Albury swim star Sienna Toohey after her win in the women’s 100 metres breaststroke at the national selection trials in Adelaide on 10 June, securing her place at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore next month. Photo: NSWIS.
The father of Albury swimming sensation Sienna Toohey has described his daughter as a “champion kid” – in and out of the pool – after her stunning win at the Australian selection trials in Adelaide on 10 June.
The 16-year-old claimed the women’s 100m breaststroke with a personal-best time of 1:06.55, securing her spot at the world titles in Singapore next month (27 July to 3 August).
Paris 2024 Olympian Ella Ramsey entered the event as the favourite but was pipped at the post by the Albury Swim Club member.
“She swam beautifully,” said proud dad Damian Toohey, who is the principal at Albury High School.
“She was in good form going in [to the trials], she’s put in a lot of hard work and it’s taken a big commitment – but it’s paid dividends.
“It’s been a great couple of days for her and she got very emotional after that race because it’s just such a massive goal to swim for Australia. When you reach that, it’s almost overwhelming.”
Mr Toohey said Sienna had spent the past six weeks travelling back and forth to Canberra with her mum, Simone, for more intensive training at the AIS’s ACT Performance Hub with head coach Shannon Rollason.
The pair would leave on a Sunday night and return Thursday, in time for Sienna to hand in school work and assignments and reconnect with her family and friends for the weekend, he said.
But it’s been the support of long-term Albury Swim Club coach Wayne Gould, 71, miles upon miles of laps in the local pool, surrounded by an incredible swim “family”, that has helped hone this young superstar’s skills, according to Mr Toohey.
He recalls the early days when the family would head off to the Albury pool on a Friday night with Sienna and her brothers Archie, now 18, and Jed, now 13, in tow.
All keen swimmers, the kids went down the “well-trodden path” from Gould Swim Academy to the Albury Swim Club where Sienna would eventually land with accomplished breaststroke coach Jo Gibbs at the age of nine … and the stage was set.
“Jo always said, ‘Don’t push them too hard too early’,” Mr Toohey recalled.
“We could turn her into an out-and-out champion right now but …
“So Sienna was doing PSSA [Primary Schools Sports Association] events and training three or four times a week – she wasn’t flogged but just developed technique and she loved her swimming.”
Sienna was already winning medals for swimming at state level but at the same time she was also proving a highly talented water polo player, under the tutelage of none other than Wayne’s daughter Kristy, Mr Toohey said.
She played for Albury team Pool Pirates and two years ago made the Australian Under-15 water polo squad.
But there came a time when the “big decision” had to be made, he added.
Sienna came to the attention of former Australian Olympic head swimming coach Leigh Nugent, who worked with Wayne and Sienna and encouraged her at 13 “to have a crack” towards realising her potential.
It’s been an incredible journey of dedication, discipline and determination ever since.
In an interview with the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) after her incredible achievement, Sienna said she was “very happy” with herself.
“I really wanted to make the national team, and I knew that if I didn’t make it in the 100m, I always had the 50m tomorrow,” she said. “But I’m definitely happy that I’ve done it now.”
Sienna has now sealed her place in the Dolphins squad that will compete at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
Her parents revealed they had not quite been prepared for this imminent overseas trip but their daughter was no stranger to international competition, having competed in Japan last year.
“She’s had unbelievable experiences and she has great people around her,” Mr Toohey said.
“There are a lot of people involved in getting Sienna to where she is, and the building blocks Swimming Australia have put in have provided incredible opportunities to get racing experience that build to winning a national-level race.”
Mr Toohey said there was no doubting the calibre of swimmers in the Albury-Wodonga and wider region.
“We are punching above our weight and the swim clubs do a great job,” he said.
“We love our sport on the Border and there are a lot of people putting in a lot of time and effort into training and supporting our kids.
“Sienna is very proud of coming from Albury and it’s a big thing to represent our community.”
For Sienna, it’s been a huge dream to be on the pool deck competing alongside role models she has idolised for many years, according to Mr Toohey.
She had been met with kindness from swimmers who had proven role models both in and out of the pool – “and every part of her said, ‘I want to be part of that’,” he said.
Describing his daughter as a “calm, loving kid who adores her brothers”, Mr Toohey revealed Sienna didn’t mind her downtime at home on the couch.
With a super-close circle of friends at Albury High, she was the type of person who was just as happy cheering on the success of others as she was striving for her own, he said.
But in the pool, this young girl now being hailed as the “future of Australian swimming” is a tenacious competitor.
“Leigh [Nugent] said she swims fearlessly – and I think that says it all,” Mr Toohey said.
