Lani Pallister And Sam Short Headline Australian Short Course Championships Entries
Australia’s two most successful swimmers from 2026, Lani Pallister and Sam Short, will headline the entries for this year’s Australian Short Course Championships in Sydney, which is devoid of a host of other big names.
The four-day meet from September 29 to October 2 at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre will also act as the official Selection Trials for the 2026 World Short Couse Championships in Beijing from December 1-6.
PAN PAC GOLD: Lani Pallister raised the bar in. Irvine. Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Both Pallister (St Peters Western) and Short (Rackley) have easily been Australia’s dynamic duo – with dominant performances across the record-breaking Commonwealth Games and Pan Pac campaign. They netted 15 gold medals between them in Glasgow and Irvine. Pallister won the 400, 800 and 1500m in Glasgow and the 200, 400 and 800m in Irvine as well as spearheading the Dolphins to victory in the 4x200m freestyle at both meets. Short remained unbeaten over 400, 800 and 1500m at both meets – adding the 4x200m in Glasgow.
They’ll both have busy programs in Sydney, the never-say-die Pallister lining up in the 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1500 freestyle and Short in the 400, 800 and 1500m – their sights set on the World Short Course Champs at the Water Cube.
COM GAMES GOLD: Time to celebrate for Sam Short. Photo Courtesy: Wade Brennan Photos
Pallister was a five-time World SC Champion from Melbourne in 2022, where she won the 400, 800 and 1500m and Budapest in 2024 where she defended her 800m crown. Gold in Beijing for the reigning world record holder will make her only the second woman in history to win three consecutive 800m titles behind China’s Chen Hua (1999, 2000, 2002). For Short, Beijing will be his World SC debut.
With so many other big names skipping out – including Cam McEvoy, Kyle Chalmers, Mollie O’Callaghan and Kaylee McKeown – Swimming Australia can be thankful to their tireless distance duo for putting their hands up.
Others from the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pac Class of ’26 lining up in Sydney will be: Iona Anderson(Highlanders, WA), Ben Armbruster (Bond, QLD), Brittany Castelluzzo (Tea Tree Gully, SA), Isaac Cooper (St Andrews, QLD), Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western, QLD), Hannah Fredericks (St Peters Western, QLD), Tara Kinder (Melbourne Vincente, VIC), Alexandria Perkins (UNISC), William Petric (Nunawading, VIC), Flynn Southam (Bond, QLD), Stuart Swinburn (City of Sydney, NSW), Matt Temple (Marion, SA), Molly Walker(Southern Performance, SA), Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western, QLD) and Olivia Wunsch (Carlile, NSW).
FULL ENTRY LIST Australian Short Course Championships
