Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre to host 2025 Australian Short Course Championships

Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC) is to host another premier swimming event with the 2025 Australian Short Course Championships confirmed for 1st to 3rd October.

MSAC is anticipated to attract more than 500 athletes from over 100 clubs across the three days of competition.

The Australian swim team, the Dolphins are back in Victoria for the first time since the World Championship Trials in 2023 to enjoy the world-class facility, a facility that world breaststroke champion Sam Williamson and Olympic Open Water Dolphin Nicholas Sloman call home.

The event will also showcase MSAC as a premier sporting facility – one that includes infrastructure to cater for para-athletes and swimmers at elite and grassroots level – and also a facility that has become a thriving, inclusive and connected community that benefits all that swim there.

Additionally, the meet will feature a Pho3nix Junior Excellence Clinic for junior swimmers aged nine-13.

The clinic is focused on developing their skills as they move into their teenage years. It aims to recognise and inspire young swimmers and build commitment to, and enthusiasm for, the pathway into senior swimming.

The 2025 Australian Short Course Championships will be delivered with the support of the Victorian Government, through Sport and Recreation Victoria’s Significant Sporting Events Program.

Swimming Australia Chief Executive Rob Woodhouse noted “It is our last Championship meet of the year, and I would expect this dash and splash event to bring out the very best in our athletes in a facility that will inspire some exceptional performances.

“We expect another typically large Melbourne crowd to turn out and spur our athletes on and we thank the Victorian Government for their support of this event.”

Swimming Victoria Chief Executive Jason Hellwig added “It is great to have the Australian Short Course Championships back in Melbourne and for our local athletes to be able to compete at home in front of their family and friends.”

 “It is also a wonderful opportunity for our swimming community to see our elite level swimmers in action, and have those swimmers deliver back to the local community through clinics and other education opportunities to help drive the growth of our sport here in Victoria.”  

Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos shared “our major events and sporting calendar is the envy of the country, and we continue to secure events that bring people to Victoria - backing small businesses and local jobs.

“We're excited to welcome swimmers, coaches and families to our state for the 2025 Australian Short Course Championships in October."

By the numbers, 2023’s World Championship Trials at MSAC attracted:

• Almost 2000 editorial mentions

• Potential reach of this was an audience of 3.2 billion

• 18,489 visitor nights

• Over 5million minutes viewed on 9Now

• 11.1 million total social media reach