2025 World University Games
- July 17th-23rd, 2025
- Prelims: 9 a.m. local time (3 a.m. EST)
- Finals: 7 p.m. local time (1 p.m. EST)
- Berlin, Germany
- LCM (50 Meters)
- Meet Central
- Entries List
- Live Results
- Livestream
- Live Recaps
Finals Preview
We have officially made it to the last finals session of the 2025 World University Games.
The meet has been incredibly fast, with numerous WUGs records being broken among some athletes setting top times in the world.
Tonight’s finals session will be a sort of victory lap for the USA, who is coming in with 20 gold medals to their name, 17 more than any other team, and they aren’t done.
There will be nine event finals this evening, and a United States swimmer is the top seed in every single final. They will also be looking to complete their relay sweep, coming in as the top seed in both the men’s and women’s 400 medley relay by multiple seconds.
The session will be highlighted by American butterflier Tess Howley, who broke an 18-year-old WUGs record in yesterday’s 200 fly semifinal en route to becoming the 3rd fastest American in history. All eyes will be on her to see how fast she can go in the final.
No matter what happens, we are in for an exciting final session of what has been a very exciting meet.
Men’s 200 Backstroke–FINAL
- World Record: 1:51.92- Aaron Piersol, USA (2009)
- Junior World Record: 1:55.14- Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2017)
- World University Games Record: 1:54.13- Ryosuke Irie, JPN (2009)
Top 8 Finishers:
- Daniel Diehl (USA)- 1:55.91
- David King (USA)- 1:56.00
- Mathys Chouchaoui (FRA)- 1:58.08
- Aleksei Tkachev (AIN)- 1:58.45
- Stuart Swinburn (AUS)- 1:58.66
- Benjamin Loewen (CAN)- 1:59.00
- Ricardo Matias Santos (POR)- 1:59.25
- Pietro Ubertalli (ITA)- 1:59.58
Daniel Diehl took the men’s 200 backstroke final by less than a tenth of a second over teammate David King. The two Americans were more than two seconds ahead of the rest of the field.
Diehl was out first, leading from start-to-finish, just barely holding off King. He was out in 55.80 splitting 26.84/28.96. He struggled on the final 100, dropping to 29.97 on the 3rd 50 and 30.14 on the final 50.
King swam a somewhat similar race, getting out in 56.36, more than half-a-second back after splitting 27.19/29.17 on the first 100. He came home a little stronger in 29.75 on the 3rd 50 and 29.89 on the final 50, making up almost half-a-second to finish just nine-hundredths behind Diehl.
Mathys Chouchaoui from France was 3rd, more than two seconds behind at 1:58.08.
Women’s 100 Breaststroke–FINAL
- World Record: 1:04.13- Lilly King, USA (2017)
- Junior World Record: 1:04.35- Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2013)
- World University Games Record: 1:05.48- Yulia Efimova, RUS (2013)
Top 8 Finishers:
- Emma Weber (USA)- 1:07.09
- Barbara Mazurkiewicz (POL)- 1:07.57
- Shona Branton (CAN)- 1:07.75
- Aliz Kalmar (HUN)- 1:08.10
- Francesca Zucca (ITA)- 1:08.11
- Lara van Niekerk (RSA)- 1:08.30
- Simone Moll (RSA)- 1:08.32
- Yuyumi Obatake (JPN)- 1:09.29
Emma Weber went 2-for-2 on the shorter breaststroke events, and makes the United States 2-for-2 this session with her win in the 100 breaststroke.
She touched in 1:07.09 to lock up the win by half-a-second over Poland’s Barbara Mazurkiewicz. Shona Branton of Canada was just behind in 1:07.75 for the bronze.
The top three athletes all had incredibly strong final 50s to lock up their medals. Weber was out in 2nd at 31.46, but she had the fastest final 50 in the field, coming home in 35.63 for the win.
Mazurkiewicz turned in 5th place overall, three tenths back of the leaders before she swam 35.83 on the 2nd 50 to pass three swimmers for the silver.
Branton came home in 36.18, holding on to her place in 3rd by almost four tenths.
