Aquablacks Primed for World Para Swimming Champs in Singapore
- dale493
- 6 hours ago
- 5 min read
Competition Preview for the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships
Our Aquablacks are ready to compete at the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships being held in Singapore from 21 – 27 September.
The team was announced in early July after strong performances during the selection period, notably including the 2025 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships in May. The team consists of five swimmers including two making their Aquablack debut.
The team is headlined by reigning world champion Cameron Leslie (Whangarei) who will represent New Zealand at these championships for the eighth time of his career. He is joined by Paris 2024 teammates Gaby Smith (Vikings & University of Queensland) and Josh Willmer (Coast).
Rylee Sayer (Matamata) and Asher Smith-Franklin (North Shore) will make their debut as Aquablacks at the championships to round out the swimmers on the team.
Sayer, who will turn 17 on the second day of the championships, used swimming as a source of motivation throughout her treatment and recovery following a right forequarter amputation due to a cancer diagnosis in late 2023. Having previously competed as an S14 swimmer, she was reclassified to S7 shortly after the amputation and has progressed rapidly over the past 18 months. In 2025, she has delivered standout performances, meeting the minimum qualifying standard (MQS) in three events to secure her debut on the international stage in Singapore.
Smith-Franklin has gone from strength to strength since his family returned to New Zealand in early 2022. By the time the 19-year-old qualified for Singapore, he had claimed every S14 New Zealand record in both long and short course open categories. His breakthrough moment came at the 2025 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships, where he secured his qualifying time in the 200m individual medley multi-class. At the finish, he erupted with joy, slapping the water to show just how much the achievement meant to him.
The team will be led by Swimming NZ Paralympic Head Coach, Simon Mayne, with support from assistant coach Tom Onley (Whangārei), team manager Amanda White, and performance analyst Elliot Snedden.
Leslie, a 14-time medallist across his career at the championships, is looking forward to the championships.
“It’s exciting to have racing just around the corner, we’ve got an exciting group here. It’s a different group to who we had last cycle which shows the depth coming through within New Zealand. And we still have two of our Paris 2024 Paralympians to return – both of whom are racing at the 2025 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships this week.”
Leslie can’t wait to see the debutants at the level.
“Rylee and Asher have earned their way into the team with plenty of growth and overcoming challenges. They’ve still got more to come from them as athletes which is exciting.”
Leslie believes Singapore is an opportunity for the experienced swimmers to kick start the new cycle.
“For those of us who were in Paris 2024, this week marks an opportunity to state our intentions for the next cycle and start that journey to finishing better in LA 2028 than what we did last year.”
Head Coach, Simon Mayne, believes the team is well placed heading into the championships.
“We are well ranked heading into this. However, rankings aren’t finished results. We need to make sure we are taking care of what we need to in the races to give ourselves the best chance of podium finishes.”
Mayne noted that the team’s preparation has been progressing well in the lead-up to racing.
“The team has done well in the pre-camp, everyone has been flexible and pivoted which is a great skill for these young athletes to be learning.”
Mayne also recognised the development of the two debutants on the team.
“Rylee and Asher have been building throughout the year and I’m looking forward to seeing them race for New Zealand and become our first Aquablacks with an intellectual impairment.”
Competition begins on Sunday 21 September, with the heats each day from 1pm NZST and the finals each day from 9.30pm NZST. You can find the detailed daily schedule and athlete entries for our team below.
You can stay up-to-date with the action by following our social media channels for live updates and our website for wraps of the action taking place each day.
You can watch the livestream for free, live or on demand, on the Paralympics YouTube channel.
Carlrine Gillespie (Northland) is assisting with the delivery of the championships as a technical official. We would like to acknowledge her appointment and wish her well.
Daily Schedule
*Start times are subject to change, while finals are subject to athlete progression
Sunday 21 September
Day One Finals – from 9.30pm NZST
Women’s 100m breaststroke SB9 final (Smith)
Monday 22 September
Day Two Heats – from 1pm NZST
Men’s 100m freestyle S4 (Leslie)
Day Two Finals - from 9.30pm NZST
Men's 100m freestyle S4 (Leslie*)
Women's 200m individual medley SM10 (Smith)
Tuesday 23 September
Day Three Heats - from 1pm NZST
Men's 100m breaststroke SB14 (Smith-Franklin)
Day Three Finals - from 9.30pm NZST
Women's 100m breaststroke SB7 (Sayer)
Men's 100m breaststroke SB14 (Smith-Franklin*)
Wednesday 24 September
Day Four Heats - from 1pm NZST
Men's 50m backstroke S4 (Leslie)
Day Four Finals - from 9.30pm NZST
Men's 50m backstroke S4 (Leslie*)
Thursday 25 September
Day Five Heats - from 1pm NZST
Men's 50m freestyle S4 (Leslie)
Women's 50m butterfly S7 (Sayer)
Men's 200m individual medley SM14 (Smith-Franklin)
Day Five Finals - from 9.30pm NZST
Men's 50m freestyle S4 (Leslie*)
Women's 50m butterfly S7 (Sayer*)
Men's 200m individual medley SM14 (Smith-Franklin*)
Friday 26 September
Day Six Heats - from 1pm NZST
Women's 50m freestyle S7 (Sayer)
Day Six Finals - from 9.30pm NZST
Women's 50m freestyle S7 (Sayer*)
Saturday 27 September
Day Seven Heats - from 1pm NZST
Men's 100m breaststroke SB8 (Willmer)
Women's 100m freestyle S7 (Sayer)
Men's 100m butterfly S14 (Smith-Franklin)
Day Seven Final - from 9.30pm NZST
Men's 100m breaststroke SB8 (Willmer*)
Women's 100m freestyle S7 (Sayer*)
Men's 100m butterfly S14 (Smith-Franklin*)
Swimmer Entries
Cameron Leslie
Men's 100m freestyle S4 (entry time: 1:24.03)
Men's 50m backstroke S4 (entry time: 43.05)
Men's 50m freestyle S4 (entry time: 37.24)
Rylee Sayer
Women's 100m breaststroke SB7 (entry time: 1:46.15)
Women's 50m butterfly S7 (entry time: 37.36)
Women's 50m freestyle S7 (entry time: 34.34)
Women's 100m freestyle S7 (entry time: 1:18.73)
Gaby Smith
Women's 100m breaststroke SB9 (entry time: 1:20.12)
Women's 200m individual medley SM10 (entry time: 2:38.82)
Asher Smith-Franklin
Men's 100m breaststroke SB14 (entry time: 1:10.56)
Men's 200m individual medley SM14 (entry time: 2:16.06)
Men's 100m butterfly S14 (entry time: 58.87)
Josh Willmer
Men's 100m breaststroke SB8 (entry time: 1:12.52)
Selected Team
The swimmers selected to represent New Zealand:
Name | Aquablack Number | Club | Coach |
Cameron Leslie | 272 | Whangarei | Tom Onley |
Rylee Sayer | Debutant | Matamata | Graeme Laing |
Gaby Smith | 274 | Vikings & University of Queensland | David Heyden |
Asher Smith-Franklin | Debutant | North Shore | Graham Hill |
Josh Willmer | 275 | Coast | Michael Weston |
The coaches and support staff selected to guide our Aquablacks are:
Name | Organisation | Role |
Simon Mayne | Swimming NZ | Head Coach |
Tom Onley | Whangarei | Assistant Coach |
Elliot Snedden | HPSNZ | Performance Analyst |
Amanda White | Swimming NZ | Team Manager |
