2026 MMJ Aquathon participants James Boland, Sophie Boland, Olivia Boland, Tessa Murphy and organiser Rob Battocchio are helping keep the spirit of the iconic event strong. Photo: Keeli Dyson.
The exciting atmosphere of Illawarra’s iconic swim and run event has inspired community members to challenge themselves and embrace the fun of fitness for decades, with generations of family members, first-timers and elite athletes returning for this year’s aquathon.
The buzz of the MMJ Aquathon was one of the first things Tessa Murphy experienced when she moved to Wollongong from the New Zealand town of Whanganui in 2024.
“When I first moved I arrived the day before the aquathon,” Tessa said.
“I looked out my new house window because I live around here and I just saw masses of people in the water and people running and I thought, ‘Woah, what is going on?’
Last year she stood on the sidelines and cheered on her friends from swim club, but now the 15-year-old has taken a leap and decided to participate for the first time.
“I can swim so I thought I may as well give it a go,” Tessa said.
“I’m going to do it in a team with one of my friends who’s a pretty good runner so we’re going to see how we go.”
Despite Tessa having swum competitively for the past six years, the aquathon adds a new challenge.
“I’ve never swum in open water in an actual race,” she said.
“It’s definitely a bit of a shock coming from a pool into open water so I’ve been training every morning in the ocean to hopefully prepare myself.”
But the crowd of her friends and family is sure to help give her an extra boost.
“It’s a bit scary but it’s also very very fun, the atmosphere is big and live so being around all these people wanting to do the same thing is pretty awesome,” Tessa said.
That support and social aspect is a large part of what brings athletes back year after year.
James Boland first competed in the event more than a decade go – now it has become a whole family affair.
“As a group of friends we all used to do it as a bit of a school group; we’d do it for a bit of fun, very social and it was Australia Day so it was a good way to start the day,” James aid.
“As time went on we got a little bit older and have our own children and it’s something that the kids have embraced.”
Ten-year-old Olivia and eight-year-old Sophie have approached the challenge head-on, having each now competed in the aquathon multiple times and their confidence has grown every year.
“It can be confronting for kids to jump in the harbour and swim at least 200 metres; that’s something that’s always a challenge for them but to see them accomplish it with a big smile on their face and with their friends I think it’s really rewarding,” James said.
“I used to have to do the swim with the girls when they first started, and I think mum ran with Sophie on the first year as well but now they’re so confident that I’m not needed anymore.
“I’ll be a professional water bottle holder soon, but it’s a good place to be.”
As part of the North Wollongong Surf Club, they have many other friends competing alongside them, with even more fans on the sidelines.
“It’s fun to hang around your friends all day and have the experience with them,” Olivia said.
“It feels amazing with them all around.”
“It makes you more confident with everything,” Sophie said. “That helped me last year.”
The sense of community the aquathon has created is something very important to event director Rob Battocchio as it enters its 26th year.
“We’d just like to see the same as we did last year – a multi-community event from the littlest kids to Olympic athletes and hopefully just the everyday person that says it’s an awesome thing to do,” Rob said.
“It’s got buzz and I think the spirit behind the event is we’re doing it for the right reason which is getting fit, healthy, family, community.”
The annual event supports the Black Dog Institute and caters for everyone from those looking to try the 900 metre swim and 7 km run in the long aqua to shorter and mini versions, kids categories and a fun run.
“It’s about being community open and accessible,” Rob said.
“If you’re a parent with a pram, you can do the fun run; if you’re in a wheelchair, chances are you can go in that event. We’ve got people that are going to walk, we’ve got Olympians and we’ve got absolute first-timers.”
Registrations are open, but people can even sign up on the day if they get a surge of motivation to be part of an Illawarra institution.
“We just want to give them a safe event, give them a fun event and hopefully a lifelong positive memory,” Rob said.
The MMJ Aquathon is on 26 January starting at 8 am at Wollongong Harbour.
To register or learn more about the event and different races visit the aquathon website.
