2026 Pro Swim Series – Westmont: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap

2026 Pro Swim Series – Westmont

• Wednesday, March 4 – Saturday, March 7, 2026
• FMC Aquatic Center, Westmont, Illinois
• Long Course Meters (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2026 TYR Pro Swim Series – Westmont”
• Live Stream
• Day 1 Prelims Heat Sheet

The opening day of the 2026 Pro Swim Series stop in Westmont gets underway this morning with preliminary heats in the men’s and women’s 200 back, 50 fly, 200 breast and 100 free.

Later in the day, prior to finals, we’ll see timed final heats of the women’s 800 free (other than the fastest heat) alternate with preliminary heats of the men’s 800.

The men’s 800 free, along with the eight 100-meter races, will be the “super events” at this leg of the series, offering increased prize money and more opportunities to swim. The men’s 800 will be raced as prelims/finals, while all the 100s will feature semis and finals.

• Day 1 Prelims Heat Sheet

Kicking things off in the 200 back, Regan Smith towers over the field in the women’s event as the American Record holder and #2 performer in history. In the men’s race, Canadian Blake Tierney is the top seed, with Frenchman Leon Marchand sitting in 2nd.

Australian Lily Price heads up the women’s 50 fly, with reigning world champion Gretchen Walsh notably only entered in the 50 free and 100 fly in Westmont. The men’s 50 fly features 14 swimmers seeded under 24 seconds, led by Dare Rose (23.02), while former world champion and American Record holder Caeleb Dressel comes in ranked 7th (23.28).

The 200 breast features reigning Olympic champions Kate Douglass and Marchand, while Douglass is also the top seed in the 100 free and Chris Guiliano leads a competitive men’s field that also includes Dressel as the 2nd seed.

Caroline Pennington is the top seed among the early heats of the women’s 800 free, while the men’s prelim heats will feature 2024 Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen, 2021 Olympic champion Bobby Finke and 2023 World Championship silver medalist (and Pro Swim record holder) Sam Short.

WOMEN’S 200 BACK – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:03.14, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2023
• American Record: 2:03.35, Regan Smith – 2019
• U.S. Open Record: 2:03.80, Regan Smith (USA) – 2023
• Pro Swim Record: 2:03.99, Regan Smith (USA) – 2024

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Regan Smith (TXLA), 2:07.82
2. Isabelle Stadden (AQJT), 2:09.65
3. Phoebe Bacon (WISC), 2:10.35
4. Daniela Linares Danzos (MEX), 2:11.70
5. Rhyan White (WOLF), 2:11.77
6. Madison Kryger (CAN), 2:11.98
7. Anna Peplowski (ISC), 2:10.92
8. Celia Pulido (MEX), 2:16.01

Regan Smith cruised to the top time of the morning in the heats of the women’s 200 back, clocking 2:07.82 to lead the field by nearly two seconds.

Smith, 24, leads the world rankings this season with her time of 2:05.52 from the U.S. Open in December. She notably did not race this event at the Austin Pro Swim in January.

Aquajets Swim Team’s Isabelle Stadden raced alongside Smith in the third and final heat and was the only other swimmer in the field under 2:10, touching in 2:09.65 to advance 2nd into tonight’s session. The 23-year-old is competing for the first time since joining the University of Virginia pro group in January.

Wisconsin’s Phoebe Bacon, the 2022 World Championship silver medalist in this event, topped the penultimate heat in a time of 2:10.35 to qualify 3rd into the final, while the 4th seed goes to Indiana pro Anna Peplowski, whose time of 2:10.92 was just over a second shy of her lifetime best of 2:09.82 set at the Westmont Pro Swim in 2023.

Bacon currently ranks 4th in the world this season with her time of 2:07.77 from the U.S. Open.

Winning the first heat of the meet was 15-year-old Pleasanton Seahawk Daniela Linares Danzos, who set a new lifetime best of 2:11.70 to move up from 52nd (2:12.19) to 41st all-time in the girls’ 15-16 age group.

