2025 World Cup – Carmel: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap

2025 SWIMMING WORLD CUP – CARMEL

• October 10-12, 2025
• Carmel, Indiana
• SCM (25 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
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Day 1 Prelims Heat Sheet

Good morning all, and welcome to the first preliminary session of the 2025 World Cup Series. Our first stop takes us to Carmel, Indiana, where the Shackell Siblings (Aaron, Alex and Andrew) can expect some strong hometown support.

This first session is very sprint-heavy for the men and an even mix for the women, with the following events being contested:

Day 1 Prelims Schedule:

• Women’s 400 Free
• Men’s 400 Free
• Women’s 50 Back
• Men’s 200 Back
• Women’s 200 Fly
• Men’s 100 Fly
• Women’s 200 Breast
• Men’s 100 Breast
• Women’s 50 Free
• Men’s 50 Free
• Women’s 100 IM
• Men’s 100 IM

As the three stops are being held in North America, there are many of the continent’s best in attendance, with the American trio of Regan Smith, Kate Douglass and Gretchen Walsh leading the way. The three all broke multiple World Records last winter at the 2024 Short Course Worlds in Budapest, and will be looking to better those times and defend their records as they return to short course racing.

Smith, the WR holder in the 50 back, won’t have an easy time of it as she will look to hold of the likes of Kaylee McKeown, Katharine Berkoff and Walsh, who herself is in for a tough morning as she is the top seed (and World Record holder) in the last two events of the sesssion, the 50 free and 100 IM. Her Virginia teammate, Douglass, will cross paths with her in the 100 IM, but first will look to continue her dominance in the 200 breaststroke, one of two events she broke the World Record in Budapest.

On the men’s side, Leon Marchand headlines the field. The Frenchman based in Texas, scratched the 100 IM in favor of the 400 free and an interesting 200 back, where he lurks dangerously unseeded in the outside lane. Joining him coming up from Texas is Hungary’s Hubert Kos, who leads the 200 back field by a wide margin but like Marchand is seeded dangerously low in the 100 IM, and event which everyone seems to be in as the likes of Thomas Ceccon, Noe Ponti, Finlay Know, Michael Andrew and Shaine Casas will be all be fighting for a spot in the final.

Women’s 400 Freestyle – Timed Finals (early heats)

• World Record: 3:50.25 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
• World Junior Record: 3:50.25 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
• World Cup Record: 3:52.80 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2022)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:54.04 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2022)

Results:

1. Paige Downey (CLB) – 4:11.47
2. Abby Carlson (CLB) – 4:12.35
3. Alexandra Siegel (CLB) – 4:14.42
4. Clare Herfel (CLB) – 4:16.82
5. Ellie Kayser (CLB) – 4:17.50
6. Ava Metzger (CLB) – 4:18.63
7. Jane Chevalier (CLB) – 4:18.77
8. Isabella Teply (CLB) – 4:18.93

The first of the two heats this morning, the final and fastest heat will swim tonight saw Ava Metzger open things up quickly, as she quickly led the pack into the first wall flipping in 1:01.08. Metzger, an Indiana Native and 2026 commit to Indiana University, built her lead over the next 100 as she hit the halfway mark in 2:06.61, 1.39 seconds ahead of Karolina Anna Valko of Slovakia.

The pair remained atop the field over the entire remainder of the race with Metzger stopping the clock at 4:18.63, taking the win and posting the fastest time so far. Valko did her best to close on the high school senior but ultimately came up short, touching 2nd at 4:19.42.

The 2nd of two heats was a back-and-forth affair as Alexandra Siegel opened things up in 1:00.64, a little less than half a second faster than Metzger in the first heat. However, by 200, Paige Downey has asserted herself on the field, overtaking Siegel and flipping in 2:04.29 at the 200. Downey would remain in control for the rest of the race, winning the heat in 4:11.47. Over the last 200, however, Wisconsin’s Abby Carlson made a move and came within half a second of the leader, after having been 1.5 seconds back at the 200 mark, but ultimately ran out of room, finishing 2nd in 4:12.35.

