2025 Swimming World Cup — Toronto: Day 2 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
• Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2
  • Finals: Day 1

Welcome to the day two finals of the final stop of the World Cup. Tonight is a busy night in the swimming community and in Toronto with a few major college meets racing at the same time as tonight’s finals session and the 1st game of the World Series playing just under 20 miles (31.8 km) away from the meet.

Last night’s World Cup finals session was fast and tonight is not shaping up to be any different. We have eight triple crowns up for grabs tonight, which also means there are eight potential “Crown Busters” this evening.

Hubert Kos and Josh Liendo both broke World Records last night, and will be racing again this evening. Kos is the top seed in the 50 backstroke, which is his shakiest Triple Crown attempt, and Liendo is the 2nd seed in the 100 free, just three hundredths behind Chris Guiliano. Liendo will be attempting to bust his 2nd crown of the meet after taking down Noe Ponti in the 100 fly yesterday by defeating Jack Alexy, who is the 3rd seed.

We will also see two of our World Record swims from last week with Mollie O’Callaghan’s 200 free and Regan Smith‘s 100 back. Both are hunting Triple Crowns, and they will also be trying to secure their places in the final rankings, which is shaping up to be a dog fight on the women’s side.

Speaking of final rankings, Kate Douglass currently sits in the lead by 0.2 points (if we exclude Gretchen Walsh‘s 50 backstroke). Walsh’s highest total from the series came in the 50 fly, which she will race tonight, and if she lowers her own World Record again, these numbers will probably shift in her direction.

Douglass will be attempting to win the 100 breast Triple Crown, and a World Record will be a huge help in her quest to win the overall title.

Canadian Ilya Kharun will be looking for his first win of the meet on home soil as the top seed in the 200 butterfly, which is also a Triple Crown event.

Shaine Casas is the other Crown hopeful of the evening. He is coming in as the top seed in the 200 IM after winning the 100 IM crown last night. He comes in only one hundredth ahead of Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushita, so we could be looking at an exciting race this evening.

We also have a few non-Triple Crown races. We will start with the fastest heat of the women’s 400 IM. Ellen Walshe and Abbie Wood have split the event wins, but Canadian Mary-Sophie Harvey is the 2nd seed and after finishing 2nd last week, she could be hunting a home soil win.

There are two men’s events with no Triple Crown. The men’s 1500 freestyle will see Sam Short try to pick up his 2nd win of the series after Zalan Sarkany beat him in the 800 last week, but 400 free champion Carson Foster will also be looking for the win. Finn Brooks and Caspar Corbeau will lead the men’s 50 breaststroke field as the only two swimmers under 26 in the morning session. Corbeau won the event in Westmont, and will be trying to sweep the breaststroke events after winning the 100 last night.

Women’s 400m IM — Final Heat

• World Record: 4:15.48 — Summer McIntosh, Canada (2024)
• World Junior Record: 4:15.48 — Summer McIntosh, Canada (2024)
• World Cup Record: 4:18.94 — Mireia Belmonte Garcia, Spain (2017)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Ellen Walshe (IRL) – 4:22.97
2. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN) – 4:24.25
3. Mio Narita (JPN) – 4:26.43
4. Abbie Wood (GBR) – 4:28.87
5. Ella Ramsay (AUS) – 4:28.96
6. Isabelle Odgers (CLB) – 4:34.90
7. Gina McCarthy (NZL) – 4:38.13
8. Kristen Elena Romano (PUR) – 4:44.17

Ellen Walshe won her 2nd 400 IM title of the meet, touching in 4:22.97 to break her own Irish National Record time by nearly three seconds. She dropped from the 4:25.33 she swam in Westmont to win by a little more than a second.

Walshe’s victory came primarily from the breaststroke leg, which saw her split 1:14.2, which was more than a second faster than the 1:15.7 she swam on the split last week.

Canadian Mary-Sophie Harvey finished 2nd overall, dropping to 4:24.25, a new best time by more than a second from the 4:25.33 she swam in Singapore at the World Cup last year.

Japan’s Mio Narita finished 3rd in 4:26.43, which is nearly seven seconds faster than her series best of 4:33.03 from Carmel.

