Aussie Trials, Day 6, Finals: Ben Armbruster Sinks Two Olympic Champions To Snatch Dolphins Team Selection For Glasgow And Irvine
Paris Olympian Ben Armbruster took just 22.90 seconds to sink two Olympic champions and gatecrash his way onto both the Australian Commonwealth Games and Pan Pac teams announced in Sydney last night.
The 24-year-old Queenslander from Bond University, QLD out-touched two of the biggest names in Australian swimming – Cam McEvoy(Sommerville Aquatics, QLD) and Kyle Chalmers (Marion, SA) in a helter-skelter 50m butterfly final in the last men’s event of the six-day Australian Selection Trials.
TOUCH AND GO: Ben Armbruster sinks Olympic champs with Midas touch. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
It was Armbruster’s last chance to make the Australian teams – and it was the last stroke, in the last event on the last night that sealed the deal.
Just one metre from the finish McEvoy appeared to be ahead of Chalmers with Armbruster in third place – until they launched themselves at the wall and it was a stream-lined touch from Armbruster who got his hands on the wall first in 22.90, McEvoy second in 22.92 and Chalmers third in 22.97 just 0.07 between the top three.
The Chris Mooney coached all-round sprinter, who went to the last Commonwealth Games as a 50m backstroker and the Paris Olympics as a 50m freestyler – will now represent Australia as a 50m butterflier in Glasgow and Irvine.
And Ambruster goes to Glasgow on a Games redemption mission.
“I’m pretty excited, four years ago I went for the 50 backstroke and I don’t even train for backstroke…I was pretty disappointed with how I went last time so I’m out for redemption this year and I want to come back with some bling,” said Armbruster.
Armbruster finished seventh in the 50m backstroke final in Birmingham in 2022 and 14th in the 50m freestyle won by McEvioy in Paris.
But based on the world rankings Ambruster, Chalmers and McEvoy could well sweep the podium in Glasgow – Chalmers 22.77 from the Australian Open ranks him third in the
FUN AND GAMES: Shayna Jack (L) and Meg Harris locked and loaded for Glasgow. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
world, Armbruster’s 22.90 places him sixth and McEvoy’s 22.92 seventh – and 1,2,3 in the Commonwealth.
Armbruster will lose his two high profile team mates when the Australian team leaves Glasgow and heads to the US and the Pan Pacs in Irvine (August 10-15) – “superadds” Chalmers and McEvoy – are unavailable for the Pan Pac trip as is Shayna Jack who is getting married later in the year – with fellow Paris Olympians Flynn Southam(Bond, QLD) and Matt Temple (Marion, SA) also opting out with Games backstroke rookie Henry Allan (Bendigo East, VIC) in his final year of high school also out of the Pan Pacs.
Allan is one of 15 rookies on the Games team for Glasgow (which start on July 2) after he won the 100m backstroke at Trials
But Shayna Jack and “baby brother” Jamie will share the Commonwealth Games together – the siblings both finishing second in their respective 50m freestyles – Shayna confirming her individual spot behind Meg Harris (Rackley, QLD) after Jamie had finished second behind world record holder McEvoy in the men’s 50m earlier in the week.
World champion and Olympic silver medallist Harris rocketed to the top of the 50m freestyle world rankings in 24.08, successfully defending her National title and overcoming the nerves of racing as the world champion.
Harris edging past early leader Jack who was a close up second in 24.37, both girls swimming under the 24.45 qualifying time for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, with Alex Perkins (USC Spartans, QLD) third in 24.63.
Shayna over the moon to have Jamie on the team to Glasgow.
“I’m such a proud sister…I really wanted to see Jamie succeed…I am very proud we can do this together now,” said Shayna.
GOOD WILL HUJNTING: Nunawading’s Will Petric (R) nd Se-Bom Lee injured epic IM battle. FUN AND GAMES: Meg Harris (r) and Shayna Jack locked and loaded fror Glasgow. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
Meanwhile, Paris Olympic teammates Will Petric Nunawading, VIC) , Brendon Smith (St Peters Western, QLD), and Se-Bom Lee (Sydney Olympic Swim Club, NSW) also secured their spots in both teams in a spectacular 400IM final – Petric winning in 4:11.04 from Smith (4:12;70) and 200m backstroke winner Lee (4:13.00) third.
The 400IM went to Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western, QLD), one of the real stars of the meet, clocking a new personal best time of 4:31.47 – her previous best swum back in 2023; with her Paris team mate and 200m breaststroke winner Ella Ramsay (Nunawading, VIC) second in 4:39.23, with Tara Kinder (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) third in 4:41.16.
WHAT A RELIEF: Jenna Forrester completes the meet of her life with a pb in the 400IM. FUN AND GAMES: Meg Harris (r) and Shayna Jack locked and loaded fror Glasgow. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
Meanwhile Lani Pallister (St Peters Western, QLD) completed her impressive week’s racing adding the 1500m freestyle to her wins in the 400 and 800m freestyles and her personal best 200m second to club mate Mollie O’Callaghan in the 200m freestyle.
Pallister, who is the fifth fastest 1500m swimmer in history, clocked her second fastest time ever of 15:40.01 (2:01.22; 4:06.63; 8:17.97), just shy of her Australian record time of 15:39.14, followed by Tiana Ktitzinger(Rackley) 16:10.59 and Molly Walker (Southern Performance, SA) in 16:13.59 – with the 1500m to be contested for the first time at a Commonwealth Games.
TRIPLE TREAT: Lani Pallister wrap-up the 400, 800 and 1500m treble. FUN AND GAMES: Meg Harris (r) and Shayna Jack locked and loaded fror Glasgow. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
There will be a 60-strong team of swimmers going to Glasgow – 42 able body and 18 Para swimmers.
