A new swimming sensation has arrived! Sixteen-year-old Lincoln Wearing has just shattered a 35-year-old record held by none other than Olympic legend Kieran Perkins. This monumental feat happened at the 2025 Queensland Championships held at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre from December 13th to December 19th.
Wearing, representing Chandler, dominated the 800m freestyle final in his age category, clocking an incredible 7:56.80. This performance not only earned him a gold medal but also eclipsed Perkins' long-standing Australian Age Record of 7:57.93, set back in 1990.
His twin brother, Isaac Wearing, took silver with a time of 8:17.62, while Riley Meares of St. Peters Western secured bronze in 8:23.20.
Before this competition, Wearing's personal best was 8:03.73, achieved at the Australian Age Championships in April. His record-breaking swim marks the first time he's broken the 8:00 barrier.
For context, Wearing's time would rank him as the 7th-fastest American 15-16-year-old boy in history.
But the young swimmer's success doesn't stop there. At these championships, Wearing also won gold in the 100m freestyle with a time of 50.47 and the 400m freestyle in 3:48.15. He still has the 200m freestyle, 1500m freestyle, and 200m backstroke to compete in.
This isn't the first time Wearing has made headlines. He previously broke Grant Hackett's 1500m freestyle age record at last year's Queensland Championships.
But here's where it gets controversial... Could this be the start of a new era in Australian swimming? What do you think about the rise of young talent like Lincoln Wearing? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Note: The author of this article is Retta Race, a former Masters swimmer and coach, who is also an MBA holder, IT professional, owner of French 75 Boutique, and a swimming analyst for BBC.
