Sydney Sprints: Aussie Lani Pallister and USA’s David Johnston In Record Blitz At Aussie Short Course Champs

Sydney Sprints: Aussie Lani Pallister and USA’s David Johnston In Record Blitz At Aussie Short Course Champs

Australia’s Lani Pallister and the USA’s David Johnston have set the Sydney Olympic pool alight smashing two National records between them on the opening night of the Sydney Sprints meet and 2022 Australian Short Course Championships.

STROKED: Lani Pallister on her way to a new Australian record in the 1500m freestyle. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia).

First it was 20-year-old Pallister (Griffith University, QLD) who took off on a solo 64-lap short course journey to break her own Australian record with a time of 15:24.63 – taking 3.70secs off her own mark set back in 2020.

The World Long Course and Commonwealth Games medallist and Paris Olympic hopeful maintained her ranking as the fourth fastest performer in short course swimming history clocking a series of impressive splits; 1:59.72; 4:03.50 and 8:12.07 to book her place on the World Short Course Team for the December Fina World’s.

Earlier in the night Pallister (1:53.81) had finished third behind Madi Wilson (Marion) who clocked an impressive personal best of 1:52.55 and Leah Neale (Chandler, QLD) 1:53.22pb in the 200m freestyle final to continue a dominant year for Australia’s female freestylers.

And then it was Texas Longhorn David Johnston’s turn ton re-write the record books in one the most eye-catching swims of the night – clocking 7:30.41 (53.38; 1:49.43; 3:43.38) to surprise even himself – as he smashed a long-standing US National SC record – held by Michael McBroom at 7:33.99 since 2013.

Looking at his 100m splits, Johnston timed his race to perfection going out in 53.38 before setting an even pace over the next 600s in 56.05; 56.76; 57.19; 57.03; 57.16 and 57.07 before storming home over the final four-laps in 55.77.

Looking at the scoreboard, Johnston fuelled by USA’s Duel In The Pool triumph, was in disbelief, slapping the water and jumping on the lane rope, hugging his team mates.

“I can’t believe it really, after the Duel win I knew I was in good shape and I was determined to continue to have fun, with no pressure and that’s just awesome,” said Johnston.

Only world record holder Grant Hackett (Australia) 7:23.42, Yannick Angel (France) and Gregorio Paltrinieri (Italy) 7:30.31 have ever swum faster.

Second home to Johnston was one of Australia’s favourite swimming sons in Olympic champion Mack Horton (Griffith University, QLD) in 7:39.71 with Miami’s 21-year-old newcomer Alexander Grant (7:40.18) both under the World Championship qualifying time.

In other events, 100m breaststroke trio Chelsea Hodges (Southport, QLD) 1:04.78pb, Jenna Strauch (Miami, QLD) 1:05.20 finished 1-2 in the women’s 100m and Sam Williamson (Melbourne Vicente, VIC) 57.01 won the men’s – all under the World’s QT, with Williamson a fingernail outside the National record.