2025 Pro Swim Series – Fort Lauderdale: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2025 Pro Swim Series – Fort Lauderdale

• Wednesday, April 30 – Saturday, May 3, 2025
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims:
  • Finals: Day 1

Day 2 Prelims Heat Sheet

I hope you all have got some shades cause you are gonna need them as the stars are out in force this morning. All four legs of the USA’s Olympic Gold Medal and World Record crushing Women’s Medley relay are in action this morning.

Torri Huske leads the way as the top seed in the Women’s 100 free, entering with a time of 52.29. Her heat alone is chock-full of talent, as the newly emerging stars of the future, swimmers like Rylee Erisman and Madi Mintenko will look to earn a spot in the final against the likes of Claire Curzan and Simone Manuel. The other two circle-seeded heats are just as stacked as Kate Douglass, the #2 seed and Gretchen Walsh (the butterflier on the Paris relay), the #3 seed will have to contend with the likes of Penny Oleksiak, Maxine Parker, Alex Walsh, and Taylor Ruck. The 100 free also sees Bella Sims return to racing in the state of Florida after announcing her intentions to transfer from the University of Florida.

The next event on the women’s docket sees the World Record holder, Lilly King, make her return to the Pro Swim Series after skipping out on the Sacramento stop. King, who placed 2nd in Westmont to Douglass, is the top seed. Sandwiched between the two is King’s fellow Olympic 100 breaststroke representative and Douglass’s training partner, Emma Weber. Douglass will have a quick turnaround with just one event between the 100s of free and breast, but she won’t be alone in pulling the double as A. Walsh, the reigning NCAA champ, finds herself next to her UVA teammate in this event.

Working through the medley relay in reverse order, means that we will next see Regan Smith enter the water. Like Douglass, Smith has a quick turnaround as she is the top seed in the 50 back and 200 fly. Now an Olympic event, the 50 back field is loaded; fellow Olympic medalists Katharine Berkoff and Kylie Masse are the #2 and #3 seeds, but as it is a 50, so anything can happen and they’ll have to put up a fast swim to stay ahead of a competitive field that includes the likes of Rhyan White, Curzan and Ruck. Two other names throwing their hat into the ring are Simone Manuel and Torri Huske. Of note, Huske, like Douglass, has the 100 free/100 breast double but will have a quicker turnaround, and with the 50 back making a third event in the morning, she will certainly be busy.

Smith leads the 200 fly field by a little more comfortable margin than in the 50 back, but that by no no way means its an easy field, as her fellow Olympian Alex Shackell is the #2 seed. Denmark’s Helena Rosendahl Bach, the reigning world silver medalist, rounds out the top seeds, but Bach will have to contend with the USA’s 15-year-old star in the making, Audrey Derivaux.

The last event on the women’s docket, may be the most exciting to watch tonight. While fireworks are still possible, the clash between Summer McIntosh, the Olympic silver medalist and Katie Ledecky, the Olympic bronze medalist, is likely to really heat up tonight. Last night, Ledecky smashed the 1500 field, winning by over 30 seconds in a time that marked the 2nd fastest performance ever.

And then there’s the men…

Yeah, all those exhilarating races were just on the women’s side.

The men’s 100 free is bound to be exciting, and with the return of Caeleb Dressel, everyone will be eager to see what form he is in. He’s not the only Olympic Champion to make their return to competition as four-time Olympic Champion Leon Marchand will be swimming out of lane 9 in the 3rd of eight heats in the 400 free. Entered with his US Open setting yards time, Marchand has yet to compete since those Paris Games, but with the withdrawal of Aaron Shackell and David Johnston, the Frenchman may have suddenly become the favorite in the event.

Dressel’s gold medal relay teammates, Chris Guiliano and Hunter Armstrong, are also in the 100 free fields, giving the event three gold medalists in lane 4 for the circle-seeded heats.

