Australian Lani Pallister has become the first swimmer to beat Katie Ledecky in an 800m freestyle at a major meet, ending the American’s streak at 13 international championship gold medals dating back to 2012.
Pallister clocked 8:06.10 to beat Ledecky for the second time at this week’s Pan Pacific Championships after previously taking out 400m freestyle gold.
But to topple the American in the 800m was a genuine moment to savour after building towards it.
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Pallister, a 24-year-old who saved Ledecky’s autograph from 2014, was just 36 hundredths of a second behind Ledecky at the 2025 world championships.
It was the closest 800m freestyle race at a championship event in Ledecky’s career.
At these Pan Pacs, Pallister was 2.53 seconds behind Ledecky in the 1500m — the closest anybody has been to Ledecky in a championship 1500m in 13 years — then beat Ledecky for the first time in any distance in the 400m.
Ledecky won the 800m free at the 2012 Olympics at age 15, then rattled off three more Olympic golds in the event, plus seven world titles and two Pan Pacific titles.
Along the way she conquered Australian great Ariarne Titmus, twice at the Olympics and twice at the world championships.
Now Pallister heads to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics as the woman to beat at the 800m distance.
Pallister finished the Pan Pacs with gold in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle as well as the 4x200m freestyle relay, plus her 1500m silver behind Ledecky.
