Olympic Games 2024: Swimmers to make splash at NSW state titles

The New South Wales state championships may seem like a friendly dip in the ocean, but, with Olympic trials around the corner, it will be crucial for swimmers eyeing the Paris Games.

Australian swimmer Bronte Campbell is among a plethora of potential Olympians eyeing the NSW state championships. Picture: Tim Hunter.

For Australia’s elite swimmers, the really serious part of the build-up to the Paris Olympics starts next weekend, but in waters much closer to home.

Compared to the Olympics, the New South Wales state championships may seem like a friendly dip in the ocean, but they’re one of the most unimportant pieces of the jigsaw in the Dolphins’ preparations for Paris.

With only three months left before the Olympic trials, most of the biggest names in Australian swimming have entered the three-day meet at Sydney Olympic Aquatic Centre.

The start list is jam-packed with Olympic and world champions, including Emma McKeon, Ariarne Titmus, Kaylee McKeown, Kyle Chalmers, Mollie O’Callaghan and Bronte Campbell and they’re ready to cut loose.

Kaylee McKeown is among the superstars in action at the NSW state swimming titles

While they all have different plans and training schedules towards the end goal in Paris, the focus in Sydney next week is just to figure out where they’re currently at after they’ve all just completed their first heavy block of training.

“The NSW states are really important, because this is one of the last times for everyone to get together for some world class racing before the trials,” said Campbell.

“The only other chance is the nationals so there’s really only two more major test events.”

Already a three-time Olympian and multiple world and Olympic gold medallist, Campbell has been down this road many times before but knows the pressure is on.

About to turn 30, the sprint Queen is bidding to join her older sister Cate and Emily Seebohm as the only Australian swimmers to compete at four Olympics but is up against a red-hot field.

Cody Simpson has his eyes on making the team for Paris

Finally free of the shoulder injuries that have plagued her for years, Campbell is emerging as one of the Australian team’s best feel-good stories if she can add to her gold medal collection in Paris.

She returned to training less than a year ago after taking an 18-month break to rest her ailing body, and is now splitting time between Sydney and Canberra while working with her new coach Shannon Rollason.

So far, all the early signs are encouraging.

Competing at Europe late last year, she clocked her fastest time for 50m freestyle (24.42) in three years. Then in Adelaide in January, she went 53.30 for the 100m, her quickest time since the Tokyo Olympic trials.

Australia's Mollie O'Callaghan won the world 100m title in 2022 and 2023 while Emma McKeon won the Olympic gold medal in 2021

“I’m still really just putting some building blocks in place, but it does feel like it’s starting to build a bit of a coherent picture,” she said.

“That’s why next weekend is such a big deal for me because I haven’t had heaps and heaps of racing since I’ve been back.”

To secure an individual swim in Paris, Campbell will need to finish in the top two in either the 50m or 100m freestyle at the trials, taking place in Queensland from June 10-15.

But even if she doesn’t get an individual swim, she can still make the team in the relay with a top six finish in the 100m, and there is a big carrot on offer because the Australian women’s 4x100m freestyle relay is virtually unbeatable.

The Australian women’s relay are almost unbeatable

The competition for spots is insane.

Australia boasts five of the fastest 10 female 100m swimmers in history - who are striving to make the team for Paris - plus a new wave of stars trying to break into the team.

“It’s really all about who can handle the expectation and pressure, especially in an Olympic year and especially in the 100m freestyle, there are so many of us, within .5 of a second of each other,” Campbell said.

“And it really comes down to who’s the best on the day. There’s a lot more that goes into it than form in the lead up.”