trials around June.

February 16, 2024 0 comment

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Day 5 of the 2024 World Swimming Championships, Iona Anderson fell short again for silver in the 50m backstroke & a team bronze in the 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay

by Sports Benches February 16, 2024

Day 5 of the 2024 World Swimming Championships saw the Dolphins pick up two medals again off the back of another good swim from Iona Anderson in the Women’s 50m backstroke for silver as well as a team bronze in Women’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay. First of all, good start by Brianna Throssell with the early start up to 2nd while Shayna Jack has pushed them into the lead at one stage. Now things weren’t the same when Abbey Harkin struggled to stay ahead down to 4th before Kiah Melverton hang in there well during the last shift to only regain just a spot back to 3rd. And how good was 16-year-old Anderson who got away with another silver medal. She pushed so hard following a great start into 2nd. Yes, this could’ve been her moment where she fell so short to Clare Curzan again by 0.02 secs at the end there. But again Anderson is one of the future & sure she’ll get her first gold medal sooner rather than later. There will be gold medal opportunities for the Dolphins coming up on Day 6 tomorrow with Shayna Jack in the Women’s 100m Freestyle and the Men’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay.

February 16, 2024 0 comment

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Day 4 of the 2024 World Swimming Championships, Dolphins finally got the gold off the back of Sam Williamson’s breakthrough gold in the 50m breaststroke

by Sports Benches February 14, 2024

The Dolphins have got the gold at last halfway through this week’s World Swimming Championships as what a moment by Sam Williamson – the 26 year old from Mount Waverley in Victoria – who wowed everybody in the Men’s 50m breaststroke sprint Final. He might have fired off the bat from behind but had a brilliant last 25m form to lock out Italian Nicole Martinenghi at the end of the wall by just 0.07 of a sec at 26.32 – how good!! This is his first World Championship gold medal as let’s hope he will kick on for more throughout this year including the Summer Olympics in Paris this July-August.

Other than that, we were also oh so close where Elijah Winnington was two seconds behind Daniel Wiffen from Ireland in the Men’s 800m Freestyle Final & also in the 4 x 100m Mixed Medley Relay Final to Team USA. Elijah was outstanding from the start with the early lead where he was on the World Record radar at one stage but just couldn’t stay ahead when he lost the lead towards the last 400m. He did get back a spot back that late towards the very end though – just not enough time to challenge Wiffen there a bit longer. Meanwhile in the Mixed Medley race, slow start but Williamson (Breaststroke) organised a great springboard for his female team-mates to bring it home from 3rd where Brianna Throssell (butterfly) & Shayna Jack (freestyle) did their best during the last half shift – even though it wasn’t possible to catch down Team USA for 2nd.

And shoutout to Throssell again with the 200m Freestyle in bronze. Now the race for gold may be out of reach by Siobhan Haughey from Hong Kong while Jack’s good start has quickly faded not far from the end down in 7th, but she too has a brilliant swim all along on what has been her first individual World Championship medal other than lots of team relays.

Another four days left to go despite the chances of topping the medal charts may be out of reach since most of our top swimmers are choosing the Olympics over this World Championships, but there will be at least 1-2 gold medal opportunities coming up tomorrow such as Iona Anderson in the 50m backstroke sprint and the Women’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Team Relay.

February 14, 2024 0 comment

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2024 World Swimming Championships Day 3 Review, Iona Anderson brings home silver for the Dolphins after she finished 2nd to USA’s Clare Curzan in the 100m Backstroke Final

by Sports Benches February 13, 2024

Still no gold on Day 3 of the 2024 World Swimming Championships but the Dolphins Swim Team collected just the one silver from Iona Anderson in the Women’s 100m backstroke final that includes fellow Aussie Jaclyn Barclay, who finished 4th in that race. Good effort up front in the last dash but just not enough to stop Clare Curzan in time for the gold by nearly one second (+00.83). It’s her first World Championship medal at only age 17/18 as WA has a brilliant talented swimmer right there & sure she will get better in the years ahead with lots of gold medals being earned all over it. The same goes to Barclay, who fell short outside of the podium spots, but again Barclay is 16 from QLD & also one of the brightest next crop of stars to light up in the next few years including the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the home games in Brisbane for 2032 as well.

