After a challenging year that threatened a career full of promise, Lani Pallister (swimming) made her Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham, where she won bronze in the 800m freestyle and reached the final of the 400m freestyle.

Coached by her mother Janelle Elford (later Pallister) – a Seoul 1988 Olympian and Auckland 1990 Commonwealth Games gold medallist – since she took up the sport at seven, Lani mixed swimming with lifesaving, enjoying success at the 2019 World Junior Swimming Championships where she won the 400/800/1500m treble as well as three silver medals. However, she was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) – which can cause an irregular or elevated heartbeat – and underwent heart surgery. She was also diagnosed with an eating disorder.

In 2020, she moved to the Griffith University club, where she is still coached by Janelle, along with Michael Bohl.