Squads Announced for 2026/27 National Youth Programme
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Announcement of the 2026/27 National Youth Programme Squads (Olympic Programme)
Following the launch of the National Youth Programme (NYP) at the New Zealand Age Group Championships in April, Swimming New Zealand is delighted to announce the inaugural National Youth Programme Squads (Olympic Pathway). The announcement comes ahead of the Tri Series team's departure to Western Australia.
Featuring 130 swimmers from 41 clubs around Aotearoa, swimmers have been selected into three interlinking Squads, creating a clear athlete development pathway for swimmers aged 13 through to 20 years old.
National Age Group Squad (White): Top two age-groupers per stroke, aged 13-16 years for girls and 14-16 years for boys.
National Development Squad (Silver): Girls aged 16-18 years who have achieved 750 World Aquatics points, boys aged 16-18 years at 700 points and boys aged 19-20 years who have achieved 750 World Aquatics points.
Emerging Aquablacks (Black): Swimmers aged 17-20 years who have achieved more than 800 World Aquatics points.
At all levels, scope has been included for Head Coach’s discretion to add those exceptionally close to selection and/or to invite swimmers from one Squad to join the activities of another, to optimise the overall pathway experience.
Swimmers will benefit from NYP squad camps, online learning and workshops covering nutrition, athletic development and other key performance areas, as well as programme recognition and insignia. Already in progress, coaches will benefit from the new coaching initiatives such as LANE4, invitation to camps, and engagement with National Head Coaches.
National Youth Coach (Olympic Pathway), David Lyles, said the programme represents an exciting milestone for New Zealand swimming and the athletes selected.
“Selection on to any national programme is an honour and an amazing achievement. It’s also a reflection of the many hours of commitment and hard work from the swimmers, coaches and parents involved. At the same time, the National Youth Programme is just the first step on the ladder to success, and I hope our programme can inspire swimmers and coaches to work harder, go further, and offer support and guidance to parents to help them better prepare and plan for what is ahead.”
A key focus of the programme, Lyles said, is creating lasting benefits that extend beyond those selected into the squads.
“Our aim through the National Youth Programme is to provide a progressive system of education and opportunities that will reach not only those who are selected but will be spread down through their clubs and regions via their coaches. Through the sharing of knowledge and practices, and through interactions intended to provide support and assistance in areas coaches may not be confident in, we are aiming to provide coaches and clubs with the tools to improve performances by making marginal gains in those small and often overlooked areas of sports performance.”
Looking ahead, Lyles said the programme is building towards New Zealand's next generation of international success.
“By bringing together the coaching community and increasing the flow of information and opportunities, I believe we can make a difference to our athletes as they prepare for a once in a lifetime opportunity to compete in a ‘home’ Olympics in Brisbane 2032.”
The first National Youth Programme camp will be for the National Age Group Squad, based at the Parakiore Recreation & Sports Centre in Christchurch, following the 2026 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships.
The equivalent Paralympic Pathway Development Squad and programme will be announced in the coming weeks.
The National Youth Squads (Olympic Pathway) have been selected as follows:
NATIONAL AGE GROUP SQUAD (WHITE)
Name | Club | Coach |
Faris Abdou | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Finn Aloua | United | Andy McMillan |
Will Atkinson | Blenheim | Shane Skehan |
Alyssa Bai | Porirua City Aquatics | Justin Roberts |
Jonathan Bao | Parnell | Max Polianski |
Dominic Barton | North Shore | Graham Hill |
Hugo Beeby | Neptune & Swim Dunedin | Lars Humer |
Jenna Borea | Jasi | Peter Burgon |
Declan Broadfoot | Nga Tai Tuatea a Taraika | Chris Paproski |
Ziva Bunker | Whanganui | Richard Gheel |
William Callow | Aquagym | Andy McLay |
Hana Carnie | Wanaka | Erika Ikeda |
Molly Carroll | Swim Timaru | Shane Jones |
Violet Carter | Ice Breaker Aquatics | Emma Mortiboy |
Luojingxi Chen | Nga Tai Tuatea a Taraika | Chris Paproski |
Michael Chen | Parnell | Max Polianski |
Imogen Child | North Shore | Graham Hill |
Sarah Choi | Porirua City Aquatics | Justin Roberts |
Ayla Church | Pukekohe | Sheldon Kemp |
Paige Conley | Whanganui | Richard Gheel |
Grayson Coulter | North Shore | Graham Hill |
Marli Coverdale | United | Andy McMillan |
Tayla Cox | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Charlie Dickison | Nga Tai Tuatea a Taraika | Chris Paproski |
Myla Duncan | Kiwi & Swim Dunedin | Lars Humer |
Georgia Duske | Evolution Aquatics | Riccardo Pini |