While the 100 breaststroke lacks any Olympic golds, it will be no less entertaining as a talented crop of Americans, led by Michael Andrew, will look to cement a spot as the USA’s top breaststroker. Andrew, the American record holder, had an off year in 2024 but has swum two strong performances at the other Pro Swim events and will look to continue that form.

The last two events on the men’s side, the 50 back, and 200 fly, are by no means less exciting as former World Record holder Hunter Armstrong will look to hold off NCAA star Hubert Kos in the sprint event, while the 200 fly pits Olympic bronze medalist, Ilya Kharun against Carson Foster. Joining that field is Aaron Shackell, who opted for this event instead of the 400 and Doha bronze medalist Martin Espernberger.

Women’s 100 Freestyle – Prelims

• World Record: 51.71 – Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2017)
• World Junior Record: 52.70 – Penny Oleksiak, CAN (2016)
• American Record: 52.04 – Simone Manuel (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 52.54 – Simone Manuel, USA (2016)
• Pro Swim Record: 52.74 – Siobhan Haughey, HKG (2024)

Top 8

1. Gretchen Walsh (NYAC) – 54.09
2. Torri Huske (AAC) – 54.12
3. Rylee Erisman (LAKR) – 54.17
4. Simone Manuel (TXLA) – 54.53
5. Sarah Fournier (CHI) – 54.45
6. Penny Oleksiak (CAN) / Erin Gemmell (TXLA) – 54.53
8. Kate Douglass (NYAC) – 54.72

Entered with a yards time, Heat 2’s Jenna Walters, representing Princeton University, had the fastest time of the morning, posting a 57.11 up until heat 5. Posting the first sub 57 times, in heat 5, was the 17-year-old Brynn Lavigueur. Out in 26.92, Lavigueur, representing Sarasota Sharks, took the win in 56.26, a new PB by over a second for the Texas commit.

Lavigueur’s time remained atop the leaderboard up through the start of the circle-seed heats, but it would not last long as NCAA champion Gretchen Walsh dove into the water. The World Record holder in the 100 fly, Walsh was out in a swift 25.95, and closed in 28.14 to take the heat win and post the fastest time so far of 54.09. While a little over a second off her seed time, Walsh will definitely have more in the tank tonight as she won the heat by over a second, with Gator Swim Club’s Isabel Ivey and Walsh’s sister Alex Walsh taking 2nd and 3rd in 55.11 and 55.21 respectively.

The next heat, saw fellow UVA swimmer, Kate Douglass enter the water. Whereas Walsh was clear away, heat 9 saw a tight race between Douglass and the Canadian pair of Sarah Fournier and Penny Oleksiak. Oleksiak trailed the other two at the halfway turn, with Douglass and Fournier flipping in an identical 26.36, but Fournier poured it on in the closing meters to take the win in 54.45, ahead of Oleksiak’s 54.53 and Douglass’s 54.72.

The last heat was a tight affair as Torri Huske out-dueled the youngster Rylee Erisman. The pair opened in 26.07 and 26.25, but Erisman used a strong back 50 to pass Claire Curzan and Simone Manuel and some within .05 of catching Huske. Huske, who finished in 28.05, hit the wall in 54.12, just ahead of Erisman’s 54.17. Curzan, after going out in a speedy 26.15, struggled on the back half and finished with a 54.89, which places 10th overall.

Men’s 100 Freestyle – Prelims

• World Record: 46.40 – Pan Zhanle, CHN (2024)
• World Junior Record: 46.86 – David Popovici, ROU (2022)
• American Record: 46.96 – Caeleb Dressel (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 47.08 – Jack Alexy, USA (2024)
• Pro Swim Record: 48.00 – Nathan Adrian, USA (2016)

Top 8

1. Tomas Navikonis (OSU) – 48.58
2. Chris Guiliano (TXLA) – 48.61
3. Shaine Casas (TXLA) – 48.87
4. Tomas Lukminas (FORD) – 48.96
5. Julian Koch (PITT) – 49.11
6. Luke Hobson (TXLA) – 49.29
7. Carson Foster (RAYS) – 49.37
8. Mikel Schreuders (SUN) – 49.38