Men’s 50 Freestyle–FINAL
- World Record: 20.91- Cesar Cielo, BRA (2009)
- Junior World Record: 21.75- Michael Andrew, USA (2017)
- World University Games Record: 21.67- Vladimir Morozov, RUS (2013)
Top 8 Finishers:
- Matt King (USA)- 21.84
- Giovanni Guatti (ITA)- 22.01
- Jokubas Keblys (LTU)- 22.02
- Illia Linnyk (UKR)- 22.10
- Andrea Candela (ITA)/Daniel Baltes (USA)- 22.17
- —
- Lucas Piexoto (BRA)- 22.24
- Elias Funch Persson (SWE)- 22.25
Matt King makes it 3-for-3 for the United States, taking the men’s 50 freestyle by almost two tenths of a second.
His time of 21.84 was just off his best of 21.70 that he swam at last summer’s Olympic Trials. It was faster than he swam at this summer’s U.S. Nationals, where he swam 22.12 to finish 7th overall.
Italy took 2nd with Giovanni Guatti coming in at 22.01 from all the way in lane seven.
Guatti just out touched Lithuania’s Jokubas Keblys who was 3rd by one-hundredth of a second in 22.02.
Women’s 200 Butterfly–FINAL
- World Record: 2:01.81- Zige Liu, CHN (2009)
- Junior World Record: 2:03.03- Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
- World University Games Record: 2:05.20- Tess Howley, USA (2025)
Top 8 Finishers:
- Tess Howley (USA)- 2:05.69
- Lindsay Looney (USA)- 2:07.79
- Paola Borrelli (ITA)- 2:08.00
- Yu Liyan (ITA)- 2:08.73
- Ciara Schlosshan (GBR)- 2:09.35
- Antonella Crispino (ITA)- 2:09.89
- Laura Ilyes (HUN)- 2:11.48
- Ayami Suzuki (JPN)- 2:11.79
Tess Howley followed up her World University Games record from yesterday’s semifinal with a win in tonight’s final, coming in at 2:05.69 to win by two seconds.
All of her splits were just off her times from yesterday, turning at 59.90 for her 1st 100 compared to yesterday’s 59.83. She came home in 1:05.79 to lock up the 4th straight gold medal for the United States this evening.
Lindsay Looney was 2nd in 2:07.79, just two tenths ahead of the 3rd place finisher Paola Borrelli from Italy.
Looney was out in 1:00.96, just one-hundredth ahead of Borrelli, who was swimming in lane two.
Looney came home faster though, splitting 1:06.83 to Borrelli’s 1:07.03.
Women’s 50 Freestyle–FINAL
- World Record: 23.61- Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2023)
- Junior World Record: 24.17- Claire Curzan, USA (2021)
- World University Games Record: 24.29- Zhang Yufei, CHN (2023)
Top 8 Finishers:
- Maxine Parker (USA)- 24.54
- Julia Dennis (USA)- 24.58
- Olivia Nel (RSA)- 24.82
- Viola Scotto Di Carlo (ITA)- 24.84
- Agata Ambler (ITA)- 25.03
- Kalia Antoniou (CYP)- 25.16
- Beatrix Tanko (HUN)- 25.22
- Lison Nowaczyk (FRA)- 25.23
Maxine Parker won the women’s 100 freestyle to make the United States five-for-five this evening.
She came in just ahead of fellow American Julia Dennis, touching in 24.54 to Dennis’ 24.58. Parker’s best time is 24.41 from U.S. Nationals at the beginning of June. Dennis was only one-hundredth off her lifetime best of 24.57 from the same meet.
Olivia Nel, who turned 23 today, finished 3rd, edging out Viola Scotto Di Carlo in 24.82 to Scotto Di Carlo’s 24.84.
Women’s 400 Freestyle–FINAL
- World Record: 3:54.18- Summer McIntosh, CAN (2025)
- Junior World Record: 3:56.08- summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
- World University Games Record: 4:03.96- Sarah Kohler, GER (2017)
Top 8 Finishers:
- Francisca Soares Martins (POR)- 4:07.50
- Cavan Gormsen (USA)- 4:07.64
- Michaela Mattes (USA)- 4:09.88
- Julie Brousseau (CAN)- 4:10.14
- Kanon Nagao (JPN)- 4:10.36
- Noemi Cesarano (ITA)- 4:11.90
- Ruka Takezawa (JPN)_ 4:13.67
- Noemi Lamberti (ITA)- 4:14.53
Francisca Soares Martins from Portugal put a stop to the United States sweep in this evening’s final, coming from behind to win the women’s 400 freestyle for Portugal from lane 7.
