A Rising Star in the Pool
Sienna Toohey, a 17-year-old swimming prodigy from Albury, leads a life that is as dynamic as her performances in the pool. Her routine involves weekly trips to and from Canberra, a combination of on-site and online schooling, and an intense schedule of training, racing, and record-breaking. Known for erasing some of Olympic gold medallist Leisel Jones’ junior Australian records, Sienna had another impressive performance on the Gold Coast on Easter Monday.
In the women’s 100-metre breaststroke at the Australian Open, Sienna demonstrated her power and stamina, securing the title with a time of 1:06.69. While she didn’t rewrite the record books this time, her performance was enough to outpace her nine older rivals, including Olympian Ella Ramsay who came in second.
Balancing School and Swimming
As a year 11 student at Albury High School, Sienna’s life is a careful balance between academics and athletics. She regularly travels to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) for training, which involves a strict schedule. “Sometimes me and my mum drive up on Sunday night to Canberra, I train Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning, and then I drive back home, go to school Thursday afternoon, go to school Friday, and then I do it again,” she explained.
To manage her studies, Sienna also engages in online schooling while in Canberra. “It’s getting a bit more serious, so we’ve linked up with one of the schools up in Canberra so I can do my tests there, which is really helpful,” she added.
Her school has been supportive of her unique situation as an elite swimmer with Olympic ambitions. “They’re very, very, very supportive of me,” Sienna said. “I got a lot of my favourite teachers this year, so having them on my side has just been really helpful.”
Breaking Records and Building Dreams
Sienna has made a name for herself by breaking several records set by Leisel Jones. She erased Jones’ 15 years 100m breaststroke record at the trials for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Additionally, she claimed Jones’ 16 years 100m record at last year’s junior national championships and bettered her newly minted record at the trials for last year’s Singapore world titles.
Her achievements have not gone unnoticed. Sienna qualified for a senior Dolphins team for the first time at those trials. The emotional moment of touching the wall and shedding tears after the race was captured on Nine, where she also spoke with swimming legend Cate Campbell.
Despite her rising fame, Sienna maintains a sense of normality at school. “My friends at school, they know I’m a good swimmer, which is good, but that’s not the only thing they care about with me, which I find is really important for me,” she said.
Family Support and Future Goals
Sienna’s family plays a significant role in her journey. One of her brothers, Jed, has autism. “Me and Archie [her other brother] have always been really protective over him and, really, we just love him with all of our hearts,” she said.
Like many Australian kids, the Brisbane 2032 Olympics are a big motivation for Sienna. “They’ve always been pretty clear in my mind,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to go to them just because they’re at home.”
With her recent success in making the senior team and gaining more experience, Sienna is excited about the future. “Starting where I am now, where I made the senior team last year, getting a bit more experience under my belt before then is really important, and it’s just made me a lot more excited for them.”