Both entered with yards times, Heat 2 saw a great duel between ASU’s Ilya Kharun and Pitt’s Julian Koch. Koch took the race out in a blistering 23.50, with Kharun a bit behind at 24.25. Kharun the Olympic bronze medalist in the 200 fly, may have seemed to be making inroads on the backhalf, but Koch kept the Canadian at bay to take the heat in 49.11, to Kharun’s 50.00.

Koch’s time would remain at the top until the arrival of the circle-seeded heats, where in heat 9, Tomas Navikonis, who swims for OSU , blasted that time out of the way, going 48.58.

In a heat with three empty lanes, including that of the #3 seed, Hunter Armstrong, Nakivoniks took the race out in 23.31. The Lithuanian native closed in 25.27 to win the heat by .38 over fellow countryman Tomas Lukminas, who was also under the 49-second barrier with his time of 48.96.

Heat 10 had just one no-show, but it was a big one as Caeleb Dressel did not take to the blocks for the penultimate heat.  Stepping into his shoes with the early speed was Santo Condorelli, who blasted the first 50, opening in 22.03, under WR pace. However, as Condorelli did an open turn, it was made obvious he was going for a 50 time, as he ultimately finished in a time of 1:16.16

Taking over the lead from the Italian/Canadian/American swimmer was Shaine Casas, who split 23.40/25.47 to take the heat win in 48.87 and split the two Lithuanians on the record board.

The last heat saw Casas’s training partner, Chris Guiliano, the only member of the USA’s gold medal-winning 4×100 free relay swim the event. Sporting a strong beard, Guiliano opened a little slower than Casas, going 23.49, but used his 200 free prowess to surge on the backend and post a last 50 of 25.12 to finish in 48.61, which will be good for 2nd tonight.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke – Prelims

• World Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King, USA (2017)
• World Junior Record: 1:04.35 – Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2013)
• American Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King (2017)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:04.45 – Jessica Hardy, USA (2009)
• Pro Swim Record: 1:05.32 – Lilly King, USA (2021)

Top 8

1. Emma Weber (UN-VA) – 1:07.21
2. Lilly King (ISC) – 1:07.49
3. Kate Douglass (NYAC) – 1:08.18
4. Alex Walsh (NYAC) – 1:08.32
5. Skyler Smith (NCAC) – 1:08.35
6. Shona Braton (CAN) – 1:08.47
7. Sophie Angus (CAN) – 1:08.58
8. Elle Scott (MAC) – 1:09.06

After a quick turnaround from posting the 2nd fastest time in the 100 free, Torri Huske dove into the water in the 2nd heat of the 100 breaststroke. The NCAA champion in the 200 IM, Huske posted a time of 1:11.28, trailing Leah Hayes’s 1:10.39.

Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh also had the back-to-back double but had a few heats of extra rest as the pair were next to each other in heat 5. Walsh had the better opening, hitting the 50 wall in 32.50 to Douglass’s 32.65, but Douglass, the Olympic champion in the 200 distance, closed the gap and passed Walsh, splitting 35.53 to Walsh’s 35.82. The pair posted the first two times under 1:09, going 1:08.18 and 1:08.32, respectively.

