- Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser is Lani Pallister’s godmother
- Fraser was delighted to see Pallister win the 4x200m freestyle relay
- Pallister overcame Covid-19 to win gold at her first Olympics
Swimming legend Dawn Fraser beamed with pride as Australia won the women’s 4x200m freestyle final in Paris. Now it can be revealed that one of the triumphant stars is her goddaughter.
Lani Pallister, who had to withdraw from the 1500m freestyle heats after testing positive for Covid, wasn’t even sure she would be fit enough to swim.
Fortunately, the endurance athlete was given the green light and took her chance alongside Mollie O’Callaghan, Brianna Throssell and Ariarne Titmus to claim gold ahead of the US and China.
“I cried my eyes out when I got Covid. I honestly thought I wasn’t going to be able to do that relay at all,” Pallister said after the race.
‘The AOC medical staff have done a fantastic job in looking after me and all the other athletes on the Australian team who have Covid.
“To be here with the girls, I don’t think I could have asked for more from my Olympic experience.”
Fraser, who remarkably won gold in the 100-meter freestyle at three consecutive Olympic Games (1956-1964), knows better than anyone what Pallister endured as an athlete.
She was overcome with tears of joy in the stands as the Australian girls’ swimmers continued to dominate at the La Defense Arena.
Swimming legend Dawn Fraser (right) beamed with pride after Australia won the women’s 4x200m freestyle final in Paris – and now it can be revealed why the triumph had extra meaning
Lani Pallister (right), who had to withdraw from the earlier heats of the 1500m freestyle after testing positive for Covid, didn’t even know if she would be fit enough to compete in the relay – she is also the goddaughter of Dawn Fraser
The Australian quartet won gold ahead of the US and China in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the La Defense Arena (Pallister is pictured on the left)
Before contracting Covid, Pallister overcame an eating disorder and underwent heart surgery to qualify for the Games.
She previously tried to secure a spot on the Olympic team for the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, but was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia: a heart condition that causes an increased or irregular heart rate.
The Sydney athlete also struggled with a secret eating disorder.
At one point, Pallister was living on only two meals a day and constantly comparing her body to those of other swimmers.
The Olympic debutante is coached by her mother Janelle, who competed at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and won gold at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.
Pallister will compete in the women’s 800m freestyle heats on Friday (AEST).