Sam Short made a splash at the Australian Swim Trials, shattering records and leaving spectators in awe. Short's performance in the 800m freestyle final was nothing short of extraordinary, as he clocked an impressive time of 7:36.73, breaking both the Australian and Commonwealth records. This achievement marks a significant milestone, as Short becomes the fastest Australian ever over this distance, surpassing Lin Zhang's longstanding world record of 7:32.12. What makes this feat even more remarkable is that Short achieved it without the aid of a supersuit, which were banned by World Aquatics (FINA) in 2010 to ensure fair competition. Short's determination and skill are evident, as he aimed for the textile world record, a challenging feat in itself. He expressed his excitement about his performance, stating that it's the only way to get close to the elusive 7:32 mark, which he considers the most untouchable world record in the 200m freestyle. Short's success at the trials continued with his gold medals in the 200m and 400m finals, and he's on track to potentially leave with four golds if he wins the 1500m on Friday. This young swimmer is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in the world of competitive swimming.
In contrast, Cam McEvoy, another Australian swimming legend, took home the 50m freestyle title, finishing in 21.32 seconds. While McEvoy's performance was impressive, he admitted that he wanted to go faster, finishing just under half a second outside his world record mark of 20.88 seconds, set at the China Open. McEvoy's disappointment is understandable, especially given the presence of the Enhanced Games, where Greek Olympian Kristian Gkolomeev wore a banned polyurethane super-suit and took performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) to achieve a time of 20.81 seconds, faster than McEvoy's world record. McEvoy dismissed the Enhanced Games as an exhibition, emphasizing that they are not comparable to regular sporting events and that the world of sport will move on from this spectacle. Despite this setback, McEvoy remains a powerhouse in the 50m freestyle, and his focus on the Commonwealth Games shows his commitment to peak performance. The depth of Australia's swimming talent is truly remarkable, and McEvoy's optimism about the future of the 50m freestyle in Brisbane is well-founded.
