Day 1 Finals: Hancock Prospecting WA Age & Open Championships

Fifteen-year-old Brielle Dredge (Kwinana) continued her rapid rise on the first night of finals at the 2025 Hancock Prospecting WA Age & Open Championships.

Dredge touched at 1:08.40 to win the women’s 100m breaststroke, unofficially breaking multiple WA State records in the process.

The swim marked a turning point for Dredge, who finished runner-up to Sally Hunter (Central Aquatic) at last year’s championships, and capped a standout year that recently saw her selected for Swimming Australia’s Next Gen Camp in Canberra alongside coach Clark Carlson.

“I felt really strong,” said Dredge. “I was just focusing on my technique more than anything.”

Ciara Conroy (Southside Penrhos) claimed silver, with Sally Hunter rounding out the podium in third.

In the men’s 100m butterfly, Daniel Boshart (c: Ryan Steenkamp) defended his state title, touching in 54.02. The Highlanders swimmer recently returned from Tokyo and trained with Olympic medallist Matt Temple earlier this year and continues to narrow the gap.

“I reckon I had probably one of the best preparations I’ve ever had for state championships,” Boshart said.

“I’m not too happy with how the race went, to be honest… but I guess I prepared the best I could.”

While Boshart admitted the race didn’t unfold as planned, it was still enough to hold off a fast-finishing Sean Alcorn (Peel Aquatic/WAIS), setting the stage for a compelling 200m butterfly race later in the week.

“Obviously, a couple of months ago we had a new coach come in (at WAIS), and he’s been really good,” Alcorn said.

“The volume’s been really high quality, and I think that’s really going to help me with my 200 later in the week.”

Jackson Govers (Fenix) rounded out the podium, continuing his strong return to competition following time away from the sport.

Delta Cross (Highlanders, c: Ryan Steenkamp) claimed gold in both the women’s 400m freestyle and the 200m butterfly on opening night.

The distance specialist, who debuted the 200m butterfly at the Next Wave competition earlier this year, continues to expand her program across butterfly and IM events and appears in peak form as the championships progress.

With Olympian Kyle Lee absent from the men’s 1500m freestyle as he prepares for Round 4 of the Australian Open Water Cup in NSW, the door opened for North Coast teammate Alessio Macri (c: Ian Mills), who seized the opportunity with a commanding 15:51.62 win.

Training with North Coast’s renowned endurance squad, Macri remains a consistent force across pool distance events and open water racing.

Results
Women’s 400m Freestyle: 1.Delta Cross, 4:22.66 (Highlanders); 2.Eleanor Flowers, 4:25.36 (North Coast); 3.Mila Reyes, 4:28.29 (Hale Aquatics)

Men’s 50m Backstroke: 1.Thomas Prowton, 26.11 (Highlanders); 2.Sam Carmignani, 26.78 (Hale Aquatics); 3.Jamie Anderson, 26.87 (Highlanders)

Women’s 100m Breaststroke: 1.Brielle Dredge, 1:08.40 (Kwinana); 2.Ciara Conroy, 1:11.14 (Southside Penrhos); 3.Sally Hunter, 1:11.27 (Central Aquatic)

Men’s 200m Breaststroke: 1.Tyson Jones, 2:26.82 (Breakers); 2.Jesse Whyte, 2:27.16 (Breakers); 3.Jacob Monaco, 2:29.41 (South Lake Dolphins)

Women’s 50m Freestyle: 1.Alyssa Burgess, 25.68 (Highlanders); 2.Eloise Sheldrick, 26.30 (Fenix); 3.Emma Stewart, 26.74 (UWA West Coast)

Men’s 100m Butterfly: 1.Daniel Boshart, 54.02 (Highlanders); 2.Sean Alcorn, 54.17 (Peel Aquatic); 3.Jackson Govers, 54.26 (Fenix)

Women’s 200m Butterfly: 1.Delta Cross, 2:16.03 (Highlanders); 2.Lucia Anderson, 2:22.20 (Rockingham); 3.Anouk Potter, 2:23.20 (Highlanders)

Men’s 1500m Freestyle: 1.Alessio Macri, 15:51.62 (Westside Christ Church); 2.Oliver Browne, 16:21.83 (UWA West Coast); 3.Thomas Dreverman, 16:36.63 (Westside Christ Church)