Men’s 1500 Freestyle —Final Heat

• World Record: 14:06.88 — Florian Wellbrock, Germany (2021)
• World Junior Record: 14:20.64 — Kuzey Tuncelli, Turkey (2024)
• World Cup Record: 14:15.49 — Mykhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine (2016)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Samuel Short (AUS) – 14:35.33
2. Carson Foster (USA) – 14:44.53
3. Brendon Smith (AUS) – 14:45.84
4. Max Litchfield (GBR) – 15:03.13
5. Sander Crooijmans (NED) – 15:04.74
6. Aiden Kirk (CAN) – 15:09.08
7. Charlie Clark (USA) – 15:10.31
8. Santiago Gutierrez (MEX) – 15:10.32

The men’s 1500 freestyle was the Sam Short show as he won the event by more than nine seconds, and lapped five of the seven other swimmers in his heat.

Short touchedin 14:35.33, which was about five seconds off the 14:30.00 he swam in Carmel, and just off the 14:25.26 he swam earlier this month at the Australian Short Course Championships.

He turned in 4:45.92 at the 500 mark, and then fell off the pace slightly splitting 4:52.92 and 4:56.49 through the last two 500s.

American Carson Foster was 14:44.53 in 2nd, about four seconds off the 14:41.33 he swam in Carmel, and Australian Brendon Smith was about a second back at 14:45.84 for the bronze.

Smith’s swim was more than 10 seconds faster than the 14:57.29 he swam in Carmel to finish 4th overall.

Max Litchfield from Great Britain had the fastest time from the morning session, and he finished 4th overall in 15:03.13.

Men’s 50m Backstroke — Finals

• World Record: 22.11 — Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia (2022)
• World Junior Record: 22.47 — Miron Lifintsev, Russia (2024)
• World Cup Record: 22.58 — Isaac Cooper, Australia (2024)
• Triple Crown Contender: Hubert Kos (HUN)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Hubert Kos (HUN) – 22.67
2. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 22.93
3. Kacper Stokowski (CLB) – 23.00
4. Ralf Tribuntsov (EST) – 23.06
5. Lorenzo Mora (ITA) – 23.14
6. Dylan Carter (TTO) – 23.17
7. Jack Alexy (USA) – 23.51
8. Gabriel Jett (USA) – 23.64

Hubert Kos, fresh off his World Record in the 200 back, defended his titles in the 50 backstroke to grab the Triple Crown in the event, touching in his 2nd best time of the series in 22.67. He was slightly faster in Carmel at 22.65.

Thomas Ceccon finished 2nd at 22.93, one hundredth faster than the 22.94 he swam to finish 3rd last weekend in Westmont. Ceccon led at the 25 meter mark, flipping in 11.21 to sit just ahead of Kos’ 11.33.

Kacper Stokowski was 3rd in 23.00, just over the 22.92 he swam to win the silver last week.

Women’s 200m Freestyle — Finals

• World Record: 1:49.77 — Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia (2025)
• World Junior Record: 1:51.62 — Claire Weinstein, United States (2024)
• World Cup Record: 1:49.77 — Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia (2025)
• Triple Crown Contender: Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) – 1:49.36 WR
2. Lani Pallister (AUS) – 1:51.75
3. Erika Fairweather (NZL) – 1:52.71
4. Freya Colbert (GBR) – 1:53.06
5. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 1:53.53
6. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS) – 1:53.88
7. Hannah Casey (AUS) – 1:54.54
8. Caitlin Deans (NZL) – 1:55.43

The first World Record of the evening went to Mollie O’Callaghan in the 200 free, touching in 1:49.36. She broke her six-day-old record from the Westmont stop of the World Cup by four tenths, dropping more than a second over the course of the series.

O’Callaghan also won the Triple Crown in the event, swimming more than two seconds faster than Australian teammate Lani Pallister’s 1:51.75 for 2nd.

Pallister got faster at every stop of the series and exactly tied her best time from the 2024 SC World Championships tonight.

New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather made it an Oceanian podium with her 3rd place finish of 1:52.71, coming in just over three tenths ahead of Great Britain’s Freya Colbert.

