Pallister makes history by beating Ledecky as Short beats Hackett’s 1500m record

Irvine: Australian swimming is celebrating a remarkable final day at the Pan Pacific Championships in California, with Lani Pallister beating American legend Katie Ledecky in the women’s 800m freestyle and Sam Short lowering Grant Hackett’s Australian record in the men’s 1500m freestyle.

For the first time in her illustrious career, Ledecky lost a 800m freestyle final at an international meet.

It was a significant changing-of-the-guard moment, two years out from the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, that will send shockwaves through the swimming world. Pallister (8:06.10) edged out the four-time Olympic champion in the event by 1.16 seconds.

Pallister was under world record pace for most of the race and, despite a fast-finish from Ledecky, was able to beat her hero and record the finest victory of her career.

Coach Dean Boxall sprinted down to give Pallister a hug as the Australian toasted a victory few would have seen coming two years ago.

Since she was a 13-year-old in 2010, Ledecky did not lose a 800m freestyle final in more than 13 years. That was until Summer McIntosh knocked her off in a domestic meet in the USA, but doing so on the international stage is a more impressive feat.

Meanwhile, minutes earlier, Short smashed his fist into the water after breaking Hackett’s Australian record in the 1500m that had stood since the 2001 world championships in Fukuoka.

Short, who already claimed 400m and 800m freestyle gold medals earlier in the week, crushed the USA’s Bobby Finke to touch the wall in 14:33.97. He was 8.62 seconds clear of Japan’s Kazushi Imafuku. Finke finished third.

With Ian Thorpe in the stands applauding, Short was delighted with himself as he went under Hackett’s mark of 14:34.56 that has stood for 25 years.

Short’s effort came hours after Germany’s Johannes Liebmann annihilated Finke’s world record to clock a time of 14:26.79 in the European Championships in France. The world record was lowered by 3.88 seconds.

It was a golden night for Australia, with Jamie Jack winning the men’s 50m freestyle in a personal best time of 21.35 seconds before Olympic gold medallist Zac Stubblety-Cook came from nowhere to win the men’s 200m breaststroke final.

More to come