2025 World Cup – Westmont: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2025 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – Westmont

• October 17-19, 2025
• Westmont, Illinois
• SCM (25 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Recaps:
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2

Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet

Current Standings

Women’s

Men’s

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 1500 freestyle — early heat

The final prelims session of the second stop of the World Aquatics World Cup kicks off this morning in Westmont, Illinois, as we start to get towards the business end of the tour. There are several swimmers who will want to set themselves up for second win in what they will be hoping is a Triple Crown of victories, along with the cash bonus for doing so.

After several record-setting swims both last night and on Day 3 last week, we will see several of the swimmers responsible in the water this morning, including new 200 free WR holder Mollie O’Callaghan and 100 back WR holder Regan Smith. With one stop still to go next week in Toronto, there is plenty of fast swimming left ahead of us.

This morning’s session will feature the “slow” heats of the men’s 400 IM and women’s 800 freestyle, as well as the prelims of the 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, and women’s 200 individual medley.

Men’s 400 Individual Medley – Early Heats

• World Record: 3:54.81 – Daiya Seto (JPN), 2019
• World Cup Record: 3:57.25 – Daiya Seto (JPN), 2019
• World Junior Record: 3:56.47 – Ilia Borodin (RUS), 2021
• U.S. Open Record: 3:54.81 – Daiya Seto (JPN), 2019

Early Heats Results:

1. Brendon Smith (AUS) – 4:07.36
2. Lucas Henveaux (BEL) – 4:08.56
3. Angus MacDonald (CLB) – 4:19.62
4. Krzystof Chmielewski (CLB) – 4:19.83
5. Alecander Bauer (CLB) – 4:20.02
6. Charles Bufton (CLB) – 4:22.17
7. Charles Heisig (CLB) – 4:23.25
8. Charles Clark (CLB) – 4:23.27

Lucas Henveaux, swimming out of Heat 1 after  being entered with no time, swam lights out this morning to set a new best time and smash the Belgian National Record of 4:10.28 previously held by Lander Hendrickx. That is the former Cal swimmer’s second national record in less than 24 hours, after he set a new standard in the 800 free last night en route to a 4th-place finish.

Finlay Knox was missing when Heat 3 dived in, leaving a vacancy in lane 4 that Australia’s Brendon Smith took full advantage of. He took the win over Angus MacDonald and early leader Krzystof Chmielewski, taking the lead on the backstroke leg and breaking away on the breaststroke.

He stormed home in 56.35 to post the fastest time of the morning in 4:07.36, taking the heat win by more than ten seconds. Charles Bufton, the winner of Heat 2, ended up in 6th after a three second personal best of 4:22.17

Women’s 100 Butterfly – Heats

• World Record: 52.71 – Gretchen Walsh (USA), 2024
• World Cup Record: 53.69 – Gretchen Walsh (USA), 2024
• World Junior Record: 55.39 – Claire Curzan (USA), 2021
• U.S. Open Record: 53.69 – Gretchen Walsh (USA), 2024

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Gretchen Walsh (CLB) – 54.28
2. Alexandria Perkins (AUS) – 56.01
3. Roos Vanooterdijk (BEL) – 56.90
4. Laura Lahtinen (FIN) – 56.92
5. Olivia Wunsch (AUS) – 57.00
6. Ellen Walsh (IRL) – 57.43
7. Vanessa Hazel Ouwehand (NZL) – 57.75
8. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS) – 58.00

Olivia Wunsch was dominant in the first of the circle-seeded heats, getting out in front on the first length and holding Ellen Walshe and Brittany Castelluzzo at bay, touching in a near-best time of 57.10 to secure the heat win. Walsh took 2nd in 57.43 with Castelluzzo just behind in 58.00.

Walshe and Castelluzzo were the silver and bronze medalists in the 200 fly on Day 1, with Walshe setting a new Irish Record in that race.

Alex Perkins, fresh off her Oceanian Record in the 50 fly last night, made it two Australian heat winners as she won Heat 3 by nearly a second over Belgian Roos Vanotterdijk. She set an Oceanian Record of 54.93 in the final last week, and was three-quarters of a second faster in here than in the prelims in Carmel.

Vanotterdijk, the Belgian Record holder, took 2nd in 56.90, with New Zealand Record Holder Hazel Ouwehand in 3rd with a time of 57.75.

