Day 3 Finals: Hancock Prospecting WA Age & Open Championships

After an impressive showing in the women’s 200m backstroke on Saturday night, Alyssa Burgess (Highlanders/WAIS) backed it up in the women’s 100m backstroke on Day 3 finals of the 2025 Hancock Prospecting WA Age & Open Championships.

The 23-year-old was in control from the opening strokes, opening a commanding lead and touching the wall more than three body lengths clear of the field in 1:00.65.

“It’s been a big process being able to swim fast in the morning and fast at night, so to come away with a time like that after a week and a half of racing is really good,” said Burgess.

UWA West Coast’s Zara Kellow claimed silver in 1:05.65, executing her race plan well throughout.

“I stuck to my race plan, I stuck to what I knew, and yeah, it went really well for me,” said Kellow.

Eloise Sheldrick (Fenix) rounded out the podium in 1:06.23.

The men’s 100m freestyle proved one of the tightest races of the night, with the top three separated by just 0.23 seconds.

Jackson Anderson (Highlanders, c: Ryan Steenkamp) held his composure through a punishing final 15m to claim gold in 50.93. The 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships representative held off a very fast-finishing field.

“Yeah, it was a really close race – very competitive,” said Anderson. “I was hurting really bad, but it was a good race.”

Alexander Sillitoe (South Lake Dolphins, c: Stefano Di Bernardo) was just 0.07 seconds behind in 51.00, with the sprint specialist leaning into his trademark front-end speed.

“I just like to prioritise the front end because that’s my strong suit, then just hold on for dear life for the back end,” said Sillitoe.

“Chasing someone like Jacko – we’ve been racing since we were little boys, about 10 years of age – so it’s really special to be coming up here and doing some good stuff with him. It definitely hurts, the worst pain, but you get through it in the end.”

Flynn Carroll (Highlanders) completed the podium in 51.16.

Regional swimmers also made their presence felt on Day 3, with Karratha’s Yani Davis (c: Briana Crisp) continuing his upward trajectory in the men’s 200m backstroke.

Davis touched third in 2:11.93 behind backstroke champion Thomas Prowton (Highlanders), who claimed gold in 2:05.77, and South Shore’s Daniel Eve (2:09.67). Davis became Karratha’s first national finalist in 2024 and has continued to build momentum since.

The women’s 50m butterfly delivered a thrilling finish, with UWA West Coast’s Emma Stewart (c: Rob Palfery) taking gold in 28.05 after setting a personal best of 27.85 in the morning heats.

Country WA’s Jasper Barnett, a silver medallist in the event at the 2025 Australian Age Championships, narrowly missed gold by just 0.02 seconds, touching second in 28.07. Anouk Potter (Highlanders) secured bronze in 28.35.

In the men’s 50m breaststroke, Highlanders’ Alex Milligan (c: Aleksandr Bell) edged out Finlay Larmour (Peel Aquatic), with the pair separated by just 0.07 seconds.

Milligan touched first in 28.68, with Larmour second in 28.75 following a strong return to competition. Riverton’s Matthew Loffler claimed bronze in 29.01, following an outstanding year that included clocking WA’s fastest-ever time in the event in Tokyo last month.

Multi class racing featured Reece Brown-Neaves S14 (Celts) claiming gold in the men’s MC 200m freestyle in 2:34.37, narrowly ahead of Michael Bourgault S14 (Central Aquatic).

Busselton’s Kyle Naude S19 rounded out the podium in his first state long course championships appearance.

Results

Men’s 200m Backstroke: 1.Thomas Prowton, 2:05.77 (Highlanders); 2.Daniel Eve, 2:09.67 (South Shore); 3.Yani Davis, 2:11.93 (Karratha)

Men’s MC 200m Freestyle: 1.Reece Brown-Neaves S14, 2:34.37 (Celts); 2.Michael Bourgault S14, 2:34.48 (Central Aquatic); 3.Kyle Naude S19, 2:19.93 (Busselton)

Women’s 400m IM: 1.Mila Reyes, 5:08.15 (Hale Aquatics); 2.Lucia Anderson, 5:15.28 (Rockingham); 3.Aihui Xu, 5:17.80 (V); 3.Jemma Higgins, 5:18.53 (North Coast)

Men’s 50m Breaststroke: 1.Alex Milligan, 28.68 (Highlanders); 2.Finlay Larmour, 28.75 (Peel Aquatic); 3.Matthew Loffler, 29.01 (Riverton)

Women’s 200m Freestyle: 1.Anouk Potter, 2:04.19 (Highlanders); 2.Delta Cross, 2:04.95 (Highlanders); 3.Lian Bewsher, 2:05.24 (Westside Christ Church)

Women’s MC 12-17yrs 100m Butterfly: 1.Rebekah Fraser S15, 1:20.90 (UWA West Coast); 2.Grace Ferguson S19, 1:13.33 (Busselton)

Women’s MC 18+yrs 100m Butterfly: 1.Jordan Berryman S7, 1:36.08 (UWA West Coast); 2.Kate Wallington S19, 1:10.07 (City of Perth)

Men’s 100m Freestyle: 1.Jackson Anderson, 50.93 (Highlanders); 2.Alexander Sillitoe, 51.00 (South Lake Dolphins); 3.Flynn Carroll, 51.16 (Highlanders)

Women’s 100m Backstroke: 1.Alyssa Burgess, 1:00.65 (Highlanders); 2.Zara Kellow, 1:05.65 (UWA West Coast); 3.Eloise Sheldrick, 1:06.23 (Fenix)

Men’s MC 12-18yrs 50m Butterfly: 1.Morgan Hill S19, 28.18 (Australind); 2.Reece Brown-Neaves S14, 33.85 (Celts); 3.Zachary McCamley S19, 30.93 (UWA West Coast)

Men’s MC 19+yrs 50m Butterfly: 1.Michael Bourgault S14, 34.65 (Central Aquatic)

Men’s 200m IM: 1.Tex Cross, 2:06.85 (Highlanders); 2.Daniel Eve, 2:11.25 (South Shore); 3.Miron Bunakov, 2:13.98 (V); 3.George Galvin, 2:14.36 (Westside Christ Church)

Women’s 50m Butterfly: 1.Emma Stewart, 28.05 (UWA West Coast); 2.Jasper Barnett, 28.07 (Country WA); 3.Anouk Potter, 28.35 (Highlanders)

Women’s MC 12-17yrs 50m Breaststroke: 1.Grace Ferguson SB19, 40.33 (Busselton)

Women’s MC 18+yrs 50m Breaststroke: 1.Jordan Berryman SB7, 43.91 (UWA West Coast); 2.Kate Wallington SB19, 37.76 (City of Perth)

Men’s 800m Freestyle: 1.Alessio Macri, 8:20.42 (North Coast); 2.Olly Browne, 8:30.12 (UWA West Coast); 3.Thomas Dreverman, 8:40.59 (Westside Christ Church)