2025 Swimming World Cup — Toronto: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2025 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – Toronto

• October 23-25, 2025
• Toronto, Canada
• SCM (25 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
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  • Prelims: Day 1

Good evening swimming fans! Welcome to the first finals session of the last stop of the World Aquatics World Cup Series in Toronto. Tonight, we will see our first Triple Crown contenders race to earn the $10,000 bonus, and we will also see a few potential World Record events.

There are nine events where we could see a Triple Crown this evening including all the women’s events. Gretchen Walsh, Kate Douglass, and Hubert Kos will all be trying to win their first of three crowns this evening, while other swimmers will be looking to win the $2,500 bonus for “busting” their chances.

We will start with the women’s 400 freestyle fastest heat, where Lani Pallister is a crown contender and the top seed. The men’s event will see Sam Short as the top seed by just four hundredths over Kieran Smith and Carson Foster.

The women’s 50 backstroke and the men’s 200 backstroke will see Kaylee McKeown and Hubert Kos come in as the Triple Crown contenders, though McKeown will be racing from lane two as a quartet of Kylie Masse, Gretchen Walsh, Katharine Berkoff, and Mollie O’Callaghan try to earn the $2,500 bonus for beating her.

Regan Smith is the top seed and clear favorite in the women’s 200 fly for another potential Triple Crown.

Noe Ponti is hunting the bonus in the men’s 100 fly, but home crowd favorites Ilya Kharun and Josh Liendo will be trying to spoil his fun.

The women’s 200 breast will see Kate Douglass fighting for her crown, and trying to top the overall standings for the series, which will require a very strong swim, potentially a World Record.

Caspar Corbeau leads the men’s 100 breast field by more than half-a-second after finishing 2nd in Westmont to Ilya Shymanovich, who isn’t racing this evening.

Kasia Wasick leads the women’s 50 free field as she tries for her 2nd straight crown in the event, and Josh Liendo will be looking to win the men’s event on home soil.

Finally, the men’s and women’s 100 IM events are both Triple Crown favorites with Gretchen Walsh as the clear favorite in the women’s event, especially with Douglass’ scratch, and Shaine Casas as the contender in the men’s.

Casas has an uphill climb, though, as the 5th seed behind Hubert Kos, Luke Barr, Caspar Corbeau, and Noe Ponti.

Women’s 400 Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• World Record: 3:50.25 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
• World Junior Record: 3:50.25 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
• World Cup Record: 3:52.42– Lani Pallister, AUS (2025)
• Triple Crown Contender: Lani Pallister, AUS

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Lani Pallister (AUS)- 3:51.87 *New WC Record
2. Erika Fairweather (NZL)- 3:56.12
3. Freya Colbert (GBR)- 3:58.46
4. Caitlin Deans (NZL)- 3:59.89
5. Molly Walker (AUS)- 4:03.95
6. Hannah Casey (AUS)- 4:08.04
7. Emma O’Croinin (CAN)- 4:11.73
8. Tori Meklensek (CLB)- 4:12.23

Lani Pallister is officially the first Triple Crown winner of the series, taking the women’s 400 freestyle in a new World Cup record time of 3:51.87 to complete her sweep.

This was her fastest swim of the series, taking down the 3:52.42 mark she set last week in Westmont to become the 3rd fastest performer in history. She will stay in that position behind Summer McIntosh and Li Bingjie, but she will become the 3rd woman in history to swim under 3:52, lowering her own Australian and Oceanian record in the process.

Pallister was out fast, turning in first at the 25 mark, and just building her lead from there throughout the race. Her first 200 was 1:54.10, which was a smidge slower than the 1:53.98 she swam to open the race in Westmont, but she came home in 1:57.77, which was more than half-a-second faster than the 1:58.44 she finished in last week.

New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather was 2nd in 3:56.12, her fastest swim of the series, and Freya Colbert was 3rd, swimming 3:58.46 to break 4:00 for the first time

Men’s 400 Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• World Record: 3:32.25 – Yannick Agnel, FRA (2012)
• World Junior Record: 3:37.92 – Matthew Sates, RSA (2021)
• World Cup Record: 3:32.77 – Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Carson Foster (USA)- 3:36.52
2. Kieran Smith (USA)- 3:37.28
3. Samuel Short (AUS)- 3:37.89
4. Brendon Smith (AUS)- 3:38.41
5. Luke Hobson (USA)- 3:39.91
6. Max Litchfield (GBR)- 3:41.34
7. Mitchell Schott (CLB)- 3:41.79
8. Charlie Hawke (AUS)- 3:43.53

Carson Foster swam a very different race than he did last week, getting out fast to grab the lead and maintaining that speed throughout the race to grab the overall win by nearly a second ahead of Kieran Smith.

