All Star Cast of Olympic Gold Medallists and World Champions On Deck For 2025 Hancock Prospecting Queensland Championships
Over 30 Olympians, including gold medallists, world champions, world record holders and even two British big guns will line up in the 2025 Hancock Prospecting Queensland Championships at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre from December 13-19.
The six-day meet attracting 2,642 swimmers, led by Australian Olympic gold medallists, Cam McEvoy, Kaylee McKeown, Mollie O’Callaghan, Zac Stubblety-Cook, Lani Pallister, Meg Harris and Jamie Perkins who will be joined by Great Britain golden boys Tom Dean and Duncan Scott.
The men’s and women’s 200m freestyles will kick-start the open events on Sunday, December 14 with all-star casts.
The men’s event taking on a whole new international dimension with visiting GB Olympic gold medal duo Dean and Scott up against an Aussie contingent led by LA28 Olympic hopeful Ed Somerville who fired off a slick season starter of 1:45.34 (24.13; 50.29;1:17.66) on the opening night of the Japan Open in Tokyo last night.
Somerville and his Brisbane Grammar coach Bobby Jovanovich signalling their intentions to take the 200m freestyle to the next level as they plot and plan their way to LA28.
Dean the 2021 Tokyo Olympic champion who with freestyling-IM star Scott have formed the engine room of the last two British Olympic victories in the 4x200m freestyles in Tokyo and Paris.
Add in new generation Korean pair Hojoon Lee and 2024 World 400m freestyle champion Woomin Kim and it is the deepest field on the program.
A start list that features Paris 200m finalist Max Giuliani (Sydney University), the Rackley trio of Olympic and World championship notables Sam Short and Thomas Neill along with coach Damien Jones’ latest recruit, Newcastle’s former University of Alabama All-Star Charlie Hawke.
Giuliani, the former Tasmanian star, who holds the Queensland record at 1:44.79, has now begun swimming at his new training base under coach Richard Scarce at Sydney University after a three-year stint with Scarce at Miami and TSS Aquatic on the Gold Coast.
Throw in St Peters Western, QLD, Olympic foursome Elijah Winnington, Kai Taylor, Jack Cartwright and Brendon Smith as well as New Zealand IM specialist Lewis Clareburt and there will be a battle royal to book a spot for the top 10 lanes in the final .
Kim (2024), Winnington (2022) and Short (2023) of course all World Champions over 400 freestyle and they will be feature in their main event as well.
While in the women’s 200m freestyle, World and Olympic champion O’Callaghan, will line up against St Peters Western training partners Pallister and Perkins and they will be joined by Rackley’s 50m freestyle world champion Harris and Brazilian star Maria Fernanda Costa.
Pallister, the recently crowned world record holder for 800m short course, will have one of the busiest programs of the Queensland Championships.
The 23-year-old has entered in nine individual events, the 50,100,200, 400 and 800m freestyle, the 100 and 200m butterfly and the 200 and 400m IMs – a daunting task even for Pallister who thrives on racing – throwing in two relays as well.
Meanwhile Paris Olympian and another of the St Peters Western connection, Jaclyn Barclay will also race nine events but she will add no less than six relays – for a total of 15 age and open events across backstroke, butterfly and freestyle.
In contrast both McEvoy (Somerville Aquatic) and McKeown (USC Spartans) will limit their programs to club relays, as will fellow Paris Olympian Alex Perkins (USC Spartans).
Many of the Queensland and international stars will be backing up the day after the Australia v The World Duel Meet at The Valley pool on December 12.
The Queensland Championships will feature Stubblety-Cook’s return to racing after he was forced out of this year’s World Championships through a back injury.
The Mel Marshall trained 2021 Olympic champion and former world record holder will return to his specialty 100 and 200m breaststrokes as he eyes off this year’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacs in LA.
O’Callaghan is another with a busy program – a common theme for Dean Boxall’s SPW crew come Queensland Championship time – with Mollie O lining up in 50 and 200m freestyle, 100m and 200m backstroke, the 200IM and the 200m butterfly and three relays.
Jamie Perkins, who forced her way into the world championship winning 4x200m freestyle relay starting team in Singapore alongside her teammates O’Callaghan and Pallister, will also contest the 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800m freestyles.
Even sprint ace Harris will be lapping it up in the 50,100, 200 and 400m freestyles as well as the 50m butterfly – the headliner in a Rackley team of over 270 swimmers.
And while Albany Creek pair Cameron Reeves and Andrea Carwright are among the youngest swimmers entered in the meet at just 11 years of age, they may be able to get a few tips from one of the oldest – 39-year-old St Andrews head coach and 2008 Beijing Olympian Ashley Delaney, who will make a re-appearance in his specialist event the 50m backstroke.
Delaney will be racing several of his students – led by Tokyo and Paris Olympian and 2024 world champion for 50m backstroke Isaac Cooper.