New records at the 2026 WA Age & Open Short Course Championships: Joshua Yong and the 4x100m freestyle relay shine

When the stopwatch stopped at 3:32.66, the stands at the 25m pool in Western Australia erupted. The men's 4x100m freestyle relay team had touched the wall with a new time, breaking the previous state record by a margin of 1.53 seconds. In swimming, one second is already a huge gap, let alone more than a second and a half. This was not just a victory; it was a statement about the depth of Western Australian swimming. The 2026 WA Age & Open Short Course Championships is one of the most important aquatic events in Western Australia during the 2026-2026 season. Held in a 25m pool – the short course format – this competition brings together the best athletes of the state, from rising young talents to established names on the international stage. The most notable highlight of this year's event was the presence of Iona Anderson – a 20-year-old Olympic medalist who has competed at the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific. Her presence, along with national team swimmer Joshua Yong, elevated this state-level competition, turning it into a place for athletes to test their form ahead of bigger goals in the season. Joshua Yong continued to assert his number one position in Western Australia in men's breaststroke. He competed in all three distances – 50m, 100m, and 200m breaststroke – demonstrating endurance and versatility. Most notably, in the 50m breaststroke, Yong touched the wall in 26.61 seconds, breaking his own previous record of 26.82 seconds. This achievement also set the WA All-Comers & Residential Record – a title for both visiting athletes and those residing in the state. In the 100m breaststroke, Yong finished in 57.58 seconds, just a fraction away from his personal best. Although he did not break the record in this distance, his performance showed remarkable consistency – an important factor for any elite athlete. The biggest highlight of the competition was the new record in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay. With a time of 3:32.66, the relay team shattered the previous state record by 1.53 seconds – an impressive margin in relay swimming, where every tenth of a second counts. This achievement demonstrated seamless coordination between team members, perfect baton exchange technique, and the ability to maintain steady speed throughout the race. Sam Carmignani was the most notable name among the young athletes at this year's event. He set a new personal best in the 100m individual medley with a time of 56.46 seconds, improving by more than 1.0 second from his previous best. Such a significant improvement in a single competition suggests considerable development potential, though more time is needed to confirm whether this is a sustainable upward trend or just a one-off explosive performance. Brielle Dredge was the most impressive female athlete of the year, winning multiple events. She finished first in the 100m breaststroke (1:07.91), 200m individual medley (2:18.78), 200m breaststroke (2:26.37), and 50m breaststroke (31.04). Winning all three breaststroke distances – from the short 50m to the long 200m – shows that Dredge possesses a solid physical foundation and good pacing ability. However, her times still remain far from international standards in these events. Iona Anderson competed as the highest-achieving athlete. She won the 100m individual medley with a time of 1:00.66. Although this is not her specialty – Anderson is known for backstroke events – her participation and victory demonstrate her versatility in swimming skills. As an Olympic medalist, Anderson's presence at a state-level competition also partly shows the importance of this event in maintaining form and checking physical condition mid-season. While these achievements deserve recognition, they must be placed in proper context. This is a state-level competition held in a 25m pool (short course) – a format that differs significantly from the 50m pool (long course) used at the Olympics and World Championships. In short course, more turns mean that turn technique and underwater kicking play a more important role, helping athletes achieve faster times than in long course. Joshua Yong's 57.58 seconds in the 100m breaststroke short course, while a state record, remains far from the world record in this event (approximately 55.28 seconds). Similarly, Iona Anderson's 1:00.66 in the 100m individual medley is not competitive at the international level. This shows that state-level records, while commendable, cannot be seen as a measure of success at higher levels. However, this does not diminish the value of these performances. For developing athletes like Sam Carmignani, setting a new personal best is an important milestone in their career journey. For seasoned athletes like Joshua Yong, maintaining consistent form across all three breaststroke distances is proof of professionalism and good physical management. The 2026 WA Age & Open Short Course Championships concluded with memorable highlights: a new record in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay, a new personal record for Joshua Yong in the 50m breaststroke, and impressive performances from young athletes like Sam Carmignani. While these achievements do not change the global swimming landscape, they provide important signals about the depth of Western Australian swimming. The question now is: Can Sam Carmignani maintain this momentum in upcoming competitions? How will Joshua Yong perform in long course events during the 2026 season? And can Brielle Dredge go further to compete at the national level? The answers will come in due time, as these athletes step into bigger challenges on their career paths.