He split 1:46.73 on his first 200, which was nearly a second-and-a-half faster than the 1:48.29 he opened with in Westmont. He held 27s through the rest of the race to finish in 3:36.52, his fastest swim of the series by more than a second.

Kieran Smith was 3:37.28 for 2nd, and Sam Short was 3:37.89, just off the 3:36.27 he swam to win the event last week.

Mitchell Scott was the top swimmer from the prelims session, and he finished 7th overall with the 3:41.34 mark he set in prelims.

Women’s 50 Backstroke – Finals

• World Record: 25.23 – Regan Smith, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 26.03 – Sara Curtis, ITA (2024)
• World Cup Record: 25.36 – Kaylee McKeown, AUS (2024)
• Triple Crown Contender: Kaylee McKeown (AUS)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Kaylee McKeown (AUS)- 25.35 **New WC Record
2. Gretchen Walsh (USA)- 25.40
3. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS)- 25.42
4. Kylie Masse (CAN)- 25.69
5. Katharine Berkoff (USA)- 25.74
6. Ingrid Wilm (CAN)- 26.27
7. Olivia Smoliga (USA)- 26.52
8. Kayla Sanchez (PHI)- 26.55

Kaylee McKeown does it again, getting her hand on the wall ahead of the rest of the field after turning nearly two tenths behind Mollie O’Callaghan at the 25 mark, winning the Triple Crown and the $10,000 bonus.

Gretchen Walsh finished 2nd in 25.40, which was .03 off her lifetime best in the event of 25.37 from October of last year.

O’Callaghan was out in first at 12.39, but came home in 13.03 to drop back to 3rd overall.

Men’s 200 Backstroke – Finals

• World Record: 1:45.63 – Mitch Larkin, AUS (2015)
• World Junior Record: 1:48.02 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2017)
• World Cup Record: 1:46.11 – Arkady Vyatchanin, RUS (2009)
• Triple Crown Contender: Hubert Kos (HUN)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Hubert Kos (HUN)- 1:45.12 **New World Record
2. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) 1:47.49
3. Lorenzo Mora (ITA)- 1:50.32
4. Tomoyuki Matsushita (JPN)- 1:50.53
5. Enoch Robb (AUS)- 1:50.73
6. Kacper Stokowski (CLB)- 1:50.99
7. Joshua Edwards-Smith (AUS)- 1:51.10
8. Yeziel Morales (PUR)- 1:51.56

Hubert Kos won the first men’s Triple Crown of the meet, taking the men’s 200 backstroke in a new World Record time of 1:45.12.

This swim took half-a-second off Mitch Larkin’s 2015 World Record time of 1:45.63, and nearly a second off the 1:46.11 World Cup Record mark set by Arkady Vyatchanin from back in 2009.

Kos was out fast, turning in 1st at the 25 meter mark with his 11.77 split, and continuing to build his lead from there. At the 100, he turned in 51.60, nearly a full second ahead of Thomas Ceccon‘s 52.53 in 2nd and an entire second ahead of Lorenzo Mora‘s 53.82 in 3rd.

In 2nd place, Tomas Ceccon set a new Italian record time of 1:47.49, hacking almost a second of Lorenzo Mora‘s 2023 record of 1:48.43.

Mora finished 3rd in the event in 1:50.32, almost three seconds behind Ceccon and more than five behind Kos.

Women’s 200 Butterfly – Finals

• World Record: 1:59.32 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
• World Junior Record: 1:59.32 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
• World Cup Record: 2:00.20 – Regan Smith, USA (2025)
• Triple Crown Contender: Regan Smith (USA)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Regan Smith (USA)- 2:00.34
2. Ellen Walshe (IRL)- 2:02.36
3. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN)- 2:03.73
4. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS)- 2:05.43
5. Emily Richards (GBR)- 2:05.96
6. Bella Grant (AUS)- 2:06.52
7. Laura Lahtinen (FIN)- 2:08.73
8. Maria-Theoni Karagiannis (CLB)- 2:14.05

Regan Smith picked up her first Triple Crown of the meet in the women’s 200 butterfly with her swim of 2:00.34.

This time was her slowest swim of the series, coming in just over a tenth off the 2:00.20 she swam in Westmont and six-hundredths over the 2:00.28 she swam in Carmel, but she swam the races very differently.

Smith was out fast tonight, turning under World Record pace at the 75 mark with her 41.96 split. At the 100 mark, she turned in 57.16 just a tenth over the World Record pace of 57.04 from the SC World Cup. This was also six tenths faster than the 57.74 she opened with in Westmont.

From there, she fell of the pace a bit, dropping to 31.1 and 32.0 on the final two 50s. The swim was still enough to earn her a Triple Crown and the $10,000 bonus.