Men’s 400 Freestyle – Timed Finals (early heats)

• World Record: 3:32.25 – Yannick Agnel, FRA (2012)
• World Junior Record: 3:37.92 – Matthew Sates, RSA (2021)
• World Cup Record: 3:32.77 – Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:35.99 – Kieran Smith, USA (2022)

Results:

1. Leon Marchand (FRA) – 3:38.25
2. Charlie Hawke (AUS) – 3:42.03
3. Max Litchfield (GBR) – 3:44.83
4. Kai Taylor (AUS) – 3:46.12
5. Carson Hick (CLB) – 3:47.44
6. Swann Plaza (CLB) – 3:48.19
7. Denis Loktev (ISR) – 3:48.48
8. Maximillian Giuliani (AUS) – 3:49.21

Denis Loktev, who swims internationally for Israel but competed collegiately for the University of Louisville, posted the top time in the first heat of the men’s 400 free, stopping the clock in 3:48.48, ahead of France’s Antoine Marc and Hungary’s Richard Marton.

Heat 2 saw some excitement as lane 0’s Max Litchfield employed some outside smoke to blow apart the field in the first 100. Litchfield, a British Olympian and the 2024 Doha Worlds Silver medalist in the 400 IM, jumped out to the early lead with a 52.90 opening 100 and never looked back as by the 200, (1:49.65), he had earned himself over a five-second lead on Indonesia’s Liquor Harrison Andoko. Litchfield remained ahead of the pack, overtaking the top time of Loktev by finishing in 3:44.83, nearly 15 seconds ahead of Andoko’s 3:59.01.

Perhaps taking a page out of Litchfield’s playbook Heat 4’s Kai Taylor jumped all over the early stages of the 400 free as the Australian opened in 53.26 out of lane 8. However, unlike the Brit, Taylor was quickly shadowed by fellow countryman Max Giuliani, who was 1.22 seconds back at the 100, but had closed the gap to just .38 at the halfway point as he flipped in 1:51.76 to Taylor’s 1:51.38. Over the last 200, however, Taylor went to his legs a little earlier and pulled himself away from the competition, and he cruised into the wall in 3:46.12, with Giuliani, the higher-seeded of the two slipping back to stop the clock at 3:49.21.

Leon Marchand did Leon Marchand things, attacking the race from the start and opening in a blistering 51.28 to sit less than half a second off the World Record pace. The Frenchman slowed a little off of his compatriot’s Yannick Agnel WR pace, but Marchand still flipped at the halfway point in 1:46.67, over 2.5 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor, Australia’s Charlie Hawke.

Marchan,d employing his strong underwaters, pulled further away from Hawke and easily cruised into the wall, stopping the clock at 3:38.25, to become the fastest swimmer of the morning. Hawke for his part did his best to mitigate the damage and still produced a strong time of 3:42.03, the 2nd fastest of the morning.

Women’s 50 Backstroke – Prelims

• World Record: 25.23 – Regan Smith, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 26.03 – Sara Curtis, ITA (2024)
• World Cup Record: 25.36 – Kaylee McKeown, AUS (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 25.37 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)

Top 8:

1. Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 25.72
2. Katharine Berkoff (CLB) – 25.96
3. Celia Pulido Ortiz (MEX) – 26.04
4. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) – 26.05
5. Arabella Sims (CLB) – 26.26
6. Kylie Masse (CAN) – 26.34
7. Charlotte Crush (CLB) – 26.64
8. Hannah Jane Fredericks (AUS) – 26.71

With lane 4 empty in the first heat as Gretchen Walsh appears to be a No-Show, it was lane 8’s Mollie O’Callaghan who was out quickest to the 25-meter wall as the Australian sprinter flipped in 12.73. The Aussie appeared to be in line for a heat win, but Mexico’s Celia Pulido Ortiz, who was 2nd at the halfway point, .26 back, used a strong finish to just take the win by just .01, 26.04 to 26.05. American Charlotte Crush took 3rd in 26.64.

Kaylee McKeown lit things up in the first heat as she opened in an even faster split than O’Callaghan, hitting the first and only wall in 12.69. The long course World Record holder in the 50 back, closed in 13.03 to post the first sub-26 time as she stopped the clock in 25.72. Taking second behind her in the heat and picking up exactly as she left things from Singapore was Belgium’s Roos Vanotterdijk, who flipped in 13.20, finishing in 26.71.

