World championship gold medallists Meg Harris and Sam Short led Team Wahoo to victory with a haul of 222 points at Swimming Australia’s inaugural Swim GP in Melbourne on Saturday night.
Team Wahoo Athletes Split a $20,000 Victory Cheque
- Team Wahoo secured a $20,000 victory cheque, divided evenly among its 20 athletes, alongside individual race payouts.
- Prizemoney included $500 for first place in individual races, alongside $1000 for winning relay teams.
Melbourne Crowd Packs Out Aquatic Centre
A total of 3,500 people packed into the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre across the two nights of the event, which was marketed as the Formula 1 of Australian swimming. Team Tsunami finished second with 173 points, followed by Team Kraken on 170 and Team Kingtide on 149.
“I love swimming, and I felt so proud because the whole stand was packed with kids and families,” Sam Short told Paralympic swimming legend Ellie Cole on Nine. “It was just really good to see as someone who is so passionate about the sport, and I can’t wait to see this event continue in the future.”
| Team | Final Points | Prize Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Team Wahoo | 222 | $20,000 |
| Team Tsunami | 173 | – |
| Team Kraken | 170 | – |
| Team Kingtide | 149 | – |
Titmus Hails Financial Boost for Rising Athletes
The two-night spectacle featured power plays, checkpoints, a roulette wheel, staggered starts, and fan voting. The emergence of the format arrived just after Ariarne Titmus retired from competitive swimming in October 2025.
“Look, I would have loved to have had something [like this] when I was swimming,” Titmus said on Nine’s broadcast.
“I think it’s so exciting for younger athletes that are coming through now that have the opportunity to be a part of a sport that’s really trying to revolutionise itself and help our athletes earn a little bit of money to help them get onto the national team.”
When asked if she wished she was back in the pool, Titmus grinned and replied, “No itches. I’m happy to have left it where I did. But I just think it’s very, very exciting for our sport.”
Short and Sharp Format Draws Domestic Talent
The event involved able-bodied and para-athletes competing with and against each other in a 25-metre pool. No sport is immune from a fight for relevance in a jam-packed sporting marketplace, as Swimming Australia embraces short and sharp competition formats.
“This has been bigger and better than I thought it was going to be, and I think what a lot of people thought it was going to be,” Titmus said. “I am actually blown away by the atmosphere that’s been created here tonight, and how much the athletes and coaches and staff have bought into it.”
“I think it’s a really exciting opportunity,” three-time Commonwealth Games champion Jenna Forrester told ABC Sport.
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