Australia has long been an overwhelming force in the Commonwealth Games. For years, the Dolphins have piled up medals while breaking records and rewriting history at this quadrennial international championship. But the Commonwealths are only one half of this equation: when the Pan Pacific Championships roll around, the Dolphins suddenly find themselves up against a deep field of global competitors, such as the United States, Canada, and Japan. Pan Pacs, for Australia, are not only about setting medal totals: they are also about worldwide prominence.
Take the 2018 season, which was the last year that featured both the Commonwealth Games and the Pan Pacific Championships (the 2022 Pan Pacs were deferred to 2026 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic). Swimmers competed on home soil at the Gold Coast in April, then visited Tokyo in August for Pan Pacs.
On the Gold Coast, Australia blazed to the top of the medal table with a record-breaking 73 medals, over three times the haul from any other nation. But at Pan Pacs, the Dolphins slipped to 2nd on the medal table behind a total of 29 medals (behind the United States’ total of 43). The contrast in times, though, was not the most telling. Overall, the Australians performed fast enough to top the medal table at the Commonwealth Games, but overall swam faster against more top-end speed at Pan Pacs.
Ariarne Titmus’ results show the trend of faster times later in the summer. At the Commonwealth Games, she won the 400 free in a time of 4:00.93; this was a new Games record. But at Pan Pacs, her 3:59.66 for silver not only topped that time, it was an Oceanian Record against a deeper field. The same was true for the 800 free, where her 8:17.07 silver at Pan Pacs outstripped the 8:20.02 from her Commonwealth Games victory.
Australia’s sprinting ace, Kyle Chalmers, notably finished two spots higher at Pan Pacs than he did at Commonwealths in the 100 free. He touched behind Duncan Scott, and tied with Chad le Clos at the Commonwealth Games in 48.15, and followed that up with a gold medal in Tokyo, touching in 48.00.
Jack McLoughlin showed improvement in the 400 free, but a considerable decline in the 1500 free. His Commonwealth silver in the 400 free, in 3:45.21, was slower than his win at Pan Pacs, in 3:44.20. In the 1500 free, McLoughlin was faster at the Commonwealths, where he swam a gold medal-winning 14:47.09; but was considerably slower in Tokyo, touching 4th in 14:55.92 behind three American freestylers.
Cate Campbell also built on her silver medal from the Gold Coast in the 100 free (52.69) to win a commanding gold in Tokyo, where she touched in 52.03, setting a new Championship Record, and finishing well over half a second ahead of silver medalist Simone Manuel in 52.66.
Australia’s relays were also very comparable. With the full support of the home crowd, the women’s 4×100 free relay at the Commonwealth Games triumphed, touching in 3:30.05 to set a new world record. At Pan Pacs, the Australians topped the U.S., but in a slower time of 3:31.58. The men’s side saw a time improvement over those four months, but dropped in the medal placement. After winning Commonwealth Gold in 3:12.96, they swam faster in Tokyo, touching just behind the Brazilians in 3:12.53.
In 2014, the Australian team left the Commonwealth Games before the closing ceremony to begin their preparation for the Pan Pac Championships, showing their focus ahead of the 2014 Pan Pacs.
In that same report, 50 backstroke Commonwealth gold medalist from 2014, Ben Treffers, touched on the difference in competitive fields between the two meets, saying, “It will be tough competition, racing different people and probably a higher class of competition.”
The Australians were able to produce at each international competition. They placed it within the broader context of the Olympic cycle and saw Pan Pacs as a way to test themselves against the world’s best. In an interview with RFI, Cate Campbell said one of her “big drawcards for Pan Pacs is the fact that we get to check out Tokyo,” (where the Olympic Games were held three years later).
The Commonwealth Games became a showcase of the nation’s best swimmers a little bit closer to home, while the Pan Pacific Championships have become one of the deepest tests in international swimming, allowing athletes to duel with some of the world’s more daunting challengers. The Dolphins use each competition for its full value, taking the Commonwealths as an opportunity for dominance and Pan Pacs as a benchmark against the world.
2018 is probably a bad example to use considering it’s basically an anomaly that the meets were so far apart. I am definitely not expecting Australia’s best at PPs next year.
From a general public perspective, Pan Pacs are not on the radar at all. If you asked a random person on the street about Pan Pacs, I would think maybe 1% of people would know what it is. Almost 100% would know about Comm Games. Despite the difference in top talent, a Comm Games victory is much more lucrative for a swimmer than PPs.
Comm games is next best thing to olympic level in public eye for sponsorships etc. and its obviously way easier to win medals at.
Losing that event if it ever happens will be a huge hit to our olympic athletes in all sports financially.
That last quote from Cate Campbell about checking out Tokyo is interesting given next year in Irvine creates a very similar situation.
Australia has sent 3 “A” teams to Irvine in the last 4 years for USA nationals or TYR events. But the big names of course haven’t been as they were at the World Champs etc.
In 2018, the Comm games was 3 months early in April because they were held in Australia. In 2014 and next in 2026, the Comm games were and will be held only about 2 weeks before Pan Pacs. Tough double. But Coetzee this year and others have proved it can be done.