Australia’s aquatic stars have put on a show in Doha, with the 2024 World Aquatic Championships coming to a close on Monday.

With diving opening the competition programme, it was debutant Alysha Koloi making a name for herself, winning gold in the Women’s 1m Springboard.

The Australians certainly delivered on day one of the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, with the quartet of Cassiel Rousseau, Nikita Hains, Shixin Li and Maddison Keeney winning a bronze medal in the mixed team’s event.

Three-time Commonwealth Games medallist Li also took silver in the Men’s 1m Springboard, with diving stalwarts and Birmingham 2022 gold medallists Anabelle Smith and Keeney also taking silver in the Women’s 3m Springboard Synchronised Event.

Just a few days later, Keeney, joined by two-times Games gold medallist Domonic Bedggood, recorded a score of 300.93 points to win gold in the Mixed 3m Springboard event.

The incredible success of the divers was rounded out with Birmingham 2022 gold medallist Cassiel Rousseau named as World Aquatics Diving Athlete of the Year for 2023, in recognition of his historic performance in 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan where he became the first Australian to be crowned the Men’s 10-Metre Platform World Champion.

“I’m really honoured to have received this award, especially since it was a community driven one, and once again unexpected,” Rousseau said.

“I want to say thank you to everyone that is supporting me, and I definitely could not have achieved what I have done alone.”

Congratulations to Cassiel Rousseau who has today been announced as World Aquatics Diving Athlete of the Year for 2023 🎉🎉

To read more 👇https://t.co/rchpZPAA8w pic.twitter.com/FQ2aW6hxul

— Diving Australia (@DivingAUS) February 9, 2024

With the second half of the competition opening to a swimming extravaganza, the Australian Dolphins were keen to make their mark in the pool.

The Dolphins amassed a collection of three gold, nine silver, and four bronze medals, with the final night of double gold medals seeing Australia leap into third position on the table behind USA and China.

Twenty-year-old backstroker Isaac Cooper was crowned 50m backstroke world champion while the women’s 4x100m medley relay team surged home to help Australia finish with an overall medal haul of 16.

In the final event of the meet, a fast-finishing Shayna Jack made sure the Dolphins 4x100m medley relay – Iona Anderson, Abbey Harkin, Brianna Throssell and Jack – stormed home to touch in 3:55.98 ahead of Sweden (3:56.35) and Canada (3:56.43).

Birmingham 2022 gold medallist Sam Williamson rounded out the collection of gold medals for Australia, claiming the Men’s 50m Breaststroke title on the fourth night of competition in the pool, securing an Oceania record in the process.

In all, the Dolphins leave Doha not just with medals but with two world champions, two national records, 10 individual personal bests, the emergence of two rookies on the international stage, and the return to form of four-times Games gold medallist Elijah Winnington (silver in both 400m free and 800m free).

Doha World Championships Diving Results:

Gold

• Women’s 1m Springboard – Alysha Koloi
• Mixed 3m Springboard – Maddison Keeney and Domonic Bedggood

Silver

• Men’s 1m Springboard – Shixin Li
• Women’s 3m Springboard – Anabelle Smith and Maddison Keeney

Bronze

• Mixed 3m and 10m Team – Cassiel Rousseau, Nikita Hains, Shixin Li and Maddison Keeney

Doha World Championships Swimming Results:

Gold

• Men’s 50m Breaststroke – Sam Williamson
• Men’s 50m Backstroke – Isaac Cooper
• Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay – Iona Anderson, Abbey Harkin, Brianna Throssell, Shayna Jack (Heat swimmers: Jaclyn Barclay, Alex Perkins)

Silver

• Women’s 50m Backstroke – Iona Anderson
• Women’s 100m Backstroke – Iona Anderson
• Women’s 200m Backstroke – Jaclyn Barclay
• Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay – Brianna Throssell, Alex Perkins, Abbey Harkin, Shayna Jack (Heat: Jaclyn Barclay)
• Men’s 50m Freestyle – Cam McEvoy
• Men’s 400m Freestyle – Elijah Winnington
• Men’s 800m Freestyle – Elijah Winnington
• Mixed 100m Freestyle Relay – Kai Taylor, Jack Cartwright, Shayna Jack and Brianna Throssell (Alex Perkins and Abbey Harkin)
• Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay – Brad Woodward, Sam Williamson, Shayna Jack, Abbey Harkin (Heat: Alex Perkins)

Bronze

• Women’s 100m Freestyle: Shayna Jack
• Women’s 200m Freestyle: Brianna Throssell
• Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay: Brianna Throssell, Shayna Jack, Abbey Harkin, Kiah Melverton (Heat: Jaclyn Barclay)
• Men’s 50m Butterfly: Cam McEvoy

National and Oceania Records:

• Sam Williamson 50m breaststroke (26.32)
• Isaac Cooper 50m backstroke (24.12)

With thanks to Diving Australia and Swimming Australia.