Pan Pacs Day 1 Heats Wrap

BUCKLE up.

Lani Pallister (pictured) is ready for the race of her life.

The 24-year-old warmed up for today’s 1500m match up with distance goat Katie Ledecky by putting down the fastest 200m heat swim of her career.

In front of her mum Janelle, former coach Michael Bohl and new coach Dean Boxall, Pallister clocked 1:55.29 from the fifth and final heat, with USA’s Erin Gemmell (1:55.88) and fellow Dolphin Milla Jansen also advancing.

Canada’s Summer McIntosh (1:55.85) cruised through to also qualify alongside New Zealand’s Erica Fairweather (1:55.53).

“Katie’s had so many historic races … she’s pretty much destroyed everyone in the 1500 for the past 10 years and it is such an honour to be racing her again, and I hope it be another historic night here in Irvine,” Pallister said.

This is the first time the Pan Pacs have been held after the 2022 edition was canned due to COVID and the fast and furious four-day competition at William Woollett Aquatics Centre in Irvine will run through to Saturday.

Australia’s 50m flyers also go into Day 1 finals in red hot form with Stanthorpe’s Ben Armbruster, who won gold in Glasgow in a Commonwealth Games record of 22.73, touching in 22.92 to claim lane four and the Championship record.

In the women’s one-lap butterfly sprint, Alex Perkins qualified third fastest for tonight’s final: her 25.57 behind Gretchen Walsh (USA) who was the fastest qualifier in a Games record time of 24.91 and Kate Douglas (24.99).

Day 1 Finals: Pac Pacs

Dolphins racing from 12 noon AEST / 7pm local time. Watch live on 9Now.