Their time at the top didn’t last long as their teammate and training partner, Emma Weber, blasted out to a quick 32.05 first 50 and kept up the pace on the backhalf, closing in 35.16 to easily get under 1:08, as she finished in 1:07.21. Her time would remain as the fastest through the last heat as her Olympic event mate, Lilly King, the World Record holder, attacked the first 50, opening the race up in a swift 31.67, but then either conserved her energy or started to feel the pain of opening so fast as she closed in 35.82 to win the heat in 1:07.49.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke – Prelims

• World Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty, GBR (2019)
• World Junior Record: 59.01 – Nicolo Martinenghi, ITA (2017)
• American Record: 58.14 – Michael Andrew (2021)
• U.S. Open Record: 58.14 – Michael Andrew, USA (2021)
• Pro Swim Record: 58.86 – Adam Peaty, GBR (2017)

Top 8

1. Aleksas Savickas (FLOR) – 59.72
2. Denis Petrashov (UofL) – 1:00.42
3. Carles Coll Marti (ESP) – 1:01.07
4. Michael Andrew (SUN) – 1:01.08
5. Campbell McKean (BEND) – 1:01.38
6. Evgenii Somov (CAL) – 1:01.40
7. Mariano Lazzerini (PSU) – 1:01.64
8. Lyubomir Epitropov (TNAQ) – 1:01.69

Such is the strength of the 100 breast on world stage, or its weakness on the domestic stage, that the men’s 100 breaststroke final sees six international swimmers in the A-final.

Leading the way is Florida Gator Aleksas Savickas. A Lithuanian national, Savickas got a little lost in the Julian Smith 100 breaststroke story in the NCAA season, but this morning, posted a statement swim of 59.72. Never having been under 1:00.54 before today, Savickas, the 8th seed, was out in a speedy 28.05, the fastest opening leg in the field. He kept up the pace and also posted the swiftest last 50, closing in 31.67 to win heat 6 ahead of Denis Petrashov’s 1:00.42.

One heat before, the pair of Michael Andrew and Carles Coll Marti put on a strong duel, with Andrew’s early speed battling Coll Marti’s backhalf. Andrew, the American record holder, opened in 28.27 to the Spaniard’s 28.78. Coll Marti, however, fought back and just pipped Andrew at the end, 1:01.07 to 1:01.08.

Andrew’s only fellow American in the final will be Campell McKean, who won heat 7 in a time of 1:01.38.

Women’s 50 Backstroke – Prelims

• World Record: 26.86 – Kaylee McKeown, AUS (2023)
• World Junior Record: 27.49 – Minna Atherton, AUS (2016)
• American Record: 27.10 – Regan Smith (2023)
• U.S. Open Record: 27.12 – Katharine Berkoff, USA (2022)
• Pro Swim Record: 27.38 – Kylie Masse, CAN (2023)

Top 8

1. Kylie Masse (CAN) – 27.13 ***NEW PRO SWIM RECORD***
2. Katharine Berkoff (WOLF) – 27.34
3. Regan Smith (TXLA) – 27.50
4. Claire Curzan (TAC) – 28.18
5. Rhyan White (WOLF) – 28.21
6. Carmen Weiler Sastre (ESP) – 28.26
7. Erika Pelaez (EA) – 28.28
8. Catie Choate (FLOR) – 28.46

Despite being three years away, the addition of the 50s of stroke to the Olympic schedule has made itself known. Blasting out a new Pro Swim Series record of 27.13, Masse, a five-time Olympic medalist, also reset her own PB and Canadian record with the swim. She improves upon her 27.42 from earlier in the year but still ranks third in the world, trailing Kaylee McKeown’s 27.06 and Wan Letian’s 27.09.

The time may signify a change for Masse, who, despite being the reigning Olympic Bronze medalist in the 200 back, is not entered in the event here in Florida. Like many swimmers approaching their 30s, Masse, who broke the WR in the 100 back in 2017, maybe making the transition to the more sprint orientated events, and if the 27.13 is anything to go by, it appears to be working.

Top seed and American record holder Regan Smith had a controlled swim, going 27.50 to win the last heat and place herself 3rd in the final tonight. Smith still has the prelims of the 200 fly this session, so she likely left something in the tanks for that event. Katharine Berkoff, who almost saw her US Open record erased, will be sandwiched between the pair as the #2 seed, swimming a 27.34 this morning.

Despite being on the heat sheets, both Torri Huske and Simone Manuel were no-shows in the event.

