Mona Vale swimmer Alyssa Gillespie has finished fourth in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB8 final on her Commonwealth Games debut, completing the race in 1:32.80.
The 18-year-old progressed through the morning heats before finishing one place outside the medals at Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow.
England’s Brock Whiston won the final in 1:22.05, setting a new Commonwealth Games record. Uganda’s Husnah Kukundakwe claimed silver in 1:26.20, while England’s Iona Winnifrith secured bronze in 1:26.31.
Australian teammate Gemma Sellick, 16, finished fifth in 1:33.95, followed by England’s Isabella Haynes in sixth place with a time of 1:34.35.
From Hydrotherapy To The Commonwealth Games
Gillespie’s fourth-place finish came less than four years after she began competitive swimming.
Born with VACTERL association, a condition affecting her vertebrae, limbs, heart and internal organs, she has undergone 25 operations. Her involvement in swimming began through hydrotherapy following hip surgery, when the water gave her greater freedom of movement.
She later competed at school swimming carnivals and progressed to the national school championships in 2022. A local coach noticed her performance and encouraged her to join Narrabeen Swim Club.
Analiese Melbourn coached Gillespie during the early stages of her development, while Rafael Rodrigues now guides her training.
The same year she began competing, Gillespie watched swimmers take part in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. She joined the Australian team for Glasgow as one of seven debutants in the country’s 18-member para-swimming squad.
Mona Vale Swimmer’s Rapid Rise
Gillespie balances elite training with Year 12 studies at Pymble Ladies’ College.
Her program can involve up to 25 hours of training each week, with the Mona Vale swimmer in the pool by 5am on most mornings. Sessions also include racing able-bodied boys in her squad to help increase her speed.
Despite her relatively short competitive career, she holds 13 national records and won the Open MC 50m backstroke at the 2025 Australian Swimming Trials.
At the Australian Age and Open Swimming Championships in April, Gillespie finished first in the 16–18 years 100m breaststroke. She also placed second in the 100m backstroke and 50m breaststroke and third in the 50m backstroke in the same age group.
Her entry into the Australian team also brought the allocation of her official team number, Paralympic Dolphin 332.
Paralympic Ambition Beyond Glasgow
The Commonwealth Games formed another stage in Gillespie’s longer-term pursuit of selection for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games, where she hopes to win gold for Australia.
She has also been raising funds to help cover travel, competition entry, attire and other costs associated with elite swimming. Competition swimwear alone can cost about $1,000 per suit.
While her family remains in Europe for a holiday following the Games, Gillespie will return home to complete her Year 12 examinations.
She plans to study nursing before pursuing medicine, with the aim of becoming a doctor and assisting children facing medical challenges similar to those she experienced.
Published 2-July-2026
Updated 28-July-2026
