Following an incredible and action-packed month that saw our athletes compete on the international stage at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the momentum continued as our Rackley Swim Team athletes travelled straight to Irvine, California, to represent Australia at the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships.

Across several days of world-class competition, our athletes delivered some truly outstanding performances, including gold and silver medals, personal bests, championship records and Australian records.

For everyone at Rackley Swimming, it was another incredible opportunity to watch our athletes race against some of the best swimmers in the world, and a wonderful reminder of what can be achieved through dedication, consistency and hard work.

Sam Short
A Record-Breaking Pan Pacs

It was an extraordinary competition for Rackley athlete Sam Short, who finished the Championships with an incredible three gold medals across the 400m, 800m and 1500m Freestyle.

Sam opened his campaign with a sensational 3:40.52 in the 400m Freestyle, securing gold and breaking the Pan Pacific Championships record previously held by Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe, set back in 1999.

He continued his record-breaking run in the 800m Freestyle, clocking 7:37.02 to claim another gold medal and establish a new Pan Pacs record.

But Sam wasn’t finished.

In the 1500m Freestyle, he produced another extraordinary performance, stopping the clock at 14:33.97 to break Grant Hackett’s Australian Record, a record that had stood since 2001.

Three races. Three gold medals. Three major milestones.

To cap off an incredible Championships, Sam was also awarded Male Swimmer of the Meet, recognising his outstanding contribution across the competition.

What a performance from our distance star. 🏆

Meg Harris
Pan Pacific Champion

Meg Harris also had an outstanding Championships, representing Australia with the honour of serving as the Aussie flag bearer for the competition.

Meg produced an incredible finish in the 100m Freestyle, unleashing a powerful final 25 metres to race to the Pan Pacific title and claim gold.

She followed that up with a personal best of 23.89 in the 50m Freestyle, securing bronze in a historic final.

Meg also played an important role in Australia’s relay success, helping the Dolphins claim silver medals in both the 4×100m Freestyle Relay and 4×100m Mixed Medley Relay.

Another huge international campaign from Meg, showcasing the speed, determination and racing ability that have made her such an important part of Australian swimming.

Charlie Hawke
Speed and Relay Success

There was plenty to celebrate for Charlie Hawke, who produced some seriously fast swimming throughout the competition.

Charlie played a key role in Australia’s silver-medal-winning 4×200m Freestyle Relay, delivering an impressive 1:44.37 split as part of the Dolphins’ performance.

Individually, Charlie continued to show his versatility and speed across the Freestyle events, claiming silver in the B Final of the 200m Freestyle, finishing fourth in the 400m B Final and recording an impressive 48.91 in the 100m Freestyle.

Another valuable international racing experience for Charlie and another strong step forward in his development on the world stage.

Tiana Kritzinger
Pool to Open Water

Tiana Kritzinger showcased her incredible versatility at the Pan Pacific Championships, representing the Dolphins across both pool and open water competition.

In the 10km Open Water event, Tiana finished 11th overall in a time of 1:59:21 — an impressive result considering it was only her fourth-ever open water race.

She also backed up her open water campaign with strong performances in the pool, recording 16:16.43 in the 1500m Freestyle and 8:36.36 in the 800m Freestyle.

Tiana’s ability to step outside her traditional events and compete across both disciplines is a fantastic reflection of her adaptability, determination and willingness to challenge herself at the highest level.

Representing Miami Swimming Club, Max Giuliani finished sixth in the A Final of the 200m Freestyle before helping Australia secure silver in the 4×200m Freestyle Relay. A fantastic campaign from Max and another strong example of the incredible depth of talent coming through Miami Swimming Club.

Moesha Johnson delivered a historic Pan Pacs campaign, making history by winning Australia’s first-ever Pan Pacific Championships 10km Open Water gold medal. Moesha claimed victory in Long Beach in an impressive 1:55:33 before backing it up in the pool with bronze in the 1500m Freestyle in 15:53.49.

Congratulations to Rackley Swim Team Coaches Damien Jones and Tim Dilger, Miami Swimming Club Coaches David Proud and Paul Crosswell, and all of the coaching and support teams who work tirelessly behind the scenes to develop, prepare and support these athletes.

We are incredibly proud to support the swimming communities that help athletes progress from their very first swim through to competing on the world stage.

A Proud Moment for the Rackley Pathway

Behind every international performance is a huge team of people who make these moments possible.

A massive congratulations goes to Rackley Performance Head Coach Damien Jones, alongside the coaching and support staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to prepare our athletes to perform at their best.

We also want to recognise the families, teammates and wider Rackley Swim Team community who continue to support our athletes throughout every stage of their journey.

From the pool deck to the stands and everything in between, high-performance swimming is a team effort.

The performances in Irvine are a wonderful reflection of the depth of talent coming through the Rackley pathway and the dedication, resilience and commitment of our athletes.

Coming off the back of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and straight into another major international competition, our athletes have shown incredible consistency and determination throughout an incredibly demanding period of racing.

We couldn’t be prouder.

Congratulations to Sam, Meg, Charlie, Tiana, Moesha and Max. 👏

We can’t wait to see what comes next. 💙🏊‍♂️

Keep pushing. Keep racing. Keep representing.

City Venue Management proud to host AusTriathlon’s new High Performance Hub in partnership with the City of Gold Coast

Gold Coast, Queensland | August 2026: City Venue Management (CVM) is proud to support the next generation of Australian triathlon with the official opening of AusTriathlon’s new High Performance Hub at Miami Aquatic Centre.

