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2026 Pro Swim Series – Indianapolis: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

Comments: 91

2026 Indianapolis Pro Series

Day 1 Finals Heat Sheet

The stroke 50s announced their presence with authority on Wednesday morning. Now Olympic events, the battle between Van Mathias, who set a Meet Record (26.53) in the heats, and Michael Andrew, who swam his best time in four years (26.75), carries extra weight ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

That is one of a number of head-to-head battles that highlight the schedule. That includes in the women’s 200 IM where Kate Douglass will face South African Aimee Canny. Canny broke a South African Record in the 200 free in prelims, but dropped that race in finals to focus on a matchup with her training partner Douglass in the 200 IM. Canny, like Douglass, did not come to the University of Virginia as a breaststroker, but she has become a very good one – and that should benefit her in this IM.

Also watch for Ryan Murphy in the men’s 100 back final. He says that this is his focus meet for the summer, so there could be some fireworks as he explores the latest version of his swimming as a dad and full-time corporate employee – or at least an encouraging marker for the next two years.

Women’s 1500 Freestyle

Top 8:

  1. Katie Ledecky (Gator Swim Club) – 15:34.66
  2. Katie Grimes (University of Virginia) – 16:04.20
  3. Gena Jorgenson (University of Nebraska) – 16:13.87
  4. Kennedi Dobson (University of Georgia/Eastern Express) – 16:17.41
  5. Paige Downey (Gold Medal Swim Club) – 16:25.25
  6. Mila Nikanorov (Ohio State) – 16:32.38
  7. Emma Finlin (Ohio State) – 16:41.42
  8. Zoe Nordmann (Northwestern) 16:42.21

Back to the scene of the crime: at the pool and the meet where Ledecky set a surprise early-season World Record in 2018, Ledecky cruised to a casual 15:34.66. That’s a similar time to where she usually is this time of year, if anything a few seconds faster, but after a big swim in April at the Ft. Lauderdale Open, there were no real record scares here.

She still won the race by 30 seconds by her Olympic teammate Katie Grimes, who finished 2nd in 16:04.20. Grimes was on the World Championship team in 2022 and 2023 in this event, and the Olympic Team in 2024, but has swum it more sparingly recently. That includes not since the 2024 Olympics. Her time at this meet was about eight seconds better than she was at the Olympics and the fastest she has ever been in-season (by .07 seconds).

Women’s 200 IM – Finals

  1. Kate Douglass (NYAC) – 2:07.04
  2. Torri Huske (NYAC) – 2:09.59
  3. Aimee Canny (South Africa) – 2:09.99
  4. Phoebe Bacon (Wisconsin) – 2:10.56
  5. Leah Hayes (Cavalier Aquatics) – 2:11.87
  6. Teagan O’Dell (Unattached) – 2:12.66
  7. Audrey Derivaux (Jersey Wahoos) – 2:12.67
  8. Summer Cardwell (Louisville) – 2:15.56

Kate Douglass roared to the #2 spot behind Yu Yiting in the world rankings with a dominant 2:07.04 tonight, taking the win by over two and a half seconds. She was nearly a second clear of the field after the first 50, going out in 26.37 to Aimee Canny’s 27.19.

She extended that lead on backstroke, splitting 33.20 to turn in 59.57, one of only three swimmers, along with Torri Huske and Phoebe Bacon, to break 1:01.

A 37.19 split on breaststroke saw her advantage exceed two seconds at the 150, touching in 1:36.76, and she then had the fastest final 50 in 30.28 to touch in 2:07.04, her third-fastest time ever.

Torri Huske had the second-fastest free split in 30.31 to move from 5th to 2nd, setting a new season best of 2:09.59 to move to 12th in the world this year.

Aimee Canny had the fastest breaststroke split, clocking 36.79, as she placed 3rd in 2:09.99. That shaved nearly a second off the 2:10.90 she clocked at South African Nationals in April, and broke Rebecca Meder’s South African record of 2:10.39. This was Canny’s second national record of the day after resetting her own 200 free standard in 1:56.59, before she scratched the final of that event.

Phoebe Bacon, the 200 IM runner up from the 2025 U.S. Nationals, was 4th in 2:10.56.

Men’s 200 IM – Finals

  1. Owen McDonald (Indiana) – 1:58.35
  2. Kieran Smith (Ridgefield Aquatics) – 1:58.49
  3. Maximus Williamson (Lakeside Aquatics) – 1:58.91
  4. Luke Barr (Texas Ford Aquatics) – 1:59.23
  5. Yi Zheng (Carmel Swim Club) – 2:00.02
  6. Ryan Erisman (California Aquatics) – 2:00.29
  7. Dominik Mark Torok (Wisconsin) – 2:00.91
  8. Josh Bey (Indiana) – 2:00.99

Owen McDonald led wire to wire in the men’s 200 IM tonight, matching Kate Douglass’ feat in the event before, but had to hold off a hard-charging Kieran Smith, who closed to within 0.14 seconds at the final touch.

