Pallister wins Olympic gold then ocean swim after 4am Sunshine Coast dash
Pallister won gold at the short course championships then claimed victory in an ocean swim.
Swimmer Lani Pallister wrapped up the Australian short course championships in Sydney on Friday night with a fourth gold medal in the 800m freestyle, sealing her spot in the 24-person squad for the Beijing world championships.
Less than 24 hours later, the 24-year-old was on the Sunshine Coast competing in the 1.2km Bluff to Bar ocean swim at Alexandra Headland. Pallister woke at 4am to catch a flight for an 11:20am start, driven partly by FOMO.
Pallister led the stacked field from start to finish to claim her third straight win in the event. Pallister said the ocean swim was her way of giving back to Alexandra Heads Surf Club, which she credited with helping shape her as an athlete.
She competed in every freestyle event from 100m to 1,500m in Sydney, winning gold in all but the 100m where she placed second.
- 24 years old
- Age
- Beijing, December 1-6
- World championships
- 1.2 kilometres
- Ocean swim distance
- 125
- Tumble turns completed
Why it mattersPallister's dual success shows her range as a swimmer and her commitment to her local community, rare for an elite athlete with such a heavy competition schedule.
AustraliaThe Australian swimmer is now set for the Beijing world championships in December and the LA Olympics in 2028.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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