Commonwealth Games 400m Showdown: If Sam Gets It Right On The Night He Won’t Be Short This Time
Sam Short vs. Ian Thorpe and Lukas Martens – that’s the tantalizing imaginary matchup for what could well be the major swimming highlight of this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The Games countdown is on with the opening ceremony next Thursday, July 23, with the swimming competition to begin on Friday, July 24 and the men’s 400m freestyle set for the second day of the meet, Saturday, July 25.
Short and the 59-strong Australian Dolphins are holed up in Darmstadt as they put the finishing touches to their preparation and it was the 2023 world champion Short who never disappoints.
SAM SHORT IN THE FAST LANE PHOTO COURTESY DELLY CARR (SWIMMING AUSTRALIA)
A journalist’s dream who always throws out some gems, today was no different as he spoke about imagining that Thorpe is swimming in the lane alongside him as he chases his longstanding Commonwealth Games 400 freestyle record set in Manchester in 2002.
But Swimming World has thrown Germany’s Lukas Martens into a lane on the other side of this imaginary 400m freestyle of three of the fastest five swimmers of all time.
Short has a personal best of 3:40.67, set at this year’s Australian Selection Trials in Sydney. Thorpe holds the Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games record at 3:40.08, a then world record swum at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Martens has the world record of 3:39.96, set in Stockholm in April of 2025 when he lowered Germany’s Paul Biedermann’s “supersuit “ mark swum in 2009.
And although Short didn’t touch on the world record in Darmstadt, we know Sam and it’s in his sights.
Here’s what he had to say, freely admitting that after clocking a monster 3:40.67 at Trials, he is picturing himself taking down Thorpe’s long-held Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games record.
THORPEDO: Ian Thorpe ready to launch- Photo Courtesy: Adidas
“Yeah, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t (thought about Thorpe’s record). When I rewatch my races, the (world record) line is right there. So it’s like I’m kind of visualising him (Thorpe) being right there,” said Short, who wasn’t born when Thorpe posted his world record.
“So I’ve thought about it. It’s definitely one of my goals and something I’m chasing. I love watching those races from back in the day. I kind of geek out on them, if I’m really honest. So yeah, I love to visualise him.
“Which was before I was even born, which is a crazy thing to think about. But I am feeling super positive, great vibes here in Darmstadt.
“I’ve had a really, really great season so far, just a lot of just consistent work and I’ve been doing some incredible training, so hopefully I can put on a show for everyone to see.”
But while you’re there Sam, you may as well press just that little but extra and push under 3:39.96. And he has Thorpe in his corner, with the two-time Olympic champion declaring during the Australian Trials that sub 3:40 is well within his grasp.
“What stood out to me was how Sam has now set himself up for a performance well under 3 minutes 40,” said Thorpe, who broke the world record himself four times in his career between 1999 and 2002.
WORLD BEATER: Lukas Martens of Germany celebrates after winning the gold medal in the swimming 400m Freestyle Men Final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at La Defense Arena in Paris (France), July 27, 2024.
“For me that is exciting to watch….a personal best to Sam by one-one-hundredth of a second (in Sydney), he was out faster than me and faster than the world record, (clocking) his own personal best splits…so it will be exciting to see the way he thinks he has to race this race….”
After splitting 1:47.33 at the 200m turn in Sydney, Short remained under Martens’ world-record time with 50m to swim, just 0.01 under the time, dropping off the pace over the final 50m.
Short’s time is the fastest time in the world this year and also cemented him as the fifth-fastest performer in history and the now has the 10th and 11th fastest performances of all time. After his Sydney swim, Short admitted he was actually “obsessed with the 3:39 barrier!”
The man from Rackley said: “That was epic. I haven’t done that sort of time since 2023, so I’m super stoked with that but … it’s nice to know there’s room to go.
“This is the hardest I’ve trained all year and this is the most consistent I’ve ever been. I think it’s only a matter of time (before I break 3:40)…I’ve got at least two more great opportunities to give it another crack.
