Flynn Southam (born 5 June 2005) is an Australian swimmer. At the 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, he won gold medals in the 50 metre freestyle, 100 metre freestyle, and 200 metre freestyle. In the 4×100 metre freestyle relay, he won a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games as well as silver medals at the 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships and the 2022 World Short Course Championships, swimming on the finals relay at each competition. In the 4×200 metre freestyle relay, he won gold medals as a finals relay member at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, and a silver medal at the 2022 World Short Course Championships.
Background
Southam was born 5 June 2005 in
Australia.
[ "Flynn Southam". Commonwealth Games Federation. 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.][ "Flynn Zareb Southam". FINA. Retrieved 10 March 2023.] He trains at
Bond University in Gold Coast, Queensland under the guidance of head coach Chris Mooney.
[Bowen, Jess (21 July 2022). "Young gun Flynn Southam prepares to make his first big splash". wearegoldcoast.com.au. 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.]
Career
2022
2022 Australian Swimming Championships
At the 2022 Australian Swimming Championships, held in
Adelaide in May, Southam qualified for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the 4×100 metre freestyle relay, based on his time of 48.76 and third-place finish in the 100 metre freestyle, and the 4×200 metre freestyle relay, based on his fourth-place finish in the 200 metre freestyle with a time of 1:46.82.
[Hy-Tek (22 May 2022). "2022 Australian Swimming Championships". Swimming Australia. Retrieved 25 August 2022.]
2022 Commonwealth Games
On day one of swimming competition at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, conducted at Sandwell Aquatics Centre in
Birmingham,
England starting in July, Southam won a gold medal in the 4×100 metre mixed freestyle relay, contributing a split of 49.21 for the first leg of the preliminaries before being substituted out for William Yang in the final.
[ "Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games: Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay Heats Results Summary". Longines. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.][ "Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games: Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final Results". Longines. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.] The following day, he won a second gold medal, this time leading off the 4×100 metre freestyle relay in the final with a time of 48.54 seconds to help achieve a new Games record time of 3:11.12 with finals relay teammates
Zac Incerti, William Yang, and
Kyle Chalmers.
[ "Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games: Men's 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final Results". Longines. 30 July 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.] Two days later, he went three for three in his relay events, helping win the gold medal in the 4×200 metre freestyle relay in a Games record time of 7:04.96 by contributing a split of 1:46.08 for the second leg of the relay in the final.
[ "Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games: Men's 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final Results". Longines. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.] In his final event, the 50 metre freestyle, he placed tenth in the semifinals with a time of 22.60 seconds.
[ "Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games: Men's 50m Freestyle Semi-Finals Results Summary". Longines. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.]
2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships
For the 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, held at Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in August in
Honolulu,
United States, Southam won the gold medal in the 200 metre freestyle with a Championships record of 1:47.11, breaking former record of 1:47.65 set by
Drew Kibler in 2018.
[USA Swimming (24 August 2022). "Day 1 Finals | Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships". YouTube. Retrieved 25 August 2022.][Hy-Tek (24 August 2022). "2022 Jr Pan Pacific Swimming Championships: Results". swmeets.com. Retrieved 25 August 2022.][Penland, Spencer (24 August 2022). "Australia's Flynn Southam Downs Jr Pan Pacs Record In Boys 200 Free With 1:47.11". SwimSwam. Retrieved 25 August 2022.][ "Teen Bondies make a splash in Hawaii". Bond University. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.] The following day, he won the gold medal in the 100 metre freestyle with a Championships record time of 48.23 seconds, lowering the former mark of 48.91 established by
Jack Cartwright in 2016, and finishing over one full second ahead of silver medalist
Thomas Heilman of the United States.
[De George, Matthew (25 August 2022). "Junior Pan Pacs: Day 2 Finals – Flynn Southam Outduels Thomas Heilman in 100 Free". Swimming World. Retrieved 25 August 2022.][Sagendorph, Kyle (26 August 2022). "U.S. Grabs One Relay, Three Individual Titles on Junior Pan Pacs Night Two". USA Swimming. Retrieved 26 August 2022.] Later in the finals session, he helped win the gold medal in the 4×200 metre freestyle relay in a Championships record time of 7:13.07, leading off the relay with a time of 1:47.30.
[USA Swimming (25 August 2022). "Day 2 Finals | Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships". YouTube. Retrieved 25 August 2022.][Penland, Spencer (26 August 2022). "Southam And Staples Split 1:47 To Lead Australia To Boys 4×200 Jr Pan Pacs Record". SwimSwam. Retrieved 26 August 2022.] On the third day, he helped win the silver medal in the 4×100 metre freestyle relay in a final time of 3:18.06, leading-off the relay with a 48.43.
