Alex Quach’s Green and Gold Dream Becomes Reality

UNSW Elite Athlete Program member Alex Quach will represent Australia at the 2026 World Short Course Championships in Beijing, achieving a long-held ambition after a decisive move interstate to pursue his swimming dream.

Quach is one of six debutants named in the 24-member Dolphins squad for the championships, which will take place at Beijing’s iconic Water Cube from 1–6 December. His selection follows a qualifying swim of 1:51.65 on the final night of the Australian Short Course Trials at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.

For the 25-year-old, the breakthrough represents years of persistence and the support of people who helped keep his ambitions within reach.

“Honestly, it feels like a long time coming,” Quach said.

“There have been so many opportunities, experiences and people along the way that have helped me get to this point, so being selected feels like all of those pieces are finally coming together for one big moment.” Having reached a point where he feared his opportunity to represent Australia might have passed, Quach made the significant decision to relocate from Sydney to Brisbane to train with Nudgee coach Shaun Crow.

The move meant a change in training environment and the challenge of coordinating his university commitments around an interstate relocation. Quach credits UNSW’s Elite Athlete Program team, Helen Bryson and Hayley Stanford, with helping make that transition possible.

“Having to make the decision to go up to Brisbane to train was a huge one as well, and I’m really grateful to everyone who has helped make that possible,” he said. “The EAP team at UNSW, especially Hayley, have worked absolute wonders within such short timeframes and with the limitations and notice we’ve had. Without that support, getting to this point wouldn’t have been possible.”

That acknowledgement highlights the role of the Elite Athlete Program in helping UNSW athletes balance their studies with the demands of high-performance sport, including the flexibility needed when training and competition opportunities require major changes. For Quach, that support has helped him reach a milestone he once worried might remain out of reach. He will now prepare to join Australia’s best short course swimmers on the world stage, with his first Dolphins campaign ahead.

While selection is a moment to celebrate, Quach is already focused on what comes next. “But the job’s not finished yet. I’ve still got China ahead of me, and I want to earn the chance to don the green and gold,” he said.

“Everything up until now has been building towards this, and I’m ready to give it everything I’ve got.”

Beijing will give Quach his first experience competing as a Dolphin at a world championship, an opportunity to test himself against the world’s best and learn alongside experienced Australian teammates. With the 2027 long course World Championships ahead and the pathway towards Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 taking shape, this selection opens a new chapter in his swimming career. His immediate focus is on December and making the most of the opportunity he moved interstate to pursue.