A squad of 30 Dolphins, featuring 18 Commonwealth Games alumni, is gearing up to excel in the pool at the upcoming Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in August, after being announced at the Australian Swimming Trials last week.
The team is poised to bring a dynamic mix of seasoned swimmers and promising newcomers to the competition, promising a compelling display of skill and determination.
Two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist and three-time Paralympic Games gold medallist Brenden Hall OAM will lead the team, equalling an Australian Para-swimming record for his fifth Games appearance.
Two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lakeisha Patterson OAM will look to pursue a third consecutive Paralympic gold medal in her pet event, the Women’s 400m Freestyle.
Katja Dedekind, who claimed gold at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in the Women’s 50m Freestyle S13, and Emily Beecroft, who took home silver from Birmingham 2022 in the Women’s 100m Freestyle S9, will also both return for their third Games.
The depth of the team is also showcased through the selection of veterans of the pool including Rowan Crothers, Timothy Hodge, Jasmine Greenwood, and Jesse Aungles.
Alex Saffy, who won silver on his debut in Birmingham in the Men’s 100m Butterfly S10 and was named the CGA Emerging Athlete of the Month for August, will make his Paralympic Games debut, joined by fellow Birmingham Tam Member Ella Jones and exciting freestyle sprinter Alexa Leary.
The thirty swimmers selected to represent Australia @Paris2024 are a blend of some of the most exciting, experienced and successful swimmers to ever feature on an Australian Paralympic Team.
Bring. It. On.@qantas I @SwimmingAUS I @Paralympics I #ImagineWhatWeCanDo pic.twitter.com/13OQxVI4ti
— AUS Paralympic Team (@AUSParalympics) June 14, 2024
The Tokyo Games saw Australia’s swimmers return home with 33 medals, including eight gold, and the drive will surely be on improving on that come the start of Paris 2024.
The focus on excellence and improvement underscores Australia’s commitment to Paralympic success, setting the stage for an electrifying competition in Paris.
The swimming events will take place from 29 August to 7 September at the Paris La Défense Arena.
With thanks to the Paralympics Australia and Swimming Australia.
Current Australian Paralympic Swimming Team (As at 19 June 2024)
| Name | Age | State | Paralympic Games Experience | Commonwealth Games Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmed Kelly | 32 | VIC | Tokyo 2020 – Men’s 150m Individual Medley SM3 – Silver, Men’s 50m Breaststroke SB3 – 7th. Rio 2016 – Men’s Breaststroke SB3 – 7th, Mixed 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 20pts – 6th, Men’s 50m Backstroke S2 (Heats), Men’s 150m Individual Medley SM4 (Heats). London 2012 – Men’s Breaststroke SB3 – 4th. | |
| Alex Saffy | 18 | WA | Debut | Birmingham 2022 – Men’s 100m Butterfly S10 – Silver |
| Alexa Leary | 22 | QLD | Debut | |
| Benjamin Hance OAM | 23 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 – Men’s 100m Backstroke S14 – Gold, Mixed 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay S14 – Silver, Men’s 100m Butterfly S14 - Bronze | Birmingham 2022 – Men’s 200m Freestyle S14 – Silver |
| Brenden Hall OAM | 31 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 – Men’s 400m Freestyle S9 – 4th, Men’s 100m Backstroke S9 – 8th, Men’s 100m Butterfly S9 (Heats). Rio 2016 – Men’s 400m Freestyle S9 – Gold, Men’s 100m Freestyle S9 – Silver, Men’s 100m Backstroke S9 – Bronze, Men’s 100m Butterfly S9 – 4th, Men’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34pts – 4th. London 2012 – Men’s 400m Freestyle S9 – Gold, Men’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34pts – Gold, Men’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34pts – Bronze. Beijing 2008 – Men’s 400m Freestyle S9 – 5th | Birmingham 2022 – Men’s 100m Backstroke S9 – 5th. Gold Coast 2018 – Men’s 100m Backstroke S9 – Gold; GC2018 – Men’s 100m Freestyle S9 – Gold Glasgow 2014 – Men’s 100m Freestyle S9 - Bronze |
| Callum Simpson | 17 | QLD | Debut | |
| Chloe Osborn | 20 | NSW | Debut | |
| Col Pearse | 20 | VIC | Tokyo 2020 – Men’s 100m Butterfly S10 – Bronze, Men’s 200m Individual medley SM10 – 4th, Men’s 100m Backstroke S10 – 8th | Birmingham 2022 – Men’s 100m Butterfly S10 – Gold |
| Ella Jones | 23 | QLD | Debut | Birmingham 2022 – Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB6 – 6th; B2022 – Women’s 100m Backstroke S8 – 6th |
| Emily Beecroft | 24 | VIC | Tokyo 2020 – Women’s 4 x 100m Freestyle 34pts – Silver, Women’s 4 x 100m Medley 34pts – Bronze, Women’s 100m Freestyle S9 – 8th; Rio 2016 – Women’s 50m Freestyle S9 – 4th, Women’s 100m Freestyle S9 – 6th, Women’s 100m Butterfly S9 – 6th, Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM9 (Heats) | Birmingham 2022 – Women’s 100m Freestyle S9 – Silver Gold Coast 2018 – Women’s 100m Freestyle S9 – 4th |
| Grant Patterson | 35 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 – Men’s 50m Breaststroke SB2 – Silver, Men’s 150m Individual Medley SM3 – Bronze. London 2012 - Team Member. | |
| Holly Warn | 15 | QLD | Debut | |
| Jasmine Greenwood | 19 | ACT | Tokyo 2020 – Women’s 100m Butterfly S10 – Silver, Women’s 100m Backstroke S10 – 4th, Women’s 100m Freestyle S10 – 5th, Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM10 – 5th | Birmingham 2022 – Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM10 – Gold. Gold Coast 2018 – Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM10 – 5th; GC2018 – Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB9 – 5th |