[Lohn, John (26 August 2022). "Junior Pan Pacs – Day 3 Finals: Erin Gemmell Completes Freestyle Triple With Meet Record in 400". Swimming World. Retrieved 27 August 2022.]
Starting off the fourth and final day, Southam ranked third in the preliminaries of the 50 metre freestyle with a time of 22.75 seconds and qualified for the final.[USA Swimming (27 August 2022). "Day 4 Prelims | Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships". YouTube. Retrieved 27 August 2022.] For his first event of the evening finals session, he won the gold medal in the 50 metre freestyle, finishing in a time of 22.36 seconds, which was 0.14 seconds ahead of the two Americans who tied for the silver medal.[Lohn, John (27 August 2022). "Junior Pan Pacs – Day 4 Finals: Maximus Williamson Crushes NAG Record (15–16) in 200 IM; Flynn Southam Triples". Swimming World. Retrieved 27 August 2022.] Concluding the Championships, he helped win the silver medal in the 4×100 metre medley relay, splitting a 47.87 for the freestyle leg of the relay to contribute to the final mark of 3:36.96.[USA Swimming (27 August 2022). "Day 4 Finals | Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships". YouTube. Retrieved 27 August 2022.][Penland, Spencer (27 August 2022). "Heilman Throws Down 51.71 Fly Split As U.S. Breaks 4×100 Medley Jr Pan Pac Record". SwimSwam. Retrieved 27 August 2022.] Across his individual events, he earned a total of 27 points for his placings, ranking as the second highest scoring male swimmer, only one point behind fellow Australian Joshua Staples.[Lepesant, Anne (28 August 2022). "Erin Gemmell, Joshua Staples Top The Points Tables At 2022 Junior Pan Pacs". SwimSwam. Retrieved 6 September 2022.]
2022 World Short Course Championships
Southam was named to the Team Australia roster in early September for the 2022 World Short Course Championships in
Melbourne, which was a little over two months before the start of competition.
[ "Smiling assassin Atherton among four Bondies named in World Short Course team". Bond University. 1 September 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.][ "Dolphins Named For Home World Short Course Championships". Swimming Australia. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.] On the first day of competition, 13 December, he contributed a split time of 46.55 seconds for the second leg of the 4×100 metre freestyle relay in the preliminaries to help qualify the relay to the final ranking fourth with a time of 3:07.02.
[FINA (13 December 2022). "16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Melbourne (AUS): Men's 4x100m Freestyle Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved 13 December 2022.] In the evening final, he helped win the silver medal in an Oceanian, Commonwealth and Australian record time of 3:04.63, leading-off the relay with a personal best time of 47.04.
[FINA (13 December 2022). "16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Melbourne (AUS): Men's 4x100m Freestyle Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved 13 December 2022.] The third morning, he swam the third leg of the 4×50 metre freestyle relay in the preliminaries in 21.08 seconds, which contributed to a time of 1:24.42 that qualified the relay to the final ranking fifth.
[FINA (15 December 2022). "16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Melbourne (AUS): Men's 4x50m Freestyle Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved 15 December 2022.] For the final, he swam a 21.10 for the third leg, helping set new Oceanian, Commonwealth, Australian, and Australian All Comers records of 1:23.44 and win the gold medal.
[FINA (15 December 2022). "16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Melbourne (AUS): Men's 4x50m Freestyle Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved 15 December 2022.]
Leading-off the 4×50 metre mixed freestyle relay in the morning preliminaries on day four with a 22.04, Southam helped qualify the relay to the final ranking second in 1:29.82.[FINA (16 December 2022). "16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Melbourne (AUS): Mixed 4x50m Freestyle Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved 16 December 2022.] Later in the same preliminaries session, he split a 1:42.20 for the second leg of the 4×200 metre freestyle relay to help advance the relay to the final ranked fourth with a time of 6:54.83.[FINA (16 December 2022). "16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Melbourne (AUS): Men's 4x200m Freestyle Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved 16 December 2022.] On the finals 4×50 metre mixed freestyle relay, Kyle Chalmers substituted in for him and he won a silver medal for his efforts when the relay placed second in 1:28.03.[FINA (16 December 2022). "16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Melbourne (AUS): Mixed 4x50m Freestyle Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved 16 December 2022.] In his second event of the evening, he split a 1:41.50 for the third leg of the 4×200 metre freestyle relay to help win the silver medal in an Oceanian, Commonwealth, and Australian record time of 6:46.54.[FINA (16 December 2022). "16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Melbourne (AUS): Men's 4x200m Freestyle Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved 16 December 2022.][ "World Records Fall and Pallister Wins Fourth World Title". Swimming Australia. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.] The fifth morning, he helped advance the 4×50 metre medley relay to the final ranking seventh with a time of 1:33.25, swimming a 21.28 for the freestyle leg of the relay.[FINA (17 December 2022). "16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Melbourne (AUS): Men's 4x50m Medley Relay Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved 17 December 2022.] He won a bronze medal in the event when the finals relay placed third in a time of 1:30.81.[FINA (17 December 2022). "16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Melbourne (AUS): Men's 4x50m Medley Relay Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved 18 December 2022.]
