Spirit and Standards on display at the 2026 Swimming Carnival
On Thursday 12 March, the PSA held the annual JPSSA and PSA Swimming Carnivals hosted by Scotch College at the Perth High Performance Centre. Swimmers from the seven member schools came together for a memorable day at the pool, displaying ambition, determination and school pride. The high level of sportsmanship on display throughout the Carnivals was once again a defining feature of the day.
The Swimming Carnivals provide an opportunity for swimmers to test themselves against some of the strongest competitors in the State, while also developing valuable life skills and attitudes outside of the classroom. Across both the junior and senior competitions, the standard was high from the opening events through to the final relays, with schools pursuing excellence while continuing to support one another throughout the day.
JPSSA Delivers a Thrilling Finish
The JPSSA Swimming Carnival produced a thrilling finish, with Scotch College claiming the title on 604 points, just seven points ahead of Christ Church Grammar School on 597. Hale School placed third on 539, just two points clear of Aquinas College on 537, in a result that underlined how closely contested the junior competition was across the afternoon. Wesley College finished fifth on 528, Guildford Grammar School sixth on 521 and Trinity College seventh on 503.
Hale School Crowned PSA Champions
In the PSA Swimming Carnival, Hale School emerged as Champion School with 1066 points after consistently strong performances across the carnival, breaking a 10-year drought and bringing the Dr K.G. Tregonning Cup home for the first time since 2016. Scotch College finished second on 1021.5, while Christ Church Grammar School rounded out the top three on 942. Wesley College placed fourth on 789.5, Trinity College fifth on 647, Aquinas College sixth on 628 and Guildford Grammar School seventh on 350.
Congratulations to both winning schools. Scotch College should be proud of its success in the JPSSA Swimming Carnival, while Hale School produced an outstanding performance to take out the PSA Swimming Carnival.
Records Broken in the Pool
The 2026 Swimming Carnivals also delivered a series of record-breaking performances, highlighting the quality of competition on display across both Carnivals.
In the JPSSA Swimming Carnival, P. Borland from Guildford Grammar School broke the Year 4 Backstroke record with a time of 39.17 sec, surpassing the previous mark of 39.39 sec set by L. Ison from Wesley College.
The PSA Swimming Carnival saw records fall in both individual and relay events. In the individual events, N. Swiericzuk from Wesley College broke the Under 17 50m Butterfly Division 1 record with a time of 25.17 sec, eclipsing the previous record of 26.09 sec set by R. Van der Riet from Scotch College in 2020.
In a new event, T. Smith from Hale School set the benchmark in the Open 200m Individual Medley Division 1 with a time of 2:14.56.
The relay events also produced a number of outstanding swims. Scotch College broke the Under 16 Medley Relay Division 1 record in 1:57.25, improving on the 1:57.81 set by Wesley College in 2025. Hale School set a new Open Medley Relay Division 1 record of 1:51.84, narrowly bettering the previous time of 1:51.86 set by Scotch College in 2021.
Five of the six Freestyle Relay Division 1 records were broken, underlining the exceptional standard of swimming on the night. Christ Church Grammar School broke its own Under 14 record with a time of 1:54.47, eclipsing the 1:55.02 benchmark set in 2022. Scotch College followed with record-breaking swims in the Under 15, Under 16 and Under 17 events, posting 1:47.85, 1:44.02 and 1:39.32 respectively. In the Open division, Hale School added another record with a time of 1:38.29, improving on the 1:38.83 mark set by Christ Church Grammar School in 2024.
Carnival Wrap Up
Across both Carnivals, the atmosphere on pool deck was a reminder of what makes PSA sport so special. Alongside the competition itself, there was strong support from teammates, staff and families, and a clear sense of pride in representing each school.
The Swimming Carnivals continue to be an important occasion on the PSA calendar, bringing the seven member schools together in one venue and showcasing not only talent in the water, but also the character, commitment and camaraderie that sit at the heart of PSA sport.
A sincere thank you goes to Scotch College for hosting the 2026 JPSSA and PSA Swimming Carnivals, and to the officials, coaches, staff and volunteers whose work helped ensure the day was such a success.
