Toohey, Coleman, Goedemans, Castelluzzo: Meet Australian swimming’s new kids on the block

The nation’s next crop of swimming superstars has emerged at the Australian Trials, and could be household names by the LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympics. Find out who they are here.

The nation’s next crop of young swimming superstars has emerged at the Australian Swimming Trials in Adelaide this week.

See everything you need to know about the national team’s newcomers.

HANNAH CASEY

(4x200 freestyle relay)

Bond University 19-year-old Hannah Casey has qualified for her first team after a number of impressive swims throughout the first half of the trials.

An up and comer at Bond through recent years, Casey went into the trials in solid form, finishing fourth in the 100m freestyle at the Australian Open Swimming Championships in April with a 54.52 time.

Casey finished tied for fourth in the 200m freestyle final at trials, clocking a 1:56.09 time alongside Abbey Webb.

Both swimmers are set to compete in the 4x200 freestyle relay in Singapore.

BRITTANY CASTELLUZZO

(200m butterfly)

Tea Tree Gully swimmer Brittany Castelluzzo finally broke through to her first Australian long course team, posting a personal best time of 2:06.91 in the 200m butterfly final.

Brittany Castelluzzo waves to family after winning the Women's 200 LC Metre Butterfly at 2025 Australian Swimming Trials. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Training under TTG coach Craig Stewart, the 24-year-old was cheered on by a raucous home crowd as she exploded to the qualifying time.

A member of the short course team last year, Castelluzzo has now realised a dream by making the long course team for Singapore.

“Making this team means a lot,” she said.

“I’ve got friends and family in the stands. It means so much that they can come and watch me and the support from a home crowd is really nice.

“After the World Short Course last year it means a lot that I can finally break into a long course team and be with the best of the best in the world.”

JESSE COLEMAN

(100m butterfly)

A 20-year-old out of Bond University on the Gold Coast, Coleman booked a spot in his maiden Dolphins team with an impressive performance in the 100m butterfly final in Adelaide.

The fastest out of the gate in the final, Coleman finished second with a 51.09 time, just 0.09 slower than star Matt Temple who will join Coleman in the Australian team for the World Championships in Singapore.

Jesse Coleman takes off in the 100m butterfly. Picture: Getty Images

Coleman is coached by Olympic gold medal coach Chris Mooney, the man who led Kaylee McKeown to double Olympic gold in Tokyo. Coleman has steadily risen up the ranks to get to the position he now finds himself in.

He missed the Paris Olympic team by less than half a second last year when fourth at the trials, but bounced back stronger in 2025 with a time that makes him a finals contender on the world stage.

“It’s pretty special, I’m stoked with that swim,” he said.

“It’s been a while I’ve been working at it and I’ve been so close for a few years now so to finally get that time is pretty special.

“It’s good to be next to Matt going away (to Singapore) too.”

HANNAH FREDERICKS

(200m backstroke)

Cate Campbell interviews Hannah Fredericks after the Women's 200 Metre Backstroke final at the Australian Swimming Trials. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

A latecomer to swimming, Fredericks has made her first ever Dolphins team, junior or senior, with a 2:09.54 second place finish in the 200m backstroke final during the national trials.

The 22-year-old has been training under Dean Boxall at St Peters Western since missing out on the Olympic team last year and has shown significant improvement to book a spot in this year’s World Championships in Singapore.

Fredericks said she lost belief after missing out in 2024 but had managed to turn her fortune around after taking a month off and training under Boxall.

“I can’t put into words how I feel,” she said.

“The time wasn’t the best thing in the world but when I touched that wall I did not give a shit about the time, as long as I qualified.

“Last year I lost a lot of belief in myself, I was so close to making the team last year.

“I’m so grateful for my parents and for Dean…I can’t put into words how much I idolise him.

“This means the world to me…to be competing alongside some of my best mates at the sport is amazing and I’m so stoked.”

BEN GOEDEMANS

(800m freestyle)

Goedemans has qualified for the 800m freestyle at the World Championships after swimming an impressive time in national trials, finishing second to Sam Short with a 7:46.16 effort.

Originally from Brisbane, Goedemans is another swimmer who has been training at St Peters Western and has seen major improvements in his swimming.

His time in the 800m final was the first time he had recorded a time below the 7:50 mark and shaved six seconds off of his previous personal best.

“I’m speechless, I was coming in here thinking all about the 1500 but I just held in and I’m so happy to be on a team,” Goedemans said.

“It’s amazing, being able to swim with Elijah Winnington and being able to train with him, I wouldn’t be here without him and the rest of the squad and support staff at St Peters.”