MEN’S 200 BACK – PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:51.92, Aaron Peirsol (USA) – 2009
• American Record: 1:51.92, Aaron Peirsol – 2009
• U.S. Open Record: 1:53.08, Aaron Peirsol (USA) – 2009
• Pro Swim Record: 1:55.04, Xu Jiayu (CHN) – 2017

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Yeziel Morales (MVN), 2:00.78
2. David Gerchik (NU), 2:00.96
3. Kieran Smith (RAC), 2:01.02
4. Denzo Senekal (BD), 2:01.20
5. Blake Tierney (CAN), 2:01.26
6. Leon Marchand (TXLA), 2:01.52
7. Ivan Tarasov (AU), 2:01.69
8. Destin Lasco (PDR), 2:02.67

Puerto Rican native and Mission Viejo Nadadore Yeziel Morales led the way in a subdued three heats in the men’s 200 back, with no one in the field breaking two minutes.

Morales, 30, put up a time of 2:00.78 from Heat 2 to advance 1st into the final, leading four-time Olympic champion Leon Marchand (2:01.52) and three-time NCAA champion in this event Destin Lasco (2:02.67), who both ended up qualifying 6th and 8th into the final.

Marchand visibly put things on cruise control with the 200 breaststroke also on his schedule this session, while Lasco is also slated to swim the 100 free.

Northwestern’s David Gerchik topped the last heat to advance 2nd into the final in a time of 2:00.96, while Ridgefield Aquatics’ Kieran Smith won the opening heat in 2:01.02 to qualify in 3rd.

Denzo Senekal, a 16-year-old out of the Blue Dolfins, was just two-tenths shy of his best time to qualify 4th in 2:01.20. The swim moves him to the top of the boys’ 15-16 rankings this season.

Blake Tierney, who was 4th in this event at the 2025 World Championships, also cruised through to the final in 5th, posting a time of 2:01.26.

WOMEN’S 50 FLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 24.43, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2014
• American Record: 24.66, Gretchen Walsh – 2025
• U.S. Open Record: 24.66, Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 2025
• Pro Swim Record: 24.93, Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 2025

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Lily Price (AUS), 26.13
2. Taylor Ruck (CAN), 26.55
3. Natalie Kan (FAST), 26.67
4. Elizaveta Klevanovich (AU), 26.73
5. Phoebe Bacon (WISC), 26.76
6. Emma Harvey (BER), 26.86
7. Marina Spadoni (FAST), 27.04
8. Andrea Sansores (MEX), 27.18

Australian Lily Price paced the heats of the women’s 50 fly, claiming the fourth and final heat in a time of 26.13 to lead the field by more than four-tenths.

The 23-year-old is coming off a breakout summer in 2025 that included placing 6th in the 50 fly (25.61) and 11th in the 100 fly (57.58) at the World Championships in Singapore.

Canadian Taylor Ruck won the first circle-seeded heat in a time of 26.55 to advance 2nd overall, while Bermudan Emma Harvey (26.86) was the only swimmer to make the ‘A’ final out of the other circle-seeded heat in 6th.

FAST Swim Team’s Natalie Kan impressed by setting a new lifetime best of 26.67 from Price’s heat to make the final in 3rd, lowering her previous best of 26.79 set at the U.S. Open in December.

Notably missing the ‘A’ final was Dutch native Tessa Giele, who is currently in her first year at Alabama and owns one of the fastest times ever in the SCM 100 fly. The 23-year-old clocked 27.20 to place 9th, two one-hundredths shy of Mexico’s Andrea Sansores (27.18).

MEN’S 50 FLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 22.27, Andriy Govorov (UKR) – 2018
• American Record: 22.35, Caeleb Dressel – 2022
• U.S. Open Record: 22.80, Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 2026
• Pro Swim Record: 22.80, Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 2026

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Sean Niewold (BAMA), 23.04
2. Michael Andrew (MASA), 23.24
3. Dare Rose (SCAR), 23.62
4. Calvyn Justus (FAST), 23.64
5. Santiago Grassi (FAST), 23.70
6. Shaine Casas (TXLA), 23.75
7. Matt King (ISC), 23.85
8. Finn Brooks (ISC) / Sohib Khaled (AU), 23.90*

*swim-off required

Alabama freshman and Dutch native Sean Niewold blasted his way to a time of 23.04 in the heats of the men’s 50 fly, leading the field into the final by two-tenths.

Niewold, 23, lowers his previous best time of 23.14 by a tenth, and notably moves up one spot into 2nd all-time among Dutchmen, leapfrogging Thomas Verhoeven (23.05) to only trail National Record holder Nyls Korstanje (22.72).

