2026 AUSTRALIAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS
While some big-time names to the tune of Kyle Chalmers, Kaylee McKeown and Mollie O’Callaghan are missing from these 2026 Australian Short Course Championships, the athletes who did show up have done so in spades through only day one.
This includes 23-year-old Sam Short, with the 5-time World Championships medalist getting it done for gold in the men’s 800m freestyle.
Short stopped the clock at a super speedy effort of 7:25.55, beating the field by over 10 seconds.
The next-closest competitor was represented by Tex Cross, who notched 7:38.45 for silver, as Alec Mander registered 7:38.76 for bronze.
Entering this competition, Short’s lifetime best in this event rested at the 7:31.79 logged last year, so the Rackley star blew that to bits en route to standing atop the podium.
Only Olympic icon Grant Hackett has been the faster Australian, still owning the national record he set in 2008.
Short’s time tonight would have easily won gold last year in Budapest, beating the 7:30.56 that Hungary’s Zalan Sarkany posted for the gold.
Top 5 Men’s SCM 800 Freestylers All-Time
- Daniel Wiffen (IRL) – 7:20.46
- Grant Hackett (AUS) – 7:23.42
- Sam Short (AUS) – 7:25.55
- Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR) – 7:25.73
- Henrik Christiansen (NOR) – 7:25.78
