2025 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – Toronto
- October 23-25, 2025
- Toronto, Canada
- SCM (25 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Recaps
Women’s 800 Freestyle — Final Heat (Timed Finals)
World Record: 7:57.42 — Katie Ledecky, United States (2022)- World Junior Record: 7:59.44 — Wang Jianjiahe, China (2018)
World Cup Record: 7:57.42 — Katie Ledecky, United States (2022)- Triple Crown Contender: Lani Pallister (AUS)
Top 8 Finishers
- Lani Pallister (AUS) – 7:54.00 ** New World Record
- Erika Fairweather (NZL) – 8:09.69
- Caitlin Deans (NZL) – 8:11.76
- Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN) – 8:15.52
- Molly Walker (AUS) – 8:21.86
- Tori Meklensek (CLB) – 8:38.35
- Delphine Piatera-Mercier (CLB) – 8:48.76
- Callie Cardiff (CLB) – 8:51.94
Lani Pallister, who kicked off Day 1 in Toronto with a new Australian Record in the 400 free, closed out her World Cup Tour with a World Record to take a dominant win in the 800 free tonight with a swim of 7:54.00
Compared to her swim at the first stop in Carmel, Pallister approached this race with far more aggression on the first 400. She hit the 200m mark in 1:55.18, 0.78 seconds faster than two weeks ago, and was nearly two seconds ahead at halfway.
By this point in the race she was multiple body lengths ahead of the field, leading Erika Fairweather by more than six seconds. That time would also have placed 2nd in the individual 400 free two days ago, behind only herself and more than a second and a half of the silver medalist Erika Fairweather.
Not only was she under her own Australian Record pace, she was more than two seconds under Katie Ledecky‘s World Record pace. The American had hit halfway in 3:56.64, before closing in 4:00.78.
Pallister slowly stretched that advantage over the next 200 meters, taking another second out of Ledecky over the third 200 meters. There was no drop-off for the Australian this week, as she kept the pace high right to finish to hit the wall in a scintillating 7:54.00.
Split Comparison
| Lani Pallister, 2024 – Short Course World Championships | Katie Ledecky, 2022 – World Cup, Indianapolis Stop | Lani Pallister, 2025 – World Cup Toronto stop | |
| 100 | 57.26 | 57.09 | 56.27 |
| 200 | 1:57.48 (1:00.22) | 1:56.63 (59.54) | 1:55.18 (58.91) |
| 300 | 2:58.39 (1:00.91) | 2:56.55 (59.92) | 2:54.58 (59.40) |
| 400 | 3:58.77 (1:00.38) | 3:56.64 (1:00.09) | 3:54.16 (59.58) |
| 500 | 4:59.07 (1:00.30) | 4:57.05 (1:00.41) | 4:54.23 (1:00.07) |
| 600 | 5:59.92 (1:00.85) | 5:57.46 (1:00.41) | 5:54.35 (1:00.12) |
| 700 | 7:01.32 (1:01.40) | 6:57.89 (1:00.43) | 6:54.86 (1:00.51) |
| 800 | 8:01.95 (1:00.55) | 7:57.42 (59.53) | 7:54.00 (59.14) |
Pallister shattered Ledecky’s record by 3.42 seconds and puts her more than 5 seconds ahead of Mireia Belmonte, the #3 swimmer all-time.
Pallister hacked nearly eight seconds off her previous best time and Australian Record, claiming the Oceanian Record from New Zealander Lauren Boyle in the process. She jumps up from #6 to #1 all-time.
Top 5 Women’s SCM 800 Free Performers All-Time
- Lani Pallister (AUS) – 7:54.00, 2025
- Katie Ledecky (USA) – 7:57.42, 2022
- Mireia Belmonte (ESP) – 7:59.34, 2013
- Wang Jianjiahe (CHN) – 7:59.44, 2018
- Camille Muffat (FRA) – 8:01.06, 2012
The Australian women have been on a tear in this final World Cup stop, with this swim being the fifth Continental Record they have set in just over two days of racing. Two of those were World Records.
