The honour roll of Aussie Dolphins gazing down on the Bond University pool is about to get two new names.
Bull Sharks Jesse Coleman and Hannah Casey have earned their first senior Australian team selection after standout performances at the national swimming trials in Adelaide.
Coleman punched his ticket to the World Championships in Singapore with a stirring second-place finish in the 100m butterfly, pushing Olympic star Matt Temple all the way in a nail-biting final.
The 2024 Hancock Prospecting Swimming Excellence Scholarship holder looked to have the race won before Temple showed his experience to edge ahead in the final stroke, snatching gold by just 0.09 seconds.
“It was such a special night that I’ll remember for a long time,” Coleman said.
“It hasn’t fully sunk in that I’ll be on the plane to World Champs in a month’s time.
“I’m super happy with the race I put together — and for that to be the outcome, I’m stoked.”
The 20-year-old Construction Management and Quantity Surveying student will join fellow Bull Shark and Dolphins debutant Hannah Casey on the team bound for Singapore.
Casey, 19, is also a 2024 Hancock Prospecting Swimming Excellence Scholarship recipient and is studying a Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science. She secured her place in Australia’s 4x200m freestyle relay team after a composed and consistent campaign across the first half of the trials.
After three days of racing at the South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre, Bond University’s Dolphins contingent is growing fast. Paris Olympic medallists Elijah Winnington and Flynn Southam — both former Bond scholarship recipients — also secured selection.
Paris Olympian Ben Armbruster and Milla Jansen and Josh Collett, who both earned their first senior Dolphins caps at last year’s Short Course World Championships, remain in the hunt over the meet’s remaining days.
Bond University Director of Swimming Kyle Samuelson said the results reflect the University’s commitment to developing a squad of world-class athletes ready to peak for the 2028 LA Olympics and beyond to Brisbane in 2032.
“Midway through the meet we’ve had a strong start across the team, highlighted by some individual breakthroughs,” he said.
“I’m proud of Jesse and Hannah on making their first national teams which continues our drive towards bringing the next wave of swimmers through.”