Maddie Ericson | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Tandia Fisher | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Kase Glintmeyer | Coast | Wilrich Coetzee |
Charles Hames | Coast | Wilrich Coetzee |
Jaxon Hamlin-Browne | Waitakere | Paul Kent |
Ella Hanley | Tawa | Ben Lavigne |
Maggie Harper | Trojans | Kirsty Johnson |
Jaden Heerikhuisen | St Peter's | Alastair Johnson |
Olivia Henderson | Coast | Wilrich Coetzee |
Indie Herbert | Parnell | Max Polianski |
Sheldon Hogan | Mount Maunganui | Stan Teokotai-White |
Zachary Horton | Jasi | Peter Burgon |
Channelle Huang | North Shore | Graham Hill |
Lewis Ives | Ice Breaker Aquatics | Emma Mortiboy |
Connor Jenkins | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Mackenzie Jury | Liz van Welie Aquatics | Matt Teokotai-White |
Hannah Ker-Fox | Neptune & Swim Dunedin | Lars Humer |
Cooper Ketchen | Tawa | Ben Lavigne |
Sophia Kivileva | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Luca Lavigne | Tawa | Ben Lavigne |
Anna Li | United | Andy McMillan |
Catherine Li | Parnell | Max Polianski |
April Lin | Phoenix Aquatics | David Lyles |
Arissa Liu | Phoenix Aquatics | David Lyles |
Evelyn Loh | Howick Pakuranga | Jana Wilkitzki |
Noah Lomas | Swim Rotorua | Aidan Withington |
Tyler Lushkott | North Shore | Graham Hill |
Jade Lyles | Phoenix Aquatics | David Lyles |
Connor Mahoney | Mt Eden | Don McKenna |
Octavia Mahoney | United | Andy McMillan |
Sophia McClintock | Wanaka | Erika Ikeda |
Maeve McDonnell | Howick Pakuranga | Jana Wilkitzki |
Amelia McEwan | Mount Maunganui | Stan Teokotai-White |
Lily McGrath | Neptune & Swim Dunedin | Lars Humer |
Harriet McHardy | Nga Tai Tuatea a Taraika | Chris Paproski |
Alex McIntosh | United | United |
Charlotte McLaren | Trojans | Kirsty Johnson |
Benji McLean | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Manson Meng | Phoenix Aquatics | David Lyles |
Sinje Meyners | Swim Rotorua | Aidan Withington |
Annalise Miller | Neptune & Swim Dunedin | Lars Humer |
Phoebe Nettle | Trojans | Kirsty Johnson |
Te Paki | Northwave | Monica Cooper |
Sadie Percy | Pirates | Steve Francis |
Jorja Postill | Pukekohe | Sheldon Kemp |
Alanna Rawson | St Peter's | Alastair Johnson |
Harvey Revell | Nga Tai Tuatea a Taraika | Chris Paproski |
Jessica Richardson | Hamilton Aquatics | Mat Woofe |
Amelia-Rose Searle | North Shore | Graham Hill |
Sebastian Segers | United | Andy McMillan |
Sam Skidmore | Trojans | Kirsty Johnson |
Brooke Speers | Greendale | Gary Knight |
Lola Stewart | Enterprise | Matt Martin |
Alicia Story | Mt Eden | Don McKenna |
Hylton Stracey | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Paige Stringer | Hamilton Aquatics | Mat Woofe |
Danny Sun | North Shore | Graham Hill |
Sarina Tang | St Peter's | Alastair Johnson |
Aidan Taylor | Howick Pakuranga | Jana Wilkitzki |
Donald Tian | Coast | Wilrich Coetzee |
Mackenzie Tobin | Parnell | Max Polianski |
Mila Tongalea | United | Andy McMillan |
William Tye | Nga Tai Tuatea a Taraika | Chris Paproski |
Olivia Vivian | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Hope Wang | Phoenix Aquatics | David Lyles |
Kento Wangford | Parnell | Max Polianski |
Soeren Wells | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Madeleine Wilson | SwimZone Racing | Frank Tourelle |
Hayley Wyatt | Coast | Wilrich Coetzee |
Kiri Yamagami | United | Mitch Nairn |
Michael Yang | Phoenix Aquatics | David Lyles |
Jaeci Yee | Tawa | Ben Lavigne |
James Zhang | Phoenix Aquatics | David Lyles |
YiFan Zhang | Parnell | Max Polianski |
Rick Zhao | Parnell | Max Polianski |
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SQUAD (SILVER)
Name | Club | Coach |
Elwin Bao | North Shore | Graham Hill |
Lucas Bell | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Caleb Carlisle | Napier Aquahawks | Sam Knapp |
Jasper Cornish | Coast | Michael Weston |
Liam Curling | Coast | Wilrich Coetzee |
Mitch Ellis | Liz van Welie Aquatics | Matt Teokotai-White |
Larn Hamblyn-Ough | Coast | Michael Weston |
Orlando Hardie | Hamilton Aquatics | Mat Woofe |
Rui Hou | Roskill | Josh Munro |
Kayne Howat | SwimZone Racing | Frank Tourelle |
Hara Hughes | Coast | Michael Weston |
Daniel Kregting | Roskill | Josh Munro |
Alyssa Lawson | Hamilton Aquatics | Ash Delaney (AUS) |
Ethan MacDonald | Hamilton Aquatics | Mat Woofe |
Luke Manderson | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Laura Menzies | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Bridie Quayle | Wharenui | Carl Gordon |
Igor Russanov | Coast | Michael Weston |
Neo Salomonsson | Kiwi & Swim Dunedin | Lars Humer |
Bruce Shen | Phoenix Aquatics | David Lyles |
Alyssa Tapper | St Peter's | Thomas Fraser-Holmes (AUS) |
Brendan Visser | Coast | Michael Weston |
Fraser Walker | United | Andy McMillan |
Alfie Weatherston Harvey | Kiwi & Swim Dunedin | Lars Humer |
Rylind Wheeler | North Canterbury | Brigitte Mahan |
EMERGING AQUABLACKS SQUAD (BLACK)
Name | Club | Coach |
Milan Glintmeyer | Coast | Michael Weston |
Harrison Klouwens | United | Mitch Nairn |
James Leigh | Coast | James Boyce (AUS) |
Ariel Muchirahondo | Swim Rotorua | Aidan Withington |
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