2025 World Cup Stop 3 Wrap

AUSTRALIA’S female Dolphins bobbed a curtsy to the record books at the final World Cup stop and then promptly ripped them up with Lani Pallister (pictured), Kaylee McKeown and Mollie O’Callaghan all setting world records at the final leg of the 2025 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Toronto, Canada.

In a stand-out performance, Pallister smashed Katie Ledecky‘s 800m freestyle short course world record by more than three seconds. Ledecky – the G.O.A.T. of distance swimming – set the previous world-best mark of 7:57.42 in 2022 which rising powerhouse Pallister destroyed with an historic 7:54.00.

This comes after the 24-year-old claimed the 400m freestyle triple crown on opening night in Toronto and then the women’s ‘distance freestyle’ triple crown – this was unique among all events contested, as the women raced the 800m free at Stop 1 and Stop 3, and the 1500 free at Stop 2.

Less than 30 minutes after Pallister’s 800m gold, McKeown set a world record of 1:57.33 in the 200m backstroke. McKeown went from strength-to-strength in the event, her time of 1:58.86 in Stop 1 Carmel was a PB and Commonwealth-first. In Westmont, she promptly rewrote the books with a world-first time of 1:57.87.

McKeown, who has been untouchable in the 50m and 200m, caused an upset in Toronto and won the 100m over the top of reigning champion and world record holder, Regan Smith (USA). McKeown won gold in an Oceania record time of 54.49 and held off Smith who touched in second at 54.57.

The Untouchables

Australian Records: 2025 World Cup, Toronto Stop

• 400m freestyle – Lani Pallister: 3:51.87

• 50m backstroke – Kaylee McKeown: 25.35

• 100m backstroke – Kaylee McKeown: 54.49

• 200m freestyle – Mollie O’Callaghan: 1:49.36 (WR)

• 800m freestyle – Lani Pallister: 7:54.00 (WR)

• 200m backstroke – Kaylee McKeown: 1:57.33 (WR)

In the 50m backstroke final on opening night, McKeown set a Cup and Oceania record of 25.35 and claimed three consecutive wins in the event.

Night 2 was highlighted by a back-to-back world record from O’Callaghan.

The St Peters swimmer claimed the triple 200m freestyle crown and lowered her previous mark of 1:49.77 set a week earlier in Westmont with a new world-best time of 1:49.36. In Stop 1 Carmel, O’Callaghan kickstarted her golden tour with a Commonwealth record of 1:50.77.

Pallister won silver behind O’Callaghan in the 200m freestyle (1:51.75), followed by New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather (1:52.71).

Max Giuliani and Brendon Smith claimed their first medals – both a bronze – of the world tour.

Giuliani in the 200m freestyle and Smith in the 1500m freestyle, behind fellow Aussie Sam Short who picked up his third gold of the tour. Short hit the wall at 14:35.55 ahead of Carson Foster (USA) in second (14:44.53) and Smith, who is better known for his medley events, in third (14:45.84).

Alex Perkins and O’Callaghan added more silvers to Australia’s medal tally. Perkins snagged second in the 50m and 100m butterfly events behind American Gretchen Walsh.

It took a world record of 49.93 by Kate Douglass (USA) in the 100m freestyle to win gold ahead of O’Callaghan who touched in second at 50.82, followed by Netherland’s Marrit Steenbergen in third (51.10).

Team Australia achieved their greatest gold medal haul of the 2025 World Cup series in Toronto with seven golds. In total, 15 medals (7 golds -4 silvers-4 bronze) were claimed by the team of 22.

2025 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP HONOUR ROLL – ALL THREE LEGS

GOLD

(Carmel)

• Lani Pallister – women’s 400m freestyle
• Kaylee McKeown – women’s 50m backstroke
• Sam Short – men’s 1500m freestyle
• Mollie O’Callaghan – women’s 200m freestyle CR
• Lani Pallister – women’s 800m freestyle
• Kaylee McKeown – women’s 200m backstroke CR

(Westmont)

• Lani Pallister – women’s 400m freestyle OC
• Sam Short – men’s 400m freestyle
• Kaylee McKeown – women’s 50m backstroke
• Mollie O’Callaghan – women’s 200m freestyle WR
• Lani Pallister – women’s 1500m freestyle CR
• Kaylee McKeown – women’s 200m backstroke WR

(Toronto)

• Lani Pallister – women’s 400m freestyle OC
• Kaylee McKeown – women’s 50m backstroke OC
• Sam Short – men’s 1500m freestyle
• Mollie O’Callaghan – women’s 200m freestyle WR
• Kaylee McKeown – women’s 100m backstroke CR
• Lani Pallister – women’s 800m freestyle WR
• Kaylee McKeown – women’s 200m backstroke WR

SILVER

(Carmel)

• Sam Short – men’s 400m freestyle
• Mollie O’Callaghan – women’s 50m backstroke
• Alex Perkins – women’s 50m freestyle
• Lani Pallister – women’s 200m freestyle
• Kaylee McKeown – women’s 100m backstroke
• Alex Perkins – women’s 50m butterfly CR
• Alex Perkins – women’s 100m butterfly OC
• Mollie O’Callaghan – women’s 100m freestyle

(Westmont)

• Alex Perkins – women’s 50m freestyle
• Sam Short – men’s 800m freestyle
• Lani Pallister – women’s 200m freestyle
• Kaylee McKeown – women’s 100m backstroke
• Alex Perkins – women’s 50m butterfly CR
• Alex Perkins – women’s 100m butterfly
• Mollie O’Callaghan – women’s 100m freestyle

(Toronto)