2026 Australian Swimming Trials: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2026 AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING TRIALS

• Monday, June 8 – Saturday, June 13, 2026
• Sydney, Australia
• Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Commonwealth Selection Criteria
• Pan Pac Selection Criteria
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Storylines To Watch
• Live Recaps:
  • Prelims: Day 1

The opening night of finals from the 2026 Australian Swimming Trials promises to be an exciting one with some of the country’s biggest stars competing, led by Sam Short, Kaylee McKeown and Lani Pallister.

The session opens with the final of the men’s 400 free, where Short is the big favorite after winning silver at last year’s World Championships. Injury and illness have plagued Short over the past few years, but if he can have a clean run throughout 2026, the world record in the 400 free might be within his grasp.

Tonight’s session will also feature the women’s 400 free, 50 back, 100 fly and 200 IM, and the men’s 50 back and 100 breast. We’ll also see the multi-class 200 free and 50 fly for both genders.

McKeown headlines the women’s 50 back, having posted the top time in the world this season in the prelims, while Pallister is the big favorite in the women’s 400 free. Illness caused McKeown to drop the women’s 200 IM this morning, where Ella Ramsay established herself as the top seed in 2:10.70.

Spots on both the 2026 Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championship rosters will be on the line this week.

MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: 3:39.96, Lukas Martens (GER) – 2025
• Commonwealth Record: 3:40.08, Ian Thorpe – 2002
• Australian Record: 3:40.08, Ian Thorpe – 2002
• All Comers Record: 3:40.54, Ian Thorpe (AUS) – 2002
• SA Qualifying Time: 3:45.88

‘A’ Final

1. Sam Short (RACKL), 3:40.67
2. Elijah Winnington (STPET), 3:44.17
3. Benjamin Goedemans (STPET), 3:45.85
4. Tex Cross (HLDR), 3:47.33
5. Matthew Galea (STPET), 3:47.94
6. Thomas Neill (RACKL), 3:48.57
7. Alec Mander (SSPW), 3:49.03
8. Bill Atkinson (RACKL), 3:49.76

Sam Short went out like a rocket in the men’s 400 free final, establishing himself as the leader from the get-go and putting Lukas Märtens‘ world record on notice.

Short turned in 52.28 at the 100 and 1:47.33 at the 200, well under pace relative to his previous lifetime best of 3:40.68 set in 2023, and then with 50 meters to go, he was sitting one one-hundredth under Martens’ world record pace, putting the crowd on its feet as they cheered him home.

Short couldn’t quite close as well as usual due to his blistering front-half, ultimately touching in 3:40.67 to claim the victory, record the 10th-fastest performance in history, and set a new PB by one one-hundredth.

The performance also moves Short up into the top spot in the 2025-26 world rankings by nearly a full second, having previously ranked 3rd with the 3:42.53 he clocked at the Australian Open in April.

Short said he feels “invincible” in his post-race interview, which is a scary proposition for the rest of the world heading into the summer championship meets.

Claiming the runner-up spot and qualifying for his third straight Commonwealth Games team was Elijah Winnington, who had the fastest closing 50 in the field (27.31) to clock 3:44.17, his fastest swim since going 3:43.99 at the 2025 Australian Trials.

Winnington’s St. Peter’s teammate Benjamin Goedemans placed 3rd in 3:45.85, just shy of his 3:45.57 lifetime best set last year.

Nineteen-year-old Tex Cross also had an impressive showing, cracking 3:48 for the first time in 3:47.33 to snag 4th ahead of Matthew Galea (3:47.94).

WOMEN’S 200 IM – FINAL

• World Record: 2:05.70, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2025
• Commonwealth Record: 2:05.70, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2025
• Australian Record: 2:06.63, Kaylee McKeown – 2024
• All Comers Record: 2:06.63, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2024
• SA Qualifying Time: 2:10.49

‘A’ Final

1. Jenna Forrester (STPET), 2:09.07
2. Ella Ramsay (NUN), 2:09.40
3. Tara Kinder (MVC), 2:10.14
4. Lexi Harrison (MNLY), 2:14.18
5. Heidi Shumack (SOSC) / Kayla Hardy (CRUIZ), 2:14.89
6. –
7. Julia Eve Spedding (GUSC), 2:17.09
8. Alannah Torrance (NUN), 2:17.88

With no Kaylee McKeown in the field, Jenna Forrester, Ella Ramsay and Tara Kinder engaged in an exciting three-way battle in the final of the women’s 200 IM, with Forrester claiming the victory with her fastest swim in three years.

