Budapest World Short Course: Day 6 Finals Wrap

FOR campaign head coach Simon Cusack, it was a blue-chip investment ahead of Australia’s 2028 LA Olympic campaign.

The Dolphins wrapped up the 2024 Budapest World Short Course Championships at Duna Arena with 2 gold, 5 silver, 5 bronze and a staggering 22 personal best times spread across a 24-member team boasting nine rookies.

But of greater value than the statistics, were the learnings.

“This has been an incredibly successful campaign. For the first time, the rookies have had to juggle a lot of swims that they wouldn’t have got on a full team. We’ve pulled swimmers from everywhere and the relays have punched above their weight,” Cusack said.

“What you’re seeing here are the names you’re going to see on the runway to the LA Olympics.

“It’s not often that a rookie such as Milla Jansen would get 11 or 12 gun starts at a meet – that kind of exposure is so valuable and it’s against world-class athletes.

“In addition to learning how to manage workload, they’re learning how to manage travel, different time zones, different diets etc.

“And for other younger swimmers like Iona Anderson, who did something like 13 races, a meet like this will fast track her career. While she has been on senior long course teams before, this meet has been about resilience and learning to execute when perhaps they don’t feel great.

“We are incredibly grateful for the funding we receive from the Federal Government that allows us to have tours like this … the swimmers at this meet are the future.

“And the Olympians who have come back to compete here have been great to have their leadership around the group, we also have two scholarship coaches here (Ben Tuxford and Michaela Pattinson) so this is a blue chip investment ahead of LA.”

The last night of racing saw Dolphin Max Giuliani drop a PB in the men’s 200m free – a 1:40.36 – to win silver – his first individual international medal which was also an Oceania record. USA’s Luke Hobson (1:38.61) set a world record to win gold with Lucas Henveaux claiming bronze (1:41.13).

The Tasmanian’s work out of the pool was almost as impressive.

In the space of 30 minutes, Giuliani changed into his podium tracksuit, was presented with his medal, to only then strip back down and anchor the men’s 4x100m medley relay team to sixth (3:22.03).Also swimming in the relay was Isaac Cooper, Josh Yong and Matt Temple.

“I knew it was going to hurt, backing up for the relay, but I can’t complain. To do a PB, get a national and Oceania record – win my first international senior podium I can’t be too disappointed and then to swim with my mates in a relay, which I love doing – I’m pretty happy,” he said.

OTHER RESULTS ON DAY 6

• WOMEN’S 50m Free: Paris Olympic Games silver medallist Meg Harris touched fifth in 23.73 with USA’s Gretchen Walsh (22.83) claiming her 10^th World Record of the meet (nine individual, one relay). American teammate Kate Douglas won silver (23.05) and Poland’s Katarzyna Wasick (23.37) bronze.
• WOMEN’S 200m Back: Iona Anderson, also a Paris Olympian, has been a workhorse for the Dolphins, juggling individual and relay commitments. In her final event, the West Australian finished seventh in 2:04.60. Regan Smith (1:58.04) set a world record to win gold, Canada’s Summer McIntosh (1:59.96) claimed silver and neutral athlete Anastasiya Shkurdai (2:00.56) bronze.
•  WOMEN’S 200m FREE: Another PB for Lani Pallister. Her 1:51.75 saw her finish fourth with teammate Leah Neale (1:53.21) finishing seventh. Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey (1:50.62) won gold, Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey (1:51.49) silver and USA’s Claire Weinstein (1:51.62) bronze.