The Vortex - December 2025: Olivia Wunsch At The Sprint Double In Carlile Crunch
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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 Swimming wrapped up its meet with the following insight of the whole meet:
Records Fall and Stars Rise as NSW’s Fastest Swimmers Take Over Sydney Olympic Park
Records shattered, Olympic medallists on show at the 2025/26 NSW Senior State Age Championships. With close to 2000 swimmers and 8000 entries across the week, personal best times have been swum and records have been broken. 2025 has seen the introduction of ‘Super Finals’ for the 10 fastest swimmers 15 years and up in the 50’s, 100’s and the 200m freestyle, its been an action packed week.
Night One
The 2025/26 NSW Senior State Age Championships got off to a stellar start in the 50 meter freestyle events where a spectacular swim from Ollie Moclair (Cranbrook) in the heats resulted in an 18 Years Australian Age Record. Moclairs 22.04 in the preliminaries set him up for a fantastic Super Final where he comfortably claimed the gold medal ahead of a firing field.
In another 50 metre freestyle Super Final, Olympic medalist Olivia Wunsch (Carlile) took out the race in a convincing win, half a second ahead of the field in a 25.08. 17 year old, Heli Childs (PLC) touched in second with an impressive 25.58, followed by Elizabeth Gan of Sydney Uni for the bronze.
Rounding out the top moments of the night, Warringah's Higgs brothers stole the show in the men's 400 metre freestyle. It was a tough tussle throughout the race but younger brother, Luke, out touched Samuel to claim the Super Final. Medals were awarded to each age group, crowning both Luke and Sam the State Champions in their respective 17 and 18+ years age group.
Night Two
There was plenty of action across the night on Day 2 of the Championships at Sydney Olympic Park. Sydney Uni’s young gun, Thomas Penny, began to make his mark, setting the pool alight in the 13 years 200 backstroke, 5 seconds ahead of the competition. Penny held his composure throughout the race to finish in a 2:12.70, comfortably claiming the gold medal.
In another impressive race, Ella Mounter swam a fantastic 100 metre breaststroke Super Final to claim the gold medal in 1:10.01. Mounter looked strong and comfortable, taking control of the race early and holding on to produce one of the swims of the night.
In the last Super Final of the night on Day Two, Marcus Da Silva claimed the State Championship in the 200 metre freestyle. Da Silva swam a 1:49.30, just outside of his best time. He has had immense success across the pool during the 2025 season in this event, particularly at Sydney Olympic Park where earlier this year where he won the gold at NSW State Open.
Night Three
On Night Three, 16 year old Heidi Shumack of SOPAC, swam out of her skin to claim the gold double in the 100 metre backstroke Super Final (1.01.72) against mature competitors as well as in the 200IM (2:16.29), 5 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. Shumack’s success across the 2025 season led her to compete at the World Junior Championships in Romania, finishing 8th in the world in the 200IM.
When talking about big wins, you couldn’t go past Raphael Taewoo Oh’s 200 metre breaststroke final. Swimming a 2:25.08, Oh (Knox Pymble) had 7 seconds on the field, claiming the gold very comfortably.
Finally, Samuel Higgs of Warringah had another spectacular swim, this time in the 200 metre IM. Higgs finished in a 2:01.09, taking out a two second victory ahead of Hills swimmer Callum Thomas, crowning him the 18+ years State Champion.
Night Four
At the conclusion of Night Four, we were just over half way at the 2025/26 Senior State Age Championships and the swimmers continued to put on a fabulous display of athletic ability.
In the first race of the night, Joseph Hamson of Knox Pymble had a fantastic last 50 metres in the 100 metre butterfly Super Final, delivering a spectacular swim to clear out the rest of the field in a blitzing 51.97. Silver medalist Carlos Moussa (SOPAC) touched in a 54.30, demonstrating the dominance of Hamson.