| Jack Ireland | 24 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 - Team Member | Birmingham 2022 – Men’s 200m Freestyle S14 - Bronze |
| Jake Michel | 25 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 – Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB14 – Silver | |
| Jenna Jones | 23 | QLD | Rio 2016 – Women’s 50m Freestyle S13 – 7th, Women’s 100m Backstroke S13 – 7th, Women’s 100m Freestyle S13 – 2nd (Heats), Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB13 – 5th (Heats), Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM13 – 5th – (Heats) | Birmingham 2022 – Women’s 50m Freestyle S13 – 4th |
| Jesse Aungles | 29 | ACT | Tokyo 2020 – Men’s 100m Backstroke S8 – 4th, Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB7 – 4th, Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM8 – 7th, Men’s 100m Butterfly S8 – 11th (Heats). Rio 2016 – Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM8 – 6th, Men’s 100m Backstroke S8 – 7th, Men’s 100m Butterfly S8 – 7th, Men’s 400m Freestyle S8 – 8th | Gold Coast 2018 – Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM8 – Gold. Glasgow 2014 – Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM8 - Silver |
| Katja Dedekind | 22 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 – Women’s 400m Freestyle S13 – Bronze, Women’s 100m Backstroke S13 – Bronze, Women’s 50m Freestyle S13 – 4th. Rio 216 – Women’s 100m Backstroke S13 – Bronze, Women’s 400m Freestyle S13 – 7th, Women’s 50m Freestyle S13 (Heats), Women’s 100m Freestyle S13 (Heats) | Birmingham 2022 – Women’s 50m Freestyle S13 – Gold |
| Keira Stephens | 21 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 – Women’s 4 x 100m Medley 34pts – Bronze, Women’s 10m Breaststroke SB9 – Bronze | Birmingham 2022 – Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM10 - Bronze |
| Lakeisha Patterson OAM | 25 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 – Women’s 400m Freestyle S9 – Gold. Rio 2016 – Women’s 400m Freestyle S8 – Gold, Women’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34pts – Gold, Women’s 50m Freestyle S8 – Silver, Women’s 100m Freestyle S8 – Silver, Women’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34pts – Silver, Women’s 200m Individual Medley S8 - Bronze | Birmingham 2022 – Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM10 – 5th. Gold Coast 2018 – Women’s 50m Freestyle S8 – Gold; GC2018 – Women’s 100m Freestyle S9 – Gold. Glasgow 2014 – Women’s 100m Freestyle S8 - Bronze |
| Lewis Bishop | 19 | QLD | Debut | |
| Maddie McTernan | 23 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 – Mixed 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay S14 – Silver, Women’s 100m Backstroke S14 – 4th | Birmingham 2022 – Women’s 200m Freestyle S14 – 5th |
| Paige Leonhardt | 23 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 – Women’s 100m Butterfly S14 – Silver, Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB14 – 6th, Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM14 – 6th. Rio 2016 – Women’s 100m Butterfly S10 – 6th, Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB10 – 6th, Women’s 50m Freestyle S10 (Heats), Women’s 100m Freestyle S10 (Heats), Women’s 100m Backstroke S10 (Heats), Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM10 (Heats) | Gold Coast 2018 – Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB9 – Silver; GC2018 – Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM10 – 4th |
| Poppy Wilson | 20 | QLD | Debut | |
| Rachael Watson | 32 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 – Women’s 50m Freestyle S4 – Gold. Rio 2016 – Women’s 50m Freestyle S4 – Gold | |
| Ricky Betar | 20 | NSW | Tokyo 2020 – Mixed 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay S14 – Silver, Men’s 200m Freestyle S14 – 7th, Men’s 100m Butterfly S14 – 8th, Men’s 100m Backstroke S14 (Heats) | |
| Rowan Crothers | 26 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 – Men’s 50m Freestyle S10 – Gold, Men’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34pts – Gold, Men’s 100m Freestyle S10 – Silver. Rio 2016 – Men’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34pts – 5th, Men’s 100m Freestyle S10 – 5th, Men’s 400m Freestyle S10 – 6th, Men’s 50m Freestyle S10 – 6th | Glasgow 2014 – Men’s 100m Freestyle S9 – Gold |
| Ruby Storm | 20 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 – Mixed 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay S14 – Silver, Women’s 100m Butterfly S14 - Bronze | Birmingham 2022 – Women’s 200m Freestyle S14 – 6th |
| Timothy Hodge | 23 | NSW | Tokyo 2020 – Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM9 – Silver, Men’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34pts – Silver, Men’s 100m Backstroke S9 – Bronze. Rio 2016 – Mens 200m Individual Medley SM9 – 5th, Men’s 100m Backstroke SM9 – 6th | Birmingham 2022 – Men’s 100m Backstroke S9 – Gold; B2022 – Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB8 – Silver. Gold Coast 2018 - Men’s 100m Backstroke S9 – Silver; GC2018 – Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB8 – Silver; GC2018 – Men’s 100m Freestyle S9 – 4th |
| Tom Gallagher | 25 | QLD | Tokyo 2020 – Men’s 400m Freestyle S10 – Bronze, Men’s 50m Freestyle S10 – 5th, Men’s 100m Freestyle S10 – 5th |
