NSW public school students Sienna Toohey and Declan Budd have been named in Australia’s team for the swimming world championships after scintillating performances at the national trials.

The pair are the youngest two members of their respective squads, Albury High School’s Toohey (16) making the women’s team after wins in the 50m and 100m breaststroke while Davidson High School’s Budd (17) qualified through a second place in the 200m freestyle multi-class event.

Toohey has been on the radar for some time.

As a Year 9 student last year, she incredibly looked set to qualify for the Paris Olympics after leading allcomers at the turn in the 100m breaststroke at the national trials.

While she was pipped to the line and finished third – missing out on a Games berth by just 0.08 of a second, it was pretty clear her time wouldn’t be too far away.

That came in spades at the Adelaide event last week as she won the 100m event and then backed up to take out her pet 50m version.

Back on home soil, dad and Albury High School principal Damian Toohey could only watch on in awe as years of hitting the pool eight times a week, doing gym sessions and monitoring her diet delivered results rarely seen by someone her age.

“Myself and my two sons were in our lounge room screaming the house down,” said Mr Toohey.

“It’s still hard to listen to that replay without getting teary.”

Budd may have initially seemed like more of a surprise packet but after some stunning swims in the 2024 short course championships his older opposition were on notice in Adelaide last week.

His long-term aim of making the 2032 Brisbane Paralympics will no doubt be brought forward to Los Angeles in 2028 after he came second in the 200m freestyle multi-class final, ensuring his ticket was stamped for the Singapore world championships.

Davidson High School principal, David Rule, said Budd was a much-loved student at the school.

“He’s humble and always appreciative of people’s time with him,” he said.

“I can count on one hand the number of times he speaks about what he does with his mates.”

Budd is undertaking a non-ATAR course at Davidson High School and is expected to finish Year 12 with a Certificate II in Construction.

With his burgeoning swimming career Budd was given the opportunity to finish his schooling through distance education but made it clear he wanted to complete his HSC at Davidson High School.

“He has plenty of excuses not to come but he turns up every day,” Mr Rule said.

“He never uses his swimming an excuse not to do things.”