Aquablacks Project B32 to Launch at NZ Age Group Swimming Championships

Announcement of Swimming NZ's New National Youth Programme

Preparations for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games are already gaining momentum, highlighted by plans for a new 25,000-seat National Aquatic Centre in Brisbane, Australia.

Accordingly, we are delighted to announce the launch of our own “Aquablacks Project B32” as Swimming NZ’s new National Youth Programme.

This programme will underpin the High Performance Pathway, recognising and supporting those aspiring athletes with strong future potential. It aims to build on our proud history of developing excellent young swimmers, and bolster their transition into successful senior internationals.

With Brisbane 2032 representing the closest in a generation New Zealanders will come to a “home Games”, the “Aquablacks Project B32” provides a powerful source of motivation.

Interweaving the Olympic and Paralympic Pathways, the programme recognises the power of reward and recognition, the importance of the coach and circle of support, the need for performance education, and the value of international inspiration. It will include coach and parent engagement, domestic and/or international camps and competitions, performance education resources, and performance tracking tools.

Open to girls aged 13–18 and boys aged 14–20 in the Olympic Pathway, and more flexible in the Paralympic Pathway, initial squads will be named following the 2026 New Zealand Swimming Championships (with consideration from NAGs) based on the published criteria.

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With the calibre of newly appointed National Youth Coach (Olympic Pathway), David Lyles, and Disability & Para Swimming Participation Manager, Cameron Leslie, at the helm, the aspiring young swimmers, their coaches and parents are sure to be well guided.

Lyles, a seven-time Olympic coach, highlights the importance of the programme.

“A National Youth Programme is a vital component of any sporting body, not just to find our next wave of champions, but to give them hope and shine a light on their future pathway. Only by engaging with the whole package of swimmers, parents, coaches and clubs can we have any hope of placing swimmers on the world stage with consistency, pride and success.”

Leslie, who debuted at the Paralympics as an 18-year-old and is still thriving in an 18-year international swimming career, is also enthusiastic about the programme.

“This is a great step forward. We have seen significant growth in the quality of Para swimmers in our development space, and this pathway programme complements that. It really is an exciting time for our 2028 and 2032 Para swimmers as the number of opportunities coming through is groundbreaking for our sport.”

Aquablacks Project B32 will launch formally (including further details) with coaches’ and parents’ forums at the 2026 New Zealand Age Group Swimming Championships, after heats sessions on Wednesday 8 and Saturday 11 April, respectively. If you are interested in learning more about it first-hand, please put these dates in your diary, with more details to follow soon.