NSW State Open, Day 1: Alexandria Perkins Claims Impressive Double And Kaylee McKeown Streaks 200m Backstroke Field
Queensland Olympian Alexandria Perkins has landed a spectacular double on night one of the NSW State Open Championships, which saw backstroking queen Kaylee McKeown continue her unbeaten record at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.
Perkins (USC Spartans, QLD) continued her butterfly dominance, winning the 50m fly final in 25.44 from Sweden’s Louise Hansson (26.03) and Victoria’s Isabella Boyd (Nunawading) 25.50.
Before backing up to win a thrilling 100m freestyle final to again press her claims for Australia’s premier women’s 4x100m freestyle relay for this year’s Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacs.
The 25-year-old World Championship butterfly silver and bronze medallist leading all the way to win in 54.50 (26.40/28.10) from three members of Australia’s triumphant gold medal-winning relay squad from last year’s World’s in Singapore.
Milla Jansen (Bond, QLD) hung on to touch in second in 54.72 (26.58/28.14) from local hero Olivia Wunsch (Carlile, NSW) in 54.81 (26.47/28.34) with the even-splitting Abbey Webb (Cruiz, ACT) fourth in 54.99 (27.21/27.78).
Those missing missing included world individual champions Mollie O’Callaghan and Meg Harris, Olympic and World relay champion Shayna Jack and Singapore debutant Hannah Casey (Bond, QLD) as the top sprinters continue to stake their claims for inclusion in world’s premier freestyle relay team in the run towards LA28.
Australia’s women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team has established unprecedented, long-term dominance in the event, winning four consecutive Olympic gold medals (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024).
This “untouchable” streak defines a golden era of sprinting that has continued following the departure of Emma McKeonand the Campbell sisters Bronte and Cate.
The Australian team’s “changing of the guard” continues to produce the same winning culture, with O’Callaghan and Harris joined likes of Perkins, Jansen, Wunsch, Webb and Casey, stepping up to maintain a legacy that makes Australia’s 4x100m freestylers one of the country’s most phenomenal sporting teams.
And it was another day in the office as the world’s premier backstroker, McKeown started her campaign for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow before taking on her arch rivals, USA’s dynamic duo Regan Smith and Katharine Berkoff at the Pan Pacs in Irvine.
McKeown coming off the recent Dolphins National team camp to win the 200m backstroke in an impressive 2:05.08 from Hannah Fredericks (St Peters Western, QLD) 2:10.84 and fellow Olympian and world championship silver medallist Iona Anderson (Highlanders, WA) 2:11.07.
Amongst other winners from night one were former World and Olympic champion and world record holder Zac Stubblety-Cook who won his signature 200m breaststroke in 2:10.64.
And 17-year-old Victorian young gun Henry Allan (Bendigo East, VIC) who continues his infiltration into the top backstroking ranks, comfortably winning the 50m backstroke final in 25.14 as he stakes his claims for Glasgow and Irvine.
RESULTS
2026 NSW STATE OPEN, Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre, Day 1, FINALS
MEN
100m freestyle
- Marcus Da Silva (Cranbrook, NSW) 49.27
- Lewis Clareburt (Nunawading, VIC) 49.62
- Kai Taylor (St Peters Western, QLD) 49.65
400m Freestyle
- Bill Atkinson (QLD) 3:53.57
- Anders McAlpine (Griffith University, QLD) 3:53.96
- Matthew Galea (St Peters Western, QLD) 3:57.98
50m backstroke
- Henry Allan (Bendigo East, VIC) 25.14
- Bradley Woodward (Mingara, NSW) 25.77
- Rishabh Das (India) 25.83
200m breaststroke
- Zac Stubblety-Cook (Griffith University, QLD) 2:10.64
- Will Petric (Nunawading, VIC) 2:12.94
- Sughyun (Korea) 2:15.69
200m butterfly
- Junghun Park (Korea) 1:57.50
- Se-Bom Lee (SOPC, NSW) 1:59.21
- Caleb Dryer Carlile, NSW) 2:00.96
200m freestyle Multi-Class
- Alex Tuckfield (Aquablitz Toongabbie NSW) 1:58.28
- Ethan Blockey (Coffs Harbour, NSW) 2:07.61
- Jack Carey (SOSC, NSW) 2:09.58
100m butterfly Multi Class
- Timothy Hodge (Blacktown, NSW) 1:00.89
- Col Pearse (Nunawading, VIC) 58.89
- Alex Saffy (Woden Valley, ACT) 59.02
WOMEN
100m freestyle
- Alexandria Perkins (Griffith University, QLD) 54.50
- Milla Jansen (Bond, QLD) 544.72
- Olivia Wunsch (Carlile, NSW) 54.81
800m freestyle
- Amelia Weber (St Peters Western, QLD) 8:42.35
- Tayla Martin (Carlile, NSW) 8:51.56
- Alyssa Tapper (Ner Zealand) 8:51.69
200m backstroke
- Kaylee McKeown (USC Spartans, QLD) 2:05.08
- Hannah Fredericks (St Peters Western, QLD) 2:10.84
- Iona Anderson (Highlanders, WA) 2:11.07
100m breaststroke
- Sienna Harben (Griffith University, QLD) 1:07.51
- Tara Kinder (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) 1:07.57
- Ella Ramsay (Griffith University, QLD) 1:07.62
50m butterfly
- Alexandria Perkins (USAC Spartans, QLD) 25.44
- Louise Hanson (Sweden) 26.03
- Isabella Boyd (Nunawading, VIC) 26.50
400m IM
- Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western, QLD) 4:36.50
- Tara Kinder (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) 4:41.58
- Ella Ramsay (Griffith University, QLD) 4:44.48
200m freestyle Multi-Class
- Chloe Osborn (Aquablitz Toongabbie, NSW) 2:37.18
- Jade Lucy (SLC Aquadot, NSW) 2:23.08
- Noeleen Pontoh (South West Swim Club, NSW) 2:16.71
100m butterfly Multi-Class
- Jasmine Greenwood (Woden Valley, ACT) 1:06.71
- Montana Atkinson (USC Spartans, QLD) 1:134.08
- Summer Klein (Kincumber Pacific Dolphins, NSW) 1:21.85
