Sam Short is a genuine chance to dethrone Ian Thorpe but he might not even win Aussie Olympic trials
Sam Short is looking to achieve what no Australian ever has at the Paris Olympics, and has set his sights on one of Ian Thorpe’s greatest records. Recent history suggests his goals might just be within reach, writes TODD BALYM.
Swimming
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Sam Short believes he is the man who can wipe one of Ian Thorpe greatest achievements from the record books and create a piece of swimming history the world has never seen.
Incredible to think given the stature and esteem for which the great Thorpedo is held in this country, but if all goes according to plan for Short in 2024 he will emerge better than an icon of Australian sport.
Short will on Monday commence an Olympic selection trials program that will ideally set him on the path for three potential individual gold medals at the Paris Games in the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle.
No Australian swimmer has ever won an Olympic individual treble at a single Games.
Plenty have completed doubles – including Thorpe, Emma McKeon, Kaylee McKeown and Ariarne Titmus – but winning three gold medals in individual events is a rarity.
Short knows he is chasing an incredibly lofty ambition but for the 20-year-old who was brutally left off Australia’s Tokyo Olympic team when he narrowly missed the 1500m qualifying time to now be ready to tackle arguably the toughest program for Paris is testament to his mental and physical resilience.
“Yeah I’m looking at all three events,” Short said.
“I know it’s a lot, but I’ve been putting in the hard yards at training and I am super fit.
“I did it in Fukuoka and I know I can do it better in Paris.”
The genesis of this goal came exactly 12 months ago when Short had a breakthrough 400m freestyle swim at the trials, then went on to claim his first maiden world title in Fukuoka.
He later added the 800m silver medal and a bronze medal in the 1500m freestyle – making him the first Australian to medal in all three events at the world titles since Grant Hackett won a stunning golden treble at the 2005 worlds in Montreal.
But it was Short’s stunning gold medal time in the 400m in Japan of 3:40.68 that truly turned heads and put him within striking distance of what many consider to be Thorpe’s greatest achievement – a then 400m freestyle world record of 3:40.08.
A time which has only ever been bettered by 0.01s by a German wearing a now outlawed supersuit that aided his floatation and cruelly robbed an Australian of a world record many thought was simply unattainable.
Until now.
Short’s accelerated development means he now has Thorpe’s record in his sights and is determined to become the first man in history to swim a sub 3:40 – a feat he may achieve in Brisbane on Monday evening where the pressure of not racing for an Olympic gold may help his race flow more freely.
“I exceeded my expectations last year,” he said.
“My breakout swim was probably at nationals last year in April. When I went that 3:42 swim and I was clearly in hard work.
“From that I was just on a wave of confidence.
“If you asked me this time last year if I was going to swim 3:40 I would’ve been like maybe in a couple more years, but now I am a 3:40 swimmer and hopefully I can take it to 3:39.”
Just like Thorpe had Hackett pushing him domestically and globally, Short has his own local rival breathing down his neck in former world champion Elijah Winnington.
If Short’s program is a replica of Hackett, then Winnington is on the Thorpe path to success as his focus ranges from 200m to 400m and 800m.
Winnington actually beat Short in their two main head-to-head duels at the national titles on the Gold Coast two months ago, so the battle at the trials will be intriguing and a taster of what is to come in Paris.
Two decades since Thorpe and Hackett waged their epic 400m freestyle Olympic battle in Athens, Australia has two new combatants who just might be better than their predecessors.
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