2026 AP Race London International: Day One Finals Live Recap

2026 AP RACE LONDON INTERNATIONAL

• Saturday, May 23rd – Monday May 25th
• Prelims at 9:30am local (4:30am ET)/Finals at 7pm local (2pm ET) Sat & Sun/Finals at 6:30pm local (1:30pm ET) on Mon
• London Aquatics Centre
• LCM (50m)
• SwimSwam Preview
• Meet Central
• Entries
• Results
• Livestream

This morning’s heats have set us up for some high-octane racing for tonight’s Super Finals on day one of the 2026 AP Race London International.

We saw British talent take on Americans, Germans, Dutch and more, as this annual competition has brought 850 athletes from around the globe to race at the storied London Aquatics Centre.

Olympic champion and world record holder Adam Peaty was indeed in the water, diving in to capture the 2nd seed in the men’s 50m breaststroke (27.02).

It was American Alexei Avakov who landed lane four for the final in the event, however, clocking a super speedy result of 26.86. He’ll be flanked by Peaty and World Junior Championships multi-gold medalist Filip Nowacki this evening.

Isabel Gose led a German 1-2 punch in the women’s 400m free (4:09.77), with teammate Linda Roth nabbing the 2nd seed in 4:10.55. Young Amalie Smith of the host nation will be chasing the pair tonight, along with American Madison Mintenko. The former logged 4:10.96 this morning and the latter hit 4:11.64.

Audrey Derivaux of the United States didn’t hold back en route to snagging the top spot in the women’s 200m fly. The 16-year-old busted out a swift 2:07.80 as the sole swimmer out of the heats to dip beneath the 2:10 threshold.

Additional top seeds include Anna Moesch notching 24.57 to lead a trio of sub-25-second performers in the 50m free, while Angharad Evans earned the pole position in the 200m breast (2:26.55).

We’re also set to see a monstrously stacked men’s 1500m final, one that includes Germans Oliver Klemet, Johannes Liebmann and Florian Wellbrock, pitted against Daniel Wiffen and Nathan Wiffen of Ireland and Ryan Erisman of the United States.

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• British Record – 4:00.60, Joanne Jackson, 2009
• European Record – 3:59.15, Federica Pellegrini (ITA), 2009
• Meet Record – 4:03.18, Isabel Gose (GER), 2024

GOLD – Isabel Gose (GER), 4:06.08
SILVER – Linda Roth (GER), 4:06.89
BRONZE – Freya Colbert (GBR), 4:08.13

The top two performers from this morning’s heats of the women’s 400m freestyle held onto their positions once the main event was done and dusted, with Isabel Gose and Linda Roth making it a 1-2 finish for Germany.

Olympic medalist Gose turned in a speedy effort of 4:06.08 to grab the gold, as Roth was less than a second behind in 4:06.89.

British world champion Freya Colbert posted 4:08.13 to earn the bronze this evening.

Gose set the meet record at 4:03.18 at the 2024 edition of this competition and the 24-year-old has already been as fast 4:02.92 this season, a time she established at April’s German Championships to qualify for this year’s European Championships.

While Colbert has already notched 4:06.16 from this year’s Aquatics GB Championships, Roth’s outing ranks as her fastest by a mile. Entering this competition, the 17-year-old’s lifetime best checked in at the 4:12.87 she put up at April’s Malmstem Swim Open Stockholm, so the rising star destroyed that result to check in as Germany’s 6th-best performer of all time in this event.

She’ll be one to watch at this year’s European Junior Championships, as well Amalie Smith of Great Britain. The 16-year-old touched in 4:08.49 for 5th place, only .09 outside the national age record.

Linda Roth 54.3/4.06 should smash her 200 PB (1.59) this week – will go to Euro Juniors with huge chances in all three events. Amalie Smith continues to PB at every meet she races, another 2.5s off her 400fr best – Now just 0.09s outside the British 16yo record.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• British Record – 1:54.43, Luke Greenbank, 2021
• European Record – 1:53.19, Hubert Kos (HUN), 2025
• Meet Record – 1:56.50, Lukas Martens (GER), 2025

GOLD – David King (USA), 1:58.36
SILVER – Luke Greenbank (GBR), 1:58.37
BRONZE – Cameron Brooker (GBR), 1:59.40

The United States got on the board, courtesy of 21-year-old David King, albeit by the narrowest of margins.

King, an NCAA Championships medalist for Virginia, delivered a time of 1:58.36 to touch just a fingernail ahead of Olympic medalist Luke Greenbank who settled for silver in 1:58.37.

Cameron Brooker of the host nation clocked 1:59.40 as the only other sub-2:00 swimmer of tonight’s final.

Greenbank logged a result of 1:56.01 to earn runner-up status at the Aquatics GB Championships, good enough for the 28-year-old to have been named to England’s roster for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Brooker also made the grade for the quadrennial competition.

WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• British Record – 23.96, Francesca Halsall, 2014
• European Record – 23.61, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2023
• Meet Record – 24.54, Florine Gaspard (BEL), 2025

GOLD – Anna Moesch (USA), 24.27 *Meet Record*
SILVER – Barbora Janickova (CZE), 24.74
BRONZE – Theodora Taylor (GBR), 24.89

Anna Moesch carried King’s momentum into the final of the women’s 50m freestyle, giving the United States its second consecutive gold.

Moesch ripped a big-time result of 24.27 to take down the meet record of 24.54 Belgian national record holder Florine Gaspard established last year.

