Lani Pallister Gets Redemption After COVID, Helps Australia’s 4×200 Free Relay To Gold

2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

• Pool Swimming: July 27 – August 4, 2024
  • Open Water Swimming: August 8 – 9, 2024
• La Défense Arena — Paris, France
• LCM (50 meters)
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• Prelims Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 
• Finals Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6

WOMEN’S 4×200 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS

• World Record: 7:37.50 – Australia (2023)
• Olympic Record: 7:40.33 – China (2021)
• 2021 Winning Time: 7:40.33 – China (2021)

Podium

1. Australia (M. O’Callaghan, L. Pallister, B. Throssell, A. Titmus) – 7:38.08 ***NEW OLYMPIC RECORD***
2. USA (C. Weinstein, P. Madden, K. Ledecky, E. Gemmell) – 7:40.86
3. China (Yang J., Li, B., Ge, C., Liu, Y.) – 7:42.34

Lani Pallister scratched prelims of the women’s 1500 freestyle Tuesday morning after testing positive for COVID-19. Two days later, Pallister earned redemption as she helped the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay for Australia to gold.

Pallister was the #5 seed coming into the women’s 1500 freestyle and was a potential medal contender and has had international success in the past as she won bronze in the event at the 2022 World Championships. It was expected to be her first event in Paris but a positive COVID test had other plans as Pallister scratched the event due to COVID-19.

This was not the first time that Pallister had tested positive at a big international level meet. In 2022, Pallister tested positive for COVID at the World Championships and had to scratch the final of the 800 freestyle after being the #2 seed coming out of prelims. That was the same meet where she won bronze in the 1500 freestyle just days prior.

However, two days after her positive test here in Paris, Pallister climbed back for redemption. She first swam in prelims of the 4×200 freestyle relay and threw down the fastest split of the morning with a 1:55.74 lead off leg. That swim earned her the relay spot in finals.

Pallister then swam a 1:55.61 on the 2nd leg of Australia’s relay last night. Not only did the team of Mollie O’Callaghan, Pallister, Brianna Throssell, and Arairane Titmus win gold, but they did so in a new Olympic Record swimming to a 7:38.08.

Pallister continued her redemption during this morning’s prelims session, swimming the 3rd fastest time in the women’s 800 freestyle. Pallister entered as the #4 seed but moved up a spot swimming a time of a 8:19.87. She will swim out of lane 3 in the final tomorrow night.