31 October, 2025 - Australian Sporting Alliance for People with a Disability

A swimmer performing the butterfly stroke in a pool, wearing a yellow swim cap with "AUS" and green lettering, surrounded by yellow lane dividers. The swimmer's face is obscured and water splashes dramatically as their arms move forward. Photo credit: Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images.

Swimming Australia, Experience Gold Coast and City of Gold Coast have announced the event will take place from 20–22 February at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, opening the 2026 season at one of the nation’s top aquatic venues.

The move from Melbourne gives athletes a chance to prepare for the outdoor conditions they’ll face at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, where Para swimming will be held at a new open-air venue in Long Beach.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said, “The 2026 World Series will be the first time the Coast has hosted this global event and we are proud to showcase our para stars, and potential Commonwealth Games Dolphins as the main event.”

A person with shoulder-length hair stands on an outdoor running track, wearing a black sleeveless top. The background features green athletics fields, trees, buildings, and a blue sky with clouds. "The University of Queensland" text appears in the lower left corner.

Dr Jessica Hill is taking on the 50x50x50 Challenge — running 50km a day for 50 days to raise $50,000 in support of UQ’s ParaSTART, a program that helps people with high support needs access performance-based sports training.

A paediatric occupational therapist and researcher at The University of Queensland, Dr Hill has seen firsthand the barriers many young athletes with disabilities face. Through ParaSTART, she’s helping show that competitive sport can improve both physical and mental wellbeing.

“Running 50 kilometres for 50 days is tough — but for many people with disability, the challenge to access sport never stops,” she said.

Support her run: justgiving.com/campaign/drjesshill-50x50x50-challenge-forparastart