Thousands of Australians congregate each year to watch the Australian National Open Water Championships and OceanSwim festival, eager to see who will rise to claim the national ocean swim titles. But medals are never won on race day alone. What the crowd doesn’t see is the early mornings, hard work, endurance, tactical skill and resilience to excel.
In the moments after these young and determined open water swimmers, from Nambour Piranhas Swimming Club at Nambour Aquatic Centre, completed their interstate races, what emotions did they feel?
Adam Fruscalzo – “Winning gold was a surreal experience”.
Adam Fruscalzo achieved a standout result, claiming 1st place in the 14 Years Boys category with a strong and controlled swim. He finished approximately three and half minutes ahead of the next competitor in his age group, winning the first gold national medal for the Nambour Piranhas in over 15 years.
Adam’s parents are excited to see him progress in his swimming career following his gold medal win. They commented:
“As the current Australian champion, we are keen to see what he achieves in the 2026 season: he will kick off with the Noosa Summer swim in late Feb, then the Mooloolaba Mile, and a further four events at the Age National Championships at the Gold Coast.”
Imogen Midley – “This was my long-awaited dream.”
Following a challenging 2025 with sickness and injury, Imogen was triumphant in the Girls 15 years, 5km Open Water Swim. Within a highly competitive national field, Imogen finished 17th, taking almost seven minutes off her previous time. She also took part in the Ocean Swim Festival 1.25km Community Swim, claiming gold in the Under 18 female category.
Their coach, Andy Muller, said:
“Both Adam and Imogen are incredible swimmers, I’m thrilled for them. Their results go to show the hard work and training they put in at Nambour Aquatic Centre.”
This year’s event was also headlined by Western Australian Olympian and reigning triple-crown national winner Kyle Lee and Kyle is the world championship bronze medal winner in Singapore 2025.
About the Australian National Open Water Championships and OceanSwim festival
In its fourth consecutive year, the four-day festival, held at Koombana Bay, Bunbury, Western Australia brings together thousands of the country’s elite athletes to compete in challenging ocean conditions across all age groups and distances (from 500m to 10km). It is hosted by Swimming Australia with assistance from Swimming WA and is a selection event for World Cup series and Junior World Championships.
The event combines high-performance racing with community-focused OceanSwim races, attracting hundreds of amateur swimming enthusiasts and is open to all ages and abilities.
Last year’s Open Water Championships and OceanSwim Festival also attracted more than 1200 participants and injected more than $3.3 million into the local economy.
A massive congratulations to Adam and Imogen for their standout achievements.
Training for an event or want to learn about the Nambour Piranhas Swimming Club? Click here.
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