2025 U.S. Nationals: Douglass, Huske Lead Bevy of Top 8 Scratches (Day 5 Prelims Scratches)

by Mark Wild 18

June 07th, 2025 National, News

2025 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Day 5 Prelims Heat Sheet

It wasn’t unexpected, but the Women’s 200 IM saw two of its top three seeds scratch as #1 Kate Douglass and #3 Torri Huske have both dropped the event. This does not mean you won’t see them this morning, however, as the pair are the 6th and 2nd seeds, respectively, in the 50 free, which is just one event later.

The 200 IM at Worlds directly overlaps with the 100 fly, which Huske has qualified for, and Douglass would have to navigate the semis of the 100 breast in the same session as the 200 IM Final. Douglass is the two-time defending World Champion in the event, but is also the American Record holder in the 50 free.

The pair were not the only Top 8 seeds to scratch out of an event this morning. Brooks Curry has dropped out of the 50 free, where he was seeded 8th overall with a time of 22.03. Curry, a two-time Olympic medalist, just missed making the finals of the 100 and 200 free earlier in the week, placing 9th in both prelims.

Katie Grimes, who has already qualified for Singapore in the 400 IM, has decided to end her week early and has withdrawn from the 1500 freestyle. The #2 seed in the event, Grimes, was the 2022 Worlds silver medalist and represented the USA last summer in the event, placing 10th in prelims.

The men’s 800 free also saw a top 8 seed pull out at Ohio State’s Charlie Clark has withdrawn. Clark, a member of the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Worlds Team Clark placed 13th in the 1500 free and 22nd in the 400 free earlier in the week.

See below for a full list of scratches:

Women’s 200 IM 

Men’s 200 IM

Women’s 50 Freestyle

Men’s 50 Freestyle

Women’s 1500 Freestyle

Men’s 800 Freestyle

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dg5301
1 day ago

This opens thing up for Leah Hayes to grab a spot. She’s been swimming great here, and I hope she seizes the opportunity with a best time.

lilac
1 day ago

nooo i wnated to see grimes 1500😭😭

Swimmer2321
1 day ago

Hey I had this happening on my pick’em for this event. I just had a gut feeling but I really didn’t think both of them would actually do it I thought I was going crazy. I think I had Walsh, Hayes, Ivy and I can’t remember who I put 4th. But that is gonna help my score for today.

Admin
Reply to  Swimmer2321
1 day ago

Yeah that’s a pretty big-time prediction haha. Sometimes to win a pick ’em you have to make off-the-wall picks and have them hit though.

Boknows34
Reply to  Swimmer2321
1 day ago

Predicting the scratches competition. 🙂

Masters Swammer
1 day ago

RIP my pick ’ems

WaterAce
1 day ago

I understand why but I really wanted to see Huske do the 200im, she looked damn good this collegiate season, especially when she won it at NCAAs. I was hoping to see it transfer to long course

BSD
1 day ago

I don’t understand why KD hates the 200 IM so much, it’s arguably her best event and the international field in the 50 is not easygoing.

WaterAce
Reply to  BSD
1 day ago

I’d expect her to focus moreso on the 100/200 breast now and probably rarely swim the 200im. She’s gonna be our main breaststroker now

iLikePsych
Reply to  BSD
1 day ago

Lowkey expecting Gretchen to smash her AR today

swimfan
Reply to  BSD
1 day ago

she usually doesnt compete LCM 200im after an olympic year the same thing happened in 2022 i think

Teddy
Reply to  swimfan
1 day ago

That’s actually quite wise

Vaswammer
Reply to  swimfan
1 day ago

Correct. In 2002, she didn’t contest the 200 IM LC once. After the 2021 Olympics, she didn’t swim it again until May 2023.

swimmer24
Reply to  BSD
1 day ago

Most of the extremely versatile and elite swimmers mix up their events from year to year, especially post-Olympics. Look at Phelps’ schedule at Worlds in 2005 – he dropped arguably his 2 best events (200 fly & 400 IM) to swim the 100 free and 400 free instead. Phelps then also experimented with the backstroke. Coughlin always played around with her events from year to year. I think that if an athlete can make a team, it helps keep them fresh and engaged. For Kate, I imagine working on her breaststroke speed will help her 200 breast and potentially her 200 IM in the long run – plus it gives her a better shot at the 400 Medley relay finals… Read more »

Viking Steve
Reply to  BSD
22 hours ago

She’s earned the right to swim whatever makes her happy.

Just like anything else in life… greatness = more options.

Slower Than You
1 day ago

I know he’s already on the team, but I would love to see Destin Lasco swim a 200 IM at some point

Swimmerj
1 day ago

Clear path on the Alex Walsh revenge tour

800 medley relay
Reply to  Swimmerj
1 day ago

2:06 high tonight