Soares Martins was out in first, but gave up the lead to the American Cavan Gormsen at the 200 mark. At the 350 turn, she was more than half a seconed behind, but she split 30.06 on her final 50 to surge past Gormsen into the lead to win Portugal’s first gold medal of the meet.
Gormsen, from the United States, finished 2nd in 4:07.64, a new personal best time for her. She dropped from her previous best of 4:08.12 from all the way back in 2023.
Despite being half-a-second ahead at the 350 mark, her final 50 of 30.76 was not enough to hold off Martins.
Michaela Mattes took home bronze for the United States in 4:09.88, just off her lifetime best of 4:09.53 from December of 2022.
Men’s 400 IM–FINAL
- World Record: 4:02.50- Leon Marchand, FRA (2023)
- Junior World Record: 4:09.38- Yumeki Kojima, JPN (2025)
- World University Games Record: 4:11.98- Daiya Seto, JPN (2017)
Top 8 Finishers:
- Takumi Mori (JPN)- 4:12.54
- Riku Yamaguchi (JPN)- 4:12.66
- Baylor Nelson (USA)- 4:12.69
- Mason Laur (USA0- 4:14.47
- Heorhii Lukashev (UKR)- 4:18.99
- Simone Spediacci (ITA)- 4:19.55
- Michal Judickij (CZE)- 4:19.76
- Diego Mira Albaladejo (ESP)- 4:20.97
Takumi Mori won the men’s 400 IM in incredibly exciting fashion, touching just a tenth ahead of teammate Riku Yamaguchi and 0.14 ahead of American Baylor Nelson.
4th place finisher Mason Laur, also from the United States, led through the first 200. On the fly leg, he split 55.12 to come in more than a second ahead of Mori, who turned 2nd at 56.26. Yamaguchi was 3rd (56.60) and Nelson was 4th (56.91).
After the backstroke leg, Laur was still in the lead at 1:06.24, just under a second ahead of Nelson, who had moved into 2nd with his 1:05.28 split.
Yamaguchi was 3rd after splitting 1:05.80, and Mori was back in 4th about seven tenths back of Nelson with his 1:06.60.
The breaststroke leg was where the big moves happened. Yamaguchi moved into 1st, splitting 1:11.24. Nelson stayed in 2nd at 1:11.84 to be just three tenths back of Yamaguchi, and Mori was under two tenths behind Nelson after splitting 1:11.28. Laur split 1:13.00 to fall back into 4th.
After the first 50 of freestyle, Nelson had a .20 lead on Mori and a .21 lead on Yamaguchi, but the final 50 saw Mori split 28.48 and Yamaguchi split 28.59 to overtake Nelson’s final 50 of 28.83.
Each of the top four athletes had the fastest splits on one of the 100s.
Splits
- Mori: 56.26/1:06.60/1:11.28/58.40
- Yamaguchi: 56.60/1:05.80/1:11.24/59.02
- Nelson: 56.91/1:05.28/1:11.84/58.66
- Laur: 55.12/1:06.24/1:13.00/1:00.11
Women’s 400 Medley Relay–FINAL
- World Record: 3:49.63- United States (2024)
- Junior World Record: 3:58.38- Canada (2017)
- World University Games Record: 3:58.04- Russia (2013)
Top 8 Finishers:
- United States- 3:59.68
- Poland- 4:01.33
- Italy- 4:01.33
- Hungary- 4:05.80
- South Africa- 4:06.45
- Australia- 4:08.42
- Taipei- 4:13.87
DSQ: Japan
The United States women won the 400 medley relay by a second-and-a-half but it was close for a while.
After getting out to almost a second-and-a-half lead American backstroker Kennedy Noble appeared to miscount her backstroke strokes, slamming her head into the wall instead of flip turning.
This one might’ve hurt…..Kennedy Noble of the US hits the wall during the women’s 400 medley relay final at WUGs pic.twitter.com/ZGIcj18Y5T
— SwimSwam (@swimswamnews) July 23, 2025
She recovered well, completing an open turn and finishing the race, splitting 33.17 on the 2nd 50 too swim 1:01.05 and touch in 3rd for the United States.
Noble did not appear to be on the pool deck for the remainder of the relay, but she did attend the medal ceremony.
Emma Weber swam the breaststroke leg for America, splitting 1:07.47, falling further behind a very strong swim from the Polish team to touch just over a second behind.
Leah Shackley swam 57.58 on the fly leg to make up almost the entire deficit, touching only five-hundredths back.
