World Series Australia 2025: Homecoming for Emily Beecroft after Paris gold

It was 2013 when Emily Beecroft dived into a swimming pool for the first time in an international competition. The stage was the same where the Para Swimming World Series 2025 kicks off this week – the Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre.

“I remember how cool it was to race against international athletes and seeing where I fit amongst them,” said Beecroft who, as many of those athletes, had a dream of becoming a Paralympic champion. Had, past tense.

Now, 12 years later, the Australian swimmer is back to the MSAC’s pool after winning her first Paralympic gold in Paris last year, in the mixed 4x100m medley relay 34pts. She also grabbed a bronze medal in the women’s 100m butterfly S9.

“It’s really special competing for the first time since the Games in my home country and home state, and I’m excited for my family and friends to come out and watch me,” she said.

New cycle

The Australia 2025 Para Swimming World Series is the first of nine meets scheduled for this year and gathers 72 athletes from eight different nations for multi-class events between 14 and 16 February.

Boasting a gold medal as part of her four-medal Paralympic haul and competing in front of her loved ones, Beecroft has just begun her preparation for the Los Angeles 2028 cycle – which includes this year’s World Championships in Singapore.

She has been to three Paralympic Games and won medals for Australia at the World Para Swimming Championships and the Commonwealth Games.

“I’m allowing myself to focus on my university studies and taking a more relaxed approach to my swimming life. I’m just focusing on getting back into racing, not stressing too much about the outcome but trying to enjoy the process instead”, the S9 swimmer added.

Beecroft is one of the 43 athletes in the home squad, the Dolphins, the largest one competing in Melbourne. She will be in action in two events, the women’s 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle. 

The last gold of #Day5 is AUSTRALIAN! 🥇🇦🇺

In the 4x100m medley 34pts relay, the Australian squad grabbed the second gold for their nation at #Paris2024.

🥇 Jesse Aungles
🥇 Keira Stephens
🥇 Emily Beecroft
🥇 Callum Simpson
🥇 Timothy Hodge
🥇 Alexa Leary#ParaSwimming pic.twitter.com/TyEWWTxQVe

— Para Swimming (@Para_swimming) September 2, 2024

Golden Dolphins

Alongside Beecroft, there will plenty of Paris 2024 stars to entertain the home crowd at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Two of them were with Beecroft in that breath-taking relay at La Defense Arena in Paris, Jesse Aungles and Timothy Hodge.

Aungles (S8) will compete in the men’s 100m backstroke while Hodge (S9/SB8) will be in action in eight races, the men’s 50m and 100m freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.

Singapore’s Yip Pin Xiu is the highlight among the visitors. The seven-time Paralympic champion is the face of the World Championships that will come to her country in September. 

Yip (S2) will dive into the MSAC’s pool in the women’s 100m and 200m freestyle, and 50m and 100m backstroke events.

The Para Swimming World Series Australia 2025 will be live streamed on the Australian Dolphins Swim Team YouTube channel.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE WORLD SERIES AUSTRALIA 2025 LIVE

World Series 2025 calendar

Para Swimming World Series Australia
14-16 February

Para Swimming World Series Lignano Sabbiadoro (Italy)
13-16 March

Para Swimming World Series Barcelona (Spain)
20-23 March

Para Swimming World Series Fuji-Shizuoka (Japan)
10-12 April

Para Swimming World Series USA
24-26 April

Para Swimming World Series France
2-4 May

Para Swimming World Series Mexico
12-15 June

Para Swimming World Series Lima (Peru)
23-25 October