Other than that it’s not Elijah Willington’s day as we hoped for in the Men’s 200m Freestyle Final where he finished 7th. So does Maddy Gough after she also came home in the same position as Elijah in the Women’s 1500m Freestyle Final, having competed in the open water World Championship races with Moesha Johnson earlier this month in 18th.

Going into Day 4, we might not have the time to catch up and dominate this medal tally again like last year in Fukuoka, Japan, since most of them have skipped this WC on what is going to be a huge Olympics year in July-August. But there’s a few gold opportunities we can look forward to with Sam Williamson in the Men’s 50m breaststroke (fastest in his own semi heat & will start from lane 4) as well as Shayna Jack & Brianna Throssell in the Women’s 200m Freestyle with huge competition up for grabs, Winnington again in the 800m Freestyle & the 4 x 200m Mixed Medley Team Relay. So 2-3 would be great but to be real with USA & China comfortably in front, the Dolphins should finally take out the gold tomorrow.

February 13, 2024 0 comment

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Day 2 of the 2024 World Swimming Championships Review, Cam McEvoy the only one taking out bronze in the Men’s 50m Butterfly sprint final for the Dolphins

by Sports Benches February 12, 2024

Day 2 of the 2024 World Swimming Championships was okay but underwhelming when trying to snatch a gold medal for our Dolphins where Cam McAvoy only walked away with just the bronze in the Men’s 50m butterfly Final ahead of team-mate Isaac Cooper who finished 4th. Other than that, there were close finishes just outside the podium spots like Sam Williamson in the Men’s 100m breaststroke Final as well as Brianna Throssell in the Women’s 100m Butterfly Final. Also, Alex Perkins was with Throssell in that race but she finished 6th.

So still no gold yet going into Day 3 but there’s always a few opportunities coming up with Elijah Winnington in the Men’s 200m Freestyle, Maddy Gough in the Women’s 1500m Freestyle, Jaclyn Barclay & Iona Anderson in the Women’s 100m backstroke. As said while some of our best swimmers will prioritise the Olympics this year over another unusual World Championships, but our Dolphins team are doing their best & sure they will get better as it gets later this week in Doha, Qatar.

February 12, 2024 0 comment

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Day 1 of the 2024 World Swimming Championships Review, Dolphins Swim Team collect two silver via Elijah Winnington and the women’s relay team

by Sports Benches February 12, 2024

The first day of another unexpected World Swimming Championships from Doha, Qatar, saw the Dolphins collect all two silver medals – despite falling one short away from gold – as they sit 5th on this medal tally. Oh so close from Elijah Winnington who came back so hard to hunt the leader down in the last 100m towards the end on what has been a huge 400m Freestyle Final, but just didn’t tap the wall first under pressure to upsurge Woomin Kim (South Korea) in 2nd. Good to see him rebound though as hope he will go one better again like he did two years ago with his first gold medal, having only collected one bronze during the 4 x Men’s 200m Freestyle Relay at the last World Champs in Fukuoka, Japan, seven months ago.

Now some of our top swimmers have chosen to forego this tourney, especially with a big year ahead that early with the Olympics later this July-August. However, the female relay team did their absolute best in the 4 x 100m Freestyle Final consisting of Shayna Jack, Abbey Harkin, Alex Perkins & Brianna Throssell. Again, brilliant start by Throssell up to 2nd place while things could’ve been better when it comes to the last half dashes during the middle leg in particular with Harkin & Perkins in there, but Shayna Jack got them back up front in the best way possible where she fell so short by just 00.32 sec towards the end there to the Netherlands. Sure the second string squad will learn well from the best who are not in Doha by filling their void and push themselves towards the next level throughout this week and the months to come.

