Scott Kelly (centre) with his sons Hunter (left) and Finn. Picture supplied.
St Columba's students and brothers Hunter and Finn Kelly are proving themselves as a power pairing in the pool, with both of them currently ranked top 10 in Open Water in the country.
14-year-old Finn has earned medals in all Championship events since October last year, including Bronze in his first Australian Open Water Championships.
17-year-old Hunter also secured 5th place in his 5 kilometre Open Water swim, and hopes to make it to Olympic Trials being held in June.
Much like Penrith sisters Jess and Noemie Fox the brothers train together, hitting the pool as early as 5.30am each morning and returning in the evening.
The next step for the brothers is the Australian Age Swimming Championships on the Gold Coast, to be held in April. Hunter even achieved National Qualifying Times for all distances from 50 metres right up to 10 kilometres.
Hunter said: "It is great to be part of a squad, and we all push each other. I am motivated to see what I'm capable of, and getting the most out of myself.
"I'd love to make the Olympic Trials in the 800 Freestyle. I still need to take some time off, but I have a couple of months."
Finn said: "Hanging out with my friends is good fun, but I really enjoy seeing my times come down during training.
"This is my first year at the National Age Championships in the pool, so I'd like to make the final in 1500 Freestyle. That would be great."
The boys' father, Scott Kelly, was so inspired by his sons' dedication to both swimming and schoolwork that he decided to dive in himself.
"I'm really proud that they're working hard, there's no shortcuts, and they're doing everything they can to reach their potential," Mr Kelly said.
He thanked Lower Blue Mountains Swim Club for their support for Hunter and Finn, along with the boys' school St Columba's Catholic College in Springwood.
In support of his sons and their efforts, Mr Kelly is swimming 60 kilometres this month for Laps for Life, raising funds for youth mental health service ReachOut.
He's swimming in honour of Claudia Neale, an elite-level swimmer and inspiration to the brothers who was lost to suicide in 2020.
"It really hit home for me that if there was something I could do for youth mental health, to raise money, I'd absolutely do that," he told the Gazette.
"I'm not a spring chicken anymore so doing those sorts of distances is a challenge, but nothing compares to what some of these young kids are going through."
He said Claudia was an inspiration to his own boys, and he remembers Hunter and Finn seeing her swim and expressing they hoped to be as fast as her someday.
ReachOut provides information, support, and resources about mental health issues to help young Australians develop resilience and seek help when they need it.
If you or someone you know needs crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Blue Mountains Gazette
Katoomba news, sport and weather.
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17 Jun 2026
Try a Career Day @ CathWest Loyola Campus
Year 10, are you curious about trying a career...? Register for CathWest's 'Try a Career Day' at the CathWest Loyola Campus!
09 Jun 2026
Helping Your Child Learn at Home - Practical strategies every parent can use
How can you help your child learn at home without stress, conflict, or overwhelm? Join CSPD’s Learning Outcomes team for a practical parent session focused on simple, realistic ways families can support learning at home, from primary through to secondary school.
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22 May 2026
From Facebook
Last Friday, St Columba’s proudly celebrated Book Week in the very best way — with creativity, community spirit and plenty of fun! 📚✨ Students and staff embraced the occasion with incredible costumes and enthusiastic participation in our annual Book Week Parade. From classic literary characters to imaginative creations, the effort and joy on display made the day something truly special. We also enjoyed our annual "Book Themed Cake Competition' with some incredible and delicious creations. While Book Week is often associated with primary schools, it remains a much-loved tradition here at St Columba’s. It is wonderful to see our students and teachers continue to celebrate the joy of reading, storytelling and imagination together each year. Importantly, our Book Week celebrations also support a cause close to the College community — the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Through this annual fundraiser, we help support access to culturally relevant books and literacy resources for children and communities across remote Australia. A huge thank you to everyone who participated, donated and helped make the day such a success. 📖 Donations to our Book Week Indigenous Literacy Foundation fundraiser via the QKR App will remain open until today for anyone still wishing to contribute. The Indigenous Literacy Foundation Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
19 May 2026
From Facebook
⭐SAVE THE DATE⭐ St Columba's Catholic College's annual celebration of the performing arts, Under the Spotlight, will be held on the evenings of 23 and 24 June at Blue Mountains Theatre, Springwood. Join us for a night of entertainment as we showcase the talent and creativity of students in Years 7 to 12. Tickets will go on sale soon.