Like the first heat, lane 4 was empty as Regan Smith, the world record holder, was absent from the event, likely saving her energy for the 200 fly. In her place 2025 World Champion Katharine Berkoff posted the fastest time as she joined McKeown as the only swimmer under 26, hitting the wall in 25.96, after opening in 12.76. Taking 2nd behind her in the heat and advancing into the final is Michigan’s Bella Sims, who was out in 13.16, but negative split the 50 closing in 13.10 to stop the clock in 26.26.

Men’s 200 Backstroke – Prelims

• World Record: 1:45.63 – Mitch Larkin, AUS (2015)
• World Junior Record: 1:48.02 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2017)
• World Cup Record: 1:46.11 – Arkady Vyatchanin, RUS (2009)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:48.40 – Shaine Casas, USA (2022)

Top 8:

1. Hubert Kos (HUN) – 1:51.33
2. Kacper Stokowski (CLB) – 1:52.18
3. Daniel Diehl (CLB) – 1:52.75
4. Shaine Casas (USA) – 1:52.79
5. Leon Marchand (FRA) – 1:52.81
6. Yumeki Kojima (JPN) – 1:53.38
7. Joshua Edwards-Smith (AUS) – 1:53.48
8. Tomoyuki Matsushita (JPN) – 1:54.20

The final tonight in the men’s 200 back is a very strong international field, but also replete with Texas pro-swimmers as Hungary’s Hubert Kos posted the top time of the morning out the last heat. The 2025 LC World Champion, who trains out of the University of Texas under Bob Bowman, was entered with a time of 1:45.65 and was well off that with his prelims result of 1:51.33, but surely was saving some energy for the final (and the 100 IM later on).

Kos will be joined in the final by training partners Shaine Casas and Leon Marchand. Casas looked to be in control of the 1st of three circle seed heats as he opened in 54.32, but was passed by Daniel Diehl over the back half with Diehl touching in 1:52.79, .04 ahead of Casas. Marchand, who already posted a strong 400 free swim, was entered with no time, and swam out of lane 0 in heat 3, and was out quickest in that heat, (54.33) and managed to post a time of 1:52.81 to safely advance as the 5th seed tonight.

Fellow unseeded swimmer, Tomoyuki Matsushita, was the lone swimmer to advance from the 2nd heat as the 400 IM silver medalist from Paris and Singapore posted a time of 1:52.40 to sneak into the final as the 8th seed. Lorenzo Mora, the #2 seed finished 13th overall with a 1:57.98, while Jack Dahlgren the #5 overall seed finished just one spot better with a 1:57.37.

Women’s 200 Butterfly – Prelims

• World Record: 1:59.32 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
• World Junior Record: 1:59.32 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
• World Cup Record: 2:00.78 – Liu Zige, CHN (2009)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:03.39 – Cammile Adams, USA (2015)

Top 8:

1. Alex Shackell (CLB) – 2:03.96
2. Regan Smith (USA) – 2:04.58
3. Ellen Walshe (IRL) – 2:07.24
4. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS) – 2:08.26
5. Emily Richards (GBR) – 2:08.66
6. Emily Wolf (CLB) – 2:10.44
7. Hadassah Vohs (CLB) – 2:15.27
8. Macartney Mahler (CLB) – 2:19.15

With just 10 swimmers in the start list, the pressure was off the top-seeded swimmers in the women’s 200 fly, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t push the pace as Alex Shackell, in front of her hometown crowd, attacked the first heat. A 2024 Paris Olympian in the long course version of this event, Shackell opened up in 57.95, not only the only sub-58 split, but the only sub-59 split. The Indiana native, who is set to begin her collegiate career next semester, faded a little on the back half, going 1:06.01 to stop the clock at 2:03.96.

While not a PB, the time puts her within a second of the 10-year-old US Open Record of 2:03.39 set by Cammile Adams back in 2015. Alos in striking range of the time is Regan Smith, Smith, the top seed, took things out a little more conservatively as she opened in 59.89, but closed in a much more controlled manner, splitting 1:04.69 to stop the clock at 2:04.58. Her time this morning was nearly half a second faster than her silver medal-winning performance from Budapest, where she was 2:04.99.

After the two Americans, the next three spots were filled by international swimmers as Ellen Walshe, Brittany Castelluzzo and Emily Richards touched in 2:07.24, 2:08.26 and 2:08.66, respectively, the only other sub-2:10 times.

