Australian story: Young star of Vietnamese descent becomes record-breaking Bomber
He first played for Essendon in AFL NGA matches in 2019, playing alongside future first-round draft selection Isaac Kako as both made an impression in the Essendon District Football League, vying with each other for the league best and fairest awards.
'He slept with the ball. He put the ball on his side and slept with it,' his dad recalled with a big chuckle.
'When he was under-nine, he used to play footy in the house. He kicked the ball in the house and the ceiling would have the marks of the footy. He loved it.
'I watched him almost every game. When I was busy, the coach came and picked him up.'
Jayden's passion for sport made his father smile as it meant he was pursuing something positive in the country he had made home from the moment he arrived with his own father in 1986. They left their hometown near Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in the South of Vietnam, 'looking for freedom' as parts of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam were unsettled.
'[It's a] very hard life as a refugee. I came here as a refugee because the Australian government tried to help a lot of refugee people. I would like to say thanks to the Australian government for helping Vietnamese people,' Duc said.
Jayden helped himself, with both Cam Joyce, who coached him in the VFL this season, and Harmit Singh, the former Bombers NGA coach who is now with Sydney's academy, full of praise for how he has applied himself to become a good footballer.
Polite, hardworking and dedicated are the words they use as Jayden earned a reputation as a player who always has a smile on his face.
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'He's just a ripping kid,' Joyce said.
Playing as a small defender, his speed and competitiveness impressed selectors as his good form coincided with an opportunity to make his AFL debut.
He knows he is good enough to be given a chance, having represented Vic Metro at under 16 and under-18 level and won the Calder Cannons best and fairest in 2023 as a bottom-ager. He also played a game with Essendon's VFL last season before joining the Bombers as a category B rookie in 2025.
'I just want to be a figure that Vietnamese and Asian children can look up to and hopefully show them that their dream is possible and that they can do it,' Nguyen said.
'For me to take a step in this direction, I feel like I'm pretty proud of myself, but hopefully I can make others proud that have helped me along the journey to where I am.'
When Jayden shared the news of his debut to his dad, Duc, who uses the name 'John' when working at Cosh Living in Melbourne, ran around the house screaming.
'Jayden is a sporty kid and I am very proud of him,' Duc said. 'I want to thank Essendon and all the clubs and their volunteers.'
Those who have seen him emerge through hard work and dedication can't wait to watch him on the big stage.
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Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Absolutely insane': Harris wins first gold as Short digs deep after hospital visit
'I'm stoked,' Harris said. 'I'm sure I'll process it later, but I'm so happy. That's the most fun I've had in a race.' Short, who trains alongside Harris, watched her swim from the marshalling room ahead of his own 30-lap battle. 'It was absolutely insane,' Short said. 'She said to me, 'imagine if we both win gold'. I was thinking 'jeez that's going to be a tough ask for me'. But I wanted to pull my weight. She has worked so hard.' While Harris, McEvoy, Mollie O'Callaghan and Kaylee McKeown all claimed individual golds in Singapore, as well two from Moesha Johnson in the open water, Short left the meet with a trio of what-ifs. He missed gold in the 400m freestyle by 0.02 seconds, was forced to withdraw from the 800m due to illness, and fought bravely for fourth in the 1500m final, clocking 14:43.08 — the second-fastest time of his career. Short had to cancel lunch plans with his parents at a Singapore pub on Saturday, convinced he'd be too battered by illness to even qualify for Sunday's final. 'It's been a pretty horrible week, to be honest,' said Short, who lost three kilograms while sick. 'The 800 heat felt phenomenal and the next two days were horrible. 'I couldn't really leave my bed. I was just throwing up and had really high temperatures. I was really down the dumps. I'm just stoked to get in the final. '14:43 is a pretty good time after the week I've had.' Head coach Rohan Taylor added: 'That was unbelievable. He's a fighter.' With Australia's men's medley team failing to make the final, it was up to the Dolphins' women to try and land a final blow on the USA. With the men's medley relay team failing to make the final, it was left to McKeown, Ella Ramsay, Alex Perkins and O'Callaghan (3:52.67) to chase one last gold for the Dolphins. But the Americans, anchored by Torri Huske, were too strong, taking the title in 3:49.34. O'Callaghan, stuck on 11 world championship golds, will now have to wait until Budapest 2027 to surpass Ian Thorpe's Australian record. There were more memorable moments on the final night: France's Leon Marchand claimed gold in the 400m individual medley, though fell short of his own world record. Summer McIntosh won her fourth gold of the meet in the same race. If McIntosh were a country, she would have finished fourth on the medal tally. And 12-year-old Chinese sensation Yu Zidi, turned heads again with another fourth-place finish but did become the youngest medallist at an international swimming meet in 89 years after helping China to a relay medal as a heat swimmer. Forrester's silver medal — shared with Japan's Mio Narita — was especially sweet after she missed the final in Paris. 'I was honestly just in disbelief. That was crazy,' Forrester said. 'I feel like it's been a really tough two years. I'm super proud of myself.' The USA pipping Australia on the medal tally will be salt in the wound but it was one of those weeks, with illness affecting both camps. Australia could have won more and the same could also be said for the USA. With no Ariarne Titmus, Kaylee McKeown dropping the 50m backstroke, and Short robbed for the chance for supremacy in the 800m freestyle, there were golds left on the table in the first major international swimming competition since the Olympics. There was also a bad mixed 4x100m freestyle heat that Australia will learn from. Loading The Dolphins' haul of eight golds wasn't quite the 13 they collected in Fukuoka in 2023, but it remains their second-best world championship return since 2007. 'There was a lot of turmoil through the week but I think we handled it well,' Taylor said. 'Obviously, we were one gold medal short [of the USA]. It's nice for it to come down to the last relay. We did our best but they were too good on the day. It makes us more hungry. 'Jenna Forrester getting back on the podium is a great story. Harrison's Turner's bronze from lane eight. Jeez, that 800 freestyle final with Lani [Pallister] was special. 'The relays at the beginning were great. Sienna Toohey making a semi-final. Each moment was special to me.'