In a thrilling race, the 16 year old 200 metre breastroke held some of NSW’s biggest names, in Christopher Montana (Trinity), Maximus Smyth (Corrimal) and Lukas Dunn (Knox Pymble). Montana and Smyth were neck and neck throughout the race but it was Trinity’s Montana who claimed the gold in a 2:18.51 just ahead of Smyth’s 2:18.56. Lukas Dunn finished with the bronze.
Just when we thought we’d seen it all in the 200 metre breaststroke action, Trinity athlete 15 year old Avery Koh swam an impressive 2:37.95, comfortably taking it out by almost 4 body lengths. A fantastic time from Koh wrapped up her 2025 season very nicely after her success in April at the national championships across the breaststroke and IM events.
Night Five
Heading into the back end of the meet, there was plenty of action on Day Five. In one of the quickest swims of the night, City of Sydney’s Dylan Xie, blitzed the field in the 13 years boys 100 metre freestyle. In a 53.79, Xie was the athlete to swim under the 54 second mark. Xie had a fantastic start to the meet, breaking the 50 metre All comers record and promptly backed it up again on Night Five.
The NSW Swimmer of the Night was none other than Christopher Montana who struck again in the breaststroke events. Montana had an incredible 50 metre heat swim breaking the Australian Age Record in a time of 28.48. The preliminary swim set him up comfortably in lane four to produce another brilliant race in the Super Final, yet again breaking the Australian Age Record set only hours earlier (28.38).
The records kept falling on Night Five, with Luke Higgs finishing off the night in the 800 metre freestyle. Higgs broke the NSW Record in an 8:04.45, a 2 second PB, winning very comfortably, 44 seconds ahead of 15 year old Andre Labara (Wagga Wagga). Higgs took it out early and held on to claim yet another State Championships.
Night Six
Night Six was another spectacle at Sydney Olympic Park with brilliant races across the night. Starting off the pool action was Olympian Olivia Wunsch, going back to back to claim gold in both the 50 metre butterfly and the 100 metre freestyle Super Finals. Wunsch proved why she is an Olympic medallist, swimming an impressive 53.91 in the 100 metre freestyle, two seconds ahead of Jodie Mead (Woy Woy) in a 55.7. It was a final full of big NSW names but Wunsch was the victor once again.
Next up was the grueling 400IM’s where IM queen, Heidi Shumack, yet again swam a very impressive race. Shumack finished in 4:50.56, 9 seconds ahead of Maya Ostapenko from Carlile. Shumack’s butterfly prowess allowed her to take it out strong, leading from the get go and pulling away to secure yet another gold medal at the 2025/26 NSW Senior State Age Championships.
15 year old Andre Labara of Wagga Wagga, was next to take the 400IM challenge on. Labara has shown his incredible aerobic base across the week and this event was no different, finishing in a time of 4:29.62. William Ison (Nepean) took out the silver in a 4:34.76, contesting Labara the entire way but it was Labara’s fantastic final 100 that saw him pull ahead to claim the gold.
Day Seven & Wrap
On the final night of racing, more records were broken as the Mighty Blues athletes took to the pool for the final time in 2025. Kicking off the racing was Sydney University’s young gun, Thomas Penny, swimming an incredible 1:56.90 in the 200 metre freestyle. Penny’s time was not only a new NSW record but was the second fastest time swum by a 13 year old Australian.
Records kept falling as Carlile’s newest member, Jess Cole, swam the 200 metre butterfly in a NSW record of 2:10.36. Cole lead from the beginning, cruising to a comfortable 8 second victory ahead of 21 year old Amber Clark (NUSwim).
In the final individual female race of the meet, Australian Dolphin Tayla Martin, swam a 8:50.64 in the 800 freestyle to claim the gold medal. Martin looked in control from start to finish finishing 14 seconds ahead of Alstonville’s Felicity Walker.
What a week for NSW and Mighty Blues athletes, displaying the best talent and skill under lights on the NSW State stage. The 2025/26 NSW Senior State Age Championships produced plenty of excitement and fast racing at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. With the 2025 Open Water Championships set to be held over the next coming days, there is more action to come for NSW Swimming.
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
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