Lani Pallister Breaks Australian, Oceanian, World Cup 400 Free Records With A Stunning 3:51.87

2025 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – Toronto

• October 23-25, 2025
• Toronto, Canada
• SCM (25 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1
  • Finals: Day 1

Lani Pallister soared to a new Australian and Oceanian Record in the 400 freestyle to kick of the first finals session of the Toronto stop of this year’s World Cup, beating out her time of 3:52.42 from just a week ago with a swim of 3:51.87.

She remains at #3 in the all-time rankings, but closes the gap to Li Bingjie in 2nd. Pallister now owns three of the seven fastest times in history, and is more than two seconds faster than fellow Aussie Ariarne Titmus.

Top 5 Women’s SCM 400 Freestyle Performers All-Time

1. Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 3:50.25, 2024
2. Li Bingjie (CHN) – 3:51.30, 2022
3. Lani Pallister (AUS) – 3:51.87, 2025
4. Katie Ledecky (USA) – 3:52.88, 2022
5. Ariarne Titmus (AUS) – 3:53.92, 2018

Erika Fairweather and Freya Colbert were out just behind Pallister through the first 150 meters, but Pallisters consistency shone through from that point. She hit halfway in 1:54.10, a tenth slower than she was last week, but had much more in the tank coming home.

Even with going out a little slower, Pallister still stuck within seven-tenths of a second of Summer McIntosh‘s World Record through the first 250 meters of this race, by which time she was well over a body length ahead of the field.

She was half a second ahead of her pace from Westmont last week with 75 to go, and stormed home in 28.76 on the final 50, quarter of a second faster than she closed last week.

Split Comparison

Pallister made it three wins from three in this event, winning our first Triple Crown of the evening and the $10,00 that comes with it. She will swim the 800 free and 200 free on the remaining two days, and is in line for a Triple Crown in the former event as well, having won the 800 free in Carmel and the 1500 free in Westmont. In the kind of form she looks in this week, she seems a lock to get the job done tomorrow night.