Men’s 200 IM — Finals

• World Record: 1:48.88 — Leon Marchand, France (2024)
• World Junior Record: 1:51.45 — Matthew Sates, South Africa (2021)
• World Cup Record: 1:48.88 — Leon Marchand, France (2024)
• Triple Crown Contender: Shaine Casas (USA)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Shaine Casas (USA) – 1:49.79
2. Tomoyuki Matsushita (JPN) – 1:51.43
3. Finlay Knox (CAN) – 1:51.50
4. David Schlicht (AUS) – 1:53.23
5. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) – 1:53.42
6. Kieran Smith (USA) – 1:53.59
7. Massimiliano Matteazzi (ITA) – 1:55.86
8. Yumeki Kojima (JPN) – 1:56.14

Shaine Casas won his 2nd Triple Crown of the meet, taking the men’s 200 IM in dominant fashion with his swim of 1:49.79. This was about three tenths off the American Record time of 1:49.43 from the Carmel stop two weeks ago. With this swim, Casas will pick up another spot on the top 10 performances all-time list at 6th. He now holds the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th fastest swims of all-time.

Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushita finished 2nd in 1:51.43, which was his best swim of the meet, nearly two seconds faster than the 1:53.26 he swam in Westmont.

Canadian Finlay Knox was 3rd in 1:51.50 in front of a home crowd in Canada. This was his fastest swim of the series, but was still off his Canadian record time of 1:50.90 from the SC Worlds in December.

Women’s 100 Backstroke — Finals

• World Record: 54.02 — Regan Smith, United States (2024 & 2025)
• World Junior Record: 55.75 — Bella Sims, United States (2022)
• World Cup Record: 54.02 — Regan Smith, United States (2025)
• Triple Crown Contender: Regan Smith (USA)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 54.49
2. Regan Smith (USA) – 54.57
3. Katharine Berkoff (USA) – 55.10
4. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) – 56.05
5. Kylie Masse (CAN) – 56.09
6. Hannah Fredericks (AUS) – 56.84
7. Rhyan White (USA) – 56.87
8. Taylor Ruck (CAN) – 56.93

The Aussie women were on fire tonight, with Kaylee McKeown upsetting Regan Smith to win her first 100 backstroke title of the series, “Busting” Regan Smith‘s Triple Crown in the event.

McKeown swam 54.49 to set a new Australian and Oceanian record and take down Smith’s 54.57 for 2nd. She takes about a tenth off her previous best of 54.56 from the 2024 Australian National Championships and picks up up to the 6th fastest performance in history.

Smith touched in 54.57, about half-a-second off her World Record swim from last week with most of the time difference coming from her 2nd 50 split of 28.08 compared to the 27.57 she came home in last week in Westmont.

American Katharine Berkoff finished 3rd at 55.10, just under two tenths off her best of 54.93 from the SC World Championships last December.

Men’s 50 Breaststroke — Finals

• World Record: 24.95 — Emre Sakci, Turkey (2021)
• World Junior Record: 25.66 — Chris Smith, South Africa (2024)
• World Cup Record: 25.25 — Cameron van der Burgh (2009)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 25.77
2. Adam Peaty (GBR) – 25.87
3. Finn Brooks (CLB) – 25.94
4. Ludovico Viberti (ITA) – 26.15
5. Shin Ohashi (JPN) – 26.25
6. Michael Andrew (USA) – 26.35
7. Brian Benzing (CLB) – 26.41
8. Luke Barr (CLB) – 26.44

Caspar Corbeau won a tight men’s 50 breaststroke field, touching in 25.77 to beat British World Record holder Adam Peaty’s 25.87 by just a tenth of a second. Corbeau added a little more than two tenths from the Dutch record time of 25.52 he set to win the event in Westmont.

Peaty dropped back under 26 for the first time since 2022, swimming 25.87 to finish 2nd overall, just ahead of Finn Brooks. His best stands at 25.41 from the ISL final in November of 2020.

Brooks finished 3rd at 25.94, which was also about two tenths off his best of 25.75 from Westmont.

Women’s 50 Butterfly — Finals

• World Record: 23.72 — Gretchen Walsh, United States (2025)
• World Junior Record: 24.55 — Claire Curzan, United States (2021)
• World Cup Record: 23.72 — Gretchen Walsh, United States (2025)
• Triple Crown Contender: Gretchen Walsh (USA)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 23.91
2. Alexandria Perkins (AUS) – 24.63
3. Phoebe Bacon (USA) – 25.38
4. Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL) – 25.51
5. Katarzyna Wasick (POL) – 25.72
6. Taylor Ruck (CAN) – 25.92
7. Laura Lahtinen (FIN) – 25.94
8. Marie Wattel (FRA) – 26.05

While she didn’t break the World Record, Gretchen Walsh won the women’s 50 fly in 23.91, which is still under the former World Record time of 23.94 from the 2024 SC Champs, which means she will pick up just over 1000 AQUA points, or 10 performance points in the event.

This is huge for her position in the overall standings, as she came into the day 0.1 points behind Kate Douglass for the top spot in the World Cup Standings.

This swim is also her 3rd fastest time in history with only the other two World Cup stops as the only times faster.

Australian Alexandria Perkins finished 2nd at 24.63, about four tenths ahead of American Phoebe Bacon’s 25.38 for the bronze.

Men’s 100 Freestyle — Finals

• World Record: 44.84 — Kyle Chalmers, Australia (2021)
• World Junior Record: 45.64 — David Popovici, Romania (2022)
• World Cup Record: 44.84 — Kyle Chalmers, Australia (2021)
• Triple Crown Contender: Jack Alexy (USA)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Josh Liendo (CAN) – 45.30
2. Jack Alexy (USA) – 45.55
3. Chris Guiliano (USA) – 45.71
4. Matthew Richards (GBR) – 45.92
5. Ruslan Gaziev (CAN) – 46.47
6. Patrick Sebastian Dinu (ROU) – 46.48
7. Lamar Taylor (BAH) – 46.81
8. Luke Hobson (USA) – 46.92

The hometown crowd and home soil is working for Josh Liendo as he busts his 2nd crown of the meet, winning the men’s 100 freestyle in a new Canadian record time of 45.30.

With that swim, he takes does double champion Jack Alexy, winning the $2,500 “Crown Buster” bonus. He also takes down Hayden Brent’s 2009 Canadian record time of 45.56.

Alexy finished 2nd overall in 45.55, half-a-second off the 45.05 he swam in Budapest at the SC World Championships.

Chris Guiliano was 3rd in 45.71, two tenths off his best of 45.50 from the Carmel stop two weeks ago.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke — Finals

• World Record: 1:02.36 — Alia Atkinson, Jamaica/Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2016/2013)
• World Junior Record: 1:02.36 — Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2013)
• World Cup Record: 1:02.36 — Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2013)
• Triple Crown Contender: Kate Douglass (USA)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Kate Douglass (USA) – 1:02.93
2. Mona McSharry (IRL) – 1:03.84
3. Rebecca Meder (RSA) – 1:04.48
4. Satomi Suzuki (JPN) – 1:04.49
5. Henrietta Fangli (HUN) – 1:04.67
6. Sophie Angus (CAN) – 1:05.24
7. Florine Gaspard (BEL) – 1:05.27
8. Ella Ramsay (AUS) – 1:05.40

Kate Douglass swam 1:02.93 in the women’s 100 breaststroke to miss her best time of 1:02.90 by just three-hundredths-of-a-second. She picked up the Triple Crown in the event, and earned 973 AQUA points, or 9.7 performance points. This puts her 0.2 points behind Walsh in the overall rankings going into the final day of the meet.

Ireland’s Mona McSharry finished 2nd in 1:03.84, a new Irish record time, improving on the 1:03.92 she swam at the 2021 SC World Championships.

South Africa’s Rebecca Meder rounded out the podium in 1:04.48, just off the 1:04.41 she swam at the first stop in Carmel to finish 5th.

Men’s 200 Butterfly — Finals

• World Record: 1:46.85 — Tomoru Honda, Japan (2022)
• World Junior Record: 1:49.61 — Chen Juner, China (2022)
• World Cup Record: 1:48.46 – Ilya Kharun, Canada (2025)
• Triple Crown Contender: Ilya Kharun (CAN)

Top 8 Finishers

1. Ilya Kharun (CAN) – 1:49.71
2. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) – 1:51.63
3. Mitchell Schott (CLB) – 1:52.10
4. Trenton Julian (USA) – 1:52.72
5. Richard Marton (HUN) – 1:53.87
6. Anton Semenyuk (CAN) – 1:55.29
7. Yeziel Morales (PUR) – 1:55.55
8. Gabriel Jett (USA) – 1:56.12

Ilya Kharun picked up his first Triple Crown with his win in the 200 fly at 1:49.71. He led from start-to-finish, though 4th place finisher Trenton Julian was hot on his heels through the first 150 mark.

Over the final 50, Kharun surged ahead of the field, splitting 28.62 to secure a commanding victory, touching nearly two seconds ahead of Italy’s Alberto Razzetti, who swam 1:51.63 for the silver.

Mitchell Schott finished 3rd overall in 1:52.10, passing Julian over the final 50 with his 29.49 split to Julian’s 31.34.