Aus Short Course Champs Day 3 Heats Wrap

Dolphin superstars Elijah Winnington, Sam Short and Lani Pallister lock in ahead of a blockbuster penultimate night of finals tonight at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.

Only 24 athletes will be selected at the conclusion of tomorrow night’s racing to compete at the 2026 World Short Couse Championships in Beijing from December 1-6.

What to look out for tonight:

• Defending 400m free short course world champion Elijah Winnington v the man in the best shape of his life, Sam Short
• Commonwealth Games gold medallist Brittany Castelluzzo (pictured) looking at clear water – and a qualifier – in the women’s 100m butterfly
• Lani Pallister dives in for her fourth final of the meet in the 400m frees after claiming the 200m and 1500m free titles
• Ben Armbruster and Jesse Coleman go head-to-head in the 100m fly final, Armbruster claimed the 50m fly national record on Day 1

“I really can’t lose this week.”

With a PB under his belt in the 200m on Tuesday, Elijah Winnington dives in tonight for his favourite, and signature, event the men’s 400m freestyle.

Winnington has only had a glimpse of what might be possible since moving to new coach Tim Lane – the man in charge of Cam McEvoy – a few weeks ago but his 200m hit out immediately delivered a PB of 1:42.97.

“It would be awesome (to) qualify for China (and World Short Course), but if not, it just means I get to start some pre-season stuff with Tim (Lane) a bit earlier. So, I really can’t lose this week.”

“I have big goals coming into LA and I knew I wasn’t going to achieve them if I just stayed doing what I was doing,” Winnington said.

“So, I made the move (from Dean Boxall to Tim Lane) and, Cam (McEvoy) and I really are developing something really special and something that I know hasn’t been done before in middle distance swimming ever.”

Pushing the pace tonight will be a primed Sam Short who confessed he can’t wait to put himself in the “hurt locker” with the timed finals format eliminating heats and leaving the 23-year-old edgy to race.

Short remained unbeaten over 400, 800 and 1500m at both Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships and opened up National Short Course Championships with a win in the 800m.

The Rackley swimmer, dropped over six seconds off his previous best to clock a 7:25.55 PB on opening night and beat the 800m freestyle field by over 10 seconds.

Meanwhile Tea Tree Gully’s Brittany Castelluzzo has clear water going into tonight’s 100m butterfly following the withdrawal of the fastest entrant and the World Short Course 2024 bronze medallist Alex Perkins due to a digestive upset.

Castelluzzo is the top qualifier tonight (57.12) but emerging Bond swimmer Claudia Fydler is hot on her feet as second-fastest seed (57.17). Olympian Liv Wunsch backs up from her 100m freestyle gold medal efforts but will have some ground to make up as the fourth-fastest finalist (57.81).

And ironwoman Lani Pallister, contesting everything from the 100m to the 1500m freestyle, has promised an all-out effort with good mate Jenna Forrester lining up beside her.

Pallister said: “I think 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 is something that’s really important and something that Dean and I have spoken about a lot.”

“There will be no short cuts tonight.”

See full results here: https://liveresults.swimming.org.au/sal/2026SC/