The Australian Commonwealth Games Swim Team for Glasgow will depart on July 11 for a training camp in Germany, arriving in Glasgow on July 21, with the 44-strong Pan Pac team of pool and open water swimmers then attending a staging camp in San Deigo, before the Pan Pacs in Irvine.
2026 Australian Commonwealth Games Swimming Team, Glasgow (SCO):
Henry Allan (Bendigo East, VIC)
Iona Anderson (Highlanders, WA)
Ben Armbruster (Bond, QLD)
Emily Beercoft (USC Spartans, QLD)
Victoria Belando Nicholson (Uni of QLD)
Hannah Casey (Bond, QLD)
Brittany Castelluzzo (Tea Tree Gully, SA)
Kyle Chalmers (Marion, SA)
Jessica Cole (Carlile, NSW)
Isaac Cooper (St Andrew, QLD)
Lizzy Dekkers (St Peters Western, QLD)
Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western, QLD)
Hannah Fredericks (St Peters Western, QLD)
Jasmine Fullgrabe (Marion, SA)
Matthew Galea (St Peters Western, QLD)
Alyssa Gillespie (Knox Pymble, NSW)
Ben Goedemans (St Peters Western, QLD)
Jasmine Greenwood (Woden Valley, ACT)
Meg Harris (Rackley, QLD)
Kirralee Hayes (Genesis, QLD)
Timothy Hodge (Blacktown, NSW)
Mia Hogan (Corowa, NSW)
Jack Ireland (University of QLD)
Jamie Jack (St Peters Western, QLD)
Shayna Jack (St Peters Western, QLD)
Jenna Jones (USC Spartans, QLD)
Tara Kinder (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC)
Tiana Kritzinger (Rackley, NSW)
Se-Bom Lee (Sydney Olympic Swim Club, NSW)
Bailey Lello (St Peters Western, QLD)
Beau Matthews (Aquablitz Toongabbie, NSW)
Cam McEvoy (Somerville Aquatics, QLD)
Kaylee McKeown (USC Spartans, QLD)
Madeleine McTerrnan (Griffith Uni, QLD)
Inez Miller (Highlanders, WA)
Tommy Neil (Rackley, QLD)
Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD)
Lani Pallister (St Peters Western, QLD)
Lakeisha Patterson (USC Spartans, QLD)
Col Pearse (Nunawading, VIC)
Alex Perkins (USC Spartans, QLD)
Will Petric (Nunawading, VIC)
Ella Ramsay (Nunawading, VIC)
Alex Saffy (Woden Valley, ACT)
Gemma Sellick (Warringah, NSW)
Sam Short (Rackley, NSW)
Brendon Smith (St Peters Western, QLD)
Ed Sommerville (Brisbane Grammar, QLD)
Flynn Southam (Bond, QLD)
Zac Stubblety-Cook (Nunawading, VIC)
Kai Taylor St Peters Western, QLD)
Matt Temple (Marion, SA)
Liam Togher (Knox Pymble, NSW)
Sienna Toohey (Albury, NSW)
Harrison Turner (Nudgee, QLD)
Harrison Vig (Uni of QLD)
Molly Walker Southern Performance, SA)
Amelia Weber St Peters Western, QLD)
Sam Williamsonn (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC)
Elijah Winninghton (St Peters Western, QLD)
ALL GO FOR GLASGOW: Australian Swim Team 2026 Glasgow Comm Games Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
2026 Australian Pan Pacs Swim Team, Irvine (USA):
Iona Anderson (Highlanders, WA)
Ben Armbruster (Bond, QLD)
Hannah Casey (Bond, QLD)
Brittany Castelluzzo (Tea Tree Gully, SA)
Isaac Cooper (St Andrew, QLD)
Jacqueline Davison-McGovern
Lizzy Dekkers (St Peters Western, QLD)
Chelsea Douyere-nee-Gubecka (Yeronga Park, QLD)
Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western, QLD)
Hannah Fredericks (St Peters Western, QLD)
Matthew Galea (St Peters Western, QLD)
Max Giuliani (Miami, QLD)
Ben Goedemans (St Peters Western, QLD)
Meg Harris (Rackley, QLD)
Charlie Hawke (Rackley, QLD)
Jamie Jack St Peters Western, QLD)
Milla Jansen (St Peters Western, QLD)
Moesha Johnson (Miami, QLD)
Tara Kinder (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC)
Tiana Kritzinger (Rackley, NSW)
Se-Bom Lee (Sydney Olympic Swim Club, NSW)
Bailey Lello (St Peters Western, QLD)
Euan Liney (Knox Pymble, NSW)
Kaylee McKeown (USC Spartans, QLD)
Inez Miller (Highlanders, WA)
Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD)
Lani Pallister (St Peters Western, QLD)
Alex Perkins (USC Spartans, QLD)
Will Petric (Nunawading, VIC)
Ella Ramsay (Nunawading, VIC)
Sam Short (Rackley, NSW)
Nic Sloman (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC)
Brendan Smith (St Peters Western, QLD
Ed Sommerville (Brisbane Grammar, QLD)
Zac Stubblety-Cook (Nunawading, VIC)
Stuart Swinburn (City of Sydney, NSW)
Kai Taylor St Peters Western, QLD
Sienna Toohey (Albury, NSW)
Harrison Turner (Nudgee, QLD)
Molly Walker
Amelia Weber (St Peters Western, QLD)
Sam Williamsonn (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC)
Elijah Winninghton (St Peters Western, QLD)
Olivia Wunsch (Carlile)
AUSTRALIAN DOLPHINS SWIM TEAM 2026 Pan OPacs Irvine FUN AND GAMES: Meg Harris (r) and Shayna Jack locked and loaded fror Glasgow. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