The Age
3 hours ago
- The Age
‘Absolutely insane': Harris wins first gold as Short digs deep after hospital visit
'I'm stoked,' Harris said. 'I'm sure I'll process it later, but I'm so happy. That's the most fun I've had in a race.' Short, who trains alongside Harris, watched her swim from the marshalling room ahead of his own 30-lap battle. 'It was absolutely insane,' Short said. 'She said to me, 'imagine if we both win gold'. I was thinking 'jeez that's going to be a tough ask for me'. But I wanted to pull my weight. She has worked so hard.' While Harris, McEvoy, Mollie O'Callaghan and Kaylee McKeown all claimed individual golds in Singapore, as well two from Moesha Johnson in the open water, Short left the meet with a trio of what-ifs. He missed gold in the 400m freestyle by 0.02 seconds, was forced to withdraw from the 800m due to illness, and fought bravely for fourth in the 1500m final, clocking 14:43.08 — the second-fastest time of his career. Short had to cancel lunch plans with his parents at a Singapore pub on Saturday, convinced he'd be too battered by illness to even qualify for Sunday's final. 'It's been a pretty horrible week, to be honest,' said Short, who lost three kilograms while sick. 'The 800 heat felt phenomenal and the next two days were horrible. 'I couldn't really leave my bed. I was just throwing up and had really high temperatures. I was really down the dumps. I'm just stoked to get in the final. '14:43 is a pretty good time after the week I've had.' Head coach Rohan Taylor added: 'That was unbelievable. He's a fighter.' With Australia's men's medley team failing to make the final, it was up to the Dolphins' women to try and land a final blow on the USA. With the men's medley relay team failing to make the final, it was left to McKeown, Ella Ramsay, Alex Perkins and O'Callaghan (3:52.67) to chase one last gold for the Dolphins. But the Americans, anchored by Torri Huske, were too strong, taking the title in 3:49.34. O'Callaghan, stuck on 11 world championship golds, will now have to wait until Budapest 2027 to surpass Ian Thorpe's Australian record. There were more memorable moments on the final night: France's Leon Marchand claimed gold in the 400m individual medley, though fell short of his own world record. Summer McIntosh won her fourth gold of the meet in the same race. If McIntosh were a country, she would have finished fourth on the medal tally. And 12-year-old Chinese sensation Yu Zidi, turned heads again with another fourth-place finish but did become the youngest medallist at an international swimming meet in 89 years after helping China to a relay medal as a heat swimmer. Forrester's silver medal — shared with Japan's Mio Narita — was especially sweet after she missed the final in Paris. 'I was honestly just in disbelief. That was crazy,' Forrester said. 'I feel like it's been a really tough two years. I'm super proud of myself.' The USA pipping Australia on the medal tally will be salt in the wound but it was one of those weeks, with illness affecting both camps. Australia could have won more and the same could also be said for the USA. With no Ariarne Titmus, Kaylee McKeown dropping the 50m backstroke, and Short robbed for the chance for supremacy in the 800m freestyle, there were golds left on the table in the first major international swimming competition since the Olympics. There was also a bad mixed 4x100m freestyle heat that Australia will learn from. Loading The Dolphins' haul of eight golds wasn't quite the 13 they collected in Fukuoka in 2023, but it remains their second-best world championship return since 2007. 'There was a lot of turmoil through the week but I think we handled it well,' Taylor said. 'Obviously, we were one gold medal short [of the USA]. It's nice for it to come down to the last relay. We did our best but they were too good on the day. It makes us more hungry. 'Jenna Forrester getting back on the podium is a great story. Harrison's Turner's bronze from lane eight. Jeez, that 800 freestyle final with Lani [Pallister] was special. 'The relays at the beginning were great. Sienna Toohey making a semi-final. Each moment was special to me.'
