Team Wales Rising Star Tyler Melbourne-Smith has Eyes on Major Prizes in 2026

Tyler Melbourne-Smith rewrote the Welsh and British record books at the recent Swim England Winter National Championships.

The Team Wales star posted a time of 3:36.09 in the 400m freestyle to go top of the 2025 world rankings where he dislodged 2023 world champion Sam Short.

It would have earned Melbourne-Smith gold at the European Short Course Championships in Lublin, Poland, in early December.

Only Duncan Scott has gone quicker among British men with his national record of 3:34.46 as Melbourne-Smith elevated himself to 10th-fastest European all-time.

The 20-year-old was back in the water for the 800 free where he came home in 7:33.56 to take 2.7secs off the British record of 7:36.26 that had stood to Welshman Kieran Bird since December 2023.

Melbourne-Smith is coached by Andi Manley at the University of Loughborough and while a successful training block indicated he was on good form, he was still a little surprised by his performances in Sheffield.

“I was just happy because I’ve been training at a pretty good level since joining Loughborough and I’ve taken a massive jump in training,” he said.

“I think it was a good reflection to see where I’m at. The past few years I’ve been training at a lot higher level than what I’ve been racing at so it’s nice that I can take a step up.”

Until earlier this year, Melbourne-Smith shared the Loughborough pool with Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen and world short course medallist Lucas Henveaux until the pair left for Cal-Berkeley in California.

“I was good friends with Dan at the pool,” said Melbourne-Smith. “He’s always been a good mentor. 

“You’ve got a group of good swimmers who all hold each other accountable in training so if someone is lagging that day, they’ll tell you or you’ll tell them.

"I feel like when you train with quicker swimmers, you’re going to get quicker if you’re pushing each other so I think that was good.”

Born in Warrington, Melbourne-Smith moved to Dubai when he was three weeks old.

He took to the water immediately and joined Hamilton Aquatics before the family returned to Cheshire when he was about seven and a half.

He spent around 18 months at Ellesmere Titans before going to Warriors of Warrington and then City of Liverpool before his move to Loughborough where he studies International Business and will graduate in 2027.

A few days after his exploits in Sheffield, Melbourne-Smith swept the 200, 400 and 800 free titles at the Swim Wales Winter Nationals in Swansea, despite contending with a cold.

His performances at the long course meet earned him consideration times for Team Wales at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Melbourne-Smith’s grandmother Claire hailed from Cardiff where he still has a lot of family.

Parents Alison and Oral and sister Gabrielle – herself a former swimmer – will travel to Tollcross International Swimming Centre to see him make his Commonwealth debut.

There he’ll be reunited with Wiffen in the 400 and 800 and he’ll also face the likes of Australian pair Short and Elijah Winnington, Jack McMillan of Northern Ireland, James Guy and teammate Bird.

Melbourne-Smith is also expected to be part of the 4x200 freestyle relay for Wales, alongside two-time Olympic champion Matt Richards.

Not that he is putting any pressure on himself, saying: “I think I’ve just got to go there and do my best and try and see what I can do, (against) some of the best swimmers in the world.

"I wouldn’t say there is a massive expectation on me: I can go there and try and surprise a few people and see what I can do.”

He’s already stood atop an international podium draped in Y Ddraig Goch when he won gold in the 400m and 1500m freestyle at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago. 

“It’s been by far my favourite competition to be a part of,” he said.

“When you’re with Team Wales, it’s a tight-knit group. There’s a sense of pride when you stand on the podium, you’ve got your friends that you’ve been competing with on teams since you’ve been eight.

“That’s one thing I’m looking forward to in the summer. I feel like Team Wales make their athletes feel important.

"There’s a sense of pride; it makes you want to achieve what you can do to the best of your ability. It gives you a bit of an extra boost.”