Brisbane 2032 Archives

A trio of swimmers representing Chandler Swimming Club have earned spots at Swimming Australia’s Next Wave Invitational Camp in Canberra, part of their progression toward potential Olympic pathways.

Resurrecting a Proven Pathway

Swimming Australia has reinstated a major talent identification and development initiative, known as the Next Wave Invitational Competition Camp, as part of its long-term preparations for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. The program echoes the early 2000s Trans-Tasman Series and aims to bridge the gap between club-level competition and national team benchmarks.

Held at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra from 6 to 12 July, the camp will involve 64 athletes born between 2008 and 2012 who were selected following their performances at the 2025 Australian Age Championships.

Athletes already named in the Australian Junior Team were excluded, allowing the focus to shift to a broader pool of emerging talent not yet exposed to international-level racing environments.

Chandler Athletes Recognised

Three swimmers from Chandler Swimming Club—Ava Gaske, Lincoln Wearing, and Isaac Wearing—have been selected for Swimming Australia’s 2025 Next Wave Invitational Competition Camp, to be held in Canberra from 6 to 12 July. All three are coached by Tsuyoshi Kimura and earned their invitations based on their performances at the 2025 Australian Age Championships.

Ava Gaske continues to gain national and international experience. In 2023, she was one of 16 Queensland athletes selected to represent Australia at the Japan Olympic Cup, where she swam the 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyle events, placing sixth in the 800m 15–18 years category.

In 2024, she was selected to the Australian Junior Dolphins team for that year’s Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Canberra. This selection did not affect her 2025 eligibility for the Next Wave Camp, which excludes only those named to the current Australian Junior Team.

At the 2024 Australian Age Championships, Gaske claimed four gold medals. She followed this up at the 2025 Australian Age Championships, earning four silver medals and one top-eight placing across multiple events:

2nd in 800m Freestyle
2nd in 400m Individual Medley
2nd in 200m Butterfly
2nd in 400m Freestyle
8th in 200m Freestyle

Chandler swimming talent — *Photo Credit: Swimming Queensland/Facebook*

Lincoln Wearing, 15, delivered one of the most dominant performances at the 2025 Australian Age Championships. He collected six gold medals and one silver, including:

1st in 800m Freestyle (set a new Australian and Australian Allcomers record)
1st in 200m Backstroke
1st in 400m Freestyle
1st in 200m Freestyle
1st in 1500m Freestyle
4th in 200m Butterfly
2nd in 4x50m Freestyle Relay

He also gained recognition at the 2024 Hancock Prospecting Queensland Championships, breaking Grant Hackett’s 28-year-old Queensland 15 Years Age Record in the 1500m freestyle with a time of 15:28.90.

Isaac Wearing, Lincoln’s twin, also delivered strong results at the 2025 Australian Age Championships:

2nd in 200m Freestyle
2nd in 400m Freestyle
2nd in 1500m Freestyle
3rd in 800m Freestyle
7th in 400m Individual Medley
7th in 200m Butterfly
12th in 100m Freestyle

In 2024, he finished second behind Lincoln in the 1500m freestyle at the Queensland Championships, completing a podium finish for Chandler in that event.

Together, Gaske and the Wearing twins contributed to Chandler’s overall campaign at the 2025 Australian Age Championships, where the club’s 19 swimmers reached 27 finals, collected 15 medals, and secured 16th place on the national point score.

Looking to Brisbane 2032

The Next Wave camp aims to prepare athletes for the demands of international racing through repeat competition, team immersion, and exposure to elite training environments. Participants will compete as either ‘Kangaroos’ or ‘Emus’, gaining racing experience under simulated pressure across multiple events.

Former Australian head coach Leigh Nugent described the program as a crucial missing step in recent years. The camp is designed to condition athletes to race under fatigue, develop consistency, and fast-track learning across consecutive events.

While coaches for the camp are yet to be formally announced, the selection of athletes like Gaske and the Wearing twins signals the potential strength of future Dolphins teams on the path to Brisbane 2032.

Published 6-May-2025

Increased Capacity for Olympic Crowds

Brisbane’s public transport upgrades are essential to accommodate the increased traffic expected during the Games. Current estimates suggest that up to 90% of trips to Olympic venues must rely on public and active transport to meet demand.

However, Brisbane’s existing network can only serve half the anticipated one million daily passenger trips. The Brisbane Metro system, which already promises to add 30 million seats annually through existing routes, is expected to deliver 41 million seats with this expansion.

Brisbane Metro could include route to Belmont Rifle Range — *Photo Credit: BCC*

The Belmont Rifle Range, situated in the eastern suburbs of Brisbane, will gain direct links to the city’s mass transit system. This enhanced connectivity is designed to ease congestion, reduce reliance on private vehicles, and provide a faster, more sustainable way for spectators, athletes, and officials to access the venue.

Benefits Beyond the Games

Brisbane’s rapid growth and increasing population make these upgrades essential for the Games and the city’s long-term future. Residents around Belmont are expected to benefit from improved public transport options, easing commutes and making the area more accessible for recreational use. The upgrades align with the Council’s push to prioritise bus rapid transit as a cost-effective alternative to expanding heavy rail infrastructure.

The Belmont Rifle Range will also be better connected to other Games locations, such as the Sleeman Sports Complex in Chandler and the planned Northshore Hamilton athlete’s village. This integrated network will help streamline movement between venues and improve overall transport efficiency.

Funding and Collaboration

The Brisbane Metro project requires collaboration across all levels of government to ensure timely completion. The Brisbane City Council and Queensland Government have approached the Federal Government for additional funding to accelerate planning and construction.

Existing City Deal funds are being targeted to progress the business case rapidly. The Council has emphasised the importance of completing these expansions before 2032, framing the upgrades as a necessary investment in Brisbane’s future.

Leaders involved in the project, including LM Adrian Schrinner, have expressed confidence in the ability of federal, state, and local governments to deliver a transport system that meets the city’s needs during and after the Games.

Published 26-Nov-2024

Tag: Brisbane 2032

Next Wave: Chandler Trio Poised for Olympic Futures