Men’s 50 Backstroke – Prelims

• World Record: 23.55 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2023)
• World Junior Record: 24.00 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• American Record: 23.71 – Hunter Armstrong (2022)
• U.S. Open Record: 23.71 – Hunter Armstrong, USA (2022)
• Pro Swim Record: 24.23 – Shaine Casas, USA (2025)

Top 8

1. Hubert Kos (TXLA) – 24.76
2. Finn Harland (NZL) – 24.88
3. Quintin McCarty (WOLF) – 24.93
4. Shaine Casas (TXLA) – 24.98
5. Michael Andrew (SUN) – 25.00
6. Jack Harvey (BER) – 25.21
7. Jack Dolan (SUN) – 25.30
8. Grant Bochenski (UMIZ) – 25.36

Picking up where he left off of from the NCAA, Texas’s Hubert Kos posted the fastest time of the morning in the men’s 50 back, going 24.76 to win heat 8. Kos, who earlier this month lowered his national record in the event to 24.62, will have lane 4 tonight and will look to hold off Finn Harland. Harland, who swims for Stanford but did not represent them at NCAA, earned the second seed in tonight’s final with a time of 24.88. The native of New Zealand will be looking to chase the Kiwi record of 24.65 in the final tonight.

After qualifying for the A-final in the 100 free and 100 breaststroke, respectively, Shaine Casas and Michael Andrew earned their second final of the evenings as the pair going 24.98 and 25.00 will slot into the 4th and 5th spots tonight. In Westmont, Casas broke the 50 back PSS, but with the 100 free final earlier in the evening, he may find 24.23 a tall task to equal.

Like in the 100 free, top seed Hunter Armstong no-showed his second event of the morning, leaving the middle lane in the top heat empty.

Women’s 200 Butterfly – Finals

• World Record: 2:01.81 – Zige Liu, CHN (2009)
• World Junior Record: 2:03.03 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
• American Record: 2:03.84 – Regan Smith (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:03.87 – Regan Smith, USA (2023)
• Pro Swim Record: 2:04.00 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2025)

Top 8

1. Regan Smith (TXLA) – 2:06.03
2. Alex Shackell (CSC) – 2:07.31
3. Audrey Derivaux (JW) – 2:08.85
4. Caroline Bricker (ALTO) – 2:09.55
5. Katie Grimes (UN-VA) – 2:09.89
6. Tess Howley (UN-VA) – 2:10.16
7. Ellen Walshe (TMP) – 2:10.29
8. Helena Rosendahl Bach (DEN) – 2:10.46

Completing the unusual double of the 50 back and 200 fly, Regan Smith, the American record holder in the event swam a smooth 2:06.03 to post the top time of the morning. Out of 28.60, Smith was consistent over the last 150, holding under 33s for all of them, going 32.01, 32.45, and 32.97. Smith was 2:10.56 in the prelims in Westmont and was 2:06.87 in the finals, so the Olympic Silver medalist is looking in good position to get close to her American record.

Also looking good this moring was Smith’s teammate in Paris, Alex Shackell. Shackell, whose time this morning was faster than her finals time from the Olympics, took the race out in a very different fashion than Smith, opening in 27.64, then going 31.64, 33.12 and 34.91 to finish in 2:07.31.

Helena Rosendahl Bach, another Olympic finalist, either struggled this morning or misjudged the speed of the field. Coming into the meet, the #3 seed just snuck into the A-final as the 8th seed with her 2:10.46 prelims swim. Taking her place as the #3 seed is the USA’s young star Audrey Derivaux. The 15-year-old was a little off her best but still managed to post the third-fastest time of the morning, going 2:08.85.

