When a 12-year-old Lani Pallister got the autograph of the greatest female swimmer, Katie Ledecky wrote "Dream big''.
Pallister did, but endured several nightmares before finally breaking a world record of American legend Ledecky.
The Sydney-born Pallister is the first swimmer to better a Ledecky world record in the 800m freestyle, setting a short-course benchmark at a World Cup meet in Canada on Sunday.
"Katie has done so many incredible things for the sport," Pallister said after her heroics in Toronto.
"I have her autograph sitting at home from 2014 and for a period of time it was my screensaver and it said 'Dream big'.
"So it's really special now I'm in my career and I'm racing her. Honestly, just sharing the pool with her in this era of distance swimming is absolutely incredible."
Ledecky had held the short-course 800m freestyle world record - seven minutes 57.42 seconds - since 2022.
But Pallister clipped more than three seconds from that mark, clocking 7:54.00.
Pallister said it was an honour merely to be mentioned alongside Ledecky, who boasts an unrivalled medal collection: nine gold among 14 Olympic medals, and 23 gold among 30 world championship medals.
"To be someone that's in a conversation with her and challenging those times is really, really incredible," the Australian said.
"I'm very fortunate for the people that support me and my network that have allowed me to get to this position."
That support network includes teammate and four-time Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown, who twice lowered her own short-course world record in the 200m backstroke at World Cup meets in the past week.
"I could see the determination in Lani's eyes when she was doing a pre-activation and I knew she was going to do something special," McKeown said.
"It has been a long time coming for her."
Pallister, the daughter of Olympic swimmer Janelle and god-daughter of Australian swim great Dawn Fraser, was always a precocious talent.
But she had heart surgery, an eating disorder, glandular fever, post-viral fatigue, and a functional rhinoplasty - all in the one year, 2021.
Last year she made Australia's Olympic team in the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle - and caught COVID in Paris, forcing her withdrawal from all but the 800m when struggling to sixth place.
Pallister, who did win a consolation gold in Paris as part of Australia's 4x200m freestyle relay, switched coaches from her mum to world-renowned master Dean Boxall in March.
Three months later, she broke the Australian long-course 800m freestyle record of the now-retired Ariarne Titmus, and set a 400m personal best at the world championship trials.
The following month Pallister collected silver in an 800m free, finishing behind Ledecky, and bronze in a 1500m freestyle final, again won by the American superstar.
