Lani Pallister has toppled swimming legend Katie Ledecky for a second time in 24 hours to complete her stunning Pan Pacific championship campaign with a fourth gold medal.
The 24-year-old Pallister was under world-record pace for much of the race as she won the 800m freestyle final in eight minutes and 6.1 seconds from four-time Olympic champion Ledecky (8:07.26) in the American's signature event.
Ledecky's lone previous defeat in an 800m freestyle final since 2010 came in a small domestic event in February 2024 against Canadian superstar Summer McIntosh, making Pallister the first to beat her over the distance at an international meet.
"Today is the most nervous I've ever felt in my entire life. I was just so locked in and I've been really focused on what I want," Pallister said.
"The 800m is my favourite event. So to have the three titles this week and be just behind Katie in the 1,500 [is great but] … this is the one that I wanted."
Ledecky, who famously signed an autograph for a young Pallister a decade ago, telling her to "dream big", wrote on Instagram that she "can't help but smile about another incredible race with [Pallister]".
Pallister had beaten Ledecky to win the 400m freestyle gold a day earlier and took silver behind her great rival in the 1,500m free, as well as downed McIntosh to win the 200m free gold and also collect gold in the 4x200m free relay.
Australia's Dolphins well and truly flexed their middle- and long-distance muscle at the meet, two years out from the LA Olympics, with Sam Short also emerging with three individual gold medals after winning the men's 1,500m free to go with his 400 and 800 free titles.
Having beaten Ian Thorpe's 1999 Pan Pacs record to win the 400m, he erased another Australian legend's mark in the 1,500m.
His time of 14:33.97 was the sixth-fastest in history, breaking Grant Hackett's Australian record that had stood since 2001, and came a day after German teenager Johannes Liebmann smashed the world record at the European Aquatics Championships.
"I am proud of my consistency," said Short, who also won the 400m, 800m, and 1,500m titles at the Commonwealth Games late last month.
"I've gone five well sub-15-minute swims now, so if I can do that here my average come Olympics, world championships, all I need to do is be my average and be contending for some podium places."
Adding to a strong final day for Australia, Zac Stubblety-Cook went from fourth to first in the 200m breaststroke final, winning in 2:08.09 from American Josh Matheny.
And countryman Jamie Jack won the 50m freestyle gold in a championship record of 21.35 as American Jack Alexy took silver in 21.42.
"It's awesome. That's the best I could ask for," Jack said.
American Kate Douglass lowered her own world record in the 50m free twice, winning the final in 23.19.
Douglass capped a busy night by anchoring the US women to a dominant victory in the 4x100 medley relay in a championship record time of 3:50.43, with Australia second in 3:55.09.
The US men won from Australia in the 4x100 medley relay.
Australia finished the four-day meet with a medal haul of 15 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze, behind only the US haul of 19, 22 and nine.
