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Lani Pallister won four golds and a silver at the Australian short course championships in Sydney, sealing her spot in the Dolphins squad for the Beijing world championships.
Lani Pallister won four gold medals and one silver at the Australian short course championships in Sydney this week, securing her place in the 24-strong Dolphins squad for the world championships in Beijing from December 1 to 6. The 24-year-old Paris Olympian competed in every freestyle event from 100 metres to 1,500 metres at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre, winning gold in the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle, and taking silver in the 100m freestyle.
On Friday night, Pallister claimed her fourth gold in the 800m freestyle to wrap up a hugely successful meet. She then rushed to Queensland's Sunshine Coast to win the 1.2-kilometre Bluff to Bar ocean swim at Alexandra Headland on Saturday morning, after a 4am wake-up call. She posted on Instagram at 4:38am to catch her flight for the 11:20am race.
Dominant Performance in Sydney Pool
Pallister's efforts in Sydney were described by head Dolphins coach Rohan Taylor as a stand-out performance. She completed 125 tumble turns in competition over four days, a stark contrast to the point-to-point ocean swim she tackled the next day.
Competing in every freestyle event from 100m to 1,500m, Pallister's only defeat came in the 100m freestyle, where she finished second. Her wins in the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle underlined her dominance in distance events.
Other notable performances at the national championships included Sam Short's clean sweep of the 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle, and Jenna Forrester's four silvers and a gold. Taylor also praised emerging swimmers Amelie Smith and Marcus Da Silva for coming through the ranks and shifting the dial.
Ocean Swim Victory and Surf Club Dedication
Less than 24 hours after her final pool race, Pallister claimed victory in the Bluff to Bar ocean swim at Alexandra Headland on Saturday morning. She led a stacked field from start to finish to secure a third-straight win in the event.
Pallister emphasised the importance of giving back to her surf club. She stated that Alexandra Headland Surf Club helped make her the athlete she is today. Her dedication was evident as she posted on Instagram at 4:38am to catch her flight for the 11:20am race.
Competing in an ocean swim could not have been more different from the 125 tumble turns she executed in the pool. The early wake-up call paid off as she claimed honours in the 1.2-kilometre event.
Beijing World Championships Squad
Pallister will be the headline act for the Dolphins squad named for the Beijing world championships. The squad includes six debutants: Amelie Smith, Mark Nikolaev, Marcus Da Silva, Emily Jones, Cameron Bladen and Alex Quach.
Taylor noted that the international exposure in Beijing is an opportunity to come together and build towards LA 2028, and the meet presents a great opportunity for younger swimmers to learn from established Dolphins. He also credited Mark Nikolaev for his consistency and perseverance in earning his Dolphin number.
Cam McEvoy is also set to join the Aussie team in Beijing, despite not competing at the national championships. World Aquatics is offering wildcard spots for the world championships to any swimmer who finishes on the podium of an individual final during the World Cup series. McEvoy set a new national short course record of 20.22 for the 50m freestyle to win gold on the opening night of the 2026 World Cup series in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Friday.
Pallister will now head for an altitude training camp in Flagstaff, USA, before the world championships, which represents her ninth Australian Dolphins selection. She said she did not anticipate fast swimming this week and was shocked with the 200 being plus 0.2, but was pretty happy. She added that she will get back into full training, knuckle down and target world champs.
Full Dolphins Squad for Beijing
The full Dolphins squad for the Beijing world championships includes Iona Anderson, Ben Armbruster, Cameron Bladen, Brittany Castelluzzo, Josh Collett, Isaac Cooper, Marcus Da Silva, Jenna Forrester, Max Giuliani, Emily Jones, Tara Kinder, Mark Nikolaev, Lani Pallister, Alexandria Perkins, William Petric, Alex Quach, David Schlicht, Sam Short, Amelie Smith, Flynn Southam, Stuart Swinburn, Matt Temple, Olivia Wunsch and Josh Yong.
Lani Pallister Australian Short Course Championships Beijing World Championships Dolphins Squad Alexandra Headland Rohan Taylor Cam Mcevoy
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