McDonald was the only man out under 55 seconds at the halfway point, splitting 55.75 to lead Smith and Luke Barr by seven tenths of a second. However, Smith split 34.57 to McDonald’s 34.91 on breaststroke to narrow the gap to 0.37 seconds with 50 to go, while Barr had closed to within a quarter second thanks to a split of 34.42.

Barr closed in just 29.32, falling to 4th, but Smith again outsplit McDonald 28.46 to 28.69, with the Indiana man just holding on to win in 1:58.35.

Maximus Williamson roared home in 27.81 to overhaul Barr for 3rd, while Yu Zheng was just off his 1:59.35 from this morning in 2:00.02, splitting 34.32 on breaststroke to be the fastest in the field.

Women’s 50 Breast – Finals

  1. Eneli Jefimova (Estonia) – 30.26
  2. Skyler Smith (North Carolina) – 30.82
  3. Emma Weber (Cavalier Aquatics) – 31.25
  4. Maddie Moreth (Valparaiso Swimming) 31.41
  5. Caroline Larsen (Louisville) – 31.75
  6. Brooke Corrigan (Wisconsin) – 31.92
  7. Hannah Bach (Ohio State) – 31.98
  8. Madyson Hartway (Alabama) – 32.19

Eneli Jefimova defended her top seed from this morning, clocking 30.26 to take the win by more than half a second over UNC’s Skyler Smith. She sliced 0.16 seconds off her prelims time, moving up from 10th in the world this season to tie Florine Gaspard and Lara Van Niekirk for 6th.

Smith was four tenths of a second off her season best 30.43 in 30.82, dipping under 31 seconds for the first time today. Just on the other side of that barrier was 2024 Olympian Emma Weber in 31.25, half a second off her season best of 30.61.

Men’s 50 Breast – Finals

  1. Van Mathias (Indiana) – 26.30 *American Record, U.S. Open Record, Pro Series Record*
  2. Michael Andrew (MA Swim Academy) – 26.87
  3. Denis Petrashov (Cardinal Aquatics) – 27.05
  4. Mikel Schreuders (MA Swim Academy) – 27.31
  5. Brian Benzing (Towson) – 27.36
  6. Jake Wang (Bulldog Swimming) – 27.58
  7. Alexei Avakov (Indiana) – 27.62
  8. Finnley Conklin (Louisville) – 27.85

Women’s 100 Back – Finals

Men’s 100 Back – Finals

 

Men’s 200 Free – Finals

 

Women’s 200 Free – Finals

 

 

In This Story

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Chas
1 minute ago

Anna!

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Lisa
1 minute ago

I Never doubt Murphy cause he is the most consistent backstroker for the US team but this is looking really good for him not only for LA but also for next year .

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Get Eaton
2 minutes ago

When did Winkler become a backstroker? 53.22 is amazing!

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PFA
Reply to  Get Eaton
41 seconds ago

does Germany even have another 53 low backstroker? I’m thinking Martens is decently fast but I can’t imagine he’s faster than winkler

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Jonathan
3 minutes ago

1:55.67 for Peplowski. Really nice swim. Excited to see what the American women can do at Pan Pacs this summer in the 800 free relay. American record and gold over Australia is definitely in play.

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Breezeway
3 minutes ago

Well, the medley relay is starting to look better with Murph and Van.
Fly – CD or Illmatic?

Last edited 3 minutes ago by Breezeway
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Jonathan
Reply to  Breezeway
2 minutes ago

Sorry I’m out on Dressel being a serious contender for the LA roster.

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Breezeway
Reply to  Jonathan
1 second ago

Kinda agree with you. Something seems off ever since he left Worlds that year

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bobtheswimmingpoolbuilder
6 minutes ago

can always count on MA to peak in prelims!

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wild
9 minutes ago

52 for Murph!! I’m so happy for him. I hope he continues to swim through LA

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PFA
Reply to  wild
6 minutes ago

Time to see Caeleb break into 50. territory

Last edited 6 minutes ago by PFA
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Lisa
Reply to  wild
4 minutes ago

Just started training this year and already going 52 in June , I do think if he’s going for trials next year then he’s looking ikely to be on the team

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Yeezys Tech Suits
9 minutes ago

Murphy come to pan pacs just go in and say I have special permission

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About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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