Aussie Selection Trials – Night 1 Finals: Sam Short Nudges 400 Freestyle World Record with 3:40.67; Fastest Time in World This Year
Aussie young gun Sam Short has tonight sent a clear message to the world that he is very much ready to break the world record in the 400m freestyle and he has one of the all-time greats in Ian Thorpe in his corner.
The super-charged Short is back in the fast lane after nudging German Lukas Martens’ world mark on the opening night of the Australian Selection Trials and Australian Championships at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.The 22-year-old Queenslander clocking a personal best time of 3:40.67 (25.22; 52.28; 1:47.33; 2:15.22, 2:43.69 and 3:12.38) – only 0.71 seconds outside Martens’ 2025 world best of 3:39.96.
Short just 0.01 faster than the personal best he swam to win the world title in 2023 in Fukuoka – and closing in on fellow countryman Ian Thorpe’s Australian record times.
At the 300m mark, Short was 0.61 under Martens world record time after splitting 1:47.33 at the 200m turn and with 50m to go he was just 0.01 under the time, dropping off the pace over the final 50m.
Short’s time was the fastest time in the world this year and also cementing him as the fifth faster performer in history and the now has the 10th and 11th fastest performances of all time.
The boy from Rackley’s saying” 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,” said Short.
“I am not surprised about the time at all. I’ve done some pretty crazy stuff, like I did 3:41 six weeks ago in training, I knew I was in red hot shape.
“Jeez, it hurt that last 50m. I knew I was on a good time, because I had about 10 meters on Elijah (Winnington) … I was like ‘there’s no way he’s going slow, he’s a fast swimmer’ (but) I just I wish I had that little line to chase at the end there, it’s pretty hard by yourself.
“I’m obsessed with that 3:39 barrier … 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, 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).
“I was really gunning for at least a 3.40.58 … Thorpie went that time 26 years ago almost to the day to win the Olympics in Sydney 2000 and I wasn’t even born yet.
“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 time now.”
Short praising his coaching team, led by Rackley Swimming’s Head Coach Damien Jones who told Short: “We’re going to push you until you break.”
He survived and is now preparing to convert his time into the fastest lane with the two-time Olympic champion and former world record holder Thorpe convinced Short can break the world record and go on and swim faster than him.
Thorpe commentating on the Channel 9 Wide World of Sport Coverage that he was now capable of swimming well under 3:40.00.
“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.
“For me that is exciting to watch….a personal best to Sam by one-one-hundredth of a second, 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….” said Thorpe.
Short’s time was well under the automatic qualifying time for the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacs where he will get two more chances to break Martens’ world record.
Joining Short for his third Commonwealth Games will be 2022 world champion and Paris Olympic silver medallist Elijah Wininngton (St Peters Western, QLD) who finished second in 3:44.17 with his St Peters Western young gun Benjamin Goedemans an encouraging third in 3:45.85 – also under the qualifying standard of 3:45.88 – but not guaranteed a place just yet, with third placed qualifiers having to wait until the meet is over.
11 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
3:40.68 Sam Short (AUS) 2023
Meanwhile Lani Pallister led home a St Peters Western trifecta in the women’s 400m freestyle in winning in an impressive 3:59.72 (a time only bettered this year by Summer McIntosh and Katie Ledecky) ahead of Jenna Forrester (4:04.30) and Amelia Weber(4:05.79) – all three girls under the qualifying time as was fourth placed Molly Walker (Southern Performance Swimming, SA) 4:06.10 – Forrester, Weber and Walker all in personal bests.
Earlier in the night Forrester – a 400IM world championship bronze medallist – booked her seat to Glasgow winning a blanket finish to the 200IM in 2:09.07 from fellow Paris Olympian Ella Ramsay (Nunawading, VIC) 2:09.40 with Tara Kinder(Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) third in 2:10.14 – all three girls under the Games standard.
The men’s 100m breaststroke saw Paris Olympian Sam Williamson (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) continue his remarkable comeback from injury to clock 59.07 and seal his place on a second Games team ahead of Bailey Lello (St Peters Western, QLD) 1:00.33 and Joshua Anderson (Brisbane Grammar, QLD) 1:00.42 – second and third both outside automatic qualification.
The women’s 50 backstroke proved to be one of the closest races of the night with world record holder Kaylee McKeown (USC Spartans, QLD) holding off part-time backstroker Mollie O’Callaghan (St Peters Western, QLD), Kaylee getting the touch in a sizzling 27.13 to O’Callaghan’s 27.19 and fellow Olympian Iona Anderson (Highlanders, WA) third in 27.33 – Kaylee and Mollie swimming the two fastest times in the world this year.
The men’s 50m backstroke proving to be just as exciting with 2024 world champion Isaac Cooper (St Andrews, QLD) taking the title in a Games qualifier of 24.46 from fast finishing Victorian young gun Henry Allan (East Bendigo, VIC) 24.59 after the Australian Age star appeared to miss the start, with former Russian and now naturalized Australian Mark Nikolaev(Somerset, QLD) third in 25.33.
While in the women’s 100m butterfly it was world championship bronze medallist Alex Perkins (USC Spartans, VIC) who scored an impressive win in a Games qualifier of 56.88 from fellow World Championship team member Brittany Castelluzzo (Tea Tree Gully, SA) 57.88 and Isabella Boyd (Nunawading, VIC) 57.98 – second and third both outside the qualifying time.
