Sam Short Wins 400m freestyle Battle Of The World Champions against Woomin Kim At The Queensland Championships
Paris Olympic silver medallist Sam Short has won an enthralling 400m freestyle “battle of the world champions” against Korean rival Woomin Kim on night three of the 2025 Hancock Prospecting Queensland Championships in Brisbane.
The pair have a history of slugging it out and tonight was no different, both swimming stroke-for-stroke over the eight-lap journey, the lead changing hands four times through the first 225m.
SPARING PARTNERS: Sam Short snd Woomin Kim at the Queensland Championships.Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland).
But it was Short (the 2023 world champion) who fought back, edging in front of Kim (the 2024 world champion), holding on to take the win in an impressive time of 3:45.88 (1:50.72).
Kim finishing second in 3:46.61 (1:50.63), with fellow Korean Junwoo Kim third in 3:48.11 (1:52.75), Short’s Rackley teammate and fellow Paris Olympian Thomas Neill third in 3:48.11 (1:51.49) and 2022 world champion and Olympic silver medallist Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western) fifth in 3:50.62 (1:52.96).
In Paris it was Kim who edged out Short for the bronze by just 0.24, with German Lucas Martens taking gold and Winnington silver.
While at this year’s World’s in Singapore it was Short who held on for silver over Kim by 0.23, with Martens again the victor.
Tonight, it was Kim who led through the first 100, Short taking over at the 150m, before Kim edged back in front at the 200m turn.
But from then on it was a determined Short, in front of his hometown crowd, who took over at the 250 and although Kim fought hard down the seventh lap with just 0.24 separating the pair it was Short who surged down the final lap to take the victory.
DEEP BREATH: Lani Pallister in full cry at the Queensland Championships.Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland).
The women’s 400m saw Lani Pallister (St Peters Western) grab her second gold in two nights, after her 800m win last night.
The World Championship silver medallist over 800m and the world record holder for 800m short course, scored an all-the way victory in 4:02.48, leaving Brazil’s Maria Fernanda Costa with the silver in 4:06.24 and her St Peters club mate Jenna Forrester with the bronze in 4:08.24.
While Short’s in-form Rackley teammate, Meg Harris following up her 200m freestyle personal best of 1:55.97 from night two with an impressive 100m freestyle win in 52.56, the second fastest time of her career (pb of 52.52) – with Emma McKeon, Cate and Bronze Campbell, Mollie O’Callaghan and Shayna Jack the only other Australians ever to swim faster.
TURNING THE TIDE: Harrison Turner flying high at the Queensland Championships. Photo Courtesy wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland).
Harris was out in 25.49 and was never headed in an impressive showing with her gold medal-winning relay teammate Jack (St Pters Western) also looking strong, finishing second in 53.85, with Chloe Rowe-Hagans (St Andrews) third in 54.81.
The men’s 100m freestyle saw last night’s 200m winner Ed Sommerville (Brisbane Grammar) also claim the double, taking a frantic finish in 48.68 from Korean Sunwoo Hwang in 48.75 with defending champion Jamie Jack (St Peters Western) third in 48.90 after he led at the 50m turn in 23.04.
In the 100m butterfly, World Championship bronze medallist bin the 200m butterfly in Singapore this year, Harrison Turner (Nudgee College Swimming) powered to a pb of 51.49 in the men’s final while Singapore semi-finalist Lilly Price (Rackley) also clocked a personal best of 57.55 to score an impressive win in the women’s final.
While in the 400IM, Paris Olympian and world championship bronze medallist Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western) scored a comfortable win in 4:38.68, over Paris teammate Ella Ramsay (Griffith University) 4:42.60, with Rocky City’s Amelie Smith third home in 4:49.79.
with Lewis Clareburt (NZL) scored an all-the-way win in 4:12.15 in a field of Olympians, with Brendon Smith(St Peters Western) second in 4:16.07 and Minseop Kim (Korea) third in 4:18.95.
2025 Hancock Prospecting Queensland Championships, Open FINALS:
Men
100m freestyle: Ed Sommerville (Brisbane Grammar) 48.68. Sunwoo Hwang (Korea) 48.75, Jamie Jack (St Peters Western) 48.90.
100m butterfly: Harrison Turner (Nudgee College Swimming) 51.49, Jaehoon Yang (Korea) 51.93, Thomas Nankervis (Griffith University) 52.41
400m freestyle: Sam Short (Rackley) 3:45.88, Woomin Kim (Korea) 3:46.61, Thomas Neill (Rackley) 3:48.11
100m breaststroke: Dongyeal Chai (Korea) 1:00.67, Zac Stubblety-Cook (Griffith University) 1:00.91, Gideon Burnes (Bond) 1:00.94
400m individual medley: Lewis Clareburt (NZL) 4:12.15, Brendon Smith (St Peters Western) 4:16.07, Minseop Kim (Korea) 4:18.95
Women
100m freestyle: Meg Harris (Rackley) 52.56, Shayna Jack (St Peters Western) 53.85, Chloe Rowe-Hagans (St Andrews) 54.81
400m freestyle: Lani Pallister (St Peters Western) 4:02.48, Maria Fernanda Costa (Brazil) 4:06.24, Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western) 4:08.24.
100m butterfly: Lilly Price (Rackley) 57.55, Josephine Crimmins (Somerville House Aquatics) 59.31, Abbey Connor (USC Spartans) 59.65.
100m breaststroke: Angharad Evans (GBR) 1:07/13, Ella Ramsay (Griffith University) 1:07.49, Sienna Harben (Griffith University) 1:07.84
400m individual medley: Jenna Forrester (St Peters Western) 4.38.68, Ella Ramsay (Griffith University) 4:42.60, Amelie Smith (Rocky City) 4:49.79
JOB DONE: Lani Pallister all smiles after her 400m freestyle win. Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland)