2023
At the 2023 New South Wales State Open Championships in March in
Sydney, Southam won the gold medal in the 200 metre freestyle with a 1:47.08, placed fourth in the final of the 100 metre freestyle with a 49.08, eighth in the final of the 50 metre freestyle with a 22.78, and fifth in the 1500 metre freestyle with a 16:01.14.
[Hy-Tek (13 March 2023). "2023 NSW State Open Championships: Results". Swimming New South Wales. Retrieved 21 March 2023.] The following month, in the preliminaries of the 200 metre freestyle on day two at the 2023 Australian Swimming Championships, he ranked third and qualified for the final with a time of 1:47.53. He won a silver medal in the final with a personal best time of 1:46.67. The following day, he won the bronze medal in the 50 metre freestyle with a personal best time of 22.32 seconds. On the fourth and final day, he won the bronze medal in the 100 metre freestyle with a time of 48.53 seconds before winning the national title in the 4×100 metre freestyle relay, where he split a 47.71 for the anchor leg of the relay to help finish in 3:18.35.
[ "Meet Results: 2023 Australian Swimming Championships". Swimming Australia. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.] Following the Championships, he was named to the Swimming Australia roster for the 2023 World Junior Championships.
[ "L'Australia per i Campionati del mondo Juniores con 30 atleti" (in Italian). nuoto.com. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.]
For his first event at the 2023 Australian Swimming Trials in June in Melbourne, Southam placed fifth in the final of the 200 metre freestyle with a 1:47.11.[ "Meet Results: 2023 Australian Swimming Trials". Swimming Australia. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2023.]
International championships (50 m)
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| Junior level |
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| |
| Senior level |
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- Southam swam only in the prelims heats.
International championships (25 m)
- Southam swam only in the prelims heats.
Personal best times
Long course metres (50 m pool)
|
|
| 50 m freestyle | 22.32 | 2023 Australian Swimming Championships | Gold Coast | 19 April 2023 | 17 | |
| 100 m freestyle | 48.23 | 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships | Honolulu, United States | 25 August 2022 | 17 | |
| 200 m freestyle | 1:46.67 | 2023 Australian Swimming Championships | Gold Coast | 18 April 2023 | 17 | |
| 50 m backstroke | 27.06 | 2020 McDonald's Queensland Championships | Brisbane | 16 December 2020 | 15 | |
| 100 m backstroke | 55.90 | 2021 Australian Age Group Championships | Gold Coast | 10 April 2021 | 15 | |
Short course metres (50 m pool)
|
|
| 50 m freestyle | 22.29 | | 2021 Queensland Championships | Brisbane | 19 September 2021 | 16 | |
| 100 m freestyle | 47.04 | r | 2022 World Short Course Championships | Melbourne | 13 December 2022 | 17 | |
| 200 m freestyle | 1:53.56 | | 2019 State Teams Championships | Canberra | 6 October 2019 | 14 | |
| 50 m backstroke | 25.85 | | 2021 Queensland Championships | Brisbane | 19 September 2021 | 16 | |
| 100 m backstroke | 53.62 | | 2021 Queensland Championships | Brisbane | 18 September 2021 | 16 | |
Legend: r – relay 1st leg
Continental and national records
Short course metres (25 m pool)
|
|
| 1 | 4×100 m freestyle | 3:04.63 | 2022 World Short Course Championships | Melbourne | 13 December 2022 | 17 | OC, NR | Current | CR | |
| 2 | 4×50 m freestyle | 1:23.44 | 2022 World Short Course Championships | Melbourne | 15 December 2022 | 17 | OC, NR, ACR | Current | CR | |
| 3 | 4×200 m freestyle | 6:46.54 | 2022 World Short Course Championships | Melbourne | 16 December 2022 | 17 | OC, NR | Current | CR | |
Awards and honours
External links
