Night four at the Hancock Prospecting Queensland Championships saw the Australian boys' 16 years age 800m freestyle record fall to Lincoln Wearing after the standard having been held since 1990 by a certain Kieren Perkins on his way to a glorious leap of a career for the Dolphins.

Queensland’s latest great distance free hope, Wearing clocked 7:56.80 to take down the 7:57.93 mark set by the 1992 and 1996 Olympic 1500m free champion at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.

The Chandler Swim Club teen's splits:

• 26.92; 56.62; 1:56.81; 2:57.39; 3:57.93; 4:57.94; 5:58.43; 6:58.51, 7:56.80

Wearing has something in common with the reigning Olympic 800m free champion n from Ireland, Daniel Wiffen, who also has a twin brother, Nathan, in the race.

Isaac Wearing took silver behind his twin in 8:17.62, with Riley Meares (St Peters Western) third in 8:23.20. New waves take time to build but in Lincoln Wearing, Australia's next-gen distance Dolphin-in-waiting is well on his way to the school of speed.

Perkins set his mark going through the 800m on his way to Commonwealth Games silver over 1500m behind Glen Housman in the 1500m final in Auckland. A year later, at Perth 1991 Housman entered the World-titles fray as a favourite for the crown and a man who had been denied a World 1500m free record when electronic timing failed and FINA refused to ratify the standard based on the hand-held back-up.

Many wanted to interview him in a pre-champs media moment in a Port-a-cabin in Perth, and so I took the chance to head to the other end of the hut where an Aussie newcomer sat waiting patiently. The boy was Perkins. Rare to be at an Australia media gathering and get a one-on-one with 'the other contender'.

As the fates would have it, the Perth 30-length showdown was won by Germany's Jorg Hoffmann, Perkins wsa second and a man who many more now wanted to have a chat with, join his way to becoming a two-time Olympic champion over 1500m and breaker of World records over 400, 800 and 1500 between 1990 who was back for a third shot at the 30-length Olympic title at a home Sydney 2000 Games in 2000. By a small margin, he was handed a silver lining by teammate Grant Hackett.

Wearing, meanwhile, made his beyond-backyard breakthrough in his hometown pool at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre. Speaking through Swimming Queensland, he confirmed that beating Perkins on the clock was the bullseye he's aimed for after having broken Hackett’s 1500m 15 years age record 12 months ago:

“I was definitely going for it, knowing what Kieren did on his way to the Olympics, he’s done it all so breaking his record, it’s huge. I was actually aiming for a 7:54, but to get that record I can’t complain, and I’ve got Australian Age Nationals next year and I’m still 16 so hopefully I can go under it again.

“It’s such a thrill to be able to have the opportunity to race here after training hard, knowing I had Kieren’s record in my sights, that was my goal tonight, to go under it, so I’m thrilled.

“I was really happy with my 400m time of 3:48.15 yesterday so I knew I had a good shot at the record coming into the 800m. I was really hyped and I was confident going into the race; it felt pretty fast and coming into the 400m turn, I knew I could come back pretty hard – I felt good throughout the entire race. It will be good to step up to race the older boys later in the season.”

In other events, World Champion Meg Harris (Rackley) made it a 50, 100 and 200m treble with victory in the dash, her 24.48 keeping at bay Shayna Jack (St Peters Western) 24.79 and Milla Jansen (Bond) 25.14.

Jack's brother Jamie successfully defended his 50 free title in 21.74, while Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western) added the 200IM to her 400IM title, taking the win in 2:11.48 from Ella Ramsay (Griffith Univerity) 2:13.82.

• RESULTS IN FULL

Also in the December Vortex:

• Sam Short, Meg Harris & Lani Pallister Pile Up The Wins In Brisbane
• Ex-Dolphins Physio Accused Of Sexual Crimes
• Singapore Tops SEA Games In The Pool - Lim Claims 7th 50 Free Crown & Dedicates It To Her Late Father
• Ed Mildred Cracks GB Shiny Suit 200 'Fly Record & Tyler Melbourne-Smith Whacks 800 Free Standard
• Katie Ledecky Breaks 15mins for 1650y free At Eponymous Meet
• Mack's Back! Horton's New Passion...
• Tyler Melbourne-Smith Races Inside Pace Of Lublin Gold: 3:36.09 400 Free
• Lisa Angiolini Sets Italian 200 Breaststroke Mark On 2:18
• No Stopping Shortt! John's Record Season Of Plenty
• Ryan Lochte Selling Three Olympic Golds To Troubled Financial Waters
• Cameron Van der Burgh Back For Dashing Time In LA2028
• Full links to all our Euro s/c Champs coverage and heats coverage
• Celebrating the Life of Linda McGill

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State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

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State Of Swimming +Craig Lord