Following an incredible and action-packed month that saw our athletes compete on the international stage at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the momentum continued as our Rackley Swim Team athletes travelled straight to Irvine, California, to represent Australia at the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships.

Across several days of world-class competition, our athletes delivered some truly outstanding performances, including gold and silver medals, personal bests, championship records and Australian records.

For everyone at Rackley Swimming, it was another incredible opportunity to watch our athletes race against some of the best swimmers in the world, and a wonderful reminder of what can be achieved through dedication, consistency and hard work.

Sam Short
A Record-Breaking Pan Pacs

It was an extraordinary competition for Rackley athlete Sam Short, who finished the Championships with an incredible three gold medals across the 400m, 800m and 1500m Freestyle.

Sam opened his campaign with a sensational 3:40.52 in the 400m Freestyle, securing gold and breaking the Pan Pacific Championships record previously held by Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe, set back in 1999.

He continued his record-breaking run in the 800m Freestyle, clocking 7:37.02 to claim another gold medal and establish a new Pan Pacs record.

But Sam wasn’t finished.

In the 1500m Freestyle, he produced another extraordinary performance, stopping the clock at 14:33.97 to break Grant Hackett’s Australian Record, a record that had stood since 2001.

Three races. Three gold medals. Three major milestones.

To cap off an incredible Championships, Sam was also awarded Male Swimmer of the Meet, recognising his outstanding contribution across the competition.

What a performance from our distance star. 🏆

Meg Harris
Pan Pacific Champion

Meg Harris also had an outstanding Championships, representing Australia with the honour of serving as the Aussie flag bearer for the competition.

Meg produced an incredible finish in the 100m Freestyle, unleashing a powerful final 25 metres to race to the Pan Pacific title and claim gold.

She followed that up with a personal best of 23.89 in the 50m Freestyle, securing bronze in a historic final.

Meg also played an important role in Australia’s relay success, helping the Dolphins claim silver medals in both the 4×100m Freestyle Relay and 4×100m Mixed Medley Relay.

Another huge international campaign from Meg, showcasing the speed, determination and racing ability that have made her such an important part of Australian swimming.

Charlie Hawke
Speed and Relay Success

There was plenty to celebrate for Charlie Hawke, who produced some seriously fast swimming throughout the competition.

Charlie played a key role in Australia’s silver-medal-winning 4×200m Freestyle Relay, delivering an impressive 1:44.37 split as part of the Dolphins’ performance.

Individually, Charlie continued to show his versatility and speed across the Freestyle events, claiming silver in the B Final of the 200m Freestyle, finishing fourth in the 400m B Final and recording an impressive 48.91 in the 100m Freestyle.

Another valuable international racing experience for Charlie and another strong step forward in his development on the world stage.

Tiana Kritzinger
Pool to Open Water

Tiana Kritzinger showcased her incredible versatility at the Pan Pacific Championships, representing the Dolphins across both pool and open water competition.

In the 10km Open Water event, Tiana finished 11th overall in a time of 1:59:21 — an impressive result considering it was only her fourth-ever open water race.

She also backed up her open water campaign with strong performances in the pool, recording 16:16.43 in the 1500m Freestyle and 8:36.36 in the 800m Freestyle.

Tiana’s ability to step outside her traditional events and compete across both disciplines is a fantastic reflection of her adaptability, determination and willingness to challenge herself at the highest level.

A Proud Moment for the Rackley Pathway

Behind every international performance is a huge team of people who make these moments possible.

A massive congratulations goes to Rackley Performance Head Coach Damien Jones, alongside the coaching and support staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to prepare our athletes to perform at their best.

We also want to recognise the families, teammates and wider Rackley Swim Team community who continue to support our athletes throughout every stage of their journey.

From the pool deck to the stands and everything in between, high-performance swimming is a team effort.

The performances in Irvine are a wonderful reflection of the depth of talent coming through the Rackley pathway and the dedication, resilience and commitment of our athletes.

Coming off the back of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and straight into another major international competition, our athletes have shown incredible consistency and determination throughout an incredibly demanding period of racing.

We couldn’t be prouder.

Congratulations to our Rackley athletes: Meg, Sam, Charlie and Tiana, on an outstanding 2026 Pan Pacific Championships.

We can’t wait to see what comes next. 💙🏊‍♂️

Keep pushing. Keep racing. Keep representing.