Sam Short vowed to ‘overwhelm everyone’ on Easter Monday – and the swimming champion delivered.

GOLD COAST: “I simply aimed to dominate everyone.”

These resolute words were spoken by Sam Short following his impressive victory in the men’s 400-metre freestyle final at the Australian Open swimming championships on Easter Monday.

Short recorded a time of 3:42.53, decisively leaving his competitors in the dust at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, sending a clear signal to his rivals ahead of the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific swimming championships.

Short surpassed Elijah Winnington, the silver medallist from the grueling eight-lap event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, by nearly four seconds, equating to around five body lengths.

Winnington secured second place with a time of 3:46.36, while New Zealand’s Lewis Clareburt claimed third in 3:46.86.

“It was a competitive field, and I didn’t want to leave anything to chance,” Short expressed to the media.

His candid desire to “dominate everyone” conveyed not only his confidence but also his tenacity.

“It’s just something I’ve grown up with,” he noted.

“Having a bit of a surf lifesaving background definitely contributed — pushing myself to the limit and taking risks.”

“That’s why I enjoy pool swimming. I knew I was in a good position with 150 [metres] remaining.”

“I believed I was on track for something incredibly fast, but I’ll settle for a 3:42.5 — not many have achieved that.”

The current world record for the 400m freestyle stands at 3:39.96, set by German sensation Lukas Martens last year.

Prior to his Easter Monday triumph, Short held the fastest time of 2026, having registered 3:43.49 at a TYR Pro Swim Series event in Westmont, Illinois, earlier in March.

The 3:42.53 he posted under the lights at the outdoor Gold Coast facility served as a daunting challenge to the formidable Japanese trio of Asaki Nishikawa, Tatsuya Murasa, and Kazushi Imafuku, who are preparing to contest him at the Pan Pacs in mid-August.

Short is now considered a strong contender to dethrone Winnington as the 400m freestyle Commonwealth champion at the Glasgow Games, commencing in late July.

“There are some incredibly fast swimmers around the globe,” Short stated, having captured the 400m freestyle world title in Fukuoka, Japan, in 2023.

“I’m eager to reach that 3:40 or even 3:39 mark again. Swimming 3:42 is a fantastic step towards that — it’s the fastest of the season for me thus far.”

Adding to the impressiveness of Short’s performance was the fact that he had just shaken off jet lag from his return from the United States last week and hadn’t even tapered for the championship.

“It was a solid swim… I’m absolutely thrilled,” he remarked.

“I knew my speed might be slightly off compared to my endurance.”

He is also set to compete in the 800m and 1500m freestyle events during these championships.

Teen sensation shines again

Remarkable young breaststroker Sienna Toohey, a 17-year-old from Albury, who has shattered a couple of junior Australian records previously held by Olympic gold medallist Leisel Jones, produced yet another outstanding swim on Easter Monday.

Aged only 17, the Albury prodigy clinched the women’s 100m breaststroke title at the Australian Open with a time of 1:06.69.

While it wasn’t quite a personal best—her top time is 1:06.29—it further underscores her potential as an athlete to watch on the road to the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

Mollie’s masterclass

Olympic champion Mollie O’Callaghan also excelled in the Easter Monday finals.

The 22-year-old from Logan powered to victory in the women’s 100m freestyle with a time of 52.66 seconds.

Dolphins teammates Meg Harris (53.36) and Olivia Wunsch (53.58) followed her to finish second and third, respectively.