Rising from the Short Course Depths: Records and Stories Behind the 2026 WA Age & Open Short Course Championships

I have watched hundreds of swimming races, from 50m Olympic pools to the secluded 25m pools in local sports centers. But there is one thing I never get used to: the moment an athlete breaks their own limits. At the 2026 WA Age & Open Short Course Championships, held from August 21-23 at HBF Stadium in Perth, I witnessed not just one, but many such moments. State records, personal bests, and a relay record – all taking place in a space compressed by the 25m pool length. But as always, I don't just want to talk about the numbers. I want to talk about the people behind them.

Context: A state meet, but more than just a state meet

The WA Age & Open Short Course Championships is one of the most important swimming events in Western Australia. Held annually, it attracts athletes of all ages and levels, from promising young talents to established national team swimmers. In 2026, the meet featured Iona Anderson – a 20-year-old Olympic medalist, backstroke specialist – along with Joshua Yong, one of the state's leading breaststrokers. But what caught my attention was not just the big names, but those rising up, like Sam Carmignani, who made a significant personal breakthrough.

In the swimming world, short course (25m) is often considered the 'little brother' to long course (50m) – where the Olympics and World Championships are held. However, short course is a powerful tool for testing technique, especially turns and underwater kicks. An athlete can improve their time significantly just by executing good turns. So when looking at the results from this meet, I always ask: what is real speed improvement, and what is just the short-course advantage?

Core analysis: Unmissable highlights

Let's start with Iona Anderson. At 20, she is already an Olympic medalist, a Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific athlete. At this meet, she competed in the women's 100m individual medley and won with a time of 1:00.66. An impressive number, but it needs context. Anderson is a backstroke specialist, and the 100m IM is not her forte. This time does not threaten world records (around 57 seconds), but it shows her versatility and endurance. I remember the first time I saw Anderson swim at the 2026 Olympics – she swam backstroke with incredible grace. Here, in the short course, she still maintains her form, but I suspect she is using this meet as a light training session, not a peak.

Sam Carmignani is the story that made me pay attention. This guy, swimming for Highlanders, won the men's 100m individual medley with a time of 56.46 – a new personal best, improving by over 1 second from his previous best. One second in swimming is a lot; it can be the difference between an average swimmer and an excellent one. But I am always cautious with such large leaps. Is this a one-time explosion, or a sign of a maturing talent? We need to see his next races. However, there is no denying that this performance has put Carmignani on the radar of Australian swimming fans.

Joshua Yong – a name not unfamiliar to Western Australia swimming fans. At this meet, he set a new state record in the men's 50m breaststroke with a time of 26.61, breaking his own previous record of 26.82. This is an improvement of 0.21 seconds, not huge but enough to assert his dominance in this distance within the state. Yong also won the 100m breaststroke (57.58) and 200m breaststroke (2:07.58). Looking at this sequence, I see an athlete with a good physical foundation and the ability to maintain speed across multiple distances. However, when compared to world-class standards – Adam Peaty once swam 55.28 in the 100m breaststroke short course – Yong still has a very long way to go. A state record is a proud achievement, but it does not put him on the international map yet.

Brielle Dredge – a lesser-known name, but she made a strong impression by winning four events: women's 100m breaststroke (1:07.91), 200m individual medley (2:18.78), 200m breaststroke (2:26.37), and 50m breaststroke (31.04). A four-peat! This shows her endurance and versatility in breaststroke events. But again, these times are not remarkable at the national or international level. Dredge seems to be an excellent state-level athlete, but I see no signs that she will rise to a higher level without significant improvement.

The highlight of the meet was probably the men's 4x100m freestyle relay record. The team from Hale Aquatics (including Joshua Yong and teammates) finished with a time of 3:32.66, breaking the previous state record of 3:34.19, an improvement of 1.53 seconds. A significant improvement in a relay, where every hundredth of a second counts. I would like to know the details of the relay exchanges, but the article does not provide them. Nevertheless, this is an impressive team achievement, showing the coordination and speed of the athletes.

Contrarian angle: When a state record is not a signal for the future

Here I want to offer a perspective that might upset some people. The records and achievements at this meet, while commendable, should not be overhyped. This is a state-level meet, short course, and not a selection event for major championships. Iona Anderson, despite being an Olympic medalist, is in a technical refinement phase, and her 1:00.66 in the 100m IM is not a breakthrough. Joshua Yong, though dominant in the state, is still far from competing with top world swimmers with his 57.58 in the 100m breaststroke. Sam Carmignani's >1s improvement is a positive signal, but I have seen many young swimmers explode once and then disappear. Consistency is key.

I often tell my readers: "Don't confuse a moment with a career." In swimming, the path from a state star to an international star is fraught with challenges. It requires not only talent but also perseverance, proper coaching, and even luck. The relay record is a great team achievement, but it is also just a milestone on a long journey. I want to see these athletes compete in bigger meets, like the Australian Short Course Championships or Australian Trials, to make a more accurate assessment.

Takeaway: What is happening and what is to come

So what do we learn from the 2026 WA Age & Open Short Course Championships? First, Western Australia swimming has a diverse generation of talent, from established stars like Anderson and Yong to emerging ones like Carmignani and Dredge. Second, short course is an excellent tool for testing technique, but results cannot be directly translated to long course. Third, and most importantly, this is a reminder that sports are not just about records, but about human stories – the sweat in the pool, the long nights of training, and the moments of joy when the numbers on the scoreboard change.

I will be following Sam Carmignani in upcoming meets. If he continues to improve, we might be witnessing the birth of a formidable athlete. Joshua Yong, with his consistency, deserves a spot on the national short course team. As for Iona Anderson, she remains a gem of Australian swimming, and I believe her best performances are still ahead – but perhaps in the long course, where she truly shines.

As I left HBF Stadium, I looked back at the 25m pool. It seems small compared to Olympic pools, but it holds big dreams. And as I often say: "When the goalkeeper steps out of the goal, the match begins to tell a different story." In swimming, when the athlete dives into the water, their story begins. In Perth, at the end of August 2026, those stories have been written another page.

I write for the girls and boys standing at the edge of the pool, waiting for their chance to start. They deserve to be seen.