Niewold topped the sixth and final heat over Dare Rose, the top seed coming in, who clocked 23.62 to advance in 3rd.

Michael Andrew had a strong start to his first meet of 2026, firing off a time of 23.24 to win the penultimate heat and nab the #2 spot heading into tonight’s final. The 26-year-old topped Shaine Casas (23.75) to win Heat 5, with Casas comfortably qualifying for the ‘A’ final in 6th.

FAST teammates Calvyn Justus (23.64) and Santiago Grassi (23.70) earned the 4th and 5th seeds for the final, with Justus winning the non-circle-seeded Heat 2 after being entered with a yards time, while Grassi topped the first seeded heat over Indiana sprinters Matt King (23.85) and Finn Brooks (23.90).

Brooks ended up tied with Auburn’s Sohib Khaled for 8th, meaning we’ll see a swim-off for the eighth spot in tonight’s ‘A’ final.

Some big names missed out on the ‘A’ final, headlined by current American Record holder Caeleb Dressel, who clocked 23.95 to place 10th overall and miss out on at least getting into a swim-off by five one-hundredths.

Canadian Finlay Knox (24.03), Australian Harrison Turner (24.23) and Mission Viejo’s Trenton Julian (24.52) also missed out on cracking the top eight.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:17.55, Evgeniia Chikunova (RUS) – 2023
• American Record: 2:18.50, Kate Douglass – 2025
• U.S. Open Record: 2:19.30, Kate Douglass (USA) – 2024
• Pro Swim Record: 2:19.30, Kate Douglass (USA) – 2024

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Kate Douglass (NYAC), 2:28.71
2. Sophie Angus (CAN), 2:31.13
3. Melissa Rodriguez (MEX), 2:33.60
4. Stephanie Iannaccone (WCAB), 2:34.73
5. Macarena Ceballos (ARG), 2:35.36
6. Isabelle Odgers (MVN), 2:35.83
7. Emma Weyant (GSC), 2:35.94
8. Maddie Moreth (VSC), 2:36.12

Reigning Olympic and world champion Kate Douglass glided her way to the top time of the session and the only one sub-2:31 in the heats of the women’s 200 breaststroke, clocking 2:28.71.

The 24-year-old eased her way through the swim to earn the top seed by more than two seconds, with Canadian Sophie Angus grabbing the #2 spot in 2:31.13.

Douglass ranks #1 in the world with her time of 2:20.86 set at the U.S. Open in December—where she went 2:27.08 in the prelims.

Angus, 26, knocked seven seconds off her season-best time, though it was just her second long course 200 breast of the campaign. She set a new lifetime best of 2:24.84 at the 2025 Canadian Trials last June.

Mexican native Melissa Rodriguez won the opening heat in 2:33.60 to qualify 3rd overall, while Harvard’s Stephanie Iannaccone, fresh off setting a lifetime best in the SCY 200 breast and placing 4th at the Ivy League Championships, clocked 2:34.73 to advance in 4th. That came within a second of her 2:33.77 PB set in 2024.

MEN’S 200 BREAST – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:05.48, Qin Haiyang (CHN) – 2023
• American Record: 2:06.54, Matt Fallon – 2024
• U.S. Open Record: 2:06.54, Matt Fallon (USA) – 2024
• Pro Swim Record: 2:08.18, Matt Fallon (USA) – 2024

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. AJ Pouch (PRVT), 2:12.49
2. Oliver Dawson (CAN), 2:14.08
3. Josh Matheny (ISC), 2:14.12
4. Carson Foster (TXLA), 2:14.81
5. Leon Marchand (TXLA) / Jack Kelly (NYAC), 2:15.09
6. –
7. Tobin Uhl (MAAC), 2:15.18
8. Denis Petrashov (CARD), 2:15.40

Former Virginia Tech Hokie AJ Pouch took control of the men’s 200 breast prelims this morning, winning the penultimate heat in a time of 2:12.49 to earn the top seed for tonight’s final by more than a second and a half.

Pouch, 25, was the only swimmer in the field to split sub-34 on either the second or third 50, and he did it on both, splitting 33.32/33.95 over the middle 100 after opening in 30.05 before coming home in 35.17.