Ellen Walshe set the Irish record to finish 2nd at 2:02.36, dropping from the 2:04.38 she set last week.

Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey picked up the bronze medal in 2:03.73.

Men’s 100 Butterfly – Finals

• World Record: 47.71 – Noe Ponti, SUI (2024)
• World Junior Record: 49.03 – Ilya Kharun, CAN (2022)
• World Cup Record: 48.40 – Noe Ponti, SUI (2024)
• Triple Crown Contender: Noe Ponti (SUI)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Josh Liendo (CAN)- 47.68 **New World Record
2. Ilya Kharun (CAN)- 48.35
3. Noe Ponti (SUI)- 48.38
4. Ksawery Masiuk (POL)- 49.84
5. Trenton Julian (USA)- 50.56
6. Kamil Sierdzki (POL)- 51.31
7. Rowan Cox (USA)- 51.48
8. Kent Goni Avila (CLB)- 51.97

Home field advantage took on a whole new meaning in the men’s 100 fly final with the Canadians taking the top two spots, and Josh Liendo setting a new World Record to “bust” the first crown of the meet.

Liendo swam 47.68, coming in three hundredths under Noe Ponti‘s World Record time of 47.71 from last December. He won the $10,000 World Record bonus in the event, and he won the first $2,500 Crown Buster bonus by beating Noe Ponti.

Liendo’s time was his fastest of the series by almost two seconds over his Westmont swim of 49.56, which he swam to win the bronze medal.

Ilya Kharun finished with the silver at 48.35, which was also his best swim of the series, and his best time in the event.

Noe Ponti earned the bronze in 48.38.

Women’s 200 Breaststroke – Finals

• World Record: 2:12.50 – Kate Douglass, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 2:14.70 – Evgeniia Chikunova, RUS (2023)
• World Cup Record: 2:12.72 – Kate Douglass, USA (2024)
• Triple Crown Contender: Kate Douglass (USA)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Kate Douglass (USA)- 2:13.45
2. Alex Walsh (USA)- 2:17.88
3. Mona McSharry (IRL)- 2:18.27
4. Rebecca Meder (RSA)- 2:18.81
5. Alexanne Lepage (CAN)- 2:19.84
6. Sophie Angus (CAN)- 2:20.18
7. Ella Ramsay (AUS)- 2:20.48
8. Ellie McCartney (IRL)- 2:20.91

Kate Douglass picked up 19.7 points in her battle against Gretchen Walsh for the overall winner of the World Cup by winning the 200 breast in 2:13.45. This was a 978 AQUA point swim, which earns her 9.7 points to add to the 10 she gets from winning.

She also picked up a $10,000 bonus by virtue of the Triple Crown win, completing her sweep of the event over all three stops. This was also her fastest swim of the series, dropping from the 2:13.97 she swam in Carmel.

American Alex Walsh finished 2nd overall in 2:17.88, about a second off the 2:16.83 mark she set in December of last year, and Mona McSharry won the bronze for Ireland in 2:18.81.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke – Finals

• World Record: 55.28 – Ilya Shymanovich, BLR (2021)
• World Junior Record: 56.66 – Simone Cerasuolo, ITA (2021)
• World Cup Record: 55.61 – Cameron Van der Burgh, RSA (2009)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Caspar Corbeau (NED)- 55.55 *New WC Record
2. Adam Peaty (GBR)- 56.59
3. Shin Ohashi (JPN)- 57.06
4. Brian Benzing (CLB)- 57.33
5. Finn Brooks (CLB)- 57.40
6. Luke Barr (CLB)- 57.43
7. Nash Wilkes (AUS)- 57.62
8. Ludovico Viberti (ITA)- 58.00

The records just kept falling tonight with Caspar Corbeau setting a new World Cup and a new Dutch record in the men’s 100 breaststroke with his 55.55 for the win.

With this swim, he takes down the 16-year-old record held by South Africa’s Cameron Van der Burgh at 55.61 from 2009, and he breaks Amo Kamminga’s 2021 record of 55.79.

Great Britain’s Adam Peaty finished 2nd overall in 56.59, his best swim of the series and a huge improvement from the 58.27 he swam in the Carmel prelims to miss the final entirely.

Japan’s Shin Ohashi finished 3rd in 57.06, just off the 56.79 markhe set last weekend in Westmont where he also finished 3rd overall.

