Fijian sprint swimmer, Tolu Young has set a new national record at the Australian National Swimming Trials this week, smashing his own Fiji national record of 22.95 seconds to 22.15 seconds and making waves among the world’s elite.
Young competed in the 50 metres freestyle heats alongside Australia's fastest swimmers and clocked the national record and the time placed him 5th overall in the stacked field, just behind Australian world leader Cam McEvoy, with whom he went stroke for stroke in the morning heats.
Although the A-final was reserved for Australian swimmers only, Young stormed to victory in the B-final, underlining his world-class credentials and the performance drew immediate praise on social media, including from Olympian and Fiji swimming legend Carl Probert, who remarked on the significance.
Probert says it is unheard of for a Fijian swimmer to be beating most of the Aussies at their own national trials knowing Australia is one of the world’s top swimming nations and Young just made a big statement for Fiji.
@fijivillage.com Tolu Young sets new Fijian record in the 50 mtrs Freestyle at the Australian National Swimming Trials
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He says his success has already secured his spot on the Fiji team for the 2025 World Championships in Singapore and he used the Australian trials as a key test in his preparation.
His performance couldn’t have come at a better time.
With several countries finalizing their national teams 22.15 would have placed him 5th in Australia, 1st in New Zealand, 8th in the USA and 3rd in Canada.
This result not only confirms Young readiness for the world stage but also signals that Fiji is producing swimmers capable of challenging the global elite.
Young who trains primarily in the U.S. and Australia, credits his support network including Fiji Aquatics, his coaches, and his family for helping him reach new heights.