Herald Sun
4 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Meg Harris wins 50m freestyle gold at World Swimming Championships
Australian sprinter Meg Harris gambled on herself and came up a world champion. The 23-year-old was one of the big underdog stories of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, bolting from an outside lane to claim a shock silver medal in the 50m freestyle. Inspired by that moment and the success of Australia's unique sprint king Cameron McEvoy, Harris decided to all but shelve the 100m event and focus on being a pure sprinter. It was a huge risk, given she had collected two Olympic and five world titles gold medals by being part of a relay ensemble with her 100m strength, but Harris knew she had potential to stand atop the podium on her own if she went all in on the 50m. Meg Harris celebrates after winning the women's 50m freestyle final. Picture: AFP) So committed was Harris to her new life as a one-lap specialist, she pulled out of the 100m event after swimming a heat at the national trials and coaches needed to twist her arm just to line up for the 4x100m freestyle relay on the opening night of these world titles where she also won a gold medal. But Harris has proven she could have her cake and eat it too. Harris executed a near-perfect race to take Australia's eighth gold medal of the world titles, with a stunning start and underwater to come up clearly ahead of the field and hold on to win in 24.02 seconds from China's Qingfeng Wu (24.26s) and Yujie Cheng (24.28s). She is Australia's first women's 50m freestyle world champion in a decade, joining Bronte Campbell as a one-lap hero after she won the title in Kazan in 2015. It also means Australia boasts the fastest man and woman in the world after Cameron McEvoy also won the 50m freestyle earlier in the meet. Meg Harris was part of five world championship-winning relay teams, with this her first individual title. Picture: AFP 'I still don't have the words to process this, but this is a dream,' Harris said. 'I felt really good the first 15m and that's been my weakness so far. I knew if I got that right I just had to hold on.' Harris said she made the bold call to focus on the 50m after struggling to get back into the grind of swimming life post Paris. 'It was a bit of a tough one. I felt such a high coming off that, and then starting out this year I had to find a new motivation, not just coming in and doing the exact same thing,' she explained. 'I tried for the first couple months, but something just wasn't working. I needed to find a new way to do it. So I stripped everything back and started with the basics, all the things… like the reasons I started swimming. I love sprinting, I love racing. 'So we just took that all back, did everything that I love. I'm excited now to put together the rest when I get home. But yeah, cannot be happier.' Meg Harris takes off, on her way to a world championships gold medal. Picture: Getty Images In a post-Olympic year Australia's eight gold medals is perhaps a stronger return than expected for a swim team that was tipped to struggle with Ariarne Titmus taking the year off, Zac Stubblety-Cook out injured and Olympic great Emma McKeon retired. But it is one more gold medal than the Dolphins secured at the Paris Olympics and importantly there were fresh faces like Harris showing they were ready to stand up as individuals in the path towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Meg Harris reacts after winning the women's 50m freestyle final. Picture: AFP The emergence of Lani Pallister as a serious threat to Katie Ledecky in the 800m freestyle, the arrival of Alexandria Perkins as a 50m-100m butterfly medallist and the 'dirty gold' Harrison Turner in the 200m butterfly have given Australian optimism about regenerating a swim team that is still powered by greats like Kaylee McKeown, Mollie O'Callaghan, Cameron McEvoy and Kyle Chalmers. While it wasn't quite the 13 gold medal haul from Fukuoka's 2023 world titles, the signs are promising enough that the Dolphins are keeping the US swim team honest in the medal table battle ahead of their home Games in three years. Sam Short climbed out of his sick bed just three days after a horrendous bout of gastro for a gallant fourth place in the 1500m freestyle final in 14:43,06. Samuel Short was fourth in the 1500m freestyle final. Picture: AFP 'I just wanted to get out there and see how hard I could push myself,' he said. 'I was pretty sick three days ago ... fourth I will take that. 'I didn't have to do the 1500 but there was no way I would sit in the stands without giving it a crack.' Jenna Forrester secured a shock silver medal in the women's 400m medley, fighting back over the final 25m to deadheat for second behind Canada's superstar Summer McIntosh who won in 4:25.78 for her fourth gold medal of the titles. Jenna Forrester shared silver behind Summer McIntosh in the women's 400m medley. Picture: Getty Images Forrester looked to be battling to hold on for bronze when she turned third at the 350m mark, but somehow found another gear down the final lap to tie for second with Japan's Mio Narita in 4:33.26. That final lap surge also denied China's 12-year-old Yu Zidi an individual medal, she touched fourth in 4:33.76. 'I feel like from 2023 it's been such a hard battle, to be up on the podium I am so stoked,' Forrester said. The battle to see which nation wins the medal tally came down to the final event of the world titles - with USA and Australia both tied with eight gold medals ahead of the women's 400m medley. In the end it was the US team, powered by a dominant breaststroke leg by Kate Douglass, that won comprehensively in a new world record time of 3:49.34 ahead of Australia in silver in 3:52.67. It meant Australia ended the meet ranked No.2 on the leaderboard with eight gold, six silver and six bronze medals, behind the United States with nine gold, 11 silver and nine bronze medals. Originally published as World Swimming Championships: Shocked Harris wins 50m freestyle world championship