Men’s 200 Butterfly – Prelims

• World Record: 1:50.34 – Kristof Milak, HUN (2022)
• World Junior Record: 1:53.79 – Kristof Milak, HUN (2017)
• American Record: 1:51.51 – Michael Phelps (2009)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:52.20 – Michael Phelps, USA (2008)
• Pro Swim Record: 1:52.37 – Luca Urlando, USA (2025)

Top 8

1. Jack Dahlgren (AQJT) – 1:56.83
2. Carson Foster (RAYS) – 1:56.84
3. Martin Espernberger (TENN) – 1:56.93
4. Mitchell Schott (PRIN) – 1:57.23
5. Ryan Branon (TXLA) – 1:57.86
6. Arthur Balva (PRIN) – 1:57.99
7. Trenton Julian (MVN) – 1:58.62
8. Bjoern Kammann (TENN) – 1:58.99

While Reagan Smith holds the top position in the woman’s 200 fly relatively easily. The men’s 200 fly is going to be a tight battle tonight between 3 swimmers. Leading the way is Aquajet’s Jack Dahlgren, who’s been having a resurgence in his career lately, as he posted the top time in the morning, recording a result of 1:56.83. Dahlgren, who swam for Missouri had a come from behind win over the number three seed Martin Espernberger in the fourth heat as he out touched him by .1, with his last 50 of 31.17, beating out Espernberger’s 31.41. 

Espernberger, the Doha silver medalist in the event, will remain as the #3 seed tonight as the penultimate heat Carson Foster, who is more known for his freestyle and IM prowess, swam a 1:56.84 to sit just .01 behind Dahlgren. 

Much of the story for tonight’s final is more about who missed making the top 8. Top seed and Olympic bronze medalist Ilya Kharun managed to place just 13th this morning, recording a result of 2:00.51. Fellow Paris Olympian, Aaron Shackell, who scratched the 400 free for this event, placed 10th after entering as the 6th seed, as he recorded a time of 1:59.38.

Women’s 400 Freestyle – Prelims

• World Record: 3:55.38 – Ariarne Titmus, AUS (2023)
• World Junior Record: 3:46.08 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2023)
• American Record: 3:56.46 – Katie Ledecky (2016)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:57.94 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2018)
• Pro Swim Record: 3:57.94 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2018)

Top 8

1. Katie Ledecky (GSC) – 4:03.45
2. Claire Weinstein (SAND) – 4:04.80
3. Summer McIntosh (SYS) – 4:06.56
4. Erin Gemmell (TXLA) – 4:09.31
5. Jillian Cox (TXLA) – 4:09.33
6. Cavan Gormsen (UN-VA) – 4:09.88
7. Emma Weyant (FLOR)/Katie Grimes (UN-VA) – 4:11.07

Up through heat 8, the first of the circle-seeded heats, the top time belonged to Canadian Madison Kryger, who posted a time of 4:14.99 in heat 6.

The time survived up to the circle-seeded heat where Kryger’s fellow countrywoman, Summer McIntosh, took over. McIntosh, in her first swim in Fort Lauderdale, set a strong pace and started running away from the field from the get-go. The Olympic silver medalist, who, with the exception of this event, is entered in an unusual bevy of events, opened up the first 100 in 59.09. While well off her own PB pace, McIntosh was the only swimmer in the heat to open in under 1:00.

From there, she just built upon the lead, and by the 200, where she was 2:00.71, she had built a lead of nearly three seconds over the NCAA champion in the 500, Jillian Cox (2:03.44). McIntosh began to shut it down over the backhalf, jumping into the 31s for the last four 50s, ultimately recording a time of 4:06.56. Jillian Cox would go on to remain in 2nd in the heat, finishing in a time of 4:09.33.

Coming off of the success from last night’s epic performance in the 1500, Katie Ledecky‘s 4:03.45 morning swim seemed a little slow, but that likely means we can expect something tonight, especially with McIntosh occupying the lane next to her.

Ledecky took the race out faster than her Canadian rival, opening up in 58.30, and was the sole swimmer under 2:00 at the 200 mark as she flipped in 1:59.90. Whereas McIntosh closed her race with four 50s of 31 or higher, Ledecky only touched 31.00 once on the 2nd to last 50. Closing in 30.69, Ledecky easily secured the middle lane in tonight’s final.

