Australia’s distance dominator Sam Short has tonight become the gold medal defender, winning back-to-back gold medals in the 1500m freestyle in Glasgow – presented with Australia’s 100th medal at the 23rd edition of the Commonwealth Games.
And it was an angry Short who led from the start to win in a time of 14:42.11 – digging deep to keep Northern Ireland’s Dan Wiffen and Dolphins team mate Ben Goedemans at bay – defending the gold he won in Birmingham four years ago.
And completing the distance treble – adding the 1500m title to his gold medals in the 400m and 800m and 800m freestyle relay and his fourth gold of the meet.
The win coming 90 minutes after he had swum the final of the 200m freestyle won by team mate Kai Taylor from lane one.
Wiffen, the Paris Olympic bronze medallist and 2024 World Champion, unable to bridge the gap, finishing in 14:44.70- for silver with Goedemans adding bronze to his tally in 14.49.50 – a personal best for the Games rookie and pleasingly under 14:50.00 for the first time.
Short saying after the race that he wasn’t all that happy with his 200m earlier in the session – taking his anger into the 1500m. Just 90 minutes before the 1500, Short had swum the final of the 200m freestyle, finishing fifth to Australian Taylor who stole the race from lane one.
“I was caught up with the cat and mouse swimming in that 200m and couldn’t see Kai swimming on the outside,” said Short.
“I was a little bit frustrated and I took all that anger out there (for the 1500m). It was a pretty hot field with (Dan’s) 14:44 for second – so I’m really happy with that to be honest – and having the 200 and 1500 on the one night – I don'[t know who designed the schedule to be honest but it bloody hurt – a 1:45 to a 14:42..that’s a great training session right there- I’m pretty excited about what lies ahead in the future.”
Short completing a rare feat personally, becoming fourth Australian to defend the 1500m crown – joining g Manly pioneer Noel “Tiger” Ryan (1930 and 1934), Max Metzker (1978 and 1982) and Grant Hackett (1998 and 2002).
And for the Australian team – the Class of 2026 emulating the feats of the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games team – by winning every men’s and women’s freestyle event – from the 12 individual events from the 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800m to the 1500m – along with the six freestyle relays – the Men’s, Women’s and Mixed 400 freestyle relays and the men’s and women’s 800m relays – for a total of 17 freestyle wins which included the men’s 800m to Short and the women’s 1500m to Lani Pallister for the first time.
A tough ask at the end of a non-stop six days for Short who played his head back in the water, basking in a glorious week’s work – in the Tollcross International Swimming Centre.
Australia’s List Of Freestyle Dominators:
50m: Meg Harris and Cam McEvoy
100m:Meg Harris and Flynn Southam
200m: Mollie O’Callaghan and Kai Taylor
400m: Lani Pallister and Sam Short
800m: Lani Pallister and Sam Short
1500m: Lani Pallister and Sam Short