Trials Day 6 Six Pack Preview: Chalmers, Pallister, Crothers headline

A glittering pod of para Dolphins headline the men’s 100m free MC – Crothers, Gallagher, Simpson, Ireland, Michel – and that’s just the opening heat.

It’s last call for Australia’s top swimmers to punch their ticket for Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Pan Pacific Championships and Para Pan Pacific Championships.

On the final day of racing at the Australian Swimming Trials champions Meg Harris, Lucky Patterson, Kyle Chalmers, Cam McEvoy and Lani Pallister (pictured) dive in. So far, the ironwoman of the meet has contested the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m, now all that’s left is 30 laps.

DAY 6 SWIMMERS’ SIX PACK PREVIEW

Meg Harris | Rackley, QLD – Women’s 50m Freestyle
Dual Olympian Meg Harris, is the driving force of Australia’s golden legacy in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay, and today the 24-year-old starts is the red-hot favourite in today’s event as the reigning 50m freestyle world champion.

Ben Armbruster | Bond, QLD – Men’s 50m Butterfly
After missing out on selection for the 2025 World Championships, Ben Armbruster fired up to showcase his serious skills at the TYR Pro Series in California. Competing for Australia A Team, the Paris Olympian from Stanthorpe set a TYR Pro allcomers record of 23.00 in the 50m fly ahead of Tokyo Olympic champion Caleb Dressel (23.28).

But watch out for Kyle Chalmers who shocked the crowd at the Australian Open in April when he went within 4/100ths of a national record set almost 16-years ago and clocked a PB of 22.77. Chalmers teased on Thursday following his 100m freestyle win that his 50m butterfly was going to be his best event on his program. Oh and don’t forget Cam McEvoy might also trouble the scoreboard.

Tiana Kritzinger | Rackley, QLD – Women’s 1500m Freestyle
Tiana Kritzinger represented Australia in the 1500m at the 2025 World Short Course Championships and has recently burst on to the open water scene, winning a 10km bronze medal at the 2026 Australian Open Water Championships. Kritzinger is a firm chance to double up as both a pool and open water Dolphin for the Pan Pacific Championships after already being named for the 10km open water event.

Also in the water is Lani Pallister who spectacularly closed out the 2025 Australian Swimming Trials by breaking the 1500m Commonwealth record that had stood for over a decade. Pallister has been an ironwoman this meet contesting every freestyle event from the 100m through to the 1500m.
An historic gold is on the line in Glasgow with the 2026 Commonwealth Games program featuring the women’s 1500m freestyle event for the first time.

Rowan Crothers | Marion, SA – Men’s 100m Freestyle MC
Rowan Crothers has already punched his ticket for Para Pan Pacs in the 50m freestyle but is looking to double down to firm his chance to sweep the sprint freestyle titles in California. Last year, Australia’s S10 sprint king Crothers claimed three gold medals, including a world record relay and the 50m-100m double, at the 2025 Singapore World Para Swimming Championships. His closest competitor is fellow Dolphin Tom Gallagher who was fastest qualifier in the 50m free this week and has been training hard as the only para-athlete in Dean Boxall’s squad at St Peters.

Jenna Jones | USC Spartans, QLD – Women’s 100m Freestyle MC
Hailing from the Blue Mountains, Jenna Jones is a vision impaired swimmer who made her Paralympic debut at 15 in Rio. Eight years later, she made her Paralympic return for Paris. Jones is looking to add today’s 100m free to her Para Pan Pacs dance card and she will go to California via Glasgow – where she will contest the S13 50m and 100m freestyle events alongside Kirralee Hayes and teen rookie Mia Hogan.

Brendon Smith | St Peters Western – Men’s 400m IM
It will be a tight battle today between Australia’s top IM men – Brendon Smith, Will Petric and David Schlicht – for a spot on the Glasgow team.
Smith, the current Australian record holder, made his Dolphins debut in Birmingham 2022 and won silver in the 400m IM but Petric has been in form taking out the 200m IM and training at Nunawading alongside close rival and current Commonwealth record holder from New Zealand, Lewis Clareburt.