{"id":650871,"date":"2026-08-13T21:33:45","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T04:33:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=650871"},"modified":"2026-08-13T22:29:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T05:29:47","slug":"pan-pacific-championships-australia-holds-off-us-ledeckys-anchor-burst-in-womens-800-free-relay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/pan-pacific-championships-australia-holds-off-us-ledeckys-anchor-burst-in-womens-800-free-relay\/","title":{"rendered":"Pan Pacific Championships: Australia Holds off US, Ledecky’s Anchor Burst in Women’s 800 Free Relay"},"content":{"rendered":"

The women’s 800 free relay closed out the second night at the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships from Irvine.<\/p>\n

Another battle between the U.S. and Australian women loomed heading into the day.<\/p>\n

The Americans were seeded a half second behind the Aussies, but that didn’t matter in an event with different combinations of swimmers.<\/p>\n

It was about who brought it in Irvine to close out the session with momentum at the halfway point of the meet.<\/p>\n

The women’s 800 free relay closed out the second night at the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships from Irvine.<\/p>\n

Another battle between the U.S. and Australian women loomed heading into the day.<\/p>\n

The Americans were seeded a half second behind the Aussies, but that didn’t matter in an event with different combinations of swimmers.<\/p>\n

It was about who brought it in Irvine to close out the session with momentum at the halfway point of the meet.<\/p>\n

Erin Gemmell<\/strong> led off for the U.S. with the lead before Inez Miller<\/strong> overtook her on the last 50 of the opening leg.<\/p>\n

Lani Pallister<\/strong> was next for Australia and kept a close lead over Anna Peplowsk<\/strong>i in the first 100 of the second leg. Meanwhile, Summer McIntosh<\/strong> pulled Canada within contention.<\/p>\n

After the 1:53 split from Pallister, Hannah Casey<\/strong> took the third leg against Rylee Erisman<\/strong> and kept up the two-body-length lead before the anchors dove in.<\/p>\n

Erisman used a strong push in the final 25 to give way to Katie Ledecky<\/strong> with the U.S. just behind.<\/p>\n

Willa Jansen<\/strong> took the anchor for the Aussies and maintained that body-length lead into the final 100.<\/p>\n

Ledecky tried to surge in the final 30 meters and was gaining into the wall but ran out of room.<\/p>\n

“I was really happy with how I swam it. I could have used another four meters. I know we have a lot in store the next couple of years. We have such great depth that I will be fighting for a relay spot, which is awesome,” Ledecky said.<\/p>\n

Australia broke the meet record in 7:42.40 despite being without a couple of mainstays on the national team.<\/p>\n

USA finished second in 7:43.10, also under the previous meet record.<\/p>\n

Canada’s Emma O’Croinin, Summer McIntosh, Mary-Sophie Harvey<\/strong> and Brooklyn Douthwright<\/strong> took the bronze in 7:52.74.<\/p>\n