Gretchen Walsh brought the heat in the final heat, swimming the 6th-fastest time in history in 54.28. That is just ahead of her prelims swim of 54.43 from last week, and gave her the heat win by more than two and a half seconds. Finland’s Laura Lahtinen was 2nd in 56.92, with Beatrix Tanko rounding out the top three in 58.25, just missing out on a finals spot for tonight.

Men’s 50 Butterfly – Heats

• World Record: 21.32 – Noe Ponti (SUI), 2024
• World Cup Record: 21.50 – Noe Ponti (SUI), 2024
• World Junior Record: 22.28 – Ilya Kharun (CAN), 2022
• U.S. Open Record: 21.86 – Ilya Kharun (CAN), 2025

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Ilya Kharun (CAN) – 22.04
2. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 22.18
3. Finn Brooks (CLB) – 22.22
4. Josh Liendo (CAN) – 22.23
5. Tzen Wei Teong (SGP) -22.44
6. Dylan Carter (TTO) – 22.62
7. Ralf Tribuntsov (EST) & Simone Stefani (ITA) – 22.63
8. –

Finn Brooks was absolutely dominant in Heat 3, getting out in 10.17 and blasting home in 12.05 to take the win in 22.22, a massive new best  time and one that makes him a podium contender for tonight. He goes into the final in 3rd place, and will hope to add a second medal to the 50 breast bronze he took last night.

Matt King also delivered some outside smoke in Heat 4, touching in a time of 23.20 that was just off the 22.85 he posted last week.

Heat 5, the first of the circle-seeded heats, saw Josh Liendo set a new best time of 22.23 to take the win over Tzen Wei Teong’s 22.44. Ralf Tribuntsov took 3rd in 22.63.

There was no Thomas Ceccon, last week’s bronze medalist, in Heat 6 but that did not stop Ilya Kharun blasting to a time of 22.04, well ahead of Nikola Miljenic’s 22.78.

Noe Ponti picked up the Gauntlet Kharun had thrown down and delivered the second-fastest swim of the morning from the final heat, touching in 22.18. Dylan Carter, the previous U.S. Open Record holder prior to Kharun setting a new standard last week, was 2nd in 22.62, sneaking into the final in 6th.

The cutoff for the top eight was 0.15 seconds faster than last week, with Grant House the swimmer in 9th place with a time of 22.65.

The final tonight looks like another battle between Ponti and Kharun, the #1 and #2 swimmers all-time, but Brooks could push them close if he can drop a little more time from this morning.

Women’s 200 Backstroke – Heats

• World Record: 1:58.04 – Regan Smith (USA), 2024
• World Cup Record: 1:59.83 – Regan Smith (USA), 2024
• World Junior Record: 1:59.96 – Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2024
• U.S. Open Record: 1:58.86 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2025

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Regan Smith (USA) – 2:03.12
2. Miranda Grana (CLB) – 2:03.13
3. Phoebe Bacon (CLB) – 2:03.55
4. Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2:03.77
5. Hannah Fredericks (AUS) – 2:03.99
6. Anastasiya Shkurdai (NAA) – 2:04.23
7. Madison Kryger (CAN) – 2:04.62
8. Rhyan White (CLB) – 2:04.81

Miranda Grana of thevUniversity of Indiana-Bloomington showed some outside smoke in Heat 2, taking the heat win out of lane 7. She hacked more than 3.5 seconds from the Mexican Record in the event in the process, qualifying 2nd into tonight’s final.

Behind her was Belarussian Anastasiya Shkurdai, touching in a 2:04.23 as she overtook Canadian Madison Kryger on the final 25. Kryger, who at 17 is the youngest swimmer in tonight’s final, finished in 2:04.62.

Kaylee McKeown looked smooth and controlled as she took the win in Heat 3, slowly pulling away from the field to touch in 2:03.77, nearly five seconds off the time she swam in the final last week. Katharine Berkoff took 2nd out of an outside lane, just holding off Canadian Ingrid Wilm 2:05.60 to 2:05.63.

Phoebe Bacon and Regan Smith went out together over the firs 75 meters in the final heat, before Smith’s underwaters began to tell. She flipped in 59.60 at halfway, the only one in the field under the 1:00 barrier, and was nearly a body length ahead with 50 to go.

The World Record holder touched in 2:03.12, taking the top time of the morning by just a single hundredth. Bacon stayed hot on her heels, and closed stronger, touching just 0.43 seconds back in 2:03.55.

Hannah Fredericks joined her compatriot McKeown in the final with a swim of 2:03.99, with Rhyan White also making it in from the final heat.