Maxine Parker was the hero for the U.S. relay, touching in 53.58, a second faster than anyone else in the field to help America complete their relay sweep.
Poland had a strong swim, with Adela Piskorska touching first in 1:00.50 to give them the lead. Barbara Mazurkiewicz swam the breaststroke leg in a blistering 1:06.89 to extend Poland’s lead. Wiktoria Piotrowska swam butterfly in 58.66, and Julia Maik split 55.28 on the freestyle to help them finish 2nd.
Italy’s Viola Scotto Di Carlo had the fastest fly split in the field for Italy’s bronze medal performance, swimming 57.54, just four-hundredths faster than Shackley.
Men’s 400 Medley Relay–FINAL
- World Record: 3:26.78- United States (2021)
- Junior World Record: 3:33.19- Russia (2019)
- World University Games Record: 3:32.58- China (2023)
Top 8 Finishers:
- United States- 3:33.59
- Italy- 3:34.70
- Japan- 3:34.97
- Individual Neutral Athletes- 3:36.18
- Poland- 3:36.32
- Germany- 3:36.47
- Brazil- 3:41.62
DSQ: United Kingdom
The United States men also completed their relay sweep, touching in 3:33.59 to grab the final gold medal of the meet.
Will Modglin, the 100 back silver medalist, was out in first for the United States men, swimming 53.40. This time was about a second off the 52.54 he swam in the 100 backstroke final. He was out in 25.20 and came home in 28.20.
Ben Delmar swam the breaststroke leg in 59.83 to hold onto the lead, and swim the 3rd fastest breaststroke split in the field. The fastest breaststroker was Japan’s Reo Okura, who swam 59.38.
Kamal Muhammad was the butterflier, and his 52.89 split gave up the American lead by three tenths of a second. He struggled hard at the end of his race, going out in 23.88 and coming home in 29.01. This was the 6th fastest time in the heat, with only Brazil’s Gustavo Francisco Saldo swimming slower (we can’t see the GBR splits due to their disqualification).
Italy’s Gianmarco Sansone had the fastest fly split in 51.69 to briefly take the lead for the Italians.
The freestyle leg went to Matt King, who swam the fastest 100 free split in 47.47 to take back the lead for the United States by more than a second.
The United States team finished the meet with 27 gold medals and 50 total medals.
Kamal somehow impersonating Dressel and Michael Andrew in one swim. 29 is stupid slow. Gretchen’s WR split is 29.2 and she’s not even known as a backhalf swimmer
Regan Smith came home in 28.9 when she recorded that 55.62
USA back to dominating…. Australia no show hahahahaha
This has been a wonderful meet swim-wise. Decent broadcasting too.
The audience seating area was dead empty from what I saw which sucked. At least the parents should have flooded it, Berlin is fun!
Not a bad crowd at all. There was a good size contingent of parents there throughout the meet. Thanks goes to all of the vols who literally came from all of the globe to work the meet.
Great swim from Baylor Nelson and happy to see him have a big drop. With how competitive team USA’s 200 free is, the 4 IM may be his best shot for 2028. Two factors to keep an eye on are 1.) if Bobby ever seriously takes his roster spot in it and 2.) if Rex prioritizes the 4 IM or 4 free at trials in 2028
You heard it here first but watch out for Michael Hochwalt as well. He likely wouldve been at this meet if he didn’t DQ the 4im prelim at nattys
I have nothing against Kamal Muhammad, and I usually don’t root for anyone to fail, but this is a perfect example of why Brett Hawke is an absolute hack
He went like 51.9 in a swimoff earlier, this was just a bad race execution
Dahlgren should’ve been on fly
Muhammad straight aura farming in the finals to no avail. Had the headphones on even when Delmar was swimming the second 50. Nothing wrong with it, but feels like he’s got to have a better plan than just “go fast”
I love the concept of aura farming
You all are prasing how impressively Nobel came back home.
Do remember, torri huske had to face to near similar incident at fukuoka at mixed medley relay..nic fink usually takes long walls but that day he took an half a stroke, which made huske to stop her changeover and prevent a possible DQ, she could not manage her balance because of that and dove too deep, and she had to do lot of covering up the ground. That’s how she earned the disrespect that year by saving the team from a DQ.
One year later she contributed for the same relay , but this time came home tike a train with the WR
Dead horse = beaten