World Records Fall and Pallister Wins Fourth World Title

Three World Records were broken on night four of the FINA Melbourne 2022 Swimming World Championships (25m).

France opened the night with a new World Record in the Mixed 4x50m Freestyle Relay with a time of 1:27.33, just edging out Australia’s Kyle Chalmers, Matt Temple, Meg Harris and Emma McKeon in second place with an Oceania Record of 1:28.03. The Netherlands rounded out the podium in bronze.

The second World Record belonged to Canada’s Maggie MacNeil in the Women’s 50m Backstroke (25.25) with  USA’s Claire Curzan taking the silver.

Also on the podium was Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan, winning her fifth medal of the meet, and setting a new Oceania record of 25.61. Traditionally a freestyler, O’Callaghan said the Australian and Oceania record came as a surprise.

“It’s surprising that my first record is in the 50 backstroke, so it’s kind of weird for me” she said.

“Typically, I don’t do the backstroke, it’s not my playground, I do it for fun.”

The final World Record went to the American Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Team in 6:44.12, breaking the record by a massive 2.69 seconds. The Australian quartet of Thomas Neil, Kyle Chalmers, Flynn Southam and Mack Horton also swam under World Record time in 6:46,54 to secure the silver.

Lani Pallister has wrapped up her golden campaign, with an emphatic win in the Women’s 1500m Freestyle by more than two laps, setting an Oceania Record of 15:21.43. The 1500m gold brings her to four World titles, adding to her earlier 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle relay victories.

In a rare and special moment, Pallister was joined by family friend and mentor, swimming legend Dawn Fraser, on the gold medal podium to sing the national anthem in front of the Melbourne crowd.

The 20-year-old said her 400m success on night one was the catalyst for her record-breaking meet.

“It’s been an incredible experience and I look forward to having a break over Christmas,” she said. “After the year I had last year coming from such a low, to now having the icing on the cake. I can’t wait to continue to build on my career,” she said.

“Victory in the 400m was imperative to everything that has happened over the last few days.

“Coming into this, I didn’t think that four gold medals was possible, but I don’t really focus on the medals.

“Coming from what I went through in 2021, and the struggles and challenges that I faced, it means a lot for me to have this success.”

Isaac Cooper won silver for Australia in the Men’s 50m backstroke. The rising Australian star was disappointed after a timing system malfunction occurred at the start of the Men’s 50m Backstroke Final, which meant that the race had to be re-run. America’s Ryan Murphy went on to win the gold in 22.64

The penultimate day of the Melbourne 2022 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) will be held tomorrow from 11:00am AEDT with all the action Exclusive, Live and Free on Channel 9 and 9Now.