“I’ve dedicated my 22-year-old (young) life to chase that kind of perfection in the water … and one day I really hope I can get there (and break the world record).”
And on Thorpe?
“He’s such a good inspiration and such a nice guy, as well. He’s a great leader of the sport and (was) way ahead of his time … (especially considering) we can’t even beat his times now.”
Short reaffirmed that his program would include the 200m free on top of the 400m, 800m and 1500m.
“I won the 1500m (in 2022 in Birmingham) when I was 18, so I’d love to replicate that … and then there’s the 200m,” said Short.
“That’s a stacked field. I just want to get in there and have a really red-hot crack at the 200m against Olympic medallist Matt Richards.
“There’s also Olympic champion Tom Dean as well as Duncan Scott … all them, it’ll be amazing. And then hopefully I will also be a part of the relays.”
Winning the 400m in Glasgow would see Short join a “who’s who” of Australians to have won the event. In fact, he would become the 17th Australian since the great Manly swimmer Noel “Tiger” Ryan won back-to-back gold in Vancouver and Sydney in 1934 and 1938 respectively.
An illustrious list includes Olympic champions John Konrads, Murray Rose, Bob Windle, Duncan Armstrong, Kieren Perkins, Mack Horton and Thorpe.
And the world record would see Short become the seventh Australian to break the mark, joining John Marshall, Konrads, Rose, Brad Cooper, Perkins and Thorpe.
Here’s the comparative 400m freestyle splits:
Sam Short (3:40.67 PB) Ian Thorpe (3:40.08 CR) Lukas Martens (3:39.96 WR)
25.22 25.33 24.75
52.28 53.02 51.90
1:47.33 1:49.57 1:47.55
3:12.38 3:13.04 3:12.39
3.40.67 3:40.08 3:39.96
The list of Commonwealth Games 400m champions
440 Yard Freestyle Era (1930–1966)
- 1930 Hamilton: Noel Ryan (AUS)
- 1934 London: Noel Ryan (AUS)
- 1938 Sydney: Bob Pirie (CAN)
- 1950 Auckland: Garrick Agnew (AUS)
- 1954 Vancouver: Gary Chapman (AUS)
- 1958 Cardiff: John Konrads (AUS)
- 1962 Perth: Murray Rose (AUS)
- 1966 Kingston: Bob Windle (AUS)
400 Metre Freestyle Era (1970–2022)
- 1970 Edinburgh:Graham White (AUS)
- 1974 Christchurch: John Kulasalu (AUS)
- 1978 Edmonton:Ron McKeon (AUS)
- 1982 Brisbane: Andrew Astbury (ENG)
- 1986 Edinburgh: Duncan Armstrong (AUS)
- 1990 Auckland: Ian Brown (AUS)
- 1994 Victoria:Kieren Perkins (AUS)
- 1998 Kuala Lumpur:Ian Thorpe (AUS)
- 2002 Manchester:Ian Thorpe (AUS)
- 2006 Melbourne: David Carry (SCO)
- 2010 Delhi: Ryan Cochrane (CAN)
- 2014 Glasgow: Ryan Cochrane (CAN)
- 2018 Gold Coast: Mack Horton (AUS)
- 2022 Birmingham:Elijah Winnington (AUS)
10 FASTEST 400M TIMES IN HISTORY
3:39.96 Lukas Martens (GER) 2025
3:40.07 Paul Biederman (GER) 2009
3:40.08 Ian Thorpe (AUS) 2002
3:40.14 Sun Yang (CHN) 2012
3:40.17 Ian Thorpe (AUS) 2001
3:40.29 Sun Yang (CHN)n 2011
3:40.33 Lukas Martens (GER) 2024
3:40.59 Ian Thorpe (AUS) 2000
3:40.61 Lukas Martens (GER) 2025
3.40.67 Sam Short (AUS) 2026