Men’s 100 Butterfly- Prelims

• World Record: 47.71 – Noe Ponti, SUI (2024)
• World Junior Record: 48.40 – Ilya Kharun, CAN (2022)
• World Cup Record: 49.03 – Noe Ponti, SUI (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 48.63 – Tom Shields

Top 8:

1. Ilya Kharun (CAN) – 49.51
2. Chad le Clos (RSA) – 49.84
3. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 49.84
4. Josh Liendo (CAN) – 50.42
5. Trenton Julian (CLB) – 50.79
6. Ole Mats Eidam (GER) – 50.99
7. Aiden Hayes (CLB) – 51.31
8. Ksawery Masiuk (POL) – 51.35

Despite some high-profile scratches, the men’s 100 fly continues to be one of the premier events at the World Cup as the big names showed up in Carmel. Posting the fastest time from the penultimate heat was 2025 Singapore bronze medalist, Ilya Kharun. The Canadian, who competes in the NCAA for Arizona State, was the lone swimmer to open in a sub-23 split as he the halfway turn in 22.92 and closed in 26.59 to stop the clock in 59.51.

Kharun was trailed closely by South Africa’s Chad le Clos in the heat as he touched in 49.84. The South African did not compete in Singapore due to a back injury, but all doubts about his condition seemed to be erased as his time earned him an equal second seed into tonight’s final. Joining him at 49.54 is the current World Record holder Noe Ponti, who, swimming out of last heat, went 23.31/26.53 to stop the clock at 49.84.

That trio were the lone swimmers under 50.00, but likely won’t be the only ones under that mark tonight, as Josh Liendo and Trento Julian sit 4th and 5th at 50.42 and 50.79 respectively. Hometown favorite Aaron Shackell was a no-show in his heat of the event.

Women’s 200m Breaststroke – Prelims

• World Record: 2:12.50 – Kate Douglass, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 2:14.70 – Evgeniia Chikunova, RUS (2023)
• World Cup Record: 2:12.72 – Kate Douglass, USA (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:17.06- Lilly King, USA (2019)

Top 8:

1. Kate Douglass (USA) – 2:15.99 *** U.S. Open Record***
2. Rebecca Meder (RSA) – 2:19.11
3. Mona McSharry (IRL) – 2:19.95
4. Ella Ramsay (AUS) – 2:19.98
5. Alex Walsh (CLB) – 2:20.10
6. Anna Elendt (GER) – 2:20.22
7. Eneli Jefimova (EST) – 2:21.62
8. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN) – 2:21.67

Well, another 200 breaststroke and another record for Kate Douglass.

The UVA product posted the fastest time of the event, hitting the wall in 2:15.99, to take over a second off the six-year-old record set by Lilly King back in 2019. Douglass, the world record holder in the event, opened in 1:05.21 (30.81/34.40), the lone sub-1:06 time, and continued her unrelenting pace, going 35.32/35.46 on the last two 50s.

Her time cleared the field by over three seconds as Rebecca Meder‘s 2:19.11 from the 2nd heat survived all by Douglass’s time. Her time put her into striking range of the national and continental record of 2:18.02 set by the great Tatjana Smith (nee Schoenmaker). Behind Meder, the field gets tighter as Mona McSharry and Ella Ramsay were separated by just .03 recording marks of 2:19.95 and 2:19.98, the former of which setting a new National Irish Record while Alex Walsh and Anna Elendt, who were locked in battle in the third heat, are just over the 2:20 barrier with times of 2:20.10 and 2:20.22, respectively.

Men’s 100m Breaststroke – Prelims

• World Record: 55.28 – Ilya Shymanovich, BLR (2021)
• World Junior Record: 56.66 – Simone Cerasuolo, ITA (2021)
• World Cup Record: 55.61 – Cameron Van der Burgh, RSA (2009)
• U.S. Open Record: 55.92 – Adam Peaty, GBR (2019)

Top 8:

1. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 56.26
2. Van Mathias (CLB) – 56.72
3. Ilya Shymanovich (NAA) – 57.17
4. Finlay Brooks (CLB) – 57.34
5. Jeremias Pock (GER) – 57.54
6. Joshua Matheny (CLB) – 57.71
7. Shin Ohashi (JPN) – 57.90
8. Brian Benzing (CLB) – 57.90

If you didn’t read the storylines article, then no worries, but the Indiana = Breaststroke U is still alive and kicking as five swimmers with ties to the program made the A-final tonight.

