2026 Speedo Fort Lauderdale Open: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2026 Speedo Fort Lauderdale Open

• Wednesday, April 29 – Saturday, May 2, 2026
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center
• LCM (50 meters)
• All the Links
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results: “Fort Lauderdale Open” on Meet Mobile
• SwimSwam Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 2 | Day 3
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Welcome to the final day of the 2026 Speedo Fort Lauderdale Open! This morning’s action will feature prelims of the 100 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 100 butterfly, 200 IM, and 50 freestyle. The 800 freestyle will also be swum as a timed finals event today, with the slowest heats going in the early afternoon, and the fastest heat for each gender kicking off tonight’s finals session.

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WOMEN’S 100M BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 57.13 – Regan Smith, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 57.57 – Regan Smith, USA (2019)
• American Record: 57.13 – Regan Smith, USA (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 57.13 – Regan Smith, USA (2024)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Isabelle Stadden (AQJT) – 58.05
2. Regan Smith (TXLA) – 58.25
3. Katharine Berkoff (WOLF) – 59.09
4. Erika Pelaez (NCS) – 1:00.41
5. Phoebe Bacon (WISC) – 1:00.89
6. Catie Choate (GSC) – 1:01.65
7. Sadie Buckley (NCAP) – 1:01.82
8. Roos Rottink (NAC) – 1:02.13

After scorching a 2:04.37 to win the 200 backstroke last night and become the fourth-fastest woman in world history, Virginia-trained Isabelle Stadden carried her momentum into this morning’s 100 back prelims.

The 23-year-old clocked a field-leading 58.05, splitting 28.22/29.83 to slice 0.21 off her lifetime best from the Westmont stop of the Pro Swim Series last month. The swim moved her from third to second in the world standings and ahead of Australian Kaylee McKeown, who has been untouchable in this event in major individual finals since 2021.

Entering the season, Stadden’s lifetime best had stood at the 58.99 she produced at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, meaning she’s sliced nearly a full second off of it since moving to Charlottesville a few months ago.

World record holder Regan Smith is the most likely candidate to deny Stadden a backstroke sweep here in Fort Lauderdale. She emphasized her back half this morning, splitting 28.70/29.55 for a 58.25, the only other sub-59 swim of the session. Smith owns a world-leading season best of 57.91, and it appears she will need to be right around that mark, if not a few tenths faster, to fend off Stadden tonight.

NC State pro Katharine Berkoff (59.09), the reigning Olympic and World Championship bronze medalist in the event, was the only other woman under a minute.

MEN’S 100M BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 51.60 – Thomas Ceccon, ITA (2022)
• World Junior Record: 52.08 – Miron Lifintsev, RUS (2024)
• American Record: 51.85 – Ryan Murphy, USA (2016)
• U.S. Open Record: 51.94 – Aaron Peirsol, USA (2009)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Hubert Kos (TXLA) – 54.03
2. Jack Aikins (UVA) – 55.95
3. Aiden Norman (FLOR) – 56.03
4. Liam Carrington (BSS) – 56.35
5. Finn Harland (ALTO) – 56.36
6. Ethan Bathala (BSS) – 56.50
7. Caleb Maldari (GSC) – 57.00
8. Gavin Schinkelshoek (WAC) – 57.20

Hubert Kos clocked a time of 54.03 to lead the men’s 100m back prelims by nearly two full seconds, with Jack Aikins (55.95) and Aiden Norman (56.03) rounding out the top three qualifiers.

Kos, who won the 50 and 200 back earlier in the meet, appears to be carrying a heavy training load, as his backstroke times have been well off his season and personal bests. He did, however, throw down a personal best in the 200 free, an event he rarely races, less than 24 hours ago.

Kos’ season best remains the 52.63 he swam at the U.S. Open, which ranks him #4 in the world rankings for the 2025-26 season.

Outside of the top three, the Bolles School Sharks qualified two age groupers into the ‘A’ final: 17-year-olds Liam Carrington (4th, 56.35) and Ethan Bathala (8th, 56.50). Carrington has been as swift as 54.54 this season, while Bathala dropped just over four tenths from his best time set at 2025 Summer Juniors.

WOMEN’S 200M BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:17.55 – Evgenia Chikunova, RUS (2023)
• World Junior Record: 2:19.64 – Viktoria Gunes, TUR (2015)
• American Record: 2:19.24 – Kate Douglass (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:19.30 – Kate Douglass, USA (2024)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Kate Douglass (NYAC) – 2:24.75
2. Mona McSharry (TNAQ) – 2:25.84
3. Sophia Umstead (UVA) – 2:28.38
4. Alex Walsh (NYAC) – 2:29.34
5. Summer McIntosh (TXLA) – 2:30.12
6. Kaidy Stout (GSA) – 2:31.35
7. Emma Weber (CA-Y) – 2:31.47
8. Eneli Jefimova (NCS) – 2:31.58

The reigning Olympic and world champion was on cruise control in this morning’s 200 breast, clocking 2:24.75 to hold a comfortable one-second margin over the rest of the field. Douglass, who ranks second in the world standings this season at 2:20.86, may have Angharad Evans’ world-leading 2:19.70 in her sights tonight.