His time takes one one-hundredth off his season-best of 2:12.50, which he set in the prelims of the U.S. Open and then matched it in the final.

Carson Foster took 2nd in Pouch’s heat in a time of 2:14.81, good for 4th overall. He last raced the 200 breast in May 2025, clocking 2:14.31 at the Longhorn Elite Invite.

Canadian teenager Oliver Dawson out-touched Indiana’s Josh Matheny for the win in the first circle-seeded heat, with those two advancing 2nd and 3rd into the final with respective times of 2:14.08 and 2:14.12. Matheny has been as fast as 2:11.98 this season, done at the U.S. Open, while Dawson knocked five seconds off his season-best set last month.

Texas training partners Leon Marchand and Jack Kelly put up matching times of 2:15.09 to tie for the victory in the final heat, moving into tonight’s session tied for 5th overall. Kelly won the 200 breast at the U.S. Open in a lifetime best of 2:09.90, while Marchand claimed the event at the Austin Pro Swim in 2:09.72.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 51.71, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2017
• American Record: 52.04, Simone Manuel – 2019
• U.S. Open Record: 52.43, Torri Huske (USA) – 2025
• Pro Swim Record: 52.74, Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 2024

Semi-Final Qualifiers: 

1. Rylee Erisman (LAKR), 54.78
2. Simone Manuel (TXLA), 54.87
3. Kate Douglass (NYAC), 54.97
4. Kalia Antoniou (UN), 55.08
5. Anna Peplowski (ISC), 55.13
6. Maria Fernanda Costa (BRA), 55.18
7. Brooklyn Douthwright (CAN), 55.41
8. Katharine Berkoff (WOLF), 55.44
9. Taylor Ruck (CAN), 55.89
10. Leah Tigert (TSC), 55.98
11. Agostina Hein (ARG), 56.22
12. Sarah Paisley Owen (MAAC), 56.65
13. Madison Kryger (CAN), 56.75
14. Lily Price (AUS), 56.76
15. Natalie Kan (FAST), 56.87
16. Elizaveta Klevanovich (AU), 56.88

Rylee Erisman, Simone Manuel and Kate Douglass did what they needed to do to comfortably advance through to tonight’s semi-finals of the women’s 100 free with the top three seeds.

All three won their respective heats with times just dipping under 55 seconds, with Erisman’s 54.78 proving to be the fastest in the field.

The 16-year-old is fresh off winning the event at the Austin Pro Swim in January, where she clocked 53.34 to earn the #4 spot in the 2025-26 world rankings.

One month earlier, Manuel won the 100 free at the U.S. Open in a time of 53.33, ranking her 3rd in the world (she was 2nd to Erisman in Austin in 53.55). The 29-year-old clocked 54.87 this morning to qualify in 2nd, while Douglass, who was only minutes removed from claiming the top seed in the 200 breast, won her heat easily in 54.98 to advance in 3rd.

The only one of the 16 semi-final qualifiers was Hong Kong native Natalie Kan, who also improved on her personal best earlier in the session in the 50 fly. In the 100 free, the 23-year-old touched in 56.87 to advance 15th into the semis while lowering her previous best of 56.91 set at the 2024 Olympic Games.

Other notable names completing doubles and advancing to the 100 free semis (after earning an ‘A’ final berth earlier) were Anna Peplowski, Taylor Ruck, Madison Kryger, Lily Price and Elizaveta Klevanovich.

MEN’S 100 FREE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 46.40, Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 2024
• American Record: 46.81, Jack Alexy – 2025
• U.S. Open Record: 46.99, Jack Alexy (USA) – 2025
• Pro Swim Record: 48.00, Nathan Adrian (USA) – 2016

Semi-Final Qualifiers: 

1. Chris Guiliano (TXLA), 47.38 *PSS Record*
2. Matt King (ISC), 48.61
3. Brooks Curry (CAL) / Sean Niewold (BAMA), 48.81
4. –
5. Luke Hobson (NYAC), 49.06
6. Ruslan Gaziev (CAN), 49.20
7. Lamar Taylor (UN), 49.50
8. Matt Temple (AUS), 49.62
9. Finlay Knox (CAN), 49.92
10. Charlie Hawke (AUS), 49.93
11. Tommy Neill (AUS), 50.13
12. Caeleb Dressel (SJAC), 50.22
13. Robin Yeboah (MAAC), 50.30
14. Destin Lasco (PDR), 50.31
15. Kieran Smith (RAC), 50.33
16. Jack Dahlgren (AQJT), 50.35

Chris Guiliano threw down the gauntlet in the heats of the men’s 100 free.

