Record Breaking Teen Backstroker Henry Allan Emerges As Commonwealth Games Bolder
Australian teenage backstroke sensation Henry Allan has been anointed by one of the country’s greats after a record-breaking onslaught on day one of the Australian Age Championships on the Gold Coast as a Commonwealth Games spot beckons.
Seventeen-year-old Allan has emerged as a real bolter for this year’s Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacs after taking down records held by US backstroking legend Aaron Peirsol and Australian great Mitch Larkin.
The boy from Bendigo East in regional Victoria, who is coached by John Jordan, wasted no time taking down Larkin’s Australian 17-years 200m backstroke mark, clocking 1:57.56 – destroying the four-time Olympian’s 2011 time of 1:59.09 – in the first event.
RECORD BREAKING LAUNCH: Henry Allan has launched a one man attack on the record books at the 2026 Australian Age on the Gold Coast. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
Larkin, the 2016 Olympic silver-medallist in the 200m backstroke, and two-world champion in 2015, anointed Allan on social media, writing: “Unreal swimming Henry – the future is looking very bright.”
But young Henry wasn’t done, returning in the evening to clock 1:57.00 to sink Peirsol’s 26-year-old Australian All-Comers record – set when the emerging US-teen finished second to fellow countryman Lenny Krayzelburg in the Sydney 2000 Olympic final – surging into the Australian All-Time Top Ten.
Peirsol had clocked 1:57.35 behind Krayzelburg’s 1:56.76 Olympic record swim – a race that saw Australia’s own Matt Welsh win the bronze in 1:57.35.
Peirsol would go on to etch his name into the annals of world swimming as one of history’s greats – a five-time Olympic gold medallist (three individual) and eight-time individual world champion.
Allan’s name now mentioned alongside some of the greats – and delivering two personal bests in one day and improving his times from heats to finals – a huge box ticked for his future – and maybe more to come in his best events, the 50 an 100m backstrokes.
“To come back here tonight after heats and repeat the record … I am so proud of myself. The 200m is never my specialty and I am excited to see where I can take it,” Allan said, with suggestions he could well be the answer to Australia’s backstroking future.
“I would be honoured to step into (Australia’s) medley relay – just the amount of excellence in the men’s and whole Dolphins’ squad.”
Allan has been one of the standout backstroke performers in the National pathway over the past 12 months, finishing fourth in both the 50 and 100m backstroke finals at the 2025 World Junior Championships in Romania.
Henry further strengthened his credentials through the NextGen Backstroke Camp and is shaping up as a bolter for Australia’s medley relay in Glasgow.
Meanwhile in the Girls’ 16 Years 200 Backstroke, Brisbane’s emerging breaststroke star Lilla Ribot-De-Bresac (Newmarket Racers, QLD) ripped a monster PB to go well under the qualifying time for Junior Pan Pacs. Her 2:26.06 securing a comfortable win over Brielle Dredge (Kwinana, WA), 2:28.63 and her club mate Coco McGrath(Newmarket Racers, QLD) 2:30.22.
In other events:
Girls’ 17 Years 200 IM: One of the closest finishes of the night saw Amelie Smith (Rocky City, QLD) who competed at World Juniors in 2025, storm home in 2:14.05 to edge out Lillie McPherson (Manly, NSW, 2:14.23) and recently crowned Australian 100m breaststroke champion and World Championship rep Sienna Toohey (Albury, NSW), 2:14.64.
SKY’S THE LIMIT: Ainsley Trotter off to a winning g start on the Gold Coast. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
Girls’ 18 Years 50 backstroke: The reigning World Junior champion in this event, Ainsley Trotter (Bond, QLD) showcased her winning form to claim the 18-year girls’ 50m backstroke National title. Trotter dominated as the only finalist to break the 29-seconds mark (28.61) – although outside her best of 27.88. Isabel Sheldrick (Griffith University, QLD) finished second 29.01, followed by Jessica Wilson (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) in third (29.58).
Boys’ 15 Years 100 Freestyle: The Gold Coast’s Koa Stotz (Somerset, QLD) used his 200cm long frame to stretch out and claim the 15-year boys’ 100m freestyle National title. A standout breaststroke and freestyler at last year’s Nationals, Stotz touched in 50.62 to win gold just ahead of Lewis Kreutzberger (North Albury, NSW) 50.82 with Kai Perry (Chandler, QLD) taking out bronze (51.29).
Girls’ 17 Years 50 Backstroke: Ruby Crowther (Rackley, QLD) upgraded her 50m backstroke silver from 2025 to gold in the 17-year girls’ final. Racing as the fastest qualifier in lane four, Crowther held off Newcastle’s Eva Potts (NUSwim, NSW) and stopped the clock at 28.98. Potts second in 29.09, followed by USA visitor Alba Arnall third in 29.37. Jessie Steinman (Nunawading, VIC) was the third Australian to finish in 2945 and will also pick up a bronze.
Boys’ 17 Years 400 IM: In the boys’ 17-year 400m individual medley, visiting New Zealander Ariel Muchirahondo put on a clinic to win in 4:17.62 in a new National Age mark as the Rotorua local continued to surpass the times set by Kiwi legend Danyon Loader. While Luke Higgs (Warringah, NSW) dropped a PB that was well under the Junior Pan Pacific Championships qualifying time in 4:22.59. Higgs, who made his way up the field from fourth to second, surged home in the freestyle leg to win the National title as the first Australian from Charlie Austin (Brisbane Jets, QLD) 4:27.74 and Dylan Zhou (Knox Pymble, NSW) 4:32.68.
Boys’ 15 Years 50 Backstroke: Toowoomba’s Bryce Kruase (Fairholme/ QLD) impressed in the boys’ 15-year 50m backstroke final when he put former world champion Isaac Cooper’s National age record on watch. Krause’s 25.97 was just 0.17 outside Cooper’s mark of 25.80 but quick enough for the swimmer to secure himself the National title. Krause was the only finalist to go sub-26 seconds, with Thomas Symonds (Somerville House QLD) second in 26.32 and Lawrence’s Timothy Wellm (Lawrence, NSW) third in 26.59.
See full results: https://liveresults.swimming.org.au/sal/2026Age/