CHARLIE HAWKE

(200m freestyle/relay)

Hawke will race in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the World Championships after an impressive swim in the 200m final at national trials on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old out of Hunter, New South Wales, finished fourth in the final in Adelaide, producing a strong swim to record a 1:46.10 time, finishing ahead of Paris Olympic swimmers like Max Giuliani and Kai Taylor.

With a school-record setting performance, Charlie Hawke clocks a 1:46.10 to finish 4th at the Australian National Championships 😤#RollTide#BamaSpeedpic.twitter.com/MQu9Xy5HUR

— Alabama Swim & Dive (@AlabamaSwimDive) June 10, 2025

Previously based at the University of Alabama, Hawke entered the trials coming off of a successful NCAA championships last year, placing fourth in the 200 final, with Luke Hobson taking first place.

Hawke is coached by Andrew Hodginson at Hunter and finished 12th in the 200m freestyle at last year’s Olympic trials with a time of 1:48.34, showing the significant improvement he has made in the past 12 months.

TARA KINDER

(200m medley)

22-year-old Kinder sealed her spot in Australia’s team for the World Championships with a strong 200m individual medley display on Monday.

The Victorian, coached by Mack Horton’s former coach Craig Jackson at Melbourne Vicentre, finished second in the national trials final with a time of 2:10.42, just over a second behind winner Ella Ramsay.

Kinder has experienced an eventful career so far, walking away from the sport at the end of 2021 before returning after a year out.

While illness hindered all hopes she had of making the Olympic team for Paris in 2024, Kinder has now taken a significant step towards LA 2028.

Tara Kinder is coached by Mack Horton’s former coach Craig Jackson. Picture: Getty Images

“This means a lot,” she said.

“I’ve dealt with some pretty low lows and some high highs in this sport.

“It just means a lot to me.

“I’ve always wanted to make that long course team and I’ve missed two consecutive Olympic teams now so I’m looking at this as a stepping stone for LA.”

LILY PRICE

(100m butterfly)

A member of the Rackley Swim Team in Queensland, 22-year-old Price is now part of her first senior long course team after booking a spot with the Dolphins through a second place finish in the national trials 100m butterfly final.

Price clocked a strong 57.82 second time and will join first place Alex Perkins in the team.

Coached by Damien Jones, in a squad that includes world champion Sam Short, Price finished fourth in the 100m butterfly at the 2024 Olympic trials with a time of 57.70, a second slower than superstar Emma McKeon at 56.75.

Lily Price is a member of Rackley Swim Team. Picture: Getty Images

With McKeon now retired after her stellar career, Price gets her senior team opportunity and said she was thrilled to make her first senior team.

“It’s such a relief,” she said.

“I wanted to go a bit quicker than that but I’m on the team so now it’s nack to training and hopefully I can go a bit faster.

“I was very, very nervous last year at Olympic trials and I worked on that because I think that let me down last year.

“I knew I could do the time it was just about putting it together.”

DAVID SCHLICHT

(200m individual medley)

David Schlicht in action at the Australian Short Course Swimming Championships, some years ago. Picture: AAP Image/Sean Garnsworthy

David Schlicht has made his first team with an impressive first place time of 1:58.10 in the national trials individual medley final.

The 25-year-old posted a 1:58.10 finish to achieve a new personal best and beat out Victorian mate Will Petric and take the race.

Now training at MLC Aquatic in Victoria, Schlicht had previously trained at Arizona State under renowned coach Bob Bowman - coach of current Olympic champ Leon Marchand and the legendary Michael Phelps.

“I learned a lot racing in the USA system...the squad I trained with was just phenomenal,” he said.

“I want to dedicate this race to my dad, we lost him late last year and I know he would be stoked to see that.

“I’m really happy to do that for him and my mum as well.”

EDWARD SOMMERVILLE

(200m freestyle)

Sommerville became the fourth Australian ever to swim faster than 1:45.00 in the 200m freestyle on Tuesday when he recorded a winning time of 1:44.93 in the Australian Swimming Trials final in Adelaide to announce himself as a budding young talent.

The 20-year-old out of Brisbane is currently coached by Bobby Jovanovich at Brisbane Grammar and has been managing recovery from a dislocated shoulder which ruined his chance at achieving his Olympic dream last year.

Edward Sommerville is just the fourth Australian to swim faster than 1min 45sec in the 200m freestyle. Picture: Getty Images

He will now have the opportunity to truly make his mark for the Australian team in next month’s World Championships.