Australian Records: 2025 World Cup, Toronto Stop
- 400 free – Lani Pallister: 3:51.87
- 50 back – Kaylee McKeown: 25.35
- 100 back – Kaylee McKeown: 54.49
- 200 free – Mollie O’Callaghan: 1:49.36 (WR)
- 800 free – Lani Pallister: 7:54.00
Pallister ensured she won tonight’s first Triple Crown, as she has taken victory in the ‘Distance Freestyle’ at all three stops. This was unique among all events contested, as the women raced the 800 free at Stop 1 and Stop 3, and the 1500 free at Stop 2. The men swam the same setup but with the distances switched.
So far there have been 15 Triple Crowns won out of a possible 18 coming into this event. Three swimmers have seen their hopes of wearing the crown, and taking home the associated check for $10,000, dashed in this final stop
- Noe Ponti, 100 fly – 3rd behind Josh Liendo (and Ilya Kharun)
- Regan Smith, 100 back – 2nd behind Kaylee McKeown
- Jack Alexy, 100 free – 2nd behind Josh Liendo
In her three victories in the distance free events, Pallister has won by a combined 42.65 seconds, showcasing just how dominant she has been. She also now ranks in the top-three all-time in the SCM 400 free (#3), 800 free (#1), and 1500 free (#2).
Lani Pallister‘s Margin Of Victory, Distance Free Events
| 800 free – Stop 1 (Carmel) | 1500 free – Stop 2 (Westmont) | 800 free – Stop 3 (Toronto | |
| 1st | Lani Pallister – 8:02.02 | Lani Pallister – 15:13.83 | Lani Pallister – 7:54.00 |
| 2nd | Erika Fairweather – 8:12.57 | Erika Fairweather – 15:30.22 | 8:09.69 |
| Margin of Victory | 10.55 | 16.39 | 15.69 |
Pallister’s swim could be just the first of several Australian or World Records tonight. Kaylee McKeown (200 back), Alexandria Perkins (100 fly), and Mollie O’Callaghan (100 free) could all join her in rewriting the record books before this meet draws to a close.
Pallister switched training bases last season, moving to train at St Peter’s Western with Dean Boxall in March and has gone from strength to strength in the months since. She set Australian Records in the 800 free and 1500 free at the Australian World Trials in June, before scaring Katie Ledecky in the 800 free in Singapore, smashing her best time by 5 seconds and notching the #6 swim all-time.
This is Pallister’s first individual World Record, and marks her fourth Australian Record in nine days. The reigning short course world champion in the 800 and 1500 free, she looks primed for some huge swims in long course later this season, and some fantastic battles with the long course World Record holder Katie Ledecky.
Lani’s great recent swims make Arnie’s retirement much easier to bear.
I realize it’s short course but that’s the first time I’ve ever seen a women’s 800 that looked like 400 pace throughout. Lani never appeared to back off or lose zest.
And that’s the criteria I’ve always used, likewise in track, where the next distance up looks like the same strength and tempo. There’s no breakthrough until that happens. I think it’s the reason Summer’s former coach had no trouble insisting she can break 8 minutes long course someday.
I am anticipating great w 800 free races in the next few years, and hopefully Summer will swim it too.
What I want to know is why her Mum is leaving her head coach position at Surrey Park
To go back to her home state of Queensland, and a new job as head coach at Kawana Waters Aquatic Club starting in November!
I wonder if this will spur Ledecky at all to swim short course meters again. She loves a challenge.
Huge morale booster for Lani.
The long distance women’s freestyle events at the LA Olympics are starting to look very interesting.
that 400 split would’ve been a 3:53 with a touch and she followed it up with another sub 4min 400….
makes me think that she has at least a 3:50 400 in her if not faster
I wonder what it feels like to know you’ve smashed a Ledecky WR by 3 seconds. Gotta be otherworldly