Ireland’s Mona McSharry grabbed the second seed in 2:25.84, while UVA’s Sophia Umstead (2:28.38) hacked over three seconds off her lifetime best to advance third. Training partner Alex Walsh was the only other swimmer to crack 2:30, touching in 2:29.34; she has been as quick as 2:24.88 so far this season.

Of note, Canadian superstar Summer McIntosh checked in fifth overall at 2:30.12, just under three seconds off her personal best of 2:27.23 from February 2024.

MEN’S 200M BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:05.48 – Qin Haiyang, CHN (2023)
• World Junior Record: 2:08.04 – Dong Zhihao, CHN (2023)
• American Record: 2:06.54 – Matthew Fallon (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:06.54 – Matthew Fallon, USA (2024)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Leon Marchand (TXLA) – 2:13.37
2. Jack Kelly (NYAC) – 2:14.27
3. Rafael Mimoso (WVU) – 2:16.48
4. Grant Sanders (SPA) – 2:17.25
5. Ian Call (NAC) – 2:17.85
6. Prakhanthi Rai (BSS) – 2:18.02
7. Cas Verstegen (WVU) – 2:18.99
8. Jordan Willis (GSC) – 2:19.29

The men’s 200 breast final is shaping up to be a head-to-head matchup between Texas training partners Leon Marchand and Jack Kelly.

Marchand, the reigning Olympic champion, got the upper hand again this morning, touching in 2:13.37 to lead Kelly’s 2:14.27 by nine tenths, with the duo clearing the rest of the field by over two full seconds. Marchand’s season best is the 2:09.72 he swam at the Austin Pro Series in January, while Kelly’s personal and season best remains the 2:09.90 he threw down at December’s U.S. Open.

West Virginia University’s Rafael Mimoso (2:16.48) grabbed the third seed as the only other swimmer to break 2:17, a season best that was just over a second outside his lifetime best of 2:15.25 from the 2024 European Junior Championships.

WOMEN’S 100M BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 54.60 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 56.33 – Mizuki Hirai, JPN (2024)
• American Record: 54.60 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 54.60 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Gretchen Walsh (NYAC) – 55.39
2. Claire Curzan (TAC) – 58.61
3. Audrey Derivaux (JW) – 59.30
4. Tess Howley (LAC) – 59.80
5. Bailey Hartman (CA-Y) – 59.95
6. Lindsay Looney (TXLA) – 1:00.00
7. Lismar Lyon (SOFL) – 1:00.14
8. Erika Palaez (NCS) – 1:00.31

World record holder Gretchen Walsh has been untouchable in the women’s 100m butterfly over the past 18 months, and she showed why again this morning, blasting through the first 50 in 25.67 before closing in 29.72 for a final time of 55.39. It is the 12th-fastest performance in world history, with Walsh now owning all 12 of the fastest swims ever recorded.

No other swimmer was within three seconds of Walsh, with UVA training partner Claire Curzan the closest at 58.61 in her first swim of the event this season.

Multi-time world junior champion Audrey Derivaux advanced third in 59.30.

MEN’S 100M BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 49.45 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2021)
• World Junior Record: 50.62 – Kristof Milak, HUN (2017)
• American Record: 49.45 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2021)
• U.S. Open Record: 49.76 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2021)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Ilya Kharun (SUN) – 51.48
2. Josh Liendo (FLOR) – 51.56
3. Caeleb Dressel (SJAC) – 52.38
4. Shaine Casas (TXLA) – 52.50
5. Dylan Carter (AZFL) – 53.16
6. Patrick Sammon (NYAC) – 53.24
7. Aethur Balva (PRIN) – 54.60
8. Hutch Paxton (NAC) – 54.88

Ilya Kharun and Josh Liendo posted a pair of 51-mid swims to clear the rest of the field by just under a second in the men’s 100m butterfly prelims.

Kharun clocked 51.48 out of the first circle-seeded heat to set the fastest time of the morning, before Liendo responded with a 51.56 in the penultimate heat. The two are among the most consistent 100 butterfliers over the past few seasons, with Liendo taking silver and Kharun bronze at the Paris Olympics before Kharun collected the same color medal and Liendo touched fourth at Worlds last summer.

Kharun’s season best is the 50.40 he posted at the U.S. Open, while this was Liendo’s first time racing the event in long course since last summer.

World record holder Caeleb Dressel (52.38) and the versatile Shaine Casas (52.50) were the only others to crack 53 seconds.

Casas’ season best is the 50.24 he posted to outduel Kharun at the U.S. Open, while Dressel was as quick as 51.33 at that same meet.

WOMEN’S 200M INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:05.70 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2025)
• World Junior Record: 2:06.56 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
• American Record: 2:06.15 – Ariana Kukors (2009)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:06.79 – Kate Douglass, USA (2024)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Phoebe Bacon (WISC) – 2:13.34
2. Sadie Buckley (NCAP) – 2:13.61
3. Regan Smith (TXLA) – 2:13.99
4. Alex Walsh (NYAC) – 2:15.56
5. Emma Weyant (GSC) – 2:16.21
6. Eleanor Sun (PRIN) – 2:16.89
7. Sophia Umstead (UVA) – 2:17.99
8. Sydney Hardy (SYS) – 2:18.00

Phoebe Bacon led a trio of 2:13 swims in the women’s 200 IM prelims, stopping the clock at 2:13.34 to lead Sadie Buckley (2:13.61) and Regan Smith (2:13.99) into the championship final.