Ramsay made her move on the breaststroke leg, splitting 37.17 to open up a lead of just over four-tenths on Forrester with 50 to go, while Kinder was still in the hunt, six-tenths back of Forrester.

Coming home, Forrester was the only one of the trio to break 31, splitting 30.67 to run down Ramsay and touch first in a time of 2:09.07, just shy of her lifetime best of 2:08.98 set at the 2023 World Championships. It was also her first time breaking 2:10 since 2023, and moves her to 6th in the world this season.

Ramsay held strong to place 2nd in 2:09.40, also just missing her personal best, which stands at 2:09.21 set at the 2025 Trials.

Kinder rounded out the podium in 2:10.14. Her PB sits at 2:09.45 from last year.

All three swimmers were under the Swim Australia qualifying time of 2:10.49, locking Forrester and Ramsay in for the Pan Pacs and Commonwealth rosters. Kinder’s performance puts her in the hunt for a Commonwealth spot as well.

MEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY MC – FINAL

Top Three

1. Alex Saffey S10 (WODN), 26.27 – 727 pts
2. Daniel Rigby S9 (KPSC), 28.13 – 681 pts
3. William Martin S9 (SCGS), 27.92 – 606 pts

Alex Saffey, an S10 athlete, was victorious in the multi-class final of the men’s 50 butterfly, putting up a time of 26.27 to score 727 para points, edging out Daniel Rigby‘s (S9) 681 points earned from his 28.13 clocking.

The 50 fly is not a selection event for the Para Pan Pacs team, as these athletes will be looking forward to tomorrow’s 100 fly to earn a spot on the squad. The Commonwealth Para Australian swimming team has already been selected.

WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY MC – FINAL

Top Three

1. Kael Thompson S14 (USCS), 30.55 – 846 pts
2. Jordan Berryman S14 (UWSC), 39.28 – 592 pts
3. Sarah Howe S10 (STHIL), 32.21 – 586 pts

Kael Thompson had a sensational performance in the women’s 50 fly multi-class final, putting up a time of 30.55 to score 846 points, comfortably topping Jordan Berryman‘s 39.28/592 points. Both are S14 athletes.

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR) – 2019
• Commonwealth Record: 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR) – 2019
• Australian Record: 58.58, Brenton Rickard – 2009
• All Comers Record: 58.80, Samuel Williamson – 2024
• SA Qualifying Time: 59.39

‘A’ Final

1. Sam Williamson (MVC), 59.07
2. Bailey Lello (STPET), 1:00.33
3. Joshua Anderson (BGRAM), 1:00.42
4. Zac Stubblety-Cook (NUN), 1:00.43
5. Joshua Collett (BOND), 1:00.56
6. Joshua Yong (HLDR), 1:00.63
7. Gideon Burnes (BOND), 1:00.84
8. Nash Wilkes (GUSC), 1:02.04

After a year-long layoff due to injury, Sam Williamson is back in a big way.

The 28-year-old had shown positive signs earlier this season, producing an impressive time of 59.11 in the 100 breast at the Australian Open in April, and on Monday night, he backed that up, dominating the field in the men’s 100 breast final to book his ticket to the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacs.

Williamson was unmatched on the opening 50, turning in a blazing 27.07 to open up a lead of nearly a full second over the next-fastest competitor, and then he held strong coming home to touch in a time of 59.07.

The swim marks the third-fastest of his career and quickest since 2024, having set a lifetime best of 58.80 at the 2024 Australian Olympic Trials, which also stands as the All-Comers Record. He moves into sole possession of 7th in the world rankings this season, having previously been tied for 7th with Japan’s Yamato Okadome.

St. Peter’s product Bailey Lello, a 23-year-old, used a strong second 50 of 31.75 to run down Joshua Anderson and claim the runner-up position in 1:00.33, 22 one-hundredths off his personal best of 1:00.11 set in December 2024.

Anderson, 21, had an impressive showing to place 3rd with a new best time of 1:00.42, while former 200 breast world record holder Zac Stubblety-Cook was the fastest mover on the second 50 but left himself too much room to make up, settling for 4th in 1:00.43.

Stubblety-Cook, who pulled out of the 2025 World Championships due to a back injury, seemed to lack that front-end speed tonight, turning in 29.02 at the 50, but was solid coming back in 31.41.

