Gallery Of Olympic Gold Medalists To Converge On Brisbane for Australia v The World Meet In December
Some of the biggest names in world swimming will converge on 2032 Olympic host city, Brisbane in December for a short course duel meet between Australia and The World – featuring 25m events.
In a major talent coup, it has already attracted a total of 12 Olympic gold medalists and world champions for a meet promoted as being “fast and furious…with racing like you’ve never seen before with fans up close and personal.”
Three of Australia’s biggest names, Olympic champions Cam McEvoy, Kaylee McKeown and Mollie O’Callaghan will spearhead a who’s who of the Dolphins team.
And they will be joined by fellow Olympic champions, Italy’s Thomas Ceccon, Germany’s Lukas Martens and Great Britain’s dynamic duo Duncan Scott and Tom Dean in a star-studded World team.
Swimming Australia announced the world first meet today, to be swum on December 12 at the historic Valley Baths – Queensland’s spiritual home of swimming from the 50s, 60s and 70s–– and to be televised in prime time by Swimming Australia’s broadcast partners, Channel 9.
Revealing the program will include world first racing over 25m after the success generated by McEvoy in his 25m swims at the recent Australian Short Course and Queensland Preparation Meets where he twice clocked the world’s fastest time of 9.36.
McEvoy convinced it is time for swimming to push the refresh button.
“Other sports have evolved and absorbed exciting, fast-paced, short form versions of themselves and had success,” said McEvoy.
“Swimming needs to continue to test this within our own sport in the hope of finding a niche product that will excite the public.
“This event ahead of a home (Olympic) Games is also important. Brisbane 2032 will be special and the event will be bolstered by the knowledge of the stories going into them.
“So getting to know these new athletes who may take a lane in 2032 is important.
“Bringing in the 25m as an event is aligned with the trend of all sports where shorter, faster and closer competition is sought after.
“Also, as the event starts to be taken seriously, it brings the sport a level of growth.
“It will only have a positive downstream impact for the Olympic 50m events that make up almost 20 per cent of the total medal tally.
“Track (and Field) has the 60m indoor event and the 100m blue ribbon event, why can’t swimming have the 25m?”
Swimming Australia CEO Rob Woodhouse saying the event was part of Australia’s strategy designed to elevate the sport on the journey towards Brisbane 2032.
“A key part of this is creating opportunities for the Dolphins to connect with the community, showcase talent, and inspire Australians through a series of high-profile events.
“Australia v The World is the first of these events. It’s part of a new calendar designed to give fans more access to the Dolphins, with a format built around close racing and entertainment.”
Dolphins Head coach Rohan Taylor said it is not business as usual.
“It’s a fun, engaging, and exciting event where fans will ride every high and low alongside you, cheering as you take on some of the world’s best and your biggest rivals,” said Taylor.
“This is our moment to show Australia and the world just how thrilling and innovative swimming can be.”
The men’s rosters will include three of the last four world champions over 400m, reigning Olympic champion Lukas Martens and Australians Sam Short and Elijah Winnington.
Plus, the reigning individual freestyle world champions Australians Meg Harris (50m) and Olympic champion Mollie O’Callaghan(200m) and the Netherlands Marrit Steenbergen (100m) and the world’s premier, female backstroker four-time Olympic championKaylee McKeown.
The current rosters look like this, with more swimmers to be added.
- The event will be a pre-cursor to the 2025 Queensland Championships, one of the biggest domestic events on the Australian calendar which will run from December 13-19 at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler.
| AUSTRALIA | THE WORLD |
| Henry Allan (VIC) | Thomas Ceccon (ITA) |
| Ben Armbruster (QLD) | Lewis Clareburt (NZ) |
| Josh Edwards-Smith (QLD) | Casper Corbeau (NED) |
| Hannah Fredericks (QLD) | Tom Dean (GB) |
| Meg Harris (QLD) | Angharad Evans (GB) |
| Sienna Harben (QLD) | Florine Gaspard (BEL) |
| Jamie Jack (QLD) | Isabel Gose (GER) |
| Shayna Jack (QLD) | Oliver Klemet (GER) |
| Tara Kinder (VIC) | Angelina Kohler (GER) |
| Cameron McEvoy (QLD) | Lukas Martens (GER) |
| Kaylee McKeown (QLD) | Rebecca Meder (RSA) |
| Mollie O’Callaghan (QLD) | Alberto Razzeti (ITA) |
| Lani Pallister (QLD) | Duncan Scott (GBR) |
| Alex Perkins (QLD) | Marrit Steenbergen (NED) |
| Jamie Perkins (QLD) | Roos Vanotterdijk (NED) |
| Will Petric (QLD) | Milou Van Wijk (NED) |
| Lily Price (QLD) | Abbie Wood (GBR) |
| Ella Ramsay (QLD) | |
| David Schlicht (VIC) | |
| Sam Short (QLD) | |
| Flynn Southam (QLD) | |
| Matt Temple (SA) | |
| Sienna Toohey (NSW) | |
| Nash Wilkes (QLD) | |
| Elijah Winnington (QLD) | |
| Olivia Wunsch (NSW) |