Women’s 50 Freestyle – Finals

• World Record: 22.83 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 23.66 – Eva Okaro, GBR (2024)
• World Cup Record: 22.93 – Ranomi Kromowidjojo, NED (2017)
• Triple Crown Contender: Kasia Wasick (POL)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Kasia Wasick (POL) – 23.21
2. Taylor Ruck (CAN) – 23.49
3. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 23.77
4. Alexandria Perkins (AUS) – 23.92
5. Kayla Sanchez (PHI) – 23.97
6. Florine Gaspard (BEL) – 24.15
7. Katharine Berkoff (USA) – 24.22
8. Marie Wattel (FRA) – 24.44

Kasia Wasick kept her streak alive, winning six straight World Cup freestyle races to pick up her 2nd straight Triple Crown in the event.

She touched in 23.21, which was the fastest of all six of these 50 freestyles, winning by nearly three tenths over Canadian Taylor Ruck‘s 23.49.

Marrit Steenbergen from the Netherlands finished 3rd in 23.77, and Australia’s Alexandria Perkins was 4th at 23.92.

Men’s 50 Freestyle – Finals

• World Record: 19.90 – Jordan Crooks, CAY (2024)
• World Junior Record: 20.98, Kenzo Simons, NED (2019)
• World Cup Record: 20.48 – Vlad Morozov, RUS (2018)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Josh Liendo (CAN) – 20.31 **World Cup Record
2. Jack Alexy (USA) – 20.70
3. Ilya Kharun (CAN) – 20.73
4. Chris Guiliano (USA) – 20.86
5. Lamar Taylor (BAH) – 21.00
6. Ruslan Gaziev (CAN)/Ralf Tribuntsov (EST)/Cameron Gray (NZL) – 21.17
7. —
8. —

Josh Liendo was on fire tonight, setting another new World Cup Record in the men’s 50 freestyle, touching in 20.31 to take more than a tenth off Vlad Morozov’s 2018 record of 20.48.

Again, this was his fastest swim of the series by a long shot, dropping more than half-a-second from the 20.87 he swam to finish 2nd in this event last week.

American Jack Alexy was 2nd in 20.70, just out touching Ilya Kharun‘s 20.73 to prevent another Canadian top two sweep.

The North Americans controlled the event, with American Chris Guiliano finishing 4th in 20.86 and Canadian Ruslan Gaziev finishing in a three way tie for 6th at 21.17.

Women’s 100 IM – Finals

• World Record: 55.11 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 57.59 – Anastasiya Shkurdai, BLR (2020)
• World Cup Record: 55.77 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2025)
• Triple Crown Contender: Gretchen Walsh (USA)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 55.99
2. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 57.32
3. Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL) – 57.44
4. Abbie Wood (GBR) – 58.21
5. Phoebe Bacon (USA) – 58.35
6. Rebecca Meder (RSA) – 58.81
7. Kayla Sanchez (PHI) – 58.97
8. Anastasiya Shkurdai (NAA) – 1:00.61
9. Taylor Ruck (CAN) – DSQ

Gretchen Walsh picked up 19.5 points in her 100 IM finish. If we exclude her 50 backstroke points (since AQUA only counts top three finishes), she now sits .1 behind Kate Douglass with two days left. She won the 100 IM in 55.99, which was good for 953 AQUA points of 9.5 World Cup points, plus the 10 she got for winning.

She might have fallen slightly in the overall rankings, but she did pick up the Triple Crown bonus in the event, completing her series sweep in dominant fashion.

Dutch athlete Marrit Steenbergen had a very quick turnaround from the women’s 50 freestyle, and she still finished 2nd overall in 57.32, seven tenths faster than the series best 57.90 she swam in Westmont.

Roos Vanotterdijk was the bronze medalist in 57.44, three hundredths off the 57.41 she swam last weekend.

Men’s 100 IM – Finals

• World Record: 49.28 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• World Junior Record: 50.63 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• World Cup Record: 49.92 – Leon Marchand, FRA (2024)
• Triple Crown Contender: Shaine Casas (USA)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Shaine Casas (USA) – 50.28
2. Hubert Kos (HUN) – 50.56
3. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 51.02
4. Finlay Knox (CAN) – 51.05
5. Luke Barr (CLB) – 51.45
6. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 51.86
7. David Schlicht (AUS) – 52.50
8. Nikola Miljenic (CRO) – 53.45

Shaine Casas won the last Triple Crown of the day, touching in 50.28 to finish three tenths ahead of Hubert Kos‘s 50.56 for 2nd overall.

This was a new personal best time for him, dropping almost two tenths from the 50.45 he swam in Westmont, which was a four tenth drop from his 50.86 in Carmel marking six tenths dropped in the last two weekends.

Kos swam 50.56, setting a new Hungarian record time. He dropped his record to 50.99 last week from the 51.29 he swam in Carmel. Before this series, the record stood at 52.82 from the 2022 Hungarian Championships, a mark he has cut two seconds off.

Noe Ponti picked up his 2nd bronze medal of the session, swimming 51.02 to touch just three hundredths ahead of Canadian Finlay Knox.