Short steals spotlight with CR in 800m freestyle
Samuel Short of Australia won the men's 800m freestyle at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships with a Championship Record time of 7:37.02, 5.5 seconds faster than second-place finisher Bobby Finke of the U.S..
Video Transcript
Usa!
USA!
Take your marks When you break it down and lifetime best, you know, Short has been 7:36 already this year, which is two seconds faster than Finke.
He went that back at their trials in June.
Bobby's the American record holder, as you said, 7:38.
It all boils down to the first 400, though.
I, I think Sam Short could be three or four seconds ahead of Bobby Finke at the 400, and then Bobby's gonna have to work the entire way on the back half.
And that's the thing about Short, he's just got so much easy early speed.
He'll be on Australia's 800 free relay, make no doubt about it.
Bobby will not.
So he just takes a while to get into it, and this 800 being a little short for Bobby and probably the perfect sweet spot for Sam Short.
This might be his best event.
I think In fact, I think it is his best event.
I don't know, the 400's pretty good, too.
No prelims here in these distance events, so this is the last of the timed heats.
7:50.11, the fastest time thus far, but- He's so good here this year, and he's way ahead of that world record.
Again, we've seen a lot of this with this world record.
The In fact, I think, I think with the women's 200 fly going down by McIntosh, this might be the best world record still on the book.
7:32, Erin Pearsall's 200 back's pretty good.
Zsen Len right there, he was 3:46, 3:45 1500 last year at those world championships for the American Well, this is a big sign right here.
I mean, no question about it.
Halfway point, you can tell so much, and the tempo is just relentless right now by, by Sam Short.
46.7 is the world record split.
3:45.1.
Wow, that is fast.
Tell you how fast that world record still is with Short being four seconds slower, lifetime best.
Having a great swim.
I don't think he has a shot at the world record.
Yeah, maybe paying the price for going out ablaze here early.
He's fallen off that world record pace.
He was down a 10th in the last 50, and now by more than a half-second here at this point.
But still, that early eruption for Sam Short has given him a sizable advantage here.
A impressive, swift swim thus far Yeah, and Bobby Finke is having a great swim but it's getting lost with Sam Short.
I mean, look at Bobby.
He's still, I mean, so far behind.
He's five seconds now behind Short but he's having a pretty good swim.
But look at Short go.
He Now let's get back to the clock again.
6:39.5.
That is a second and a half off a world record pace.
So he is gonna go for fastest, perhaps the second-fastest time in history if he can get home this last 50.
That would be a heck of a swim Short had his lifetime best, the top time in the world this year in June.
And here in August looking to set a new standard for himself and one of the fastest times in the history of this event.
Sam Short accelerating early and intensifying things throughout en route to an impressive swim.
Championship record for Short as he falls off late.
Bobby Finke will get in for silver.
Short with a new Pan Pacs record, besting Bobby Finke, and it's two Aussies on the podium here in Irvine All right, Sam.
You're coming straight into Irvine pretty hot off the Commonwealth Games where you had an epic, amazing showing and a really intense, grueling schedule.
Then you're coming out here with quite the load.
How do you maintain that physically?
I just love getting up and racing, you know?
I was really excited to watch, race Bobby.
You know, he's triple Olympic champ for a reason, so I brought my A game and I really sent it there.
It hurt a lot.
Second fastest time I've ever done, so super stoked.
You know, longer taper than usual, so maybe something to remember for the future Absolutely.
So California's looking pretty good on you and got LA 2028 just down the road in 2 years.
What does a race like tonight do to your confidence?
Oh, it's awesome.
You know, I g- I love coming here.
I've been here a fair few times in the last two years and, I mean, the weather's amazing.
Get to skip Aussie winter which isn't that bad in the whole scheme of things.
But, you know, I get to race Bobby more and more over the next couple years and, you know, he's got his 1500 later in the week and I'm gonna try and stick with him there.
And it's a hot 400 field as well, so a lot of hard racing to come Fantastic.
We look forward to seeing what you're gonna bring next.
Congrats Thank you.
Thanks, guys.