And shoutout to our Tasman neighbour Erika Fairweather who won her first ever gold medal for both herself and New Zealand after she dominated comfortably in the 400m Freestyle Final. Let’s hope despite some of them missing or sitting out, the Dolphins can do better on Day 2 tomorrow morning (Australian time) by topping the medal charts once again.

February 12, 2024 0 comment

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Looking back at the Women’s 10km Open Water Swimming Final 2024 World Championship Race with Sharon Van Rouwendaal as the winner via a photo finish, Moesha Johnson 4th & Maddy Gough in 18th

by Sports Benches February 4, 2024

The swimming pool leg may be only a week away on what is going to be another Swimming World Championships edition in Doha, Qatar with just six months out from the Summer Olympics in Paris, France as there has been a number of postponements in the last few years including Australia’s outstanding campaign half a year ago during the last World Champs in Fukuoka, Japan, due to COVID. But yesterday we saw such a thrilling end to the women’s 10km Open Water Swimming race Final where a few frontrunners were vying side-by-side for that one and only gold medal including two of our Aussies such as Moesha Johnson and Maddy Gough. The gold has ultimately went to Sharon Van Rouwendaal though from the Netherlands who defeated Spaniard Maria De Valdes by just 0.001 of a sec at the finish line, but Johnson swam really well & was oh so close too despite falling just outside the medal spots to Angelica Andre from Portugal by just 0.002 & 0.004 off Van Rouwendaal in 4th. Now Gough just couldn’t hold on a bit longer down as she would’ve liked that would give us the best chance down in 18th but great seeing her working together and backing up her team-mate Johnson out of a 70-odd field which wasn’t easy. Well done to both as it’s the men’s turn later today from 5.30pm AEDT before the race distance will be halved by 5km going into Tuesday for the Men’s and Wednesday for the Women’s respectively. Let’s hope we can see an odd Aussie medal there or even a gold one better by Chelsea Gubecka in the 5km race after she finished silver at the previous WC.

February 4, 2024 0 comment

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One silver by the 4 x 100 Women’s Medley Relay Team and Meg Harris’s joint bronze in the 50m Freestyle Final wraps up Australia’s run in 2nd at the 2022 World Swimming Championships

by Sports Benches June 25, 2022

The Dolphins may have collected just the silver and bronze on the final day of this year’s World Swimming Championships, but they still finished 2nd on this medal tally alone with six gold, nine silver and two bronze at a total of 17 medals.

Nice seeing Meg Harris share the joint bronze medal with Team USA’s Erika Brown at 24:38 in the Women’s 50m Freestyle Final. She was 3rd fastest overall from start to finish – including a great start in her heat & also she finished 2nd in the 2nd semi.

Then we saw the 4 x 100 Women’s Medley Relay Team wrap up 2nd after a fantastic start earlier yesterday in the heats. Yes, they couldn’t nail down Team USA on time for the gold when building an early lead would’ve gave them an extra edge towards their arch rivals. However, the girls swam really well within the Top 3 nonetheless from Kaylee McKeown, Jenna Strauch, Brianna Throssell & Mollie O’Callaghan.

Overall, it’s great to see our Dolphins finish off 2nd. We have a few of the world’s fastest swimmers that is developed & produced right here with freestyler Mollie O’Callaghan, backstroker Kaylee McKeown, and breaststroker Zac Stubblety-Cook. Although Elijah Winnington’s opening day gold in the Men’s 400m Freestyle Final may not have translated everywhere else, but surely he can bounce back next time.

And we have plenty of bright and talented youngsters coming through the ranks who is tipped for massive potential. They are ready to make history in collecting gold medals like O’Callaghan, McKeown & Stubblety-Cook – before they look to hopefully end Team USA’s long-running dominance up top & take over the world themselves regardless if its the WC and/or Olympic medal tally.

Thanks to Budapest, Hungary, for being such a great host once again for the second time that goes back to five years ago in 2017. For now, bring on the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, next month, as well as renewing our arch-rivalry with Team USA back home in Sydney this August.

June 25, 2022 0 comment