James Logan will be one of only 13 athletes to represent Australia at the 2025 Summer Deaflympics.
The 18-year-old local athlete is a member of the Melbourne Swimming Club’s Geelong branch (MSC Geelong) and will compete in Tokyo in November.
Deaflympics are a multisport event for deaf athletes, taking place every four years. The first Deaflympics were held in France in 1924, and this year’s Tokyo Games mark the 100th anniversary.
Commencing his swimming career at the age of eight, James has seen great success at a state and national level. At the Victorian Age State Championships in December 2024, he was awarded male multiclass swimmer of the meet and currently has 12 Australian S15 records under his belt. He will head to Brisbane this month for the Australian Swimming Championships. In 2023 he was selected for the Deaf World Championships where he and the Australian relay team secured bronze in the 4×200 freestyle relay.
As a proud member of the Australian Seals swim team James will have a busy schedule in Tokyo contesting eight events.
“I enjoy the 400m freestyle and 200m butterfly,” he said.
“The longer events give me time to build speed during the race.”
Training eight sessions per week with the MSC Geelong squad, James attributes his success to the support of his teammates and an inclusive club culture.
“My squad are always there for me and explain the program to me when I need help,” he said.
The local swim program is led by senior coach Lucky Weerakkody and provides opportunities for all levels and ability from development through to elite swimmers.
“We are incredibly proud of James,” he said.
“His results are testament to the success of our program and his commitment to his sport. We’re thankful to City of Greater Geelong and Geelong College for the lane space in which we train so athletes can achieve their goals.”
