2025 U.S. Nationals: Day 1 Finals Preview

2025 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, June 3 – Saturday, June 7, 2025
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Indiana University Natatorium
• LCM (50 meters)
• World Championship Selection Criteria
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

Day 1 Finals Heat Sheet

The first night of finals at the 2025 U.S. Nationals is just a few short hours away. By the end of the night, we’ll have our first qualifiers for the 2025 World Aquatic Championships in Singapore as finals of the 200 butterfly, 100 freestyle, women’s 800 freestyle, and men’s 1500 freestyle all go off the blocks this evening.

Regan Smith Leads Women’s 200 Butterfly

Regan Smith (photo: Jack Spitser)

It was no surprise to see Regan Smith control the women’s 200 butterfly prelims, cruising to the top seed by over a second (2:06.25). There is an interesting race taking shape behind her for the second roster spot, which has been wide open for the past couple of years. Paris Olympic finalist Alex Shackell was out fast this morning and came back to her heat on the back half, swimming a 2:08.47 for fourth overall, though she was out under lifetime best pace.

Stanford’s Caroline Bricker kept her momentum from the 2024-25 NCAA season rolling, smashing a lifetime best 2:07.37 for the second seed heading into the final. It will be a big test for her to maintain that spot ahead of a deep field that includes not only the Olympian Shackell but also 2023 Worlds team member Lindsay Looney (2:09.61), Virginia’s Tess Howley, and rising teen star Audrey Derivaux (2:09.15). Both Howley and Derivaux have cracked the 2:07 mark before, with Looney coming close with a 2:07.03 to finish third at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.

The Open Race For Second In The Men’s 200 Butterfly

Luca Urlando (courtesy: Chris Pose)

Luca Urlando leads this season’s world rankings in the men’s 200 butterfly thanks to his 1:52.37 at the Sacramento Pro Swim, which made him the fourth-fastest performer in history. Urlando did not need to be that fast this morning, but he still secured the top seed for tonight’s championship final, swimming 1:54.57.

Including Urlando, three men broke the 1:55 second barrier this morning as it took a faster time (1:55.86) to qualify for tonight’s final than it did at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials (1:56.73). Gabriel Jett had his best swim in this event since 2022, firing off a 1:54.87—which would’ve made the Paris Olympic team—while Mason Laur cracked 1:55 for the first time in his career (1:54.97). With Carson Foster sitting fourth in 1:55.11 and Olympian Thomas Heilman hanging out in lane one (1:55.51), the top two swimmers could come from anywhere in the pool.

Paris Olympians Reload For Women’s 100 Freestyle

Torri Huske (courtesy: Chris Pose)

Kate Douglass, Torri Huske, Gretchen Walsh, and Simone Manuel won Olympic silver in the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay this summer and occupy the top four spots heading into tonight’s final (Manuel is tied with fellow Longhorn Erin Gemmell for fourth).

Walsh is riding the hot hand coming into the meet and she set the bar with a 52.99 in prelims, just nine-hundredths from the lifetime best she swam last month in Fort Lauderdale. She’s followed by Huske, the Olympic silver medalist (53.32), Douglass, the Olympic Trials winner (53.51), and Manuel, the American record holder (53.61).

Even as these four look to defend the top four spots, there are several swimmers aiming to upset them. Gemmell (53.61), Anna Moesch (53.69), and Claire Weinstein all broke 54-seconds for the first time this morning and will be ready to jump if anyone falters. Maxine Parker won the swim-off and will eye a return to the World Championship team after qualifying in 2023. That gives Virginia four of the top eight finalists as they aim to set the tone for this meet early.

Jack Alexy’s U.S. Open Record Highlighted Prelims

Destin Lasco (photo: Jack Spitser)

It did not take long for the first record of these championships to go down. In the final heat of the men’s 100 freestyle, Jack Alexy smashed his U.S. Open record from last season with a stunning 46.99.

The swim made Alexy the sixth man to break the 47-second mark. He’s now the fastest man in the world this season and just three-hundredths from Caeleb Dressel’s American record.

Alexy’s swim highlighted the morning, but there were several other intriguing swims amidst several notable absences, swimmers asserted themselves as the next contributors to the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay. After narrowly missing an Olympic berth in this relay last year, Destin Lasco swam a lifetime best (47.82), while Sun Devils Jonny Kulow (47.84) and Patrick Sammon (47.87) broke 48 seconds for the first time in their career.

Olympic finalists and Texas training partners Chris Guiliano (47.96) and Shaine Casas (48.24) are in the hunt for a spot on the Worlds team too, as are Henry McFadden (48.15) and Grant House (48.16).

Katie Ledecky Aims To Follow Up World Record With Worlds Qualification

Katie Ledecky (courtesy Chris Pose)

After breaking her 800 freestyle world record last month in an incredible performance, Katie Ledecky now looks to qualify for her seventh long-course World Championship team. Her achieving that goal tonight is as close of a lock as things can get at a swim meet; barring disaster, Ledecky will confirm her place on the plane to Singapore tonight.

The more interesting question is who will be joining her in this event. Claire Weinstein is swimming well this season; she hit a 4:01 400 freestyle best in Fort Lauderdale and just showed her sprint speed this morning. She’ll have a double with the 100 freestyle this evening, truly flexing her range. Her main competition looks to be Jillian Cox, who has been on fire since arriving at Texas and swept the distance freestyle events at the 2025 Women’s NCAA Championship. Her Longhorn teammate Kate Hurst could surprise, as could teenager Kayla Han.

Bobby Finke Rules The Men’s 1500 Freestyle

Bobby Finke (photo: Jack Spitser)

Then, it’s time for Florida’s other distance star to shine. Bobby Finke is the world record holder in this event and the two-time Olympic champion. It would be just as surprising to see him miss the Worlds team in this event as it would be for Ledecky to miss in the women’s 800 freestyle.

David Johnston earned the second Paris roster spot in this event last summer and as the only other swimmer with a seed time under the 15 minute mark is the favorite on paper. But Charlie Clark has been on several international teams and shouldn’t be discounted. Luka Mijatovic scratched, but there is still a host of young swimmers looking to impress. Luke Ellis is right on the edge of breaking 15:00 (15:00.24), Carson Hick had a breakout in yards at the 2025 Men’s NCAA Championships (15:14.07), and William Mulgrew surprised for an Olympic Trials final spot last year (15:12.63).