Lani Pallister, a touch of Aussie swimming royalty never far away, joined the ranks of Commonwealth record holders today with a 15:39.14 victory in the 1500m freestyle in the curtain-closing race of Australian Trials in Adelaide.

The daughter of former International Janelle Elford and god-daughter of Aussie sprint legend Dawn Fraser (who was there at the pool in Adelaide to witness the moment), Pallister is the latest in the St. Peters Western swim stable of coach Dean Boxall, to rip into the record books.

Pallister's effort is only the third sub-15:40 in history and comes into the all-time ranking at No3, Kiwi Lauren Boyle's 15:40.14 from almost 10 years ago now Commonwealth No2:

All-Times Top 11, Women's 1500m Free:

Pallister's best was a 15:48,96, all-time No17 until today, which was good for bronze at Budapest 2022 World titles in Budapest adrift the two American Katies, the legend Ledecky, 15:30.15, and Grimes, 15:44.89.

Sadly, a bout of Covid wiped out what might have been Pallister's chance of an Olympic medal last year: she ended the year fifth on the global ranks but was not fit for the fight to show us he progress on the clock she might have made. She did, however, return home an Olympic champion, as a member of the victorious Australia 4x200m quartet.

You have to go back to the 1970s before you find a bull run of World records by Australians in the 1500m free (see below) - and given Ledecky's 15:20, it may be a while before we see another one, but Pallister is the latest Dolphin to leap high in the event, and today in Adelaide she was joined on the team for Singapore by Tia Kritzinger, coached by Damien Jones at Rackley performance centre, home in 16:16.04 ahead of Maddy Gough's 16:23.47.

The podium race:

Last Day Gallery

Photos by Delly Carr - courtesy of

Swimming Australia:

That 1970s Aussie 1500m WR bull run

From Shane Gould and the first sub-17 in history, in 1973 - the last of her World records - though Jenny Turrall's five pioneering swims, and Tracey Wickham's challenge to the 16min mark in the last year of the decade.

That 1500m in Adelaide brought trials to an end, the last session also witnessing these efforts:

Harris Hurries To Dominant 24.1 Dash Victory, The Aussie Sprint Spark Alive, Kicking & Pulling

Meg Harris on why she’s focussed on the 50 for now but wants 50 and 100m berths come LA2028; Kyle Chalmers matches his 22.89 best in the 50 ’fly for all comers mark; a full house of tickets to Singapore in the 400 medley finals (Smith, Petric, Ramsay and Forrester) as Trials close in Adelaide

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Dolphins 40-Deep Head To Singapore Worlds With 10 Rookies

As the waters stilled, Swimming Australia announced a 40-strong team for Singapore Worlds action in the pool July 27 to August 3.

The squad includes 10 rookies. Pallister will race in the 400 and 800m as well as the 1500m and the 4x200m after a stellar week in Adelaide: 3:59 to join the sub-4min club in the 400m; 8:10 as third fastest woman ever in the 800m; and then the Commonwealth 1500 mark inside Boyle's decade-old best. Pallister's first take (more quotes top be added later):

"It has been a good week ... it has shown what I can do."

Quite.

The book ends to Australia's team are 16 and 31 years old, Sienna Toohey to Olympic 50 free champion Cameron McEvoy, who will race at his seventh world championships, as the first - and hopefully last - era of a World titles every year for the past four - draws to an end with the closure of Covid-contract catch-up.

Dolphins Head coach Rohan Taylor told AAP, that the rookies are being urged to "mine a golden generation's expertise" and competitiveness.

"All I can compare is the type of athlete we have on the team -  they're just competitive. They hate losing more than they like winning, I think. There's just a certain character; we have got an abundance of them. What you have with Kaylee (McKeown), Mollie (O'Callaghan), Kyle (Chalmers) is super-competitive and they're infectious to the team."

That spirit was summed up by McKeown this week when she said, after a 2:04.4 in the 200 back:

“I want to go to a third Olympics. I want to be on American soil and show them what the Aussies have. I am happy with that (about racing the fastest time of the year in the world). It’s a good step in the right direction. It doesn’t matter what you do here, it depends what you do on the day in an international meet. I could do world records here, get to an international meet and come in last. So it really doesn’t matter what I do here, what form I’m in, I’ve got to get my mind right and see what I can do in a few weeks time.”

Taylor added: "So while we have them, we want to grow the others to learn how to be like that."

Taylor was impressed, AAP reports, with how the newcomers thrived under stress at trials this week. He said:

"You can't create that kind of pressure and expectation on someone before it actually happens. There's one thing to see them progressing ... what is pleasing is the ability to actually deliver. That is really a skill and that's the skill we look for. Now it's going to an international meet, can you repeat your performances? That is the next step for these guys."

Team Australia For Singapore:

POOL ATHLETES

OPEN WATER ATHLETES

COACHES

OPEN WATER COACHES

*Dolphin rookie