“It has been a bit rough getting back in the pool with my injury but I’ve really been able to hit the ground running in terms of training and racing now,” Sommerville said.

“I haven’t done 200 long course since 2023 so it was great to get a good time on the board.

“This makes me want to stay on top a bit more - I’ve worked hard to get here but I still have a ways to go.”

SIENNA TOOHEY

(100m breaststroke)

An emerging teenage star hailing from Albury, Sienna Toohey made her mark this week with a spectacular 1:06.55 time at the national trials to claim a spot in her first senior team and win through to the World Championships in Singapore.

Rewind 12 months, the then 15-year-old fell just 0.11s short of qualifying for the Australian Olympic team when she clocked 1:07.01 at the trials.

The 16-year-old, who is coached by Wayne Gould and also worked with renowned breaststroke coach Mel Marshall ahead of the 2025 world titles trials, broke down in tears when she swam her way onto the Dolphins team in Adelaide this week.

Sienna Toohey reacts after winning the women's 100m breaststroke title. Picture: Getty Images

Toohey originally started swimming to become a water polo player but decided to commit full-time to the sport after following her brother to state events.

She entered the trials in blistering form, crushing Olympic icon Leisel Jones’ Australian Age record in the 100m breaststroke earlier this year.

“I met her (Jones) last year at Olympic trials and then after nationals this year she sent me a video the night after I broke her record.

“She just told me to keep going and that you’re never too young to succeed.

“It meant a lot to me, getting something personal from her.

“I’m very happy - missing out on the Olympic team last year, it was something that I really wanted to be a part of as all these swimmers are my idols and now I get to be on a team so I’m very happy.

“I’ve been training harder than I ever have so I’m glad it has paid off.”

HARRISON TURNER

(200m butterfly)

Harrison Turner celebrates winning the Men’s 200 LC Metre Butterfly at the trials. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

21-year-old Turner has exploded onto the Australian swimming team for the World Championships with a spectacular time of 1:54.90 in the 200m butterfly final at trials, the second fastest by an Australian ever.

The time, currently number nine in the world this year, smashed his previous best, which was a 1:57.07 posted at last year’s Paris Olympic trials.

Turner’s first international experience was the short course World Championships last year but he will now compete in his first long course World Championships next month in Singapore.

Turner currently swims under coach Shaun Crow at St Joseph’s Nudgee College in Queensland.

“I actually can’t believe it, I wasn’t expecting a time like that,” Turner said.

“I thought I’d be lucky to go under 1:56, it’s a hot race, I just wasn’t expecting to go this fast so I’m super stoked.

“Everything is hurting by that last 10 metres, you’ve got no air and I was just dead, but head down and touch the wall as fast as you can.”

ABBEY WEBB

(4x200m freestyle relay)

Tying with Hannah Casey for fourth in the 200m freestyle, Webb is set to join the Dolphins as part of the freestyle relay team in Singapore.

Webb was swimming for Auburn and then NC State in America before returning to train in Canberra in a last-ditch effort to make the Olympics squad but fell short in her attempt, finishing first in the B final with a 1:58.28 time, two seconds slower than the time she raced in the final this week.

Webb’s 1:56.09 time is now her personal best in the 200m freestyle.

The 24-year-old is now coached by Shannon Rollason at the ACT Performance Centre.

NASH WILKES

(100m, 50m breaststroke)

Nash Wilkes celebrates winning the Men's 100 LC Metre Breaststroke at the trials. Picture: Sarah Reed/Getty Images

While Wilkes did not swim the qualifying times for the 100m and 50m breaststroke at the national trials in Adelaide this week, the 21-year-old out of Griffith University on the Gold Coast was the number one breaststroker and is certain to be selected for the medley relay at the Singapore World Championships and will also be able to race his individual events.

Wilkes recently made the move to train under esteemed breaststroke coach Mel Marshall and has achieved a breakthrough with his recent times in the pool.

He will now make his first senior long course team, something he said he had been dreaming of since he was a kid.

“It definitely hasn’t sunk in,” he said.

“I’m just lost for words, I still can’t believe it. I’m happy with this week but I’m even more excited for what is to come.

“Full credit to my coach Mel Marshall and everyone at Griffith University, they have really helped me get to the next level.

“I’ve been dreaming of it since I was a little kid. It hasn’t always been the easiest of roads, but it’s great to see the hard work is starting to pay off (and) full credit to everyone at training, my parents in the crowd, it’s so good.”

Originally published as Toohey, Coleman, Goedemans, Castelluzzo: Meet Australian swimming’s new kids on the block