Aussie Trials, Night 3, Finals: A Fearless Sam Short Fires Off An 800m Freestyle Textile Suit World Record of 7:36.73
A fearless and confident Sam Short has set a new 800m freestyle textile suit world record of 7:36.73 in the bravest swim of his career in Sydney tonight.
Short snuck under the textile mark of 7:36.88 set by Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi at last year’s World Championships in Singapore – set in a final Short missed through illness.
Only China’s Zhang Lin (7:32.12) and Tunisia’s Ous Mellouli (7:35.27) have swum faster than Short, but both swam in the banned deregulated, polyurethane “Supersuits” at the 2009 World Championships in Rome.
THE TIME IS RIGHT: Sam Short in career vest form in Sydney. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming g Australia)
Short was brave, taking the race out in 25.94, 1:50.80, 2:48.14 and 3:45.89 to be under Zhang’s world record pace for the first 400m.
And although dropping off from 500 to 700m, he maintained his own Commonwealth and Australian record pace.
Saving his legs for a last lap push to miss the world record but taking down Jaouadi’s time – Short elevating himself from fifth to third all-time.
And re-writing new Oceania, Commonwealth, Australian and Australian All-Comers records in a history making swim.
The 22-year-old Queenslander arrived at the Australian Trials and National Championships after a perfect preparation of altitude training in Flagstaff Arizona and racing in the US under Rackley Swimming’s Head Coach Damien Jones.
And the result has been four personal best times (the 200m twice in one day) and three National titles in the 200, 400 and 800m freestyles in a dominant display of non-stop power swimming over the first three days at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.
Short saying he came into this meet to challenge himself.
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WORLD RECORD PACE: Sam Short was out in world record pace in the 800m freestyle. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
“I was really going all out for that textile world record – I was second at the 2023 World Championships in this event when I went 7:37.76,” said Short.
“But I’m a much better athlete now than what I was back then….I do everything way better.
“I know I deserved to go that time…but 7:36 hurt so much. I had a lot of legs in the end.
“But how good ? With only two guys ahead of me and both in supersuits …..I’m just keen to keep improving…but that swim is so good…at the end of the day the racing’s the fun bit…I work hard every day in training…
“I wanted to challenge myself…I wanted to be fearless this afternoon…I’ve really swum well at this meet…That’s three out of three pbs.
“I was pretty confident…I just wanted to get out there and give it a red hot crack.”.
St Peters Western pair Ben Goedemans in 7:46.16 and Matt Galea in 7:49.09 finished second and third respectively.
And what’s next for Sam.
A day off tomorrow and then the 1500m freestyle on Friday. But for now it’s home for his mum’s spaghetti bolognaise and a well deserved sleep in.
ALL-TIME TOP TEN MEN’S 800M FREESTYLE
7:32.12 Lin Zhang (CHN) 2009 World Championships
7:35.27 Ous Mellouli (TUN) 2009 World Championships
7:36.73 Sam Short (AUS) 2026 Australian Trials
7:36.88 Ahmed Jaouadi (TUN) 2025 World Champs
7:37.94 Johannes Liebmann (GER) 2026 Stockholm Open
7:38.12 Sven Schwarz (GER) 2025 German Champs
7:38.19 Daniel Wiffen (IRE) 2024 Olympic Games
7:38.57 Sun Yang (CHN) 2011 World Champs
7:38.65 Grant Hackett (AUS) 2005 World Champs
Lin Zhang’s World record splits: 7:32.12 (26.94; 55.20; 1:52.55; 2:49.87; 3:46.79; 4:43.28; 5:40.36; 6:38.03
Sam Short’s Splits: 7:36.73 (25.94, 54.10, 1:50.80, 2:48.14, 3:45.89, 4:43.99, 5:42.17, 6:40.38)
Sam Short’s 100m splits: 54.10, 56.70, 57.34, 57.75, 58.10, 58.18, 58,21, 56.35 (27.47).
Meanwhile Australia will have a two-pronged attack in the 50m freestyle for the Glasgow Games with 23-year-old rookie Queenslander Jamie Jack (St Peters Western, QLD) qualifying for his first team, joining 32-year-old world record holder Cam McEvoy (Somerville Aquatics, QLD) – who made his Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow in 2014.
Jack, little brother of Olympic gold medallist Shayna, finally securing a spot on his first senior Dolphins team by clocking 21.52 behind McEvoy’s winning time of 21.32 – outside his world record of 20.88 set in China in March.
Both times comfortably under the Swimming Australia qualifying time of 21.77, and moving him into 7th in the world this season.
McEvoy off the blocks in a hurry and surfacing with his powerhouse stroking to swamp the field through the first 25m, hanging on to set up the chance to win the one gold medal missing from his collection when he lines up in Glasgow.
Jack was the day’s surprise packet – first nudging out McEvoy to qualify fastest for the final and then bursting into tears as he facetimed sister – and Dolphin stalwart Shayna – while waiting to be interviewed by media.
For Shayna, the fire to swim on after the Paris Olympics was ignited by the dream of being on team with her younger 23-year-old brother.“In complete honesty, the reason I show up now is my brother,” said Shayna who is yet to mount her bid in the 50 and 100m freestyle later in the week.
“He’s done the work and I’m really, really proud of him.”
And backing up from a sensational swim in the 100m breaststroke last night that saw her punch her ticket to Glasgow, Sienna Toohey won the 50m sprint in 30.57 but touched just outside of the qualifying time of 30.37.
For the 17-year-old from Albury, the excitement of making her first Commonwealth Games is matched by her parents who officially booked their tickets to Glasgow today.
Sam Williamson, the Australian record holder and former world champion, showed the men’s 50m breaststroke field how it’s done when he stopped the clock in 26.61 to bank a second Glasgow swim. Gideon Burnes, 20, marked himself as one to watch when he placed second (27.37) ahead of Josh Anderson, 21, (27.60).
