Para-swimmers to watch: 2023 Australian Swimming Championships

As the country’s top para-swimmers battle it out at the 2023 Australian Swimming Championships at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre this week, meet one of the youngest whose name you won’t forget.

Rising from a tragic near drowning as a baby, 15-year-old Victoria Belando Nicholson has made the water her greatest strength, breaking a 29 year old Australian record and cementing herself as a bolter for the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

In 2008, when Belando Nicholson was just six months old, herself and then two-year-old sister Destiny were plucked from the Mediterranean Sea off Malta when a refugee boat from an unknown African destination capsized, drowning their mother.

The girls were rescued by army members, before years later they were adopted by Australian-Spanish couple, Ewen Nicholson and his Spanish wife, Susana.

2008 image of Victoria Belando Nicholson (face down blue and white shirt), with sister Destiny in the green and blue stripes. The two infants on board the Armed Forces of Malta patrol boat after being airlifted from the sea. Photo: Crew P 52/AFM Maritime Squadron

Now, Belando Nicholson has made the water her happy place, becoming the only multi class athlete to break an Australian record at the 2023 Australian Age Championships, and leaving selectors believing the young swimmer is a shot at making her first Paralympics at 16 next year.

And she only began swimming competitively five months ago.

She was no stranger to the water however, as a talented water polo athlete for Yeronga-based club Mermaids, taking up the sport eight years ago while living in Spain.

“I would like to go to the 2028 Paralympics in LA,” said Belando Nicholson, an S9 athlete who was born without her left fibula, meaning her left leg is 14cm shorter than her right.

“I did want to go to the Olympics for water polo, but being realistic I’m not going to go to the Olympics for water polo so I think swimming is a good way to go.

“Water polo is a great team sport, it’s good being with your teammates, but doing an individual sport is good for me because I’m shy.

“I don’t really think about it as much, but there are time where I notice having an impairment does affect the way I play. I don’t have as much strength using my leg.”

Victoria Belando Nicholson in action at the Australian water polo youth championships at the Sleeman sports complex in Brisbane. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Belando Nicholson took home a swag of medals at Age Championships: gold and the QLD Age record in the 100m free, silver and the QLD Age record in the 50m butterfly, silver in the 50m backstroke, bronze and a QLD Age record in the 400m freestyle, and bronze in the 200m freestyle, for which she broke the Australian and QLD Age record in a time of 2:28.73, slashing the 1994 record of 2:29.23.

Victoria Belando Nicholson took home plenty of medals at the 2023 Australian Age Championships at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre. Photo: Supplied

“It just happened (breaking the record), I did a 400m race before and I was really tired, and I did the 200m race and just swam as fast as I coach,” she said.

“My coach told me I broke the record and I didn’t expect it at all.

“I felt happy, I was close to breaking the U14 Australian record (held by Belando Nicholson’s idol Ellie Cole), but I broke it two days after I turned 15.”

Belando Nicholson’s focus will now turn to the Australian Swimming Championships from April 17-20 held at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, which act as trials for the World Championships in July.

While selection on the big stage might not be an achievable goal – yet – Belando Nicholson’s coach Kate Sparkes, who is head coach at Yeronga Park and coach of the Australian male para-swim team, believes the Paris 2024 Paralympics are not out of the question.

“I reckon she could be close to next year (2024 Paralympics) as well,” Sparkes said.

“Alexa Leary from Noosa is an S9, so that will be Vicky’s rivalry in the pool, she’ll be very hard to beat, but we’re looking at taking two S9’s. So she almost running got that second spot.

“It was so exciting (for her to get the record), especially because she’s so green to the sport and it was only her second time swimming the 400m freestyle.

“She’s got so much to go and to learn. I think she’s got a clear path in para-swimming.”

Here are the other athletes to watch ahead of the 2023 Australian Swimming Championships

Timothy Hodge

Age: 22

Classification: S9

Hodge will be swimming seven races across the week, and will have the 200m medley at the forefront after setting a world record at the World Para Championships in 2022, breaking Matt Cowdrey’s world record on Day 4.
Hodge won a silver medal in the men’s 100m backstroke S9 and men’s 100m breaststroke SB8 at the 2018 Commonwealth Games

Silver medallist Australia's Timothy Hodge (L) reacts as New Zealand's Joshua Willmer sinks in to the water as he celebrates winning and taking the gold medal in the men’s 100m backstroke S8 swimming final on day three of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

Ben Hance

Age: 22

Classification: S14

Ben Hance holds the 100m backstroke world record and has been breaking it himself several times. He recently changed coaches to St Andrews with Ashleigh Delaney. Hance made his Paralympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games where he claimed a gold, silver and bronze medal.

Benjamin James Hance (R) of Team Australia celebrates winning the gold medal after competing in the Men's 100m Backstroke – S14 Final on day 9 of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre on September 02, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for New Zealand Paralympic Committee)

Alexa Leary

Age: 21

Classification: S9

A talented triathlete before she was involved in a horror bike accident, Alexa Leary has transitioned to para-swimming where she has become one of the most exciting up-and-coming athletes in the sport. The World Champs team rookie is one to watch to break a world record in the 100m free, and has set herself the goal to win gold at the Paralympics.

Russel, Alexa and Belinda Leary at a recent swimming event in Adelaide.

Poppy Wilson

Age: 19

Classification: S10

A rookie on the World Championships development team, Wilson will be out to dominate the 400m freestyle and 100 butterfly.

Brenden Hall

Age: 29

Classification: S9

With four Paralympic campaigns under his belt, Hall is one of the sports best. Hall will be swimming the 400m freestyle in what will be a heated battle between himself and Timothy Hodge.

Brenden Hall after winning his gold medal in the 400m Freestyle – S9 at the Rio Paralympics.

Lakeisha Patterson

Age: 24

Classification: S9

Launching her competitive career in 2013, ‘Lucky’ Patterson has collected an array of silverware across her years, including a bronze at her first Paralympics in 2014, a gold at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, gold at the 2015 World Championships, double gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and a gold at the 2020 Paralympic Games.

Lakeisha Patterson celebrates winning the gold medal in the Women's 400m Freestyle – S9 final on day 1 of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at on August 25, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)