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: 3:54.18, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2025
• Commonwealth Record: 3:54.18, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2025
• Australian Record: 3:55.38, Ariarne Titmus – 2023
• All Comers Record: 3:55.44, Ariarne Titmus (AUS) – 2024
• SA Qualifying Time: 4:06.75

‘A’ Final

1. Lani Pallister (STPET), 3:59.72
2. Jenna Forrester (STPET), 4:04.30
3. Amelia Weber (STPET), 4:05.79
4. Molly Walker (SOPE), 4:06.10
5. Jacqueline Davison-McGovern (STPET), 4:09.64
6. Tiana Kritzinger (RACKL), 4:10.06
7. Hannah Allen (RACKL), 4:10.91
8. Jade Starr (GUSC), 4:15.08

It was a St. Peter’s sweep in the women’s 400 freestyle final, with as expected, Lani Pallister leading the way.

Like Sam Short at the beginning of the night, Pallister was aggressive over the early stages of the race, flipping under world record pace through the 50, 100 and 150-meter turns and then checking in at 1:56.81 at the halfway mark, nearly one second quicker than she was en route to setting her PB of 3:58.87 (1:57.70).

Pallister’s kick started to fade off in the back half, ultimately touching in 3:59.72 for the fourth sub-4:00 swim of her career and just shy of the 3:59.36 season-best she set in April. She was clearly not happy with the time post-race, hoping to be a bit faster after her swim at the Australian Open two months ago, but the speed she showed is a positive indicator for the 200 later in the week.

In an exciting race for 2nd, Jenna Forrester, fresh off her 200 IM victory, used a 29.84 final 50 to overtake teammate Amelia Weber and claim the runner-up spot in a time of 4:04.30, shattering her previous best time of 4:06.91 set in 2023 to move up to 12th in the world this season.

Weber and Southern Performance’s Molly Walker, both 20, had impressive swims to take 3rd and 4th with respective times of 4:05.79 and 4:06.10, both significant lifetime bests. It is Weber’s first time under 4:06 and Walker’s first time under 4:07.

All of the top four were under the SA qualifying time in the event, showing off the Australian depth in the event.

WOMEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 26.86, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2023
• Commonwealth Record: 26.86, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2023
• Australian Record: 26.98, Kaylee McKeown – 2023
• All Comers Record: 26.98, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2023
• SA Qualifying Time: 27.57

‘A’ Final

1. Kaylee McKeown (USCS), 27.13
2. Mollie O’Callaghan (STPET), 27.19
3. Iona Anderson (HLDR), 27.33
4. Alyssa Burgess (HLDR), 27.88
5. Emily Jones (HUNT), 27.90
6. Mackenzie Burns (STAND) / Hannah Fredericks (STPET), 27.99
7. –
8. Jaclyn Barclay (GUSC), 28.39

Kaylee McKeown and Mollie O’Callaghan locked horns in the final of the women’s 50 backstroke in a competitive final that saw seven of the eight finalists break 28 seconds.

Although it looked like O’Callaghan looked she may have had the slight lead early, McKeown always seems to find a way, and she did it again as the world record holder came through to win gold in a time of 27.13, improving her time atop the world rankings this season. She took over #1 in the world in the prelims in 27.22.

O’Callaghan, who said post-race she doesn’t train any backstroke and enjoys just “ripping one out” to see how it goes, was right on McKeown’s heels in a time of 27.19, just three one-hundredths shy of her personal best to rank #2 in the world this season.

Iona Anderson set a new lifetime best to place 3rd, clocking 27.33 to move up from 32nd into a tie for 24th all-time in the event. She joined McKeown and O’Callaghan under the qualifying time and may have a shot at Commonwealth qualification with this swim.

MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE MC – FINAL

Top Three

1. Declan Budd S14, 1:56.37 – 870 pts
2. Jack Ireland S14, 1:56.47 – 867 pts
3. Darren Sisman S14, 1:57.17 – 852 pts

WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE MC – FINAL

Top Three

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Record: 54.33, Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 2026
• Commonwealth Record: 55.59, Maggie MacNeil (CAN) – 2021
• Australian Record: 55.72, Emma McKeon – 2021
• All Comers Record: 55.93, Emma McKeon (AUS) – 2021
• SA Qualifying Time: 57.11

‘A’ Final

MEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 23.55, Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) – 2023
• Commonwealth Record: 24.04, Liam Tancock (GBR) – 2009
• Australian Record: 24.12, Isaac Cooper – 2024
• All Comers Record: 24.38, Isaac Cooper (AUS) – 2024
• SA Qualifying Time: 24.53

‘A’ Final