Men’s 100 Backstroke – Heats

• World Record: 48.33 – Coleman Stewart (USA), 2021
• World Cup Record: 48.84 – Shaine Casas (USA), 2022
• World Junior Record: 48.90 – Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2017
• U.S. Open Record: 48.92 – Matt Grevers (USA), 2015

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Hubert Kos (HUN) – 50.22
2. Finlay Knox (CAN) – 50.85
3. Enoch Robb (AUS) – 51.02
4. Kacper Stokowski (CLB) – 51.06
5. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 51.13
6. Miroslac Knedla (CLB) – 51.28
7. Ksawery Masiuk (POL) – 51.34
8. Grant Bochenski (CLB) – 51.61

Lamar Taylor rocketed to a new Bahamian Record of 52.30 out of Heat 1, taking more than 3.5 seconds off his old mark from 2022. That held up as the top time through the non circle-seeded heats.

Kacper Stokowski took the win in Heat 5, just getting over the top of Thomas Ceccon on the final 25. The Pole touched in 51.06 to the Italian’s 51.13, as they reprised the finish order from the 50 back final yesterday.

Jack Aikins was 3rd in 51.71, just missing out on the final, while Stanford commit Luke Vatev set a huge new best of 53.26 to take 6th.

There was a big name missing from Heat 6, as #2 seed Shaine Casas did not swim the event. That is a big call from the Texas swimmer, putting his Day 3 eggs all in the 400 IM basket. He will swim in the fastest heat of that event tonight, where he is the #6 seed, and has already won the 100 IM and 200 IM so far here in Westmont.

In his absence it was a European Battle Royale between Miroslav Knedla and Ksawery Masiuk, as the two exchanged the lead and ended up separated by just 0.06 seconds. It was Czech swimmer Knedla who took the win in 51.28, ahead of Masiuk’s 51.34, with Missouri’s Grant Bochenski taking 3rd in 51.61, good enough for 8th overall.

Hubert Kos controlled the final heat from the start, taking the win in the fastest time of the morning in 50.22. Finlay Knox, who DNSed the 400 IM earlier this session, looks to have made the right choice as he took 2nd in the heat and overall with a swim of 50.85. His Canadian teammate Blake Tierney, the national record holder, missed out in 11th overall.

Australia’s Enoch Robb posted a time of 51.02 to advance 3rd into the final, as the top three for tonight all came from the final heat.

This event looks like Kos’ to lose, which would set him up for a triple ‘Triple Crown’ next week in Toronto. He has won every men’s backstroke event contested so far at this year’s World Cup.

Women’s 50 Breaststroke – Heats

• World Record: 28.37 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2022
• World Cup Record: 28.56 – Alia Atkinson (JAM), 2018
• World Junior Record: 28.81 – Benedetta Pilato (ITA), 2020
• U.S. Open Record: 28.70 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2022

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Florine Gaspard (BEL) – 29.79
2. Mona McSharry (IRL) – 29.91
3. Sophie Angus (CAN) – 30.16
4. Skyler Smith (CLB) – 30.22
5. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 30.29
6. Henrietta Fangli (HUN) & Emelie Fast (CLB) – 30.48
7. –
8. Satomi Suzuki (JPN) – 30.56

Eleni Gewalt took the first heat by more than two seconds, posting a time of 30.97 that ended up less than half a second off the top eight.

Sophie Angus took the first of the circle seeded heats in 30.16, faster than she was in both prelims and finals last week. That was enough to put her through into the final in 3rd, and Henrietta Fangli also joins her from Heat 3 after posting a time of 30.48.

Mona McSharry dipped below 30 seconds in the penultimate heat with a swim of 29.91, just off her own Irish record in the event, edging out the pair of Skyler Smith (30.22) and 2021 Short Course World Champion Anastasia Gorbenko (30.29).

Florine Gaspard, last week’s silver medalist, swam the top time of this morning out of the final heat, going 29.79 to come within two-tenths off her Belgian Record. With no Eneli Jefimova this week, she may be the gold medal favorite. Emelie Fast and double 2012 Olympic medalist Satomi Suzuki also made it through from Heat 5, qualifying 6th and 8th respectively.

