The Vortex - February 2026: Race-Pace Winter Tests For Scott & McMillan At McCullagh Intl
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Duncan Scott and Jack McMillan, Stirling teammates and fellow World 4x200m free champions for Britain in Singapore last year, were among winners at the McCullagh International at the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre in Dublin.
Scott clocked 1:56.82 to win the 200m butterfly by a big margin ahead of Jack Cassin, 1:59.44 as the sole sub-2min men, while McMillan topped the 800m free in 8:11.30.
In other action, Irish International and World junior 100 and 200m champion John Shortt, based at Ireland's National Centre Limerick, took the 50 backstroke in 25.32; Italian visitor Federico Poggio, now based at National Centre Dublin, topped the 100m breaststroke in 1:01.01 just ahead of Shortt's training partner Eoin Corby, 1:01.97.
The women's 100m breaststroke delivered a tight fight between Ellie McCartney, National Centre Limerick, and Kara Hanlon, Edinburgh University: it ended 1:07.54 to 1:07.95 in McCartney's favour.
There were also wins for Grace Davison, the Irish 100m free record holder in 54.00, with a 55.27; and Keanna MacInnes, Stirling, on 2:11.14 in the 200 butterfly. The meet continues over the weekend.
Inclement Weather No Barrier For Rottnest Channel Swimmers - The Pool Will Do
Weather derailed the Rottnest Channel Swim in Perth, Western Australia Friday, but swimmers weren't prepared to leave it there: 43 of them from "Team Saba" woke to the weekend determined to finish what they started, and headed to the Bold Park Aquatic Centre in Perth's western suburbs to take on the rest of the 19.7km open water swim in the confines of a pool.
The driving force: they were swimming for the Saba Rose Button Foundation: Saba Button was severely disabled after getting a flu jab when she was 11 months old in 2010:
Saba Rose Button Foundation general manager Kirsten Button, who is Saba's mother, told ABC that the team supported the decision to cancel the open water event, but that was not going to stop the fund-raising.
The swim team has raised over $32,000 of its $40,000 target for the foundation, a WA-based charity supporting children with complex and high needs.
NSW Swimming Searches For New CEO As Thomson Prepares To Takes The Reigns At NSW Institute of Sport
Swimming New South Wales is looking for a new Chief Executive Officer to replace Kirsten Thomson after her appointment as the new boss at the NSW Institute of Sport. Applications for the NSW Swimming job c lose March 15...
Thomson, who won silver medals as a Dolphin in the 4x200m freestyle for Australia at the Sydney 2000 Olympic and 2003 World Championships in Barcelona, has worked across several high-performance organisations in New South Wales for the past two decades.
Her appointment at the NSWIS is something of a comeback: she acted in the role back in 2021 and 2022. The organisation supports purpose is to support the state’s most talented athletes and coaches, providing world-class training environments, sport science, medical support and performance pathways.
Thomson starts her new job on April 9, by which time NSW Swimming will be well on the to announcing her replacement. Speaking through the NSWIS, Thomson said:
“My first experience with the NSW Institute of Sport was when I entered the inaugural swimming program in 1996, and having experienced firsthand the incredible support the Institute provides, I am honoured to now step into the CEO role and support NSW Olympic and Paralympic athletes. New South Wales has a proud history of sporting achievement, and I look forward to working with the athletes, coaches, staff and sport partners to establish a world leading high performance Institute.”
Aquatics GB/AP Race Social-Impact Partnership - Year 2
Aquatics GB and AP Race have teamed up again for year 2 of a partnership aimed at delivering a social impact project to "hundreds of people across the 2026 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships".
It is the kind of work that coaches and clubs do up and down the UK every day, though the focus is on the specific showcase of the national championships and the window of opportunity it offers.
Aquatics GB notes: "With more than 1000 people from the community around the London Aquatics Centre engaged in inclusive opportunities that developed skills and promoted the benefits of a love of water throughout the course of the 2025 event's social impact programme, Aquatics GB and AP Race have partnered for a second successive year to deliver a new series of empowering sessions in the pool.
"Alongside the world-class racing action taking place at the heart of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park across the 14th-19th April 2026, a learn to swim offering is being designed with the aim of improving access to swimming environments and events for local children and young people from traditionally under-represented in the world of aquatics.
"This exciting collaboration is extended this year to include the running of three masterclasses, expertly designed and tailored for competitive clubs across the country to engage with Great Britain's pivotal annual selection meet of the year – inspiring swimmers with an opportunity to see first-hand what the best swimmers in the country do at a major championship."
- The statement in full:
British Swimmingr
Meanwhile, the other co-founder of AP Race, the one with his initials on the tin and a string of racing honours round his neck, Adam Peaty, has been reunited with Mel Marshall, his mentor throughout his stellar Olympic career to date, in Australia, where Marshall now works at the Griffith University excellence program.
Peaty, fresh from his honeymoon with wife Holly Ramsay, is on a visit and winter-sun training camp Down Under. He and Marshall met up at the Griffith pool in Southport, Queensland, a place where you can find more 50m training pools within a relatively short car drive that the whole of Britain boasts.
Three-times Olympic champion and World record holder in the 50 and 100m breaststroke, Peaty, who is training with the group for two weeks, took the opportunity to post a tribute to his mentor:
“You shaped the man I am today and it was an honour to be back with you for two weeks @melmarshallmassive 🇦🇺 Great to see you thriving in what you do best! 15+ Years goes pretty fast but I’ll never forget the incredible memories 🙏🏼”
Marshall returned the compliment:
“Sharing the value of loyalty, honesty + effort for many years. Great to see you kid! Backing your endeavour + proud of your courage. We look nearly the same all the years on 🙃enjoy the weather back home 😉”
Peaty is now working with coach Jamie Main at Repton School, where Peaty not only trained as a youngster but also during his recovery from a breakdown in 2022-23 at a time he needed to be away from the pressure cooker of a daily squad routine. Peaty will compete at the British Championships in April for a place on the respective England and Great Britain teams for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games and the Paris 2026 European Championships.
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Also in the February Vortex:
- Massi Rosolino: "I Would Have Let Him Race In Hs Helmet ... But It's A Fine Line"
- Why China Open Has Drawn An International Entry: Come, Win 3 Races, Pick Up $50k
- Nicholas Santos Back For A Shot Aged LA2028 Aged 48
- Five Go To CAS For Fairness Reforms Of Broken Doping & Governance System
- Ukraine Decries IOC 'Legitimisation of "Evil"
- Brit Bid Battle Takes Shape For 2036-40 Olympics
- Andy Reid named Swim Ireland national performance director
- Shoal Of Big Names Off To China Open
- Siobhán Haughey In Fine Fettle At Dubai Open (52.77, 100 free)
- Bronte's Two-Centre Prep Paves Way For NSW 'Game-Changer'
- The Courage Of Austin Applebee
- When Seebohm Beat Horton On The SAS Course But Big Mack Landed Million-Dolphin-Dollar Week
- Coventry Gives Warning Of ‘Difficult Decisions' To Be Made Over Future Olympic Programme
- World No1 Moesha Johnson Leads 10 Dolphins To Open Water World Cup
- Nowacki Joins AP Race
- Coventry Gives Warning Of ‘Difficult Decisions' To Be Made Over Future Olympic Programme
- Angharad Evans and Ben Higson Added to Team Scotland for Glasgow 2026
- Euro Meet Highlights From Rosendahl, Richardson, Shortt, Richards, Colbert, Corbeau and Nowacki
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