The Texas-trained freestyle powerhouse went out like a rocket, turning in a blistering 22.42 at the 50, and then still managed to come home under 25 seconds (24.96) to finish in a time of 47.38, tying the second-fastest swim of his career.

Guiliano’s personal best time stands at 47.25, set in the semis of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials before winning the final the following night in 47.38.

Last summer, he missed out on an individual berth at the World Championships after placing 3rd at U.S. Nationals — though in a strong time of 47.49 — and he’s come out firing on all cylinders this season after that narrow miss. He was 47.70 in the prelims and then 47.63 in the final at the U.S. Open in December, and then backed that up by winning the event at the Austin Pro Swim in 48.14.

His performance this morning moves him into the top spot in the 2025-26 world rankings.

Racing alongside Guiliano in the final heat was Indiana’s Matt King, who clocked 48.61 to advance 2nd overall, and his training partner at Texas, Luke Hobson, whose time of 49.06 was good for 5th.

Fresh off setting a new personal best in the 50 fly, Sean Niewold delivered another strong showing in the 100 free, splitting 23.48/25.33 en route to clocking 48.81 and winning the first circle-seeded heat with his fastest swim since last June.

Cal’s Brooks Curry matched Niewold’s time in the following heat as they share the 3rd seed heading into the semis. Curry was two-tenths quicker at the Austin Pro Swim (48.61), where he finished 5th.

After failing to make the ‘A’ final of the 50 fly, Caeleb Dressel split 24.08/26.14 en route to clocking 50.22 from Heat 6, qualifying for the semis in 12th. The 29-year-old clocked 49.27 in the prelims and then 49.72 in the ‘B’ final of the 100 free at the Austin Pro Swim.

MEN’S 50 FLY – SWIM-OFF

• World Record: 22.27, Andriy Govorov (UKR) – 2018
• American Record: 22.35, Caeleb Dressel – 2022
• U.S. Open Record: 22.80, Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 2026
• Pro Swim Record: 22.80, Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 2026

1. Finn Brooks (ISC)
2. Sohib Khaled (AU)

Finn Brooks topped Sohib Khaled in the men’s 50 fly swim-off to earn the last spot in tonight’s ‘A’ final, while Khaled will take over Lane 4 in the consolation heat.

Official times not yet available.

Men’s 800 Freestyle — Prelims

• World Record: 7:32.12, Lin Zhang (CHN) – 2009
• American Record: 7:38.67, Bobby Finke (USA) – 2023
• U.S. Open Record: 7:40.34, Bobby Finke (USA) – 2023
• Pro Swim Record: 7:45.02, Samuel Short (AUS) – 2025

Top 8 Qualifiers

1. Sam Short (AUS) — 8:03.28
2. Bobby Finke (SPA) — 8:03.86
3. Stephan Steverink (BRA) — 8:04.98
4. Daniel Wiffen (CAL) — 8:08.84
5. Gabriel Manteufel (SAND) — 8:09.15
6. Daniel Saborio Grillo (MEX) — 8:09.19
7. Aiden Kirk (CAN) — 8:16.05
8. Sani Alzate (MAC) — 8:19.91

There will be a very close race at the top in tomorrow’s men’s 800 freestyle final between Sam Short, Bobby Finke, and Daniel Wiffen.

The three men qualified 1st, 2nd, and 4th for tomorrow’s finals after cruising to easy top times in the prelims. Sam Short swam 8:03.28, which was 25 seconds off his 7:37.76 from July of 2023, qualifying 1st overall by just under six tenths.

Bobby Finke qualified 2nd in 8:03.86, about 25 seconds off his own personal best of 7:38.67, also from July of 2023.

Daniel Wiffen was 8:08.84, a little more than 30 seconds off his lifetime best 7:38.19 from July of 2024.

Squeaking in between Finke and Wiffen was Brazil’s Stephan Steverink, who only added 10 seconds from his lifetime best 7:54.49 to swim 8:04.98.