Welcome to the final session of the 2026 Australian Swimming Trials, which will start with the shortest event on the schedule in the women’s 50 free, and end with the longest in the women’s 1500 free.
There is, perhaps unsurprisingly, no crossover between the two finals, but Lani Pallister will be going for her fourth medal of the week in the latter while Meg Harris, 2025 world champion, will be aiming to fight past prelims leader Shayna Jack in the former.
Pallister clocked a new Australian, Oceanian, and Commonwealth record of 15:39.14 in the 1500 last one, one of several marquee swims for her in 2025, although if her tactics this week are anything to go by we are in for a blazing first half of the race from her. She was less than five seconds off her best at the Australia Open Championships two months ago, clocking 15:44.07 for her third-fastest swim ever.
Shayna Jack leapfrogged Meg Harris in the 50 free world rankings with a 24.45 to lead the heats this morning ahead of Harris’ 24.61, although Harris was 24.48 at the Queensland Championships in December. Both women qualified for the Commonwealth team in the 100 free yesterday, clocking 52.93 and 52.63 respectively.
Between those two events, we will have the men’s and women’s MC 100 free, the men’s and women’s 400 IM, and the men’s 50 fly.
Ben Armbruster made a statement in the latter of those this morning, breaking 23 seconds to lead prelims in 22.96 ahead of top seed Kyle Chalmers, who clocked 23.15. Isaac Cooper (23.39), 50 free world record holder Cam McEvoy (23.48), and 100 fly Australian record holder Matt Temple (23.57) make this an eye-catching final.
William Petric has the IM double in his sights as the top seed into the men’s 400 IM final in 4:15.14, three seconds ahead of Thomas Neill‘s 4:18.41. Petric clocked 4:10.20 in April, which ranks him 7th in the world so far this season and is under the 4:13.59 qualifying time for Commonwealths and Pan Pacs this summer.
Ella Ramsay will look to do the same for the women, having won the 200 IM in 2:09.07 on day 1. She doubled up on Monday with a 4:04.30 in the 400 free, and her 4:32.30 PB could be in danger. She led the heats by more than six seconds in 4:41.56 despite shutting it down early. Second seed Tara Kinder has taken silver behind Ramsay twice so far this week, in the 200 IM and 200 breast, and could make it a trio of podiums for her this week.
WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – FINAL
‘A’ Final
WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE MC – FINAL
Top 3
MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE MC – FINAL
Top 3
MEN’S 400 IM – FINAL
‘A’ Final
WOMEN’S 400 IM – FINAL
‘A’ Final
MEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – FINAL
‘A’ Final
WOMEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE – FINAL
‘A’ Final