Australian Paralympic Star Benjamin Hance Continues World Record Assault At Queensland Championships
There is no stopping Australian Paralympic golden boy Benjamin Hance who has continued his world record breaking assault on the 50m backstroke at the 2025 Hancock Prospecting Queensland Championships at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre.
For the seventh time in five years the 25-year-old from the Sunshine Coast, has lowered the Virtus World Record*, clocking a time of 25.76 in yesterday’s preliminaries before breaking his previous mark again to win last night’s final in 25.89 – times that would have seen him finish fifth in open company.
PUMPED: Ben Hance celebrates his 50m backstroke WR Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland)
AND MAKING A SPLASH. Ben Hance making the most of his WR Swim.Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland)
The two-time Paralympic gold medallist and three-time world champion in the 100m backstroke for S14 swimmers, Hance first broke the mark in 2021 with a time of 27.00 seconds.
The boy from St Andrews has made the Queensland Championships his happy hunting ground over the past three years, lowering the record, which he has made his own, over and over again in a pure one-man domination.
Twice in the one day at the 2023 States, lowering the mark to 26.54 in the heats and then again to 26.47 in the final – the first swims under 27 seconds.
Last year, the Ashley Delaney coached Hance, lowered the record again to 26.15 seconds in the heat.
Yesterday’s performances saw him break the 26 second barrier for the first time and capping off another highly successful year which saw him win his third World Para Championship in the 100m backstroke – adding to his wins in 2022 Madeira and 2023 in Manchester.
CLASSIC START: Isaac Cooper (left) and Kalani Ireland launch themselves off the blocks in the 50m backstroke final. Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland).
It was a big day for the St Andrews high performance backstroking team with dual Olympian and 2024 world champion Isaac Cooper winning the open category in the 50m backstroke in 25.06, ahead of Korean pair Juho Lee (25.23) and Yuchan Ji (25.49).
While St Andrews 19-year-old Mackenzie Burns won the bronze medal in the open womens in 28.64, behind WA’s Paris Olympian Iona Anderson (Highlanders, WA) 27.79 and British girl Lauren Cox (27.89).
And emerging St Andrews star, Jack Morrow won the 18 years final in 25.97 after already winning the 17/18 years 200m backstroke in 2:01.11
LOOK WHO’S BACK: 2008 Beijing Olympian Ashley Delaney back in the pool at the Queensland Championships. Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland).
Ashley Delaney starts his return to competition. Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland).
With 2008 Beijing Olympian Ashley Delaney, the St Andrews head coach and mentor to his team, leading by example.
Yesterday’s racing also saw the Olympic backstroker, return to racing and showing he’s still got it, at 39 years young, clocking 27.91 – earning him the second reserve place for last night’s final.
(*A Virtus World Record is an official top-performance mark set within competitions sanctioned by Virtus, World Intellectual Impairment Sport. The global governing body for elite athletes with intellectual impairments. These records differ from standard Paralympic world records as Virtus recognises and maintains records for a broader range of athletes and events).
In other events:
SAM Short (Rackley) continued his solid form at these Championships, adding the 800m freestyle last night in 7:46.33 to his 400m win in 3:45.88 earlier in the week. Short was out in 3:50.62 and took control of the race through the second 400m, coming back in 3:55.71 to swim away from Junwoo Kim (7:49.90) with Dolphins Singapore World’s debutant Benjamin Goedemans (St Peters Western) third in 7:57.75.
TIANA Kritzinger (Rackley) swam a solo race to win the women’s 1500m freestyle in 16:24.22 from Korean Chaeyuyn Kim (16:33.67) and Jacqueline Davison-McGovern (St Peters Western) third in 16:44.99.
ALL SMILES: Lincoln Wearing can’t wipe the smile off his face after a great week in the pool at the Queensland Championships.Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland).
LINCOLN Wearing (Chandler) who smashed Kieren Perkins 16 years Australian All-Comers record on Tuesday night added his third title of the meet, breaking 1:50 for the first time to winning the 200m freestyle in 1:49.68 after winning the 100m in 50.47, the 400m in 3:48.15 and the 800m in 7:56.80 in a most impressive week’s racing.
HENRY Allan (East Bendigo, VIC) who clocked the fastest 50m backstroke time of the day – winning the 17 years final in an impressive 24.59 (still 0.30 outside his best).
GRAYSON Coulter (North Shore Swimming, NZL) The multi-talented Kiwi continued his demolition of the 13 years Australian and Queensland All-Comers records setting another new mark in the 400m freestyle – this time clocking 4 minutes for the first time with his 3:59.40. Adding to this week’s All-Comers records – including his 51.63 in the 100m freestyle and 2:06.90 in the 200IM, and;
MADELINE MCTERNAN (Griffith) who scored an all-the-way win in the MC 50m backstroke in her best time of 32.19, finishing ahead of Airlie Davis (Nunawading, VIC) 34.54 and Victoria Belando-Nicholson (Yeronga, Park, QLD) 36.68.
2025 Hancock Prospecting Queensland Championships, Day 5, Open FINALS:
Men
800m freestyle: Sam Short (Rackleys) 7:46.33, Junwoo Kim (Korea) 7:49.90, Benjamin Goedemans (St Peters Western) 7:57.75
50m backstroke: Isaac Cooper (St Andrews) 25.06 Juho Lee (Korea) 25.23, Yuchan Ji (Korea) 25.49
50m backstroke MC: Benjamin Hance (St Andrews, S14) 25.89 (Virtus World Record), Samuel Gould (Griffith University, S14) 30.42, Dylan Neil (Brisbane Jets, S18) 41.93
Women
1500m freestyle: Tiana Kritzinger (Rackleys) 16:24.22, Chaeyun (Korea) 16:33.67, Jacqueline Davison-McGovern (St Peters Western) 16:44.99
50m backstroke: Iona Anderson (Highlanders, WA) 27.79, Lauren Cox (GBR) 27.89, Mackenzie Burns (St Andrews) 28.64
50m backstroke MC: Madeleine McTernan (Griffith University, S14) 32.19, Airlie Davis(Nudgee College Aquatics), 34.54, Victoria Belando-Nicholson (Yeronga Park) 34.54.
PARTING PIC. Queensland Championships. Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland)