Sport is an important part of Canberran life and over the years we’ve turned out our share of champions. Take a look back at some of the sporting giants we lost in 2025 and some of the youngsters who have started to make their mark.
12. Golden Oar regatta proves it’s possible to bring the sport to the masses
by Tim Gavel
Winners of the Golden Oar cash prizes. Photo: Supplied.
Rowing in Australia has, for too long, been viewed as an elitist sport, with the bulk of participants sourced from private schools.
The sport would become stagnant in Canberra without a broader participation base.
In many ways, Red Shed, a not-for-profit community rowing facility situated on the Black Mountain Peninsula, is playing a significant role in breaking down stereotypes through its learn-to-row programs, which cater to people of all ages and backgrounds.
11. 15-year-old Canberra swimmer Lily Young is a star on the rise
by Tim Gavel
Lily Young after winning the 25-metre short course event at the Australian Short Course Championships. Photo: Billy Nicholson.
Lily Young created history as she touched the wall in first place in the women’s open 25-metre freestyle dash at the Australian Short Course titles in Melbourne in October.
For the first time, the 25-metre event was included in the National Short Course Swimming program, with Lily becoming the inaugural winner in a time of 11.58 seconds, surprising many, including herself.
“I went into the meet hoping to make a final, maybe sneak a medal. I remember thinking, ‘Wait… did that just happen?’ It gave me a huge confidence boost and made me believe I could compete with the best.”
10. Basketball in Canberra is grappling with the challenge of popularity
by Tim Gavel
UC Caps Tradies Hoops Clinic: At all levels, basketball is popular in the ACT, but facilities are not available to meet its popularity. Photo: Thomas Lucraft.
With 15,000 players registered with Basketball ACT, along with plenty more participating in other competitions, the sport is currently grappling with a unique dilemma.
In some categories, Basketball ACT has been forced to turn players away, while in other areas, there is a drive to attract more people to the sport.
In the latter category, the Association has introduced a Mums and Bubs Program in an effort to entice new mothers back to basketball, along with a campaign to lift the numbers of women and girls taking part, with a higher percentage of male participants at the moment.
9. Where to now for baseball in Canberra as ABL takes back Cavalry licence?
by Tim Gavel
Fans welcome home the successful Canberra Cavalry at Narrabundah Ballpark after winning the ABL title earlier this year. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Canberra sport is littered with the embers of various national sports league teams over the past 35 years. The Cosmos, the Bushrangers, the Cannons and the Comets come readily to mind.
The Cavalry is in danger of being included in this list. The owners, Paul Kelly and Adrian Dart, had intended to pause the team’s participation in the upcoming 2025-26 Australian Baseball League (ABL) season before returning in 2026-27, only for the league to take the licence away.
8. From heartbreak to hope: Capital Football reshapes NPL, promotes clubs in wake of GUFC’s shock exit
by Tim Gavel
The Monaro Panthers are back in the fold, and acknowledge it’s due to the “cost and heartbreak” being felt by the Gungahlin United community, families, and players. Photo: Monaro Panthers.
With debts exceeding $550,000, the demise of Gungahlin United left a massive hole in every division of the code in Canberra.
Capital Football has announced that the NPL Men’s division will now increase from 10 to 11 teams, even though Gungahlin is out.
7. If you build it they will come: how the Canberra Brave turned AIS Arena into an icy field of dreams
by Tim Gavel
Another sellout crowd at AIS Arena. This time, when the Canberra Brave took on the Melbourne Ice. Photo: Verity Griffin.
The move from Phillip to the AIS Arena has been a masterstroke for the Canberra Brave, with sellout crowds at Australian Ice Hockey League matches.
With close to 3000 fans packing into the arena for every home game, the numbers are triple that of past years at Phillip. They are easily the biggest crowds for Australian Ice Hockey League games in this country.
6. Canberra sporting family comes together after a tough few months
by Tim Gavel
Joey Henry from the Royals died in 2025. Photo: Royals Facebook.
It is hard to remember a time in the Canberra sports community where, in the space of four months, so many prominent people integral to the success of sport in this city have passed away.
Tim Gavel says it’s also been heartwarming to see sporting rivalries put to one side with clubs offering tributes and support to fierce, and in many cases, historical rivals.
5. How legendary 1990s lunchtime touch footy games unleashed a sprinting sensation
by Greg Robson
Canberra Raiders conditioner Brian Hyder and assistant coach Shaun McRae were regular lunchtime touch footy titans in the 1990s. Photo: Supplied.
Lunchtime touch footy at Dickson in the 1990s – where dreams were made, hamstrings were torn and legends ran free. But who was that youngster who put the league legends to shame?
4. The end of an era with the folding of the Telopea Swim Club
by Tim Gavel
Veteran Telopea Swim Club coach Les Barclay poolside with Telopea swimmers at the AIS. Photo: Facebook.
After 60 years, the Telopea Swimming Club, a breeding ground for champions, called it a day.
Established at the Manuka Pool, the Telopea Swimming Club had a somewhat nomadic life before the decision was finally made to wind up.
It was a testament to the club’s coaches and volunteers that they were able to stay afloat, given the seemingly endless search for pool space to train.
3. If you follow the Brumbies, give thanks to the Canberra Kookaburras
by Tim Gavel
The Canberra Kookaburras had enormous success in the Sydney and Brisbane competitions. Photo: Supplied.
In the minds of many, rugby union didn’t exist in Canberra before the Brumbies burst onto the scene in 1996.
But you don’t have to search too far into the history books to see what went on prior to the establishment of Super Rugby and the Brumbies.
2. What’s in a name? Plenty if you are the son of a Raiders legend who’s also the current head coach
by Tim Gavel
Jed Stuart is often held to higher standards because of the obvious comparison with his legendary father. Photo: Raiders.
In Canberra sport, being the son of one of the Raiders’ greatest is akin to being the offspring of a Beatle. Maybe that’s an exaggeration, but you know what I’m getting at.
In the case of Jed Stuart, the son of Raiders’ legend and current coach Ricky, there has been a determination to forge his own path.
1. Canberra’s longest-running rock-climbing facility closes after 25 years
by James Coleman
Canberra Indoor Rock Climbing was the only facility of its type in Canberra. Photo: Canberra Indoor Rock Climbing, Facebook.
It might not have had the happiest of endings, but Canberra’s longest-running indoor rock-climbing facility has certainly left quite the legacy.
Canberra Indoor Rock Climbing, established more than 25 years ago in 1999, has given rise to dozens of champions who have competed in Oceanic titles and World Championships. It closed in February.
