Pallister poised for Olympic glory after beating Ledecky

Lani Pallister, a rising star in the swimming world, has made a name for herself as a distance swimmer, defying initial expectations that she would focus on butterfly events. Her career path took an unexpected turn when she accidentally selected the 800 metres freestyle on a race program instead of the 100m butterfly, leading to her qualification for her first junior team and eventually becoming a senior team member and short course world record holder.

A Breakthrough Year

This year has been a remarkable one for Pallister, marked by a breakthrough in August when she finally beat Katie Ledecky in the women's 800m freestyle at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. This victory was a significant milestone for Pallister, who had previously won gold in the 400m, 800m, and 1,500m at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, becoming the first woman to complete the treble at the Games.

"When you achieve a feat like that, you don't believe it until your hands are on the wall," Pallister said.

Pallister attributes her success to a change in coaching, having shifted from Michael Bohl to Dean Boxall over a year ago. She believes this change has been instrumental in her progress, allowing her to achieve things she didn't think possible.

"The past 18-month journey with [Dean] has been unbelievable, and I've achieved things in swim times I didn't think possible for myself," Pallister said.

Looking Ahead to the 2028 Olympics

With her newfound success, Pallister is now focused on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, seeking redemption after experiencing heartbreak in recent years, including illness and mental health struggles that affected her swimming career. Despite challenges, Pallister is excited about her future and the possibility of winning an individual Olympic medal.

"I really wanted to focus on staying humble," Pallister said. "There's a lot of work and a lot of things that are going to happen between now and the LA Olympics and I think that week over in LA in 2028 is going to be about consistency, repeat performance and just preparing."

Pallister will be 26 years old by the time the LA Games arrive and 30 when Brisbane rolls around, but age doesn't worry her. She believes that with a fresh perspective and a new coach, she can continue to excel in the sport.

"Female distance swimmers are slowly getting a little bit older," Pallister said, referring to Ledecky, who broke her own 800m world record at 28.

Defending Her Title

Before the LA and Brisbane Games, Pallister will be competing in the 2026 World Aquatic Championships in China, where she will defend her title as the short course 800m world record holder. With a busy year ahead, Pallister is focused on continuing her success and preparing for the next two years leading up to the LA Olympics.

"The biggest goal for me this year is going back to a World Championships and defending my back-to-back title in the 800," Pallister said. "When you have the opportunity to race on the international stage and get more race practice under the belt, particularly before the next two years going into LA, it is something that's really important."