Ian Thorpe Sings Praises Of Down Under Wonders After A Golden ‘Sam Pacs’ For Aussies In Irvine
Australian swimming great Ian Thorpe has given his seal of approval to the Dolphins Class of ’26 after Australia’s most successful ever Pan Pacs Meet in Irvine over the weekend – what we’re now calling, dare I say down under, “The Sam Pacs!”
The now 43-year-old Hall of Famer was poolside to witness the gold caps of Australia wrap up four spectacular days of swimming – a meet that breathed life back into the Pan Pac concept – born in 1985 but missing from the international calendar since Tokyo in 2018. And it was fitting for the five-time Olympic champion to witness what is an exciting changing of the guard for the Australian team that stood and delivered against the might and power of their long-time nemesis the USA.
The Americans may have won the meet with 19 gold, 22 silver and nine bronze for a total of 50 medals but the emerging Australian team’s haul of 15 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze for a total of 35, suggests the Dolphins are set to make a splash when they return for the big dance in 2028.
It wasn’t an easy listen for us Aussie fans watching and listening from back home to the often-biased U.S. coverage, with the voice of USA Swimming – triple Olympic champion and my old mate Rowdy Gaines – “God bless him” – the most passionate commentator on the earth – singing the praises of Team USA.
ROWDY GAINES: The Man..The Myth…The Legend..The Voice.
I’m sure Ambrose Gaines III is still waxing lyrical after that record-breaking final day with Kate Douglass’ mind-blowing 50 free world record of 23.19 spinning around like a Las Vegas slot machine.
But maybe, just maybe, Rowdy would have rolled over in his sleep that night, thinking “those damn Aussies…they just kept coming…I think maybe we’re in for a tougher time than we thought come ’28.”
And we’ve got Thorpey in our corner, who was full of praise for his Australian team, led by distance-slayers Sam Shortand Lani Pallister, saying: “It’s exciting that we have a team that is producing the best results that we’ve ever seen in the pool.
“And I’m excited not only for ‘28 but also what can then happen in 2032. We may have to convince some of the older swimmers (pointing to Short, who will then be 28) to stick around…so they can perform well….”
THE DOWN UNDER WONDERS: Ian Thorpe and Sam Short.Photo Courtesy Swimming Australia.
Thorpe was standing next to Sam Short, who had earlier in the meet lowered Thorpey’s colours and on the final night, those of his teammate Grant Hackett, unleashing a spectacular 1500m freestyle and leaving the USA’s dual Olympic champion Bobby Finke in his wake as he had done in winning the 800m on Night One in a new Championship record time of 7:37.02.
Short then clocked 3:40.52 to break Thorpe’s long-standing Pan Pacs 400m freestyle record (3:41.83) from 1999, while also setting a new U.S. Open record; and on the final night, his stunning 14:33.97 lowered Hackett’s 2001 Australian record (14:34.56) and his 2002 Pan Pacs record (14:41.65) for the 1500m freestyle.
Thorpe also sang Short’s praises, saying it had not only been a great meet for Sam, it had topped off what has been a great season for the Damien Jones-coached 22-year-old Queenslander, who had won the 400, 800 and 1500m as well as the 800 free relay at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games two weeks earlier.
“Apart from his results it’s been Sam’s consistency that has been the most impressive thing that I’ve seen,” said Thorpe, who was just 16 in 1999, when he broke Kieren Perkins 400m free world record in Sydney.
“Sam broke my Pan Pac record which I didn’t know I (still) had and clearly now I don’t have any more…”
(Short reminded Thorpe that he couldn’t drive when he set that record – and it had taken him until he was 22 to actually break what was effectively a 16-years National Age record).
“I’ve obviously been a massive fan of Thorpey’s. Like so many (Aussie) guys growing up in swimming. (So now) hopefully there are young guys watching this from back home and I can inspire them to keep going,” Short said after the final night.
“I’ve been training a lot (for) the 400. I was glad I pulled that together, I executed that really well, I think.
“But just then (in the 1500) that was just straight guts and just enjoying the race. So I’m pretty proud of that (and inspired earlier in the day watching German Johannes Liebmann’s world mark of 14:26.79 clocked at the Europeans in Paris).
“I am proud of my consistency. You know, I’ve gone five well (under) sub-15 minute swims now, so if I can do that here, you know, my average come Olympics World Championships, all I need to do is be my average and be contending for some podium places.”
Here is a look at the comparative times and progressions of Australia’s “Big Four” – Kieren Perkins, Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett and Sam Short.
*The only Australian record remaining for Short to take down now is Thorpe’s 400m freestyle mark of 3.40.08 set at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
400m Freestyle
3:43.80 Kieren Perkins (Rome, 1994) – Word Record
3:41.83 Ian Thorpe (Sydney, 1999) – Word Record
*3:40.08 Ian Thorpe (Manchester, 2002) – Word Record/Australian Record
3:40.52 Sam Short (Irvine, 2026) – Pan Pac/US Open Record (5th All-time)
800m freestyle
7:46.00 Kieren Perkins (Victoria, 1994) World Record (1500m split)
7:39.16 Ian Thorpe (Fukuoka, 2001) World Record
7:38.65 Grant Hackett (Montreal, 2005) World Record
7:36.73 Sam Short (Sydney, 2026) Australian/Commonwealth Record (3rd All-time)
7:37.02 Sam Short (Irvine, 2026) Pan Pac Record
1500m Freestyle
14:41.66 Kieren Perkins (Victoria, 1994) World Record
14:34.56 Grant Hackett (Fukuoka, 2001) World Record
14:33.97 Sam Short (Irvine, 2026) Australian/Commonwealth/Pan Pac Record (6th All Time)
MOVE OVER UNCLE SAM: With the arrival of 25-year-old late-blooming US breaststroker Van Mathias at the Pan Pacs, in a spectacular international 100m debut in Irvine – there were some in the U.S. crowd that quickly dubbed the meet “The Van Pacs.”
But Aussie wags, led by Australia’s own “Team Sam” – 50m gold medal breaststroker Sam Williamson and record-breaking freestyler Sam Short – Irvine may well forever be remembered by the Dolphins as the great “Sam Pacs”…..sleep tight Rowdy…for now!
UP FROM DOWN UNDER TO WIN: Australian Swim coach Laurie Lawrence displaying his “Up From Down Under To Win” Shirt” from the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. Photo Russ McPhedran (Hanson Media Collection).
