Lani Pallister Emerges as Major Threat

Pallister swept distance events at 2026 Commonwealth Games with huge margins, including 800m free Games record 8:11.12. She is entered in five events at Pan Pacs, adding pressure on Ledecky. A recent human-interest piece revealed the rivalry is rooted in a family connection: Pallister's mom presented Ledecky a medal in 2014.