Lani Pallister shines at Pan Pacific Championships

Australian swimmer Lani Pallister was named Female Swimmer of the Meet at the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California. Pallister secured three individual gold medals and achieved lifetime bests in the 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, and 1500m freestyle. Notably, she defeated Summer McIntosh in the 200m freestyle and overcame Katie Ledecky in both the 400m and 800m freestyle events, the latter marking the first time Ledecky was beaten on the international stage in that distance.

Following the championships, members of the Australian swimming team, including Pallister and Sienna Toohey, toured SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The $7 billion venue is scheduled to be transformed into the swimming arena for the 2028 Olympic Games. The stadium features advanced technology, including a 110-metre infinity screen, and is expected to host over 40,000 spectators during the nine-day competition.