Los Angeles: In the moments after coming within 0.71 seconds of Lukas Martens’ 400m freestyle world record at Australia’s swimming trials in June, Sam Short flung himself out of the water and launched into a post-race interview on Channel 9.
“Can’t wait to go over there and smash those Pommies up and then go over there and smash those Yanks,” Short exclaimed.
In a landscape where many Australian athletes are often reluctant to talk themselves up – or are instructed by media managers and coaches to keep a lid on things – Short’s bravado was refreshing as he sent a warning to English and American swimmers that he meant business.
But will it turn out to be his very own Gary Hall jnr moment at the Pan Pacific Championships in California which start on Wednesday (Thursday morning, AEST)?
Who could forget the brash American swimmer declaring on the eve of the Sydney 2000 Olympics that his USA men’s 4x100m freestyle relay team would “smash” the Australians “like guitars” on the opening night of competition.
What often gets lost is that Hall was actually complimentary of the Australians in the article in which he was quoted. But his prediction was plastered across the front and back pages as he arrived in Sydney, much to the horror of team officials at the time.
The story lives in Australian Olympic folklore, with Michael Klim swimming a world record 100m freestyle split as the lead-off leg before Ian Thorpe mowed down Hall in the final metres to consign the USA to their first defeat in the event in Olympic history.
Gold medal winners Klim, Chris Fydler, Ashley Callus and Thorpe then played air guitars to an adoring home crowd.
At that very same pool in Sydney, Short laid down his own challenge to his American rivals ahead of this week’s Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California, starting on Wednesday (Thursday AEST).
“That went down the wrong way, didn’t it,” Short says of Hall’s prediction 26 years ago.
“We ended up smashing them in that race, so hopefully the ending’s a little bit different this time.
“That story went down in the history books and is still talked about today. It was a tremendous race and happened before I was born. If I come second in a way like that, I wouldn’t be too fussed.”
Short and his Australian teammates arrived in enemy territory last week ahead of the four-day meet in Irvine, a short drive from SoFi Stadium, where swimming will be held at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Fresh off three individual gold medals at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle, plus another victory in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay, Short has already ticked off the first half of the ambitious statement he made at trials.
The Pan Pacs have not been held since 2018, with the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting the traditional four-year cycle. This week’s meet is also the first major international swimming event on US soil since 2010.
However, a number of Australia’s biggest names have opted out or are missing through injury or illness, including Cam McEvoy, Mollie O’Callaghan, Kaylee McKeown, Kyle Chalmers and Flynn Southam.
Australia’s leading hopes include Short, Lani Pallister and Meg Harris, but there has been no walking back Short’s quest to trample the Americans in their own backyard.
“I want to keep stirring them up a little bit,” Short said. “I’ve trained so hard and you know, it’s not a lie. I really do want to smash them. I want to win, and I want to destroy them.”
The Pan Pacs features swimmers from non-European nations, but Australia’s biggest rivals will be the Americans – and for Short, that means US distance superstar Bobby Finke.
The pair endured vastly different fortunes at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Short, battling illness in the lead-up, described his campaign as a “failure” after finishing fourth in the 400m freestyle before missing the finals of the 800m and 1500m events.
Earlier that year, Short had said he believed he could break the 400m and 1500m freestyle world records.
Finke, meanwhile, stormed to victory in the 1500m freestyle in world-record time and also claimed silver in the 800m.
Finke does not race the 400m freestyle, an event Short will start as a heavy favourite to win in Irvine, but the pair will do battle in the 800m and 1500m finals (Thursday and Sunday afternoon, Australian time).
Short has posted faster times this year and arrives in strong form.
He will not be the only Australian distance swimmer hoping to strike an early blow against the Americans less than two years out from the Los Angeles Olympics.
Pallister is aiming to take down US great Katie Ledecky. Her best chance is in the 800m freestyle, an event the American has won at the past four Olympics and seven world championships.
“I think we’re just gonna go to another level,” Short said of his Australian teammates.
Tom Decent is the chief sports writer for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