Smith was entered in a triple for today’s session, but opted for the 100 back/200 IM double rather than the 100 back/100 fly double that she’s typically taken on at these in-season competitions.

Alex Walsh posted 2:15.56 for the fourth seed, doubling back on a short turnaround after her 200 breast earlier in the session, while last night’s 400 IM winner Emma Weyant moved through fifth in 2:16.21.

MEN’S 200M INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:52.69 – Leon Marchand, FRA (2025)
• World Junior Record: 1:56.99 – Hubert Kos, HUN (2021)
• American Record: 1:54.00 – Ryan Lochte, USA (2011)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:54.43 – Ryan Lochte, USA (2010)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Hubert Kos (TXLA) – 2:00.94
2. Mitchell Schott (PRIN) – 2:01.34
3. Carson Foster (NYAC) – 2:01.35
4. Leon Marchand (TXLA) – 2:02.28
5. Grant Sanders (SPA) – 2:02.89
6. Kieran Smith (RAC) – 2:02.90
7. Reef McMeeking (LAKR) – 2:06.39
8. Aiden Norman (FLOR) – 2:06.72

The men’s 200 IM was all about the Texas pro group, both present and future, and they were all on cruise control.

Hubert Kos (2:00.94), the 2025 World Championship bronze medalist in the event, and Mitchell Schott (2:01.34), the 2025 World University Games champion, posted the two fastest times out of the penultimate heat.

Carson Foster, the 2022 World Championship silver medalist, won the first circle-seeded heat in 2:01.35, just one one-hundredth slower than Schott’s mark posted a few minutes later, with his time holding up for third seed.

Leon Marchand, the world record holder, defending Olympic champion, and three-time world champion in the event, won the final heat in 2:02.28 to safely advance fourth overall.

WOMEN’S 50M FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 23.61 – Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2023)
• World Junior Record: 24.17 – Claire Curzan, USA (2021)
• American Record: 23.91 – Kate Douglass & Gretchen Walsh (2024 & 2025)
• U.S. Open Record: 23.91 – Gretchen Walsh (2025)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Gretchen Walsh (NYAC) – 24.47
2. Kate Douglass (NYAC) – 24.49
3. Anna Moesch (GSCY) – 24.59
4. Bryn Greenwaldt (UVA) – 24.90
5. Claire Curzan (TAC) – 25.27
6. Simone Manuel (TXLA) – 25.31
7. Elizaveta Klevanovich (UN) – 25.34
8. Lily King (NCS) – 25.63

The Virginia Cavalier women stole the show in the women’s 50m free, with Gretchen Walsh advancing as the top qualifier.

UVA’s Bryn Greenwaldt kicked the action off by blasting a huge lifetime best of 24.90 to win heat two. That ripped to shreds her former best time of 25.69 from November 2023, and held up for the fourth-fastest time of the morning.

A few minutes later, co-American Record holder Walsh (24.47) and Anna Moesch (24.59) dominated the penultimate heat, with Moesch’s time obliterating her former best time of 24.87 from the summer of 2023. Walsh was just shy of her 24.39 season best from the Westmont Pro Swim Series.

Kate Douglass, who owns the same PB as Walsh, threw down a 24.49 out of the final heat to move through second overall, with Claire Curzan (25.27) finishing second in the heat to complete a Cavalier 1–2–3–4–5 sweep in prelims.

Douglass’ season-best 24.20 from the U.S. Open remains the world leading time, while it’s Curzan’s long course season debut in the event.

Simone Manuel, the 2019 world champion and third-fastest woman in American history, clocked 25.31 to win the first circle-seeded heat.

MEN’S 50M FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 20.88 – Cameron McEvoy, AUS (2026)
• World Junior Record: 21.75 – Michael Andrew, USA (2017)
• American Record: 21.04 – Caeleb Dressel (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 21.04 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2019)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Josh Liendo (Florida) – 22.29
2. Dylan Carter (AZFL) – 22.41
3. Ilya Kharun (SUN) – 22.52
4. Ruslan Gaziev (OSU) – 22.53
5. Patrick Sammon (NYAC) & Caeleb Dressel (SJAC) – 22.56
6. N/A
7. Ralf Tribuntsov (EST) – 22.61
8. Chris Guiliano (TXLA) – 22.66

Josh Liendo and Ilya Kharun doubled back after posting the two fastest qualifying times in the 100m fly by winning the first two circle-seeded heats of the 50m free.

Liendo clocked 22.29 in the first heat for the fastest time of the morning, with Kharun swimming 22.52 less than a minute later to rank #3 heading into the ‘A’ final.

Trinidad and Tibago’s Dylan Carter hit the touchpad in 22.41 to win the final heat, the second-swiftest time of the morning.