Leading the way is Caspar Corbeau, whose 56.26 leads the field by nearly half a second. The Dutchman, who began his NCAA career at Texas, finished up last year at Indiana, where he joined the likes of Finlay Brooks, Josh Matheny and Brian Benzing (a fellow transfer). Corbeau, who won the bronze medal in the 200 this past summer, was not out quickest, his 26.38 trails both Van Mathias‘s 26.13 and Finlay Brooks‘ 26.10, but the Dutch Olympian closed in a speedy 29.88 tto pass Mathias in the closing 25 meters to win heat 5 and post the top time.

Mathias, who also swam at Indiana, was out of competition for over two years but made a successful return this summer, earning a spot on the 2026 US Pan Pac roster. This morning, his 56.72 earned him Lane 5 tonight, and he will look to defend that position against the prelim’s top seed and World Record holder Ilya Shymanovich, who was out uncharacteristically slow at 26.58, but managed to put together a strong back half to post the 3rd fastest time of the morning at 57.17.

Such was the speed of the morning that several high-profile swimmers missed out on the final as Adam Peaty, the WR holder in the long course version of the event ,finished 10th overall, opening in 26.87, but faltering in the back half, going 31.40 to stop the clock at 58.27. He was not alone in not making the cut as 2025 Worlds medalist Denis Petrashov tied for 14th with a time of 58.64, while Italy’s Ludovico Viberti and Germany’s Melvin Imoudu finished 16th and 17th at 58.70 and 59.24.

Women’s 50m Freestyle – Prelims

• World Record: 22.83 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 23.66 – Eva Okaro, GBR (2024)
• World Cup Record: 22.93 – Ranomi Kromowidjojo, NED (2017)
• U.S. Open Record: 23.10 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)

Top 8:

1. Alexandria Perkins (AUS) – 23.64
2. Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 23.71
3. Katarzyna Wasick (POL) – 23.77
4. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) – 23.95
5. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 24.00
6. Olivia Wunsch (AUS) – 24.21
7. Florine Gaspard (BEL) – 24.25
8. Chelsey Edwards (NZL) – 24.27

After no-showing the 50 back earlier in the session, Gretchen Walsh did what she needed to do to advance to the final tonight, as the World Record holder posted a time of 23.71 from the final heat of the women’s 50 free to earn the #2 seed and lane 5 tonight. Expect Walsh to be faster tonight, as she was nearly as second off her PB, but also likely conserved some energy as the 100 IM, where she also is the WR holder, is the next women’s event.

Taking the top seed and earning lane 4 tonight is Australia’s Alexandria Perkins. The Aussie was not out the fastest, going 11.60 to the feet (Walsh was quickest at 11.44), but Perkins closed the fastest, coming home in 12.04 to win the first of three circle seeded heats in 23.64.

The final tonight will see a lot of familiar faces as last year’s triple crown winner, Kasia Wasick, won heat 4 of 5, in a time of 23.77, which earns her the #3 spot tonight. Behind her in hot pursuit will be Mollie O’Callaghan (23.95) and Marrit Steenbergen (24.00). Rounding out the field are Olivia Wunsch, Florine Gaspard and Chelsey Edwards, whose time of 24.27 appears to be a new New Zealand record, bettering the 24.39 set by Hayley Palmer back in 2009.

Men’s 50m Freestyle – Prelims

• World Record: 19.90 – Jordan Crooks, CAY (2024)
• World Junior Record: 20.98, Kenzo Simons, NED (2019)
• World Cup Record: 20.48 – Vlad Morozov, RUS (2018)
• U.S. Open Record: 20.24 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2019)

Top 8:

1. Ralf Tribuntsov (EST) – 21.12
2. Christopher Guiliano (CLB) – 21.15
3. Ilya Kharun (CAN) – 21.20
4. John Alexy (CLB) – 21.35
5. Ruslan Gaziev (CAN) – 21.40
6. Brooks Curry (CLB) – 21.41
7. Dylan Carter / Leonardo Deplano (ITA) – 21.42

The men’s splash and dash lived up to its name as it took a 21.42 to advance to the final, with Dylan Carter and Leonardo Deplano tying with that time for 7th. Just .30 separates those two from the top seed Ralf Tribuntsov, whose 21.12 out of the last heat will give the Estonian lane 4 tonight.

