Olivia Wunsch, of Carlile, notched up two wins on Day 6 at the 2025-26 NSW Senior State Age Championships in Sydney, victory in the 50m butterfly followed by another in the 100m free.

In the 'fly dash, she clocked 26.78 (after 26.90 in rounds) ahead of training partner
Jess Cole, 26.83, and Eva Potts (NUSW), on 27.22.

Within half an hour, Wunsch and Cole had delivered another 1-2 punch for Carlile, in respective 100m free times of 53.91 and 56.32, the bronze representing a Carlile sweep when Jaimie De Lutiis clocked 56.68, after a 56.38 in heats.

On her Olympic debut in Paris last year, Wunsch was part of Australia's golden women's 4x100m free team, an achievement that led to her being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2025 Australia Day Honours.

In July this year , in a further boost to the NSW coaching community, Michaela Pattinson, Wunsch's development coach at Carlile (from promising tadpole to World Junior Medals, senior Dolphin status and the top of the Olympic relay podium in Paris) was appointed as a Coach Development Advisor for Swimming NSW through to March 2026.

In addition to her ongoing role with the Carlile Swim Team, Michaela carries out advisory and mentoring work with emerging coaches across the state.

• NSW Senior State Age Championships - Results in Full

Also in the December Vortex:

• Grigor Sets 16 Years All-Comers 200IM Mark At Queensland Champs
• Short Makes It A 400-800 Double With 7:46 Win Over 16 Lengths
• Leeton, Inverell & Goulburn Set to Host 2026 NSW Country Regional Champs
• Lincoln Wearing Cracks Perkins' 1990 Aussie 16 Years 800 Mark
• Sam Short, Meg Harris & Lani Pallister Pile Up The Wins In Brisbane
• Ex-Dolphins Physio Accused Of Sexual Crimes
• Singapore Tops SEA Games In The Pool - Lim Claims 7th 50 Free Crown & Dedicates It To Her Late Father
• Ed Mildred Cracks GB Shiny Suit 200 'Fly Record & Tyler Melbourne-Smith Whacks 800 Free Standard
• Katie Ledecky Breaks 15mins for 1650y free At Eponymous Meet
• Mack's Back! Horton's New Passion...
• Tyler Melbourne-Smith Races Inside Pace Of Lublin Gold: 3:36.09 400 Free
• Lisa Angiolini Sets Italian 200 Breaststroke Mark On 2:18
• No Stopping Shortt! John's Record Season Of Plenty
• Ryan Lochte Selling Three Olympic Golds To Troubled Financial Waters
• Cameron Van der Burgh Back For Dashing Time In LA2028
• Full links to all our Euro s/c Champs coverage and heats coverage
• Celebrating the Life of Linda McGill

The SOS Forum for Subscribers:

FORUM: It’s Not The Code That Counts But Its Implementation

In Part 2 of our series looking at what’s retarding swimming’s growth, we consider the governance fortress and the flags of “Integrity” and “transparency” flying for all outside the walls to see and observe, while those on the inside appear to apply different standards to themselves

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

The November Vortex:

The Vortex - November 2025: McEvoy, Ohashi, Matsushita Top Speed Charts At Japan Open

The Vortex, our monthly compilation of news, views & links to external coverage of the sport, is available as part of our offer of free content emailed to those who register. For a deeper dive, consider a paid subscription in support of our work. Thank you

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord