2025 Swimming World Cup — Toronto: Day 3 Prelims 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 | Day 2

Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet

It’s been a whirlwind three weekends, but at last, the final day of the 2025 Swimming World Cup is upon us. After two electric nights in Toronto that have seen multiple world records broken, today, swimmers will aim to position themselves well for the last finals session this evening.

This morning, that includes eight swimmers eyeing Triple Crowns tonight (Lani Pallister is aiming for the distance freestyle Triple Crown, but will only compete in the fastest heat of the women’s 800 freestyle during finals). Ilya Kharun (50 butterfly), Hubert Kos (100 backstroke), Caspar Corbeau (200 breaststroke), Luke Hobson (200 freestyle), Kate Douglass (100 freestyle), Gretchen Walsh (100 butterfly), Kaylee McKeown (200 backstroke), and Alex Walsh (200 IM) are all hoping to cruise through to finals and complete their hat trick.

Event Schedule: 

• Men’s 400 IM — early heats
• Women’s 100 butterfly
• Men’s 50 butterfly
• Women’s 200 backstroke
• Men’s 100 backstroke
• Women’s 50 breaststroke
• Men’s 200 breaststroke
• Women’s 100 freestyle
• Men’s 200 freestyle
• Women’s 200 IM
• Women’s 800 freestyle — early heats

Men’s 400 IM — Early Heats (Timed Finals)

• World Record: 3:54.81 — Daiya Seto, Japan (2019)
• World Junior Record: 3:56.47 — Ilya Borodin, Russia (2021)
• World Cup Record: 3:57.25 — Daiya Seto, Japan (2018)

Top 8: 

1. Yumeki Kojima (JPN) — 4:11.33
2. Massimiliano Matteazzi (ITA)/Baylor Stanton (USA) — 4:11.50
3. (tie)
4. Jacques Harrison (CAN) — 4:17.26
5. Aiden Kirk (CAN) — 4:19.36
6. Andres Antonio Brooks (PUR) — 4:19.90
7. Zergio Quevedo (CLB) — 4:22.40
8. Charlie Clark (USA) — 4:22.43

Yumeki Kojima has the lead in the clubhouse after the three early heats of the men’s 400 IM timed finals. The world junior record holder in the long-course 400 IM, Kojima clocked a 4:11.33, out-touching Baylor Stanton in the final heat by .17 seconds. Stanton held the lead at the final turn, but Kojima charged home in 13.08 on the final 25 meters to get his hand on the wall first. Kojima owns a lifetime best of 4:08.91 from last year.

Stanton hit the wall at 4:11.50, tying Massimiliano Matteazzi‘s time from heat one. The two are tied for second overall with one heat remaining. There’s a big gap from the top three finishers to the rest of the field as Canada’s Jacques Harrison sits fourth at 4:17.26.

Women’s 100 Butterfly — Prelims

• World Record: 52.71 — Gretchen Walsh, United States (2024)
• World Junior Record: 55.10 — Mizuki Hirai, Japan (2025)
• World Cup Record: 53.69 — Gretchen Walsh, United States (2025)
• Triple Crown Contender: Gretchen Walsh (USA)

Top 8: 

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA) — 53.83
2. Alexandria Perkins (AUS) — 56.11
3. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN) — 56.43
4. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS) — 56.57
5. Laura Lahtinen (FIN) — 56.72
6. Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL) — 57.14
7. Hazel Ouwehand (NZL) — 57.59
8. Marie Wattel (FRA) — 57.82

Gretchen Walsh has put herself in position to claim another Triple Crown during tonight’s final session. She was the heavy favorite coming into the race and she underlined that this morning, leading the field by 2.28 seconds. She rattled her World Cup record of 53.69 from the Carmel final. Notably, she was much faster than she was in prelims at either of the other two stops, surpassing her 54.43 from Carmel prelims and 54.28 from Westmont.

Behind the Walsh show, Alexandria Perkins was the second-fastest qualifier with a 56.11. She won the second heat, leading from start to finish ahead of a close race between Mary-Sophie Harvey and Brittany Castelluzzo. Harvey won that race with a 56.43, .14 seconds ahead of Castelluzzo.

There was an even closer race for the last spot in tonight’s final. It turned out that touching second in heat one behind Laura Lahtinen made the difference for Marie Wattel. She out-touched Bella Grant in that heat, 57.82 to 57.89, which secured her lane eight tonight.

Men’s 50 Butterfly — Prelims

• World Record: 21.32 — Noe Ponti, Switzerland (2024)
• World Junior Record: 22.28 — Ilya Kharun, Canada (2022)
• World Cup Record: 21.50 — Noe Ponti, Switzerland (2024)
• Triple Crown Contender: Ilya Kharun (CAN)

Top 8: 

1. Ilya Kharun (CAN) — 21.85
2. Noe Ponti (SUI) — 21.87
3. Josh Liendo (CAN) — 21.99
4. Finn Brooks (CLB) — 22.29
5. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) — 22.37
6. Teong Tzen Wei (SGP) — 22.40
7. Dylan Carter (TTO) — 22.49
8. Matt Richards (GBR) — 22.70

The men’s 50 butterfly final should be a great race between Triple Crown Contender Ilya Kharun, world record holder Noe Ponti, and newly minted 100 butterfly world record holder Josh Liendo. Each man won his heat this morning, with Kharun’s 21.85 from heat four holding up as the fastest swim of prelims after Ponti clocked 21.87 to win the final heat. Liendo sits a bit further back from the top pair with a 21.99, which marks a lifetime best for him. He’s been on fire in Toronto; in addition to his world record swim, he set a 50 freestyle Canadian record and earned a bonus as a ‘Crown Buster’.

It looks like the race for first will be the top three swimmers, who were also the only three to dip under 22 seconds this morning. Indiana’s Finn Brooks is sitting fourth overall with a 22.29, which is just .07 seconds off his prelims swim from Westmont. Last week, Brooks posted a lifetime best 22.09 for third in the Westmont final.

Thomas Ceccon, Teong Tzen Wei, and Dylan Carter, all regulars in the long-course World Championship 50 butterfly final, will swim in this short-course final tonight. Meanwhile, Matt Richards has also made it back for the 50 butterfly final. He took on this side-quest event in Westmont as well, where he finished 12th in 22.91. His 22.70 this morning is a lifetime best.

Women’s 200 Backstroke — Prelims

• World Record: 1:57.87 — Kaylee McKeown, Australia (2025)
• World Junior Record: 1:59.96 — Summer McIntosh, Canada (2024)
• World Cup Record: 1:57.87 — Kaylee McKeown, Australia (2025)
• Triple Crown Contender: Kaylee McKeown (AUS)

Top 8: 

1. Anastasiya Shkurdai (NAA) — 2:03.99
2. Kaylee McKeown (AUS) — 2:04.20
3. Madison Kryger (CAN) — 2:04.23
4. Phoebe Bacon (USA) — 2:04.29
5. Regan Smith (USA) — 2:04.34
6. Rhyan White (USA) — 2:04.66
7. Hannah Fredericks (AUS) — 2:04.72
8. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) — 2:05.22

Anastasiya Shkurdai pressed the gas pedal on the final 25 meters of her 200 backstroke, coming home in 15.21 to go over the top of Madison Kryger and get the heat win in 2:03.99. That time held up through the next two heats as the fastest of the morning.

Regan Smith cruised to the win in heat three with a 2:04.34, beating Canada’s Ingrid Wilm by almost a second (2:05.22). Heat four saw Kaylee McKeown win with a 2:04.20 ahead of American Olympic 200 backstrokers Phoebe Bacon (2:04.29) and Rhyan White (2:04.66). McKeown held off a late push from Bacon in heat four to secure the heat win and touch as the second-fastest qualifier overall. After breaking the world record in Westmont last weekend, McKeown aims to collect the Triple Crown in this event tonight.

Kryger and Wilm both made it back for the final, which will give the Canadian crowd two swimmers to cheer for in this race.

Men’s 100 Backstroke — Prelims

• World Record: 48.33 — Coleman Stewart, United States (2021)
• World Junior Record: 48.76 — Miron Lifintsev, Russia (2024)
• World Cup Record: 48.78 — Hubert Kos, Hungary (2025)
• Triple Crown Contender: Hubert Kos (HUN)

Top 8: 

1. Kacper Stokowski (CLB) — 49.80
2. Hubert Kos (HUN) — 49.95
3. Gabriel Jett (USA) — 50.34
4. Lorenzo Mora (ITA) — 50.59
5. Finlay Knox (CAN) — 50.63
6. Ralf Tribuntsov (EST) — 50.65
7. Enoch Robb (AUS) — 50.79
8. Blake Tierney (CAN) — 51.30

After swimming a 50.80 100 backstroke in Carmel prelims and 51.06 in Westmont, Kacper Stokowski unleashed a 49.80 in heat four of Toronto prelims to qualify first overall for the final. This was actually Stokowski’s fastest 100 backstroke on this year’s World Cup circuit, bettering the 49.92 he swam for second in Carmel.

Stokowski’s fastest 100 backstroke of his career is a 49.12 from the 2024 Short Course World Championships. That means that he’ll need to be at his best to beat Hubert Kos, who is vying for another backstroke Triple Crown at the World Cup. Kos has won the 100 backstroke at the first two stops in 49.08 and 48.78, respectively, setting a World Cup record with the latter swim.

Out of heat one, Gabriel Jett transferred the backstroke skills he deployed in his final year of NCAA swimming into short-course meters. He dropped a 50.34 this morning, which was enough to qualify third overall for the final. That swim set him apart from the handful of swimmers that went 50-mid, making up the bulk of the fifth-eighth place qualifiers. For the second straight event, there will be two Canadians in the final as both Finlay Knox (50.63) and Blake Tierney (51.30) made it back. Tierney holds the Canadian record in 49.39, so could make a big jump up the standings tonight.

Women’s 50 Breaststroke — Prelims

• World Record: 28.37 — Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2022)
• World Junior Record: 28.81 — Benedetta Pilato, Italy (2020)
• World Cup Record: 28.56 — Alia Atkinson, Jamaica (2018)

Top 8: 

1. Florine Gaspard (BEL) — 29.99
2. Mona McSharry (IRL) — 30.10
3. Maria Ramos Najji (ESP) — 30.25
4. Sophie Angus (CAN) — 30.29
5. Satomi Suzuki (JPN) — 30.31
6. Alexanne Lepage (CAN) — 30.40
7. Skyler Smith (USA) — 30.54
8. Laura Lahtinen (FIN) — 30.56

Belgium’s Florine Gaspard was the only swimmer to crack 30 seconds during the women’s 50 breaststroke prelims. She just cleared that barrier, swimming a 29.99 and winning heat four ahead of Satomi Suzuki‘s 30.31. Gaspard finished third in this race in Westmont after setting a Belgian record 29.58 in Carmel.

Mona McSharry won last weekend in Westmont with a 29.59. She’s put herself in a solid position to win again, posting a 30.10 to win heat three by .15 seconds over Maria Ramos Najji. There’s no Triple Crown on the line in this event though, as Estonia’s Eneli Jefimova returned to NCAA racing after winning the 50 breaststroke at the opening stop in Carmel.

This is another two-swimmer final for the Canadian contingent with Sophie Angus and Alexanne Lepage carrying on the momentum in this race. They went 1-2 in heat two. Finland’s Laura Lahtinen has set herself up for a double tonight, making it back for both the 100 butterfly and 50 breaststroke final.

Men’s 200 Breaststroke — Prelims

• World Record: 2:00.16 — Kirill Prigoda, Russia (2018)
• World Junior Record: 2:03.23 — Akihiro Yamaguchi, Japan (2012)
• World Cup Record: 2:00.48 — Daniel Gyurta, Hungary (2014)
• Triple Crown Contender: Caspar Corbeau (NED)

Top 8: 

1. Caspar Corbeau (NED) — 2:03.72
2. David Schlicht (AUS)/Ippei Watanabe (JPN) — 2:06.04
3. (tie)
4. Shin Ohashi (JPN) — 2:06.12
5. Yamato Fukasawa (JPN) — 2:06.24
6. Adam Peaty (GBR) — 2:06.50
7. Daiya Seto (JPN) — 2:07.34
8. Nathan Thomas (CLB) — 2:07.96

Caspar Corbeau will go Triple Crown hunting in the 200 breaststroke final this evening. He’s positioned himself well, not only is he the top seed by 2.31 seconds, he also just turned in his fastest 200 breaststroke prelims swim of the World Cup. Corbeau won the final heat in 2:03.72, building from the 2:05.60 Carmel prelims swim and the 2:04.07 in Westmont.

Corbeau’s lifetime best is the 2:01.63 he swam to win in Carmel.

Half of tonight’s 200 breaststroke final will be swimmers from the Japanese team in Westmont. Ippei Watanabe is the fastest of his four teammates after tying with Australia’s David Schlicht for second-fastest overall in 2:06.04. His teenage teammate and this summer’s breaststroke breakout Shin Ohashi sits fourth after winning heat three in 2:06.12, .12 seconds ahead of Yamato Fukasawa (2:06.24). Daiya Seto rounds out the group after a 2:07.34 that puts him seventh overall.

Adam Peaty has made it back for the final as well, clocking 2:06.50 for fifth. This is his first 200 breaststroke final on this year’s World Cup circuit after he finished 12th in Carmel and 9th in Westmont.

Women’s 100 Freestyle — Prelims

• World Record: 50.19 — Kate Douglass, United States (2025)
• World Junior Record: 51.45 — Kayla Sanchez, Canada (2018)
• World Cup Record: 50.19 — Kate Douglass, United States (2025)
• Triple Crown Contender: Kate Douglass (USA)

Top 8: 

1. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) — 51.54
2. Kate Douglass (USA) — 51.59
3. Taylor Ruck (CAN) — 52.19
4. Kayla Sanchez (PHI) — 52.33
5. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) — 52.71
6. Kasia Wasick (POL) — 52.75
7. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS) — 53.54
8. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) — 53.74

There’s a lot on the line in the women’s 100 freestyle final, as it could be the race that decides the overall women’s World Cup winner, Kate Douglass or Gretchen Walsh. Douglass broke the world record in this event last weekend, clocking a 50.19 to break Cate Campbell‘s mark.

Today, Douglass won the final heat in 51.59 after posting a 51.27 in Westmont prelims. Her time this morning is the second-fastest overall. Douglass will swim out of lane five tonight as she touched five-hundredths off Mollie O’Callaghan‘s 51.45 effort from heat three. O’Callaghan owns a lifetime best 51.13, swum at the Carmel stop of this circuit.

In heat three, O’Callaghan pulled away from Taylor Ruck and Kayla Sanchez. On Thursday, Ruck swam her first individual Canadian record since 2018 with a 23.49 in the 50 freestyle. She swam a 52.19, beating her former Canadian teammate Sanchez, who still owns the 100 freestyle Canadian record with her 51.45 from 2018. Sanchez swam 52.33 to touch third in the heat and fourth overall.

Brittany Castelluzzo will swim the 100 butterfly/100 freestyle double tonight after making both finals.

Men’s 200 Freestyle — Prelims

• World Record: 1:38.61 — Luke Hobson, United States (2024)
• World Junior Record: 1:40.65 — Matthew Sates, South Africa (2021)
• World Cup Record: 1:39.37 — Paul Biedermann, Germany (2009)
• Triple Crown Contender: Luke Hobson (USA)

Top 8: 

1. Chris Guiliano (USA) — 1:40.19
2. Luke Hobson (USA) — 1:41.62
3. Matt Richards (GBR) — 1:41.99
4. Kieran Smith (USA) — 1:42.02
5. Mitchell Schott (CLB)/Thomas Ceccon (ITA) — 1:42.50
6. —
7. Maximilian Giuliani (AUS) — 1:42.77
8. Sam Short (AUS) — 1:42.91

Chris Guiliano fired off a lifetime best 1:40.19 in heat three to secure lane four for tonight’s final ahead of world record holder and Triple Crown contender Luke Hobson. Guiliano took 1.15 seconds off his best with the swim, improving from the 1:41.34 he swam last weekend in Westmont. The time is faster than the 1:40.62 Hobson went to win the Westmont title, setting up a potential Crown Buster for this evening, though Hobson has obviously been much faster in his career.

Both Matt Richards and Thomas Ceccon have the option to pull the 50 butterfly/200 freestyle double this evening. The 50 butterfly is an off event for Richards, but he’s back in his element in the 200 freestyle, swimming 1:41.99 for third overall this morning. Richards holds his lifetime best at 1:41.01 in this event from 2023. Meanwhile, the 200 freestyle is Ceccon’s off event between the 50 fly and 200 freestyle. His 1:42.50 is a lifetime best effort for him (same for Princeton’s Mitchell Schott, who he tied for fifth with).

Kieran Smith sits just three-hundredths behind Richards after prelims. There was an even closer race for the final spot in the finals. Sam Short guaranteed that it would be his with a 1:42.91 in heat four, holding on against Patrick Sammon‘s 1:42.93 and Charlie Hawke‘s 1:42.97 efforts in heat five.

Women’s 200 IM — Prelims

• World Record: 2:01.63 — Kate Douglass, United States (2024)
• World Junior Record: 2:04.48 — Yu Yiting, China (2021)
• World Cup Record: 2:02.13 — Katinka Hosszu, Hungary (2014)
• Triple Crown Contender: Alex Walsh (USA)

Top 8: 

1. Alex Walsh (USA) — 2:05.59
2. Ellen Walshe (IRL) — 2:06.39
3. Abbie Wood (GBR) — 2:06.89
4. Rebecca Meder (RSA) — 2:07.08
5. Ella Ramsay (AUS) — 2:07.60
6. Phoebe Bacon (USA) — 2:07.95
7. Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL) — 2:08.42
8. Freya Colbert (GBR) — 2:08.47

The last Triple Crown contender swimming this morning, Alex Walsh secured lane four for tonight’s 200 IM final. She won the final heat with a 2:05.59, which puts her eight-tenths ahead of the second-fastest qualifier Ellen Walshe. Walsh confirmed herself as the strong favorite for the win this evening.

Walsh and Walshe were joined under the 2:07 barrier by Great Britain’s Abbie Wood, who swam 2:06.89. Wood has finished second and third in the 200 IM on this circuit so far and owns a lifetime best of 2:02.75 from the 2024 Short Course World Championships.

We have two more swimmers in line for doubles this evening. Roos Vanotterdijk has qualified for the 100 fly and 200 IM final, while Bacon has given herself a difficult 200 backstroke/200 IM double.

Five of the women from the Westmont final have qualified in Toronto. In addition to Walsh, Walshe, and Wood, that also includes Rebecca Meder and Freya Colbert.

Women’s 800 Freestyle — Early Heats (Timed Finals)

• World Record: 7:57.42 — Katie Ledecky, United States (2022)
• World Junior Record: 7:59.44 — Wang Jianjiahe, China (2018)
• World Cup Record: 7:57.42 — Katie Ledecky, United States (2022)
• Triple Crown Contender: Lani Pallister (AUS)

Top 8: 

1. Callie Cardiff (CLB) — 8:51.94
2. Mia E. Thomas (CLB) — 8:53.51
3. Keira Kennedy (CLB0 — 8:55.77
4. Isabella Ferguson (CLB) — 8:56.56
5. Zoe M. Rattee (CLB) — 8:57.17
6. Meghan Sutherland (CLB) — 8:57.73
7. Alexandra Dunn (CLB) — 9:01.78
8. Zoe Tomory (CLB) — 9:04.56

It’s Callie Cardiff who owns the fastest time of the women’s 800 freestyle timed finals so far. Cardiff posted an 8:51.94 from heat one, which held up as Mia Thomas won heat two in 8:53.91. Tonight, Lani Pallister looks to complete the distance freestyle triple crown. It was the 1500 freestyle that was on offer in Westmont but Pallister clocked 8:02.02 to win in the 800 freestyle in Carmel which is the second-fastest performance all-time.