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:
MEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – TIMED FINAL
- World Record: 7:32.12, Zhang Lin (CHN) – 2009
Commonwealth Record: 7:37.76, Sam Short (AUS) – 2023Australian Record: 7:37.76, Sam Short – 2023All Comers Record: 7:40.39, Sam Short (AUS) – 2023- SA Qualifying Time: 7:46.36
Top 8 Overall (AUS)
- Sam Short (Rackley), 7:36.73 *Textile WR, Commonwealth, AUS, All Comers Record*
- Ben Goedemans (St. Peter’s Western), 7:47.62
- Matthew Galea (St. Peter’s Western), 7:49.09
- Elijah Winnington (St. Peter’s Western), 7:55.24
- Tex Cross (Highlanders), 7:57.80
- Tomo Shadforth (Miami), 8:02.68
- Thomas Raymond (Kawana Waters), 8:03.03
- Kyle Lee (Noosa), 8:04.56
Sam Short closed out the third night of racing at the Australian Swimming Trials in style, throwing down a blistering time of 7:36.73 in the men’s 800 free to break not one, not two, not three, but four records in the event.
Short set a new Australian record, Oceanian record, Commonwealth record and All Comers record in the 800 free, shattering his own records in all four categories. The Australian, Commonwealth and Oceanian records all previously stood at 7:37.76, which Short set at the 2023 World Championships, while the former All Comers record was set by Short in 7:40.39 at the 2023 Australian Swimming Trials.
Short’s performance also marks a textile world record, the fastest time ever posted in a textile suit since the supersuit era. His winning time narrowly beat Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi‘s textile record time of 7:36.88, which he set at the 2025 World Championships.
The 22-year-old was off like a shot at the start of the race, flipping in 3:45.89 at the halfway point, which was almost a full second under Zhang Lin‘s super-suited world record pace of 3:46.79.
Short fell behind the world record line on the second half of the race but managed to stay ahead of his own record pace, posting a time of 3:50.84 on the closing 400 to stop the clock in 7:36.73 and secure the victory by nearly 11 seconds.
Split Comparison
| Short New PB | Short Old PB | |
| 100 | 54.10 | 54.31 |
| 200 | 1:50.80 (56.70) | 1:51.37 (57.06) |
| 300 | 2:48.14 (57.34) | 2:49.17 (57.80) |
| 400 | 3:45.89 (57.75) | 3:47.12 (57.95) |
| 500 | 4:43.99 (58.10) | 4:45.21 (58.09) |
| 600 | 5:42.17 (58.18) | 5:43.64 (58.43) |
| 700 | 6:40.38 (58.21) | 6:42.07 (58.43) |
| 800 | 7:36.73 (56.35) | 7:37.76 (55.69) |
Short’s record-breaking performance tonight knocked just over a second off of his lifetime best and is notably only the second time that he has ever broken 7:40 in this event.
Love seeing the fearlessness he has to take it out in his races. It’s working well for him. The back halfers like Finke need to change it up
He probably set the pool, state, team, and personal records too!
Hope we get a proper race video not just a b*tch a** shortened version. I abhor those.
the full session replay will be on 9now in a few hours time
I mean, how many other swimmers have broken 7:40 multiple times? Obviously Finke (7:38.67, 7:39.36) and Paltrinieri (7:39 multiple times), maybe also Wiffen, but I can’t think of any others on the top of my head.
martens, schwarz and sun. but only 3 people have broken 7:39 multiple times
I guess maybe there is a chance Hackett’s 1500 free record is at least somewhat challenged this week.
When I watched the race video it was ridiculous to see that Zhang Lin WR line completely fly away on the 3rd 200, So I looked at the splits.
on the third 200, Lin split 1:53.57 to feet.
For reference, the backend of Sams PB setting 400 free earlier in this meet was 1:53.34 to hand.
Then Lin goes even quicker on the final 200.
This swim was very strong, especially that historically the fastest distance races occur at global championships where swimmers push each other to faster times, but I just cant see anyone approaching 7:32 anytime soon.
That’s why I think textile WR should be considered the WR. They should show short, lotche and popovici as world recorder holders in the 800 fr, 200bk and 200fr
Agreed. the only way otherwise for someone to beat this mark is to like go out 3:42 and still come back in a sub 3:50 (faster than what short did here)
Zhang and Luka may have a chance if they keep progressing. It’s sad that galossi and Franko grcic stop progressing early, they were so good at such young age
A good first mark to go for is Ous Mellouli‘s second fastest mark. It actually has an even stronger 3rd 200 than Lin, but being 1s slower to 400 and fading in the final 100 significantly makes it an achievable time to surpass this year.
Yeah 7:32.0 is prolly staying around for quite a while. So a 3:46.0 for the first 400 is an amazing split. But doing a 2nd 400 in 3:46.0 after that is just sick
short is also the first person to swim the first 400 faster than zhang’s pace