Sam Short Enjoying International Training; Fast Early-Season Times Offer Promise for 2025 (Video)
Australian Olympian Sam Short put on a show at the TYR Pro Swim Series stop in Sacramento. The distance ace and world champion stormed to victories in the 800 and 1500 frees.
In the 400 freestyle, however, Short had the crowd on their feet. Through the 150-meter mark of the eight-lap race, Short sat a second under world record pace. At 350 meters in, Short still sat a hundredth under Paul Biedermann’s (now former) mark, who set it at 3:40.07 during the height of the super-suit era. Although the world-record pace caught him down the stretch, Short still touched the wall in 3:43.75, a world-leading time. The record was broken this week by Olympic Champion Lukas Märtens, taking the mark under 3:40 for the first time with a 3:39.96.
I mean it’s a bit deceiving with the world record, since Biedermann comes back like an absolute hero. But you know, I’ve just got to practice pumping out those times more often. You know, I’m typically pretty good in season. I’m racing again (in) three weeks, so I’m expecting to go some pretty fast times then.
Biedermann famously split his 400 freestyle world record 1:51/1:49 to clip the mark by a hundredth. Short is the fifth-fastest performer in history, owning a personal best time of 3:40.68 from the 2023 World Championships, where he won gold. Short finished fourth at the Paris Olympics, 14 hundredths off of bronze at a 3:42.64.
Coming Down From Altitude Training
A large contingent of Australian swimmers trained the last several weeks in Flagstaff, Arizona at altitude. Short described the initial days coming down from altitude as rough. A clear progression was visible, however, with each passing day. With his signature 400 freestyle on the third day of the meet, it seemed to come at a perfect time for a fantastic swim. Last month, Short put up a 3:44.83 at the Westmont Pro Swim Series, and credited a smarter swim for his faster time in Sacramento.
Short was just two tenths off the U.S. Open record, set 17 years ago by Larsen Jensen at a 3:43.53. In addition, the Pro Swim Series record was also in Short’s sight, held by Sun Yang at a 3:43.55.
Short is continuing his international training trip, recently touching down in Brazil for a stint there. He will then look to the Australian World Championship Trials, held June 9-14.