Latest News More news
22 May 2026
From Facebook
Last Friday, St Columba’s proudly celebrated Book Week in the very best way — with creativity, community spirit and plenty of fun! 📚✨ Students and staff embraced the occasion with incredible costumes and enthusiastic participation in our annual Book Week Parade. From classic literary characters to imaginative creations, the effort and joy on display made the day something truly special. We also enjoyed our annual "Book Themed Cake Competition' with some incredible and delicious creations. While Book Week is often associated with primary schools, it remains a much-loved tradition here at St Columba’s. It is wonderful to see our students and teachers continue to celebrate the joy of reading, storytelling and imagination together each year. Importantly, our Book Week celebrations also support a cause close to the College community — the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Through this annual fundraiser, we help support access to culturally relevant books and literacy resources for children and communities across remote Australia. A huge thank you to everyone who participated, donated and helped make the day such a success. 📖 Donations to our Book Week Indigenous Literacy Foundation fundraiser via the QKR App will remain open until today for anyone still wishing to contribute. The Indigenous Literacy Foundation Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
20 May 2026
Blue Mountains teenagers dominate UTA11 races on day one
Blue Mountains teenagers Lulu Green and Odin Brennan claimed the first titles of the 2026 Ultra-Trail Australia last Thursday as they battled their way to victory in the UTAII (llkm).
19 May 2026
From Facebook
⭐SAVE THE DATE⭐ St Columba's Catholic College's annual celebration of the performing arts, Under the Spotlight, will be held on the evenings of 23 and 24 June at Blue Mountains Theatre, Springwood. Join us for a night of entertainment as we showcase the talent and creativity of students in Years 7 to 12. Tickets will go on sale soon.
19 May 2026
From Facebook
Congratulations to Chloe (Y10) on her selection for the 2026 NSWCCC 16 Girls Rugby League team! We wish her all the best at the Australian Championships, which will be held in Coffs Harbour in July.
17 May 2026
From Facebook
Odin Brennan! Lulu Green! Congratulations to you both. We are so proud of you both! Ultra-Trail Australia By UTMB UTA11 winners both from St Columba's Catholic College, Springwood Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
15 May 2026
From Facebook
Two local legends indeed! Both St Columba's Catholic College, Springwood students! Congratulations Lulu and Odin!! Blue Mountains Gazette Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
15 May 2026
From Facebook
Today at lunchtime, we welcomed Kiri and Pat from Endeavour Energy to the College as part of The Feed in the Quad. Students were excited to learn more about Endeavour Energy’s fantastic apprenticeship program, which has recently opened for applications. Kiri and Pat spoke with many interested students about the opportunities available and what a future career in the industry could look like. Thank you to Endeavour Energy for taking the time to ⚡ connect ⚡ (see what we did there?) with our students and share such valuable insights and advice. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
14 May 2026
Music, art, movement: why creativity matters more than you think
Did you know creativity is one of the biggest predictors of how well children do in school and in life?
13 May 2026
From Facebook
We’re delighted to see the 2026 St Columba’s Art Prize featured in today’s Blue Mountains Gazette. Thank you to the Gazette for shining a spotlight on the incredible artists, students, sponsors and community members who helped make this year’s exhibition such a success. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese St Columba's Art Prize Belle Property Lower Blue Mountains Western Sydney University Susan Templeman MP
11 May 2026
From Facebook
Today’s Feed in the Quad was a little different, with not one, but two organisations visiting the College to speak with students about their future pathways. We welcomed Josh, Zack and Lincoln from SEDA, who shared information about SEDA’s Double Diploma program and the unique opportunities it offers students interested in sport, business and hands-on learning pathways. We also welcomed Gen and Wael from Western Sydney University, who spoke with students about everything they need to know about studying at Western — from courses and campus life to university pathways and support services. It was fantastic to see so many students engaging so positively throughout the lunchtime session, asking thoughtful and insightful questions about their future options. A big thank you to SEDA and Western Sydney University for taking the time to visit the College and connect with our students today. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
10 May 2026
From Facebook
Year 11 Health and Movement Science students were fortunate to welcome Glenbrook physiotherapist Tony Larven to St Columba’s this week as part of their Collaborative Investigation project. With more than 30 years’ experience in sports and musculoskeletal physiotherapy, Tony led an engaging practical workshop on biomechanics, giving students valuable insight into injury prevention, movement, rehabilitation and performance. Tony has worked extensively in elite sport, including more than 20 years with the Australian Olympic Canoe Slalom program and 17 seasons with the Penrith Panthers. Students greatly appreciated the opportunity to learn from someone with such a wealth of professional experience and expertise. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
05 May 2026
From Facebook
We were delighted to welcome the Year 6 students and teachers from St Thomas Aquinas Primary School Springwood yesterday to visit the St Columba's Art Prize exhibition. Our visitors engaged thoughtfully with the artworks, showing great respect and curiosity throughout. It was wonderful to hear the insightful questions being asked as students explored the exhibition. A special mention to Francesca, who shared a particularly perceptive observation about 'Mano Po', an artwork by a Year 11 student from Nagle College, Blacktown South . It is fantastic seeing students from across Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese connecting through art. Thank you to staff and students from Tommies for visiting - we loved having you!