Two of Australia’s future swimming stars and medalists at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics announced themselves in gallery style on Tuesday night, as 17-year-olds Sienna Toohey and Henry Allan showed why the attraction surrounding two countrymen who grew up three hours apart is so real.
On the eve of Australia’s two swimming trials for next month’s Commonwealth Games and the Pan Pacific Championships later this year in California, Toohey and Allan produced their finals in the men’s 100m breaststroke and men’s 100m backstroke at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.
The pair were not alive to witness the magic of the Sydney 2000 Olympics in the same pool they raced on Tuesday night – neither were many of their peers – but they have fueled excitement in swimming circles about their raw potential ahead of their home Olympics in six years.
Toohey’s open-mouthed response was priceless as she looked up at the board to realize she had shaved 0.46 seconds off her best to clock 1:05.97 to become the third fastest Australian in history (all years) behind Leisel Jones (1:05.09) and Sarah Katsoulis (1:05.86).
Focusing more on his turns recently has helped him towards times that are entering the medal zone at the top international level.
“I’m really excited about that,” Toohey said. “My legs were burning but I didn’t want to give up.”
Allan, meanwhile, faces a wait until Saturday before he officially finds out if he has been named in his Dolphins first team. His time of 53.52 was outside Swimming Australia’s qualifying standard of 52.57, but selectors are expected to send him to Glasgow at least as part of the men’s 4×100 medley relay squad.
Another option is Isaac Cooper, who took the 50m backstroke but did not run the 100m. However, Allan is a long term prospect with a very bright future and international experience will do him the world of good.
Young athletes from big cities can sometimes attract attention more quickly, but there have been whispers about both swimmers among elite judges for some time, given their country’s backgrounds and commitment to driving long distances in pursuit of one day wearing the Olympic gold medal.
Toohey made his international debut aged 16 at last year’s world championships in Singapore. In previous trials, he revealed that his hometown of Albury on the NSW-Victoria border had no indoor swimming pool, forcing him to train outside, often in freezing temperatures in the middle of winter.
Things have improved since then. Toohey told reporters he moved to Canberra earlier this year with his mother and brother. However, he has not been home for the past 10 weeks and admitted that being away from friends was tough, but it was ultimately worth it on a night when he secured first place in the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships.
“I don’t have many friends in Canberra, but that made it worthwhile,” said the year 11 student, who is still enrolled at Albury High School.
“My friends at school are the best group of friends I could ask for. They often FaceTime me during the day… I know that I can go away for months and come back and they’ll treat me the same way. It’s definitely hard to be separated.
“My teachers are very supportive of my sport. They make little booklets and packages for me and take them with my father when he comes to visit me. I study in the same school as everyone else, I just do it at home.
“Being so young, I’m looking forward to the (2028) LA Olympics, so it’s about trying to get as much experience as I can before.”
If scientists had created a retrograde device in a laboratory, they might have created Allan. The Bendigo teenager has grown 10cm in the past year and is now 203cm tall.
Its reach and its shape are designed for its events.
Allan was philosophical about his victory, which came after he was barred from last year’s world championship trials despite competing as a 15-year-old the year before with experience.
There was a feeling among those close to Allan that there was no need to rush the aging star, who has been breaking Australian records for fun and driving to Melbourne for training sessions.
Allan only started swimming at the age of 13 when his neighbor invited him to practice one day.
He turns 18 later this month and will be 24 when the Brisbane Olympics arrive. There is a lot of work to do before then, but he is already showing that the hype is justified.
Allan’s train is just taking off.
“I won’t be too upset if I don’t get selected … for sure (I think I can make it) for the relay,” Allan said.
“Seeing Sienna make the team last year really opened my eyes to see that these young people and people from New South Wales and Victoria can jump into those team positions.”
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Tom Decent is the senior sports writer for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email address.
