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Lani Pallister Hands Katie Ledecky Her First Ever International Loss In The Women's 800 Free
SwimSwam • • general
Key Points:
- At the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California, Lani Pallister (AUS) defeated Katie Ledecky (USA) in the women's 800m freestyle, marking Ledecky's first international loss in this event since 2012.
- Pallister posted a time of 8:06.10, the seventh-fastest swim in history and a new Championship record, while Ledecky finished second with 8:07.26, the 10th-fastest ever.
- Pallister dominated the meet with three individual gold medals, also winning the 200m and 400m freestyle events, and broke multiple records including Australian, Oceanian, and Commonwealth records in the 1500m freestyle.
- This result signals a potential shift in women's distance swimming, with Pallister emerging as a leading contender ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where Ledecky, now 31, may face increasing competition.
- Despite the upset, Ledecky remains a top competitor, having set the 800m freestyle world record as recently as 2025, but Pallister's rise suggests a new era in the event's competitive landscape.