Flanking him tonight will be Chris Guiliano and Ilya Kharun, who went 21.15 and 21.20 in the 7th and 8th heats, respectively. Behind the top three, there is a small gap, as the USA’s Jack Alexy sits in 4th at 21.35, closely followed by Ruslan Gaziev and Brooks Curry at 21.40 and 21.41.

Of the top eight, Trubintsov had the fastest first 25 as he opened in 10.04, but he was the third slowest last 25, coming home in 11.08. The lone swimmers under 11 on the last 25 were Guiliano and Kharu,n who were 10.89 and 10.81, respectively.

Missing out on the top 8 were Matt Richards, who finished 9th in 21.46 and Michael Andrew, who tied for 10th at 21.53 with Cameron Gray. Also missing the cut were Matt King (T-12, 21.56), Patrick Sammon (14th, 21.56) and Josh Liendo (15th 21.65).

Women’s 100m IM – Prelims

• World Record: 55.11 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 57.59 – Anastasiya Shkurdai, BLR (2020)
• World Cup Record: 56.51 – Katinka Hosszú, HUN (2017)
• U.S. Open Record: 55.98 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)

Top 8:

1. Kate Douglass (USA) – 57.01
2. Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 57.45
3. Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL) – 57.73
4. Rebecca Meder (RSA) – 58.16
5. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 58.26
6. Alexandra Walsh (CLB) – 58.78
7. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 58.80
8. Phoebe Bacon (CLB) – 58.87

Gretchen Walsh got the crowd going in the last heat of the Women’s 100 IM as the World Record holder opened up in 25.41, .03 off her own World Record pace of 25.38 from the 2024 Worlds. Walsh did slow down on the breaststroke, splitting 17.64, as compared to her 16.06 from Worlds, and cruised into the finish, touching in 57.45, 2.35 seconds of her best. Her slowing down allowed her training partner and the winner of the 200 breast earlier this session, Kate Douglass to earn the top seed.

Swimming one heat before, Douglass was 26.20 at the 50 mark, but her 16.81 breaststroke was the difference as her final time of 57.01 earned her lane 4 tonight. Joining the pair of Cavaliers under 58.00 was Belgium’s Roos Vanotterdijk, who was quicker than Douglass to the halfway mark in the 3rd heat opening in 26.00, but lost ground in the breaststroke (17.50) to finish in 57.73.

Behind them are a strong contingent of International stars, as South Africa’s Rebecca Meder (58.16), Marrit Steenbergen (58.26), Alex Walsh (58.78), Anastasia Gorbenko and Phoebe Bacon (58.87) round out the top eight. Steenbergen, and Walsh both swam in the first heat as they were entered with no time and had to wait to see if they posted a fast enough to advance.

Men’s 100m IM – Prelims

• World Record: 49.28 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• World Junior Record: 50.63 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• World Cup Record: 49.92 – Leon Marchand, FRA (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 51.04 – Shaine Casas, USA (2022)

Top 8:

1. Grant House (CLB) – 51.68
2. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 52.05
3. Shaine Casas (USA) – 52.10
4. Hubert Kos (HUN) – 52.11
5. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 52.24
6. Luke Barr (CLB) – 52.36
7. Finlay Knox (CAN) – 52.48
8. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 52.55

More than half the field in the last event of the session were entered with no times, meaning that it was a minefield to see who would advance, but emerging as the one to beat tonight was heat 1’s Grant House. Swimming out of lane 2, with no time, the ASU pro, opened in 23.63, but used a strong breaststroke split of 15.19 (2nd fastest among top 8) and a closing freestyle split of 12.86 (only sub-13 split in the field) to nab lane 4 tonight with a time of 51.68, the only sub-52 time.

Looking to displace him are, like the women’s events, a strong international field. Noe Ponti, the WR holder in the 100 fly, was out fastest at the 25 and looks best to supplant house as he entered as the top seed with a time of 50.33, and was just 52.05 this morning. However, with just half a second separating 2nd from 8th, competition will be tight. Shaine Casas and teammate Hubert Kos rank 3rd and 4th at 52.10 and 52.11 and along with Thomas Ceccon (5th-52.24) were the early speedsters as they opened in 23.20, 23.16, and 23.08, respectively. If they can replicate that speed and improve their back halves, then they could easily contest for the win.