Record-Breaking Willmer Finishes Fourth in the World

Day Seven Wrap – 2025 World Para Swimming Championships

Joshua Willmer (Coast) might have waited until the final day of competition to get his opportunity to race but he took his chance, breaking two New Zealand records and placing fourth in the world. Aquablack debutants Rylee Sayer (Matamata) and Asher Smith-Franklin (North Shore) also rounded out their campaigns with performances in the morning heats.

Joshua Willmer had a superb heat swim in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB8. Having to wait until the final day for his only event, the 20-year-old set about making his presence felt. He took off through the opening lap with a high stroke rate, quickly establishing a lead in his heat. The Kiwi turned nearly a second in front of the field, smashing the SB8 New Zealand record at the 50m split in the process (33.05). Willmer continued the rage through the second lap to extend his lead over the field to post an impressive time (1:11.08). Willmer broke the SB8 New Zealand record across the 100m distance also by nearly 1.5 seconds, meaning he broke two records with the singular swim and qualified through to the final as the second fastest swimmer.

In the final, Willmer swam in lane five alongside the World Record holder Andrei Kalina (Neutral Athlete). He had a good reaction time from the blocks and got into his fast stroke early after surfacing from the underwater. He turned third in a split nearly identical to his New Zealand record from the morning heat. Willmer was locked in a battle for the bronze with Oscar Salguero Galisteo (Spain) in the dying stages, with Willmer narrowly getting out touched on the wall by 0.04 seconds to place fourth overall. Andrei Kalina (1:08.43) dominated from start to finish ahead of Daniil Smirnov (Neutral Athelte – 1:10.72), with Salguero Galisteo (1:11.57) claiming the bronze ahead of Willmer (1:11.61).

Willmer produced the second-best time of his career at both the 50m split and 100m in the final. He also achieved his best placing at a World Para Swimming Championships with fourth overall.

Congratulations to Willmer, his coach Michael Weston and his support team on his fourth place finish and career best times at the championships.

Rylee Sayer competed in her fourth event of the championships in the women’s 100m freestyle S7. The teenager executed a powerful dive in lane seven of the second heat to surface at the front of the field. From there the yellow centre lanes set the pace, with Sayer working hard throughout the race. She turned in sixth and maintained her position through the return lap to finish eleventh overall (1:18.63). The result was the fastest performance of her career at a major competition since being classified as a S7 swimmer, marginally quicker than her time at the 2025 Apollo Projects NZ Age Group Swimming Championships earlier in the year.

Sayer was delighted with her debut campaign.

"I am super proud walking away from my first Worlds knowing I gave everything. I've learnt so much from all my team and I've loved it all. I'm looking forward to what's next."

Congratulations to Sayer, her coach Graeme Laing and her support team for her performances on debut in Singapore and on becoming Aquablack #295. The 17-year-old finished with three top eight results and two personal bests.

Asher Smith-Franklin returned for his third event of the championships in the men’s 100m butterfly S14. The teenager swam from lane zero in the second heat and had a solid start. He worked hard through the opening lap before pushing 10m underwater off the turn. Smith-Franklin fought back during the second lap and kept his head down for the last 10m to finish strongly. The 19-year-old gained two positions in the second lap to finish eighth in his heat. He rounded out his Aquablack debut placing 17th overall (59.32) and achieving the second-best time of his career.

Congratulations to Smith-Franklin, coach Graham Hill and his support team for his three performances across the week as he became Aquablack #296.

Championships Recap

It’s been a successful championships for our Aquablacks in Singapore. Gaby Smith (Vikings & University of Queensland) kick started the campaign on day one with the first World Para Swimming Championships medal of her career – a silver in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB9.

Cameron Leslie (Whangarei) brings home to silver medals in the men’s 50m backstroke S4 and men’s 50m freestyle S4, delivering some of his fastest performances in a few years.

In total, the New Zealand team achieved three silver medals and nine top eight finishes. Three New Zealand records were broken across the championships and six personal bests across the week.

Swimming NZ’s Paralympic Head Coach, Simon Mayne, is proud of how the team performed and supported each other throughout the preparation and championships.

“What an incredible competition! Just a year ago in Paris, we came away with only one personal best, now we're leaving Singapore with six. Gaby's silver and Cam's two silvers are testament to the hard work everyone has been putting in. Bringing two new swimmers onto the team created a fresh dynamic – Asher hit a PB in the 200m IM and Rylee really thrived, making three finals. And to cap it off, Josh finishing fourth in the final race shows just how close we are, and how hungry we'll be heading into the next pinnacle event in 2026.”

Congratulations to our New Zealand team who have represented us proudly and with distinction in Singapore.

Medals = 3 (3 x silver)

• Cameron Leslie = 2

  • Silver = men’s 50m backstroke S4

  • Silver = men’s 50m freestyle S4

• Gaby Smith = 1

  • Silver = women’s 100m breaststroke SB9

Top Eight Finishes = 9

• Cameron Leslie = 3

• Rylee Sayer = 3

• Gaby Smith = 2

• Joshua Willmer = 1

New Zealand Records = 3

• Joshua Willmer = 2

  • Men’s 50m breaststroke SB8

  • Men’s 100m breaststroke SB8

• Asher Smith-Franklin = 1

  • Men’s 200m individual medley SM14

Personal Bests = 6

• Rylee Sayer = 2

• Joshua Willmer = 2

• Asher Smith-Franklin = 1

• Gaby Smith = 1

Results

You can re-watch any of the action on demand for free on the Paralympics YouTube channel.

Watch Here

Swimmer Results

Cameron Leslie

• Men's 100m freestyle S4 (result: 1:30.78 in final = 6th overall, 1:34.43 in heat)

• Men's 50m backstroke S4 (result: 42.54 in final = Silver, 43.50 in heat)

• Men's 50m freestyle S4 (result: 37.44 in final = Silver, 39.06 in heat)

Rylee Sayer

• Women's 100m breaststroke SB7 (result: 1:46.33 - 6th overall)

• Women's 50m butterfly S7 (result: 37.30 in final = 5th overall & 2 x PB, 37.34 in heat)

• Women's 50m freestyle S7 (result: 34.35 in final = 7th overall, 35.07 in heat)

• Women's 100m freestyle S7 (result: 1:18.63 = 11th overall)

Gaby Smith

• Women's 100m breaststroke SB9 (result: 1:19.56 = Silver & PB)

• Women's 200m individual medley SM10 (result: 2:40.00 = 8th overall)

Asher Smith-Franklin

• Men's 100m breaststroke SB14 (result: 1:12.24 = 14th overall)

• Men's 200m individual medley SM14 (result: 2:15.91 = 11th overall & NZR & PB)

• Men's 100m butterfly S14 (result: 59.32 = 17th overall)

Joshua Willmer

• Men's 100m breaststroke SB8 (result: 1:11.61 in final = 4th overall, 1:11.08 in heat - 2 x NZR & 2 x PB - 50m split and 100m result)

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
Joshua 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