Men’s 200 Breaststroke – Heats

• World Record: 2:00.16 – Kirill Prigoda (RUS), 2018
• World Cup Record: 2:00.48 – Daniel Gyurta (HUN), 2014
• World Junior Record: 2:03.23 – Akihiro Yamaguchi (JPN), 2012
• U.S. Open Record: 2:01.63 – Caspar Corbeau (NED), 2025

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 2:04.07
2. David Schlicht (AUS) – 2:05.37
3. Joshua Matheny (CLB) – 2:05.63
4. Carles Coll Marti (ESP) – 2:05.72
5. Shin Ohashi (JPN) – 2:05.95
6. Ippei Watanabe (JPN) – 2:05.97
7. Yamato Fukusuawa (JPN) – 2:06.20
8. Ilya Shymanovich (NAA) – 2:06.49

The first of the circle-seeded heats looked like a straight shootout between Yamato Fukasawa and Adam Peaty, with both turning ahead of the field with 50 to go, but a stunning 31.74 final 50 from 16-year-old Shin Ohashi saw him take the heat win in 2:05.95. Fukasawa held on for 2nd in 2:06.20, with Peaty 3rd in 2:06.96, just missing out on a place in the final in 9th.

Caspar Corbeau was dominant in Heat 4, getting out in 58.83, the only swimmer in the field to go out under 59, and cruising home in t a 2:04.07. David Schlicht took 2nd both in the heat and overall with a swim of 2:05.37, with Japan’s Ippei Watanabe in 3rd. Corbeau won this event last week in 2:01.63, and was a second and a half quicker here than he was in prelims last week.

World Short Course Champion Carles Coll Marti was out almost in lockstep with Josh Matheny in the final heat, and the two ended up separated by just 0.09 seconds. The Indiana swimmer took the win in 2:05.63, good enough for 3rd overall, with Coll Marti 2nd in 2:05.72.

Ilya Shymanovich snuck into the final in 8th from the final heat thanks to a strong opening 100 of 59.78, just hanging on to touch in 2:06.49.

Women’s 100 Freestyle – Heats

• World Record: 50.25 – Cate Campbell (AUS), 2017
• World Cup Record: 50.58 – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2017 & Emma McKeon (AUS), 2021
• World Junior Record: 51.45 – Kayla Sanchez (CAN), 2018
• U.S. Open Record: 50.83 – Kate Douglass (USA), 2025

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Kate Douglass (USA) – 51.27
2. Olivia Wunsch (AUS) – 52.26
3. Taylor Ruck (CAN) – 52.30
4. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 52.35
5. Kasia Wasick (POL) – 52.41
6. Sara Curtis (ITA) – 52.43
7. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) – 52.49
8. Anna Peplowski (CLB) – 52.71

Olivia Wunsch edged out Marrit Steenbergen in the first of the circle-seeded heats, outsplitting the World Champion on the final 25 to take the win in 52.26, 0.09 seconds ahead of the Dutchwoman’s 52.35. Anna Peplowski took 3rd in the heat in a time of 52.71, which placed her 8th overall.

Taylor Ruck got the win over Mollie O’Callaghan in Heat 5, getting out in 25.08 and then hanging on to go 52.30 and deny the 200 free World Record holder. O’Callaghan was less than two tenths back in 52.49, over a second slower than the time she posted in the final last week.

Kate Douglass was dominant in the final heat, hitting the halfway point in a massive 24.39, six-tenths ahead of Kasia Wasick and Sara Curtis. Douglass closed in 26.88, the fastest in the field, to go 51.27 and lead the heats by nearly a second.

Wasick and Curtis closed in nearly identical 27.4s, with the Polish swimmer just taking 2nd in 52.41 ahead of Curtis’ 52.43. They both moved through safely to the final, with 4th-place Bella Sims’ time of 53.12 placing her in 9th.

Douglass was just half a second off her personal best this morning, but will need to be on high alert for Mollie O’Callaghan after the Australian had a phenomenal swim in the 200 free last night. Douglass took the win last week in 50.83 to O’Callaghan’s 51.13

Men’s 200 Freestyle – Heats

• World Record: 1:38.61 – Luke Hobson (USA), 2024
• World Cup Record: 1:39.37 – Paul Biedermann (GER), 2009
• World Junior Record: 1:40.65 – Matt Sates (RSA), 2021
• U.S. Open Record: 1:41.19 – Luke Hobson (USA), 2025

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Chris Guiliano (CLB) – 1:42.13
2. Matt Richards (GBR) – 1:42.38
3. Luke Hobson (USA) – 1:42.55
4. Lucas Henveaux (BEL) – 1:42.59
5. Patrick Sammon (CLB) – 1:42.76
6. Grant House (CLB) – 1:42.84
7. Brooks Curry (CLB) – 1:43.09
8. Kieran Smith (USA) – 1:43.16

Tomas Lukmina was out fast in Heat 6, flipping in 49.18 to lead out Matt Richards and Lucas Henveaux, and maintained that lead through the next 50. Richards and Henveaux both closed in 26-low compared to Lukminas’ 28.32, as they pulled away to go 1-2 in the heat, Richards touching in 1:42.38 and Henveaux in 1:42.59

Brooks Curry also closed strong to take 3rd in the heat and 7th overall in 1:43.09, having been 49.75 at halfway, with Polish swimmers Kamil Sieradzki and Ksawery Masiuk placing 4th and 5th in 1:43.32 and 1:43.83 respectively.