Operated by City Venue Management on behalf of the City of Gold Coast, Miami Aquatic Centre will now play an important role in supporting Australia’s elite and emerging triathletes as they prepare for major international competition, including the LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The purpose-built High Performance Hub provides athletes and coaches with a dedicated environment to train, recover, collaborate and connect, strengthening the Gold Coast’s position as a leading destination for high-performance sport.

The Hub will also become home to AusTriathlon’s Ascent Academy, supporting more than 90 national pathway athletes as they progress through the Australian triathlon performance pathway.

For City Venue Management, the opening represents much more than a new high-performance facility. It is an opportunity to see one of the Gold Coast’s community aquatic facilities contribute to the development of athletes who may go on to represent Australia on the world stage.

City Venue Management (CVM) is proud to announce the community partnership with Baby Give Back, creating official donation collection points across selected aquatic and recreation facilities to support children and families experiencing vulnerability across Queensland.

Beginning this month, customers, staff and members of the local community will be able to donate quality pre-loved and new baby and children’s essentials at participating CVM venues.

Accepted donations include baby and children’s clothing from size 00000 through to size 5, nappies and wipes.

The initiative reflects City Venue Management’s ongoing commitment to creating healthier, stronger and more connected communities by supporting families both in and out of the water.

“Our venues are community hubs that welcome thousands of families every week. Partnering with Baby Give Back provides a simple but meaningful opportunity for our communities to support families while ensuring our commitment to social impact goes beyond recreation,” said Shani Gold, Programming, Partnerships & Strategic Development.

Baby Give Back works with frontline organisations including health, education and community services including domestic violence services, homelessness providers and child protection agencies to ensure donated items reach families along with the wraparound support they need.

“Every donation helps give babies and children a safer, healthier start in life. We are incredibly grateful to City Venue Management for opening their venues as community collection points and helping us reach even more families across Queensland,” said Deb Smith, Regional and Remote Coordinator, Baby Give Back.

The first collection points will launch in Townsville at:

• Tobruk Memorial Pool
• Kokoda Memorial Pool
• Long Tan Memorial Pool
• Northern Beaches Leisure Centre

Following the pilot, opportunities to expand the initiative across additional City Venue Management venues will be explored.

Community members are encouraged to donate:

• New or pre-loved baby and children’s clothing (up to Size 5/6)
• New nappies
• Baby wipes

All donations will be collected, sorted and beautifully packed by Baby Give Back volunteers and distributed to families experiencing hardship across Queensland.

Together, City Venue Management and Baby Give Back are making it easier for local communities to give back one item at a time.

What an incredible day for the Miami Aquatic Centre community as swimmers, families, coaches, staff and supporters came together for Swim For A Cure, a meaningful event that showcased the incredible strength and generosity of the aquatic community.

Held in partnership with JAYD Swimwear and Cure Cancer Australia, Swim For A Cure was organised by Madi in honour of her late father, who sadly passed away from cancer in August last year. The event was created to celebrate his life while raising vital funds to support cancer research and continue Madi’s mission of making a difference.

More than 200 people attended the event, with 120 participants taking on the ocean swim, bringing together members of the Miami Aquatic Centre community, Rackley Swimming staff, coaches, swimmers and supporters from across the Gold Coast.

The day began with the premiere of a special short documentary sharing Madi’s story, the inspiration behind Swim For A Cure, and her incredible journey as she prepares to take on the challenge of swimming the English Channel in September. Through this challenge, Madi will continue raising funds and awareness for Cure Cancer Australia.

The event was a powerful reminder of what makes our aquatic community so special, the ability to come together, support one another and make a positive impact beyond the pool.

Together, the Swim For A Cure community raised an incredible $50,000+ for Cure Cancer Australia, helping contribute to life-changing cancer research and supporting a cause that has touched so many lives.

City Venue Management is incredibly proud to be part of a community that embraces initiatives like Swim For A Cure. Events such as these highlight the compassion, connection and community spirit that exists within our aquatic facilities and the people who make them so special.

We would like to thank everyone who participated, donated, volunteered and supported the event. Your generosity helped create a truly memorable day for the Miami Aquatic Centre community.

We wish Madi all the very best as she continues her preparation for her English Channel challenge in September. We’ll be cheering her on every step, and stroke, of the way. 🌊

Together, we swim stronger.

The Rackley Swimming Centenary National Pathway Squad recently travelled north to Rockhampton for a unique training camp experience, combining high-performance preparation with regional connection.

Fourteen swimmers from Centenary, all part of Rackley’s National Pathway Squad, spent the week training at the iconic Rockhampton 2nd World War Memorial Pool, embracing the opportunity to step outside their usual training environment and experience a different style of preparation.

Led by Coach Dan Busch, with support from Kelly from Rackley East Brisbane, the camp provided swimmers with the chance to develop as athletes, strengthen team culture and continue building the skills required on their performance journey.

Sometimes the best preparation comes from changing the environment. Taking our swimmers to a regional community, training at a local pool and immersing themselves in the experience provided a valuable reminder that growth happens both in and out of the water.

The team also enjoyed exploring the Rockhampton region, including a visit to Koorana Crocodile Farm, creating opportunities for connection, learning and memories beyond the pool deck.

The camp was a significant step in the journey for these athletes, with:
– 14 Centenary National Pathway Squad swimmers attending
– 1 swimmer preparing for Junior Pan Pacific Championships later this year
– 2 swimmers heading to Canberra this week for the Next Wave Invitational, a week-long program of training and racing for Australia’s next generation of swimmers

This was the first Rockhampton camp experience for the Centenary squad, building on the long-standing connection Coach Damien Jones has developed with the region through previous high-performance camps.

A huge thank you to the Rockhampton swimming community for welcoming our team and supporting another important step in our athletes’ journey.