2025 World Championships
- July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
- Singapore, Singapore
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- LCM (50m)
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We are officially on day six of the 2025 World Championships, which means we only have three days left of the meet. This morning’s prelims session promises a lot of excitement, however with one of the most anticipated races of the championships, the women’s 800 freestyle, swimming prelims this morning.
The session will end with three heats of women’s 800 freestyle, where we will get our first look at the brewing battle between World Record holder Katie Ledecky and young superstar Summer McIntosh.
Ledecky broke her own World Record at the beginning of May, going a new best time for the first time in nine years to touch in 8:04.12. She turned around and swam another very strong time of 8:05.76 at the 2025 United States Nationals to win the event.
Her dominance is will known in this event, and until last February, it had been more than 13 years since she had lost the race. The swimmer who beat her last year? Summer McIntosh. At a sectionals meet in February of 2024, McIntosh took nine seconds off her previous best time to touch n 8:11.39 and become the 2nd fastest performer in history. Ledecky swam that race in 8:17.12 to take her first official loss (not winning in the event final) since she was 13-years-old.
McIntosh has only gotten faster since then, and in June, she swam a personal best 8:05.07 to take the gold at Canadian Trials.
The two won’t be racing this morning. McIntosh is in heat two of three and Ledecky will be in heat three, but this will be our first look at tomorrow night’s title race.
We have to wait until the end of the session to see that race, but the rest of the session promises some fast racing as well.
We will start with the men’s 100 butterfly, where Josh Liendo is the top seed with the 49.99 he swam to earn the silver medal in Paris. Olympic champion Kristof Milak will not be racing the event, but there are plenty of men ready to take his place and challenge Liendo’s top seed.
One of which is France’s Maxime Grousset who has the top time in the world this year, having swum a lifetime best time of 50.11 at the French Elite Championships. He is the 2nd seed, coming in just five-hundredths ahead of Swiss swimmer Noe Ponti‘s 50.16 in 3rd. They will also have challengers in the form of Canada’s Ilya Kharun, American Shaine Casas, and Nyls Korstanje from the Netherlands. Casas has been having a very strong meet so far, taking silver in the men’s 200 IM, and he is looking good to earn a higher finish here.
The women’s 200 backstroke comes next, and we will see American Claire Curzan‘s first swim of the meet as the top seed in heat three of five. We do not know if Curzan has been affected by the illness that is running rampant in the US camp. If she was, she could miss the semifinal entirely. Of course, there is also the classic race between Australia’s Kaylee McKeown and fellow American Regan Smith that will play out again, but likely not until tomorrow night.
The men’s 50 freestyle will go next, and a lot of the names from the 100 butterfly will be back in the water for one of the 13 heats. This includes France’s Grousset and Canada’s Liendo. Great Britain’s Ben Proud and Australia’s Cameron McEvoy are tied for the top seed at 21.25 with American Jack Alexy in 3rd at 21.36. Santo Condorelli will also take the water for TeamUSA for the first time, officially representing three different countries internationally.
The women’s 50 fly will see American Gretchen Walsh as the top seed, though she scratched the 100 freestyle yesterday morning due to ongoing illness within Team USA. She will swim in the final heat with teammate Kate Douglass, who is seeded 4th, six tenths back at 25.39. Japan’s Rikako Ikee and Australia’s Alexandria Perkins are seeded 2nd and 3rd respectively in 25.33 and 25.36.
The men will swim their 4×200 freestyle relay before the women’s 800s with one heat of eight and one heat of nine. The United States men will swim in heat one, the heat of eight, along with China and Germany and Great Britain will lead heat two with Australia and France on their tails.
Top Seeds
- Men’s 100 fly: Josh Liendo (CAN)- 49.99
- Women’s 200 back: Kaylee McKeown (AUS)- 2:03.30
- Men’s 50 free: Cameron McEvoy (AUS) & Benjamin Proud (GBR)- 21.25
- Women’s 50 fly: Gretchen Walsh (USA)- 24.66
- Men’s 4×200 free relay: Great Britain- 6:59.43
- Women’s 800 freestyle: Katie Ledecky (USA)- 8:04.12
man not great from Heilman
I think it’s smart putting Jett on that relay to guarantee a good spot in the finals. No playing around this time like in the medley relay.
Jett has proven himself to be a monster relay swimmer over the years at Cal and can handle multiple swims at big meets. I like this
call.
And if everybody stays healthy, I think they have a chance to rip a big swim tonight.
prelim relay out: Guilian – Maurer – McFadden – Jett
Guiliano/Maurer/McFadden/Jett
Not sure what to think about Jett being on the prelims. Where on earth is Carson right now
If Carson’s healthy he’s easily in the finals relay
I agree, just surprised they realized that and sent him straight to finals
He’s been straight to finals the last 2 championship meets, he’s proven himself worthy of that
I was attempting to make a joke about the coaching staff’s decisions, but yes.
He scratched the 2 IM final last night. Probably sick.
I’m fine with Jett being on prelim. After the mixed medley, don’t screw around and get left out of the final with dumb lineup. Not to mention, with Casas busy, Foster likely sick, only other option was probably Miatovic?
Luca might have been an option as well.
Would really like Casas on the 4×200 prelims. He closed so well yesterday, and yea, it’s a double, but lots of time in between. CASAS – MAURER – MCFADDEN – GUILIANO
After first 2 events can pretty much turn this one off.
Will be great for my lifestyle, lost many hours to this meet already 😂
Elijah Winnington and Kai Taylor at least in for Australia in the heats for the 4×200 just based off SPWs IG story
Sommerville, Hawke, Taylor, Giuliani. No Elijah… wouldn’t expect him to go straight to finals after a poor 400 free. Sam Short still a question mark. Flynn obviously in the final.
Would love to see Mr.Casas get close to the 49 barrier
He’s looked really good so far. I don’t think he can beat Grousset or Liendo, but I definitely think he’s got a shot at getting on the podium.