The second circle-seeded heat was slightly more reserved through the first half of the race, led by New Zealand’s Cameron Gray in 49.72. Chris Guiliano was only just behind in 49.75, and pulled away down the second 100 to take the win in 1:42.13, more than half a second ahead of Patrick Sammon’s 1:42.76. Sam Short and Max Guiliani just missed out on a place in the final, posting times of 1:43.18 and 1:43.29 for 9th and 10th respectively.

Last week’s champion Luke Hobson led the way in the final heat, flipping in 49.90 as the only swimmer under 50 seconds. He held on to take the win in 1:42.55, placing 3rd overall, holding off a fast charging Grant House who closed in 25.90 to go 1:42.84. Kieran Smith snuck into the final in 8th, going 1:43.16 for 3rd in the heat.

Jack Alexy, a finalist last week, finished down in 19th after closing in 54.28, missing his best time from last week by more than two seconds.

• World Record: 2:01.63 – Kate Douglass (USA), 2014
• World Cup Record: 2:02.13 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2014
• World Junior Record: 2:04.48 – Yu Yiting (CHN), 2021
• U.S. Open Record: 2:03.66 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2015

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Rebecca Meder (RSA) – 2:07.58
2. Alex Walsh (CLB) – 2:08.11
3. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 2:08.37
4. Abbie Wood (GBR) – 2:08.49
5. Phoebe Bacon (CLB) – 2:08.82
6. Mio Narita (JPN) – 2:09.00
7. Ellen Walshe (IRL) – 2:09.01
8. Freya Colbert (GBR) – 2:09.26

Anastasia Gorbenko took the win in Heat 3, going out as the only swimmer under a minute with a 59.23 opening 100. She maintained a lead of voer a second through the breaststroke leg, and cruised home ahead of a fast-charging Phoebe Bacon, who made her second final of the day with a 5th place finish overall.

Mary-Sophie Harvey was 3rd in 2:09.93, only quick enough for 9th overall. She was 32.54 coming home having on freestyle been on track for the final prior to that leg.

Rebecca Meder overtook early leader Abbie Wood on the breaststroke leg in Heat 4, before holding off the British swimmer down the strethc. They were both out fast, Wood in 58.67 and Meder in 58.97, however the South African’s 36.84 breaststroke split proved too hot to handle. She claimed the top seed for tonight, with Wood in 4th.

Mio Narita closed strong in 30.39 to take 3rd in the heat and 7th overall, charging past Ella Ramsay on the final 50.

Alex Walsh and Emma Carrasco were almost neck-and-neck at halfway in the final heat, but it was all Walsh on the second half of the race. She split 36.80/31.55 to take a comfortable win, with almost-namesake Ellen Walshe taking 2nd in 2:09.01

Freya Colbert charged home on the freestyle to take 3rd in 2:09.26, just enough to put her into the final tonight in 8th place.

Women’s 1500 Freestyle – Early Heat

• World Record: 15:08.24 – Katie Ledecky (USA), 2022
• World Cup Record: 15:08.24 – Katie Ledecky (USA), 2022
• World Junior Record: 15:42.05 – Katie Grimes (USA), 2022
• U.S. Open Record: 15:42.05 – Katie Grimes (USA), 2022

Early Heat Results:

1. Karolina Ann Valko (SVK) – 16:45.50
2. Kylie Thompson (CLB) – 17:15.38

There were only two swimmers in the first heat of this event due to a pair of DNSs, but both set new best times. Karolina Ann Valko got out in front and never looked back, lowering her entry time of 16:57.72 by more than 12 seconds. She held 2:15s through every 200 after the first one, bar a 2:14.98 on the third 200, before then closing in 1:03.78 for a final time of 16:45.50

Thompson came in with no entry time, and stayed close to Valko through the first 400 before falling away. She ended up touching in 17:15.38 for 2nd overall prior to fastest heat this evening