Lani Pallister wins world short course swimming gold days after godmother Dawn Fraser was hospitalised

Lani Pallister put the shock of godmother Dawn Fraser’s hospitalisation aside and delivered Australia’s first gold medal at the world short course swimming championships in Budapest.

Earlier this week Pallister, 22, said news of Fraser’s fall at home in Queensland that required surgery was “both stressful and frightening, given the relationship we share” and being so far away.

But with news of Fraser’s positive recovery spurring her on, Pallister led from start to finish to clock 8:01.95 – a championship, national and Oceania record in the women’s 800m freestyle at Duna Arena.

“I have a lot to thank my mum for,” she said, referring to Janelle, a former Olympian and her coach.

“I am really happy to end 2024 the way it’s going. After the 400 yesterday (in which she won silver), I thought I might crack. I am struggling a bit with confidence.

“I wanted to see how close I could go to eight minutes. I’m more than happy.”

Pallister withdrew from the 100m heats earlier in the day and was able to defend the 800m title she won in Melbourne 2022. It came just 24 hours after she claimed silver in the 400m free and women’s 4x100m free relay.

Pallister became only the second woman to defend the title and the first since Chen Hua of China won three straight golds in the event in 1999, 2000 and 2002.She also won the 400m, 1500m and 4x200m freestyle relay short course titles two years ago in Melbourne.

Sunshine Coast’s Alex Perkins also won silver in the 4x100m relay and, in a breakout meet, snatched bronze in the 50m butterfly with her second PB of this campaign – her 24.68 also a national and Oceania record.

The medals catapulted Australia to fourth on the medal table.