While the psych sheet gave the impression that it would be a two-swimmer race tonight, Claire Weinstein was shaken loose by Ledecky’s early speed. Weinstein, who has committed to swim at Cal, was 58.98 at the 100, ahead of McIntosh, but soon fell back at the 200, flipping in 2:00.71. However, Weinstein, like Ledecky buckled down over the finishing lengths, posting only one 50 above 31, to take the 2nd seed away from McIntosh, as the American finished in 4:04.80, just a few tenths away from her PB.

After the top three, there is a bit of gap back to the next set of swimmers. Erin Gemmell leads that group with her 4:09.31 and was joined under 4:10 by Cox (4:09.33) and Cavan Gormsen (4:09.88).

Rounding out the field are a pair of Olympic teammates, Emma Weyant, and Katie Grimes, tied for 7th at 4:11.07.

Men’s 400 Freestyle – Prelims

• World Record: 3:39.96 – Lukas Märtens, GER (2025)
• World Junior Record: 3:44.31 – Petar Mitsin, BUL (2023)
• American Record:  3:42.78 – Larsen Jensen (2008)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:43.53 – Larsen Jensen, USA (2008)
• Pro Swim Record: 3:43.84 – Sam Short, AUS (2025)

Top 8

1. Kieran Smith (RAC) – 3:49.81
2. Ryan Erisman (LAKR) – 3:50.74
3. Luke Hobson (TXLA) – 3:51.32
4. Tomas Koski (ABSC) – 3:51.62
5. Bobby Finke (SPA) – 3:52.27
6. Leon Marchand (TXLA) – 3:52.77
7. Eduardo Cisternas (PSU) – 3:53.71
8. Gabriel Manteufel (SAND) – 3:56.79

Entered with a 500 free time of 4:02.31, no not a 400 time, French Olympic star Leon Marchand kicked off his 2025 long course season in convincing fashion. Swimming out of lane 9 in the 3rd heat, the four-time Olympic gold medalist opened in 54.33 and was 1:53.35 at the halfway turn. With such a large lead on the field, Marchand, who in interviews has stated uncertainty in where he is in his training, started to shut things down and cruised over the last few legs, finishing in 3:52.77.

It took to the penultimate heat for any swimmer to surpass Marchand’s mark from heat 3. Winner of the 1500 last night, the Olympic champion and world record holder Bobby Finke, posted a time of 3:52.27 to sit atop the leaderboard. Finke took the race out slower than Marchand opening in 55.68 and was 1:54.70 at the 200. Whether it was Marchand slowing down or Finke’s distance prowess taking charge, but the former Florida Gator, who was under some pressure in the heat by Eduardo Cisternas used a 58.24 to win in 3:52.27. Cisternas who swims for Penn State, was with Finke for much of the race but couldn’t match his closing speed and ultimately finished in 3:53.71.

Kieran Smith left nothing to chance in the last heat. Bumped up to the top seed due to two scratches ahead of him, the Olympian was out slower than Marchand at the 100 (54.80), but used a strong middle 200 to put himself into the middle lane tonight, as Finke’s training partner closed in 58.20 to post the only sub 3:50 time of the morning, going 3:49.81.

Smith was pushed by much of that heat as the top four swimmers tonight all came from heat 8. Continiuing from where he left off from last night in the 1500, LAKR’s Ryan Erisman dropped nearly two seconds from his seed to secure the #2 spot in tonights final, with a time of 3:50.74, finishing ahead of Luke Hobson (3:51.32) and Tomas Koski (3:51.62), the latter of whom closed in 27.36.

Rounding out the field tonight is Sandpiper Gabriel Manteufel, who posted a time of 3:56.79. Committed to swim at Indiana, Manteufel was just two seconds off his PB,