The Australian Swimming Trials began yesterday, with the country’s best swimmers battling it out to get a coveted place on the Dolphins Swim team to represent Australia at the Paris Olympics next month.

Whilst some of the heavyweights of the pool, including Kaylee McKeown and Ariarne Titmus, qualified with stellar performances, one athlete in particular stole the headlines as Lani Pallister qualified for her first ever Olympic games.

The 22-year-old – who is a dual world record holder in short course freestyle – struggled to hold back tears after her qualification was secured, and when you understand her journey to this point, it’s easy to see why she was overcome with emotion.

The Sporting News charts her journey to Olympic qualification.

MORE: Full results from Australian Swimming Trials

Who is Lani Pallister?

Lani Pallister is an Australian swimmer who grew up in Sydney, first competing at the World Junior Championships in 2017 as a 15-year-old.

Her family is full of swimming pedigree, with her mother Janelle representing Australia at the 1988 Olympics and winning a Gold Medal at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, whilst her godmother is legendary Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser.

She is currently coached by her mother and notable swimming coach Michael Bohl, who coaches Gold medallists such as Emma McKeon, at Griffith University in Queensland.

Lani Pallister swimming career to date

Pallister has competed in multiple categories of swimming during her career, also competing in the World Lifesaving Championships as well as regular swimming.

She holds world records in both sports, in the short course 4×200-metre freestyle relay – set at the 2022 World Championships – and records in the youth age group in life saving.

At senior level, she has won three medals in the long course categories, and has won four gold medals in the short course category.

She also participated at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where she came fifth in the 400-metre freestyle final.

How did Lani Pallister qualify for the Paris Olympics?

Pallister qualified for the Paris Olympics in the 400-metre freestyle category last night at the Australian Swimming Trials in Brisbane.

Pallister finished second in the finals behind Ariarne Titmus – who almost broke her own world record – but still under the Olympic qualifying time, finishing with a time of 4:02.27.

To qualify for the games, swimmers must be in the top two in the finals as well as finishing below the qualifying time set.

Pallister easily achieved this, beating the time by more than two seconds, and followed this up by also qualifying for the 800m freestyle event as well.

Lani Pallister health struggles

Pallister’s qualification is all the more remarkable given the health challenges she has faced in the last few years.

Whilst attempting to qualify for the last Olympics in 2021, she was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a heart condition that causes an irregular or elevated heartbeat.

It is a condition that has affected other swimmers, including Kyle Chalmers – and forced Pallister to undergo surgery, forcing her to miss the games.

In the aftermath of the surgery, she admitted she battled an eating disorder, as she struggled with her body image surrounded by other athletes.

In a candid interview with The Sydney Morning Herald in 2022, she admitted “I stopped eating in pursuit of trying to be skinny instead of fit and strong, like the majority of athletes are.

“I look at Ariarne (Titmus) and a lot of the other girls, I look at their bodies and think ‘wow, I wish I looked like that’. Being younger last year, not being as mature in my body, I got stuck in this idea that I need to eat less to swim better because I’ll be lighter.” 

With the help of a psychologist, she was able to overcome her health issues, and has now achieved her dream of being an Olympian.

How to watch Australian Swimming Trials

Every minute of the Australian Swimming Trials in 2024 will be available on the Nine Network.

They will be broadcasting the action Australia wide on their various television channels, as well as streaming the events on 9Now.