The time also represents Moesch’s lifetime best, hacking .32 off her former fastest effort of 24.59 notched in February of this year.

Moesch now becomes the United States’ 8th-quickest American in history on her way to taking over slot #3 among the season’s world rankings.

Moesch notably represented the US last summer at the 2025 World Championships, swimming in prelims for the women’s 4×100 free and 4×200 free relays.

Runner-up status tonight went to Czech athlete Barbora Janickova, who nabbed silver in 24.74, a new PB for her as well. She overtook the 24.81 she produced earlier this year at the Bergen Swim Festival. She’s rapidly approaching the Czech national record of 24.67 Barbora Seemanova registered in 2021.

Also landing on the podium was British rising ace Theodora Taylor, with the versatile 17-year-old clocking 24.89, within range of her PB of 24.59 from the Aquatics GB Championships to rank as GBR’s #4 female in history.

MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• British Record – 21.11, Ben Proud, 2018
• European Record – 20.94, Frederick Bousquet (FRA), 2009
• Meet Record – 21.69, Ben Proud (GBR), 2025

GOLD – Jonny Kulow (USA), 21.91
SILVER – Tom Fannon (IRL), 21.98
BRONZE – Matt Richards (GBR), 22.16

Nothing terribly crazy transpired in the final of the men’s edition of the 50m free, with just two participants clearing the 22-second barrier.

USA’s Jonny Kulow was first to the wall, hitting 21.91 to hold a narrow advantage over Irish national record holder Tom Fannon, who nabbed silver in 21.98.

Olympic multi-medalist Matt Richards also landed on the podium in 22.16, good enough for bronze.

Kulow’s PB remains at the 21.73 from last year’s U.S. Championships, while Fannon’s record stands at the 21.74 put on the books at the 2024 Olympic Games.

Richards, headed to the Commonwealth Games, is Great Britain’s 3rd-fastest man and the Welsh national record holder as a result of the 21.83 from the 2023 Aquatics GB Championships.

Of note, the meet record holder and British record holder Ben Proud is competing at the controversial Enhanced Games this same weekend in Las Vegas.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• British Record – 2:04.83, Ellen Gandy, 2009
• European Record – 2:04.27, Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2009
• Meet Record – 2:06.93, Keanna MacInnes (GBR), 2024

GOLD – Keanna MacInnes (GBR), 2:07.10
SILVER – Audrey Derivaux (USA), 2:07.41
BRONZE – Laura Cabanes (ESP), 2:08.11

While American Audrey Derivaux put up the fastest time of the morning in 2:07.80 for the top seed of the women’s 200m fly, it was Scottish national record holder Keanna MacInnes who ultimately earned the gold.

MacInnes stopped the clock at 2:07.10, putting her best-ever time of 2:06.93 from 2024 on notice. That faster mark was logged at the 2024 edition of this competition.

16-year-old Derivaux was still electric, however, getting to the wall less than half a second back in 2:07.41.

Spain’s Laura Cabanes rounded out the podium in 2:08.11.

Feeling pressured from the stars n’ stripes teenager, MacInnes’ effort here was only .08 outside the 2:07.02 she nabbed at the Aquatics GB Championships to become the national champion.

Both of Derivaux’s times today were her season-best and she now ranks 9th in the world.

MEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• British Record – 14:45.95, David Davies, 2004
• European Record – 14:32.80, Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), 2022
• Meet Record – 14:41.91, Oliver Klemet (GER), 2025

GOLD – Johannes Liebemann (GER), 14:45.56
SILVER – Florian Wellbock (GER), 14:50.58
BRONZE – Oliver Klemet (GER), 14:53.43

It was a German sweep of this men’s 1500m freestyle final, proving once again that the nation is one of the fiercest distance freestyle hotbeds on the planet.

19-year-old Johannes Liebmann, the national and European record holder in the 800m free, delivered a powerful performance of 14:45.56 to top the podium, coming within striking distance of countryman Oliver Klemet‘s meet record of 14:41.91 from last year.

Klemet was relegated to the bronze medal position in 14:53.43, with Olympic champion Florian Wellbrock splitting the pair with a silver medal-worthy outing of 14:50.58.

Additional times included American Ryan Erisman hitting 14:59.30 as the 4th-place finisher and Olympic champion and Irish national record holder Daniel Wiffen placing 5th in 15:22.95 after moving from Cal back to his native country.

Liebmann already ranks #1 in the world on the season, courtesy of the 14:39.67 PB he produced at the Swim Open Stockholm. That rendered him Germany’s 4th-fastest man ever in this grueling event.

Wellbrock’s time here is a new season-best for him, while Klemet already notched 14:41.71 to rank 3rd in the world at the moment.

WOMEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• British Record – 27.15, Lauren Cox, 2025
• European Record – 27.10, Kira Toussaint (NED), 2021
• Meet Record – 27.15, Lauren Cox (GBR), 2025

GOLD – Lauren Cox (GBR), 27.54
SILVER – Tessa Giele (NED), 28.19
BRONZE – Blythe Kinsman (GBR), 28.22

Just one racer cleared the 28-second barrier in the women’s 50m backstroke, as England’s Lauren Cox got it done for gold in 27.54.

That was within half a second of her British national record of 27.15 she clocked at this same competition last year.

Dutch swimmer Tessa Giele snagged the silver in 28.19 and Blythe Kinsman, a World Junior Championships and European Junior Championships multi-medalist, gave GBR the bronze in 28.22.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• British Record – 2:19.70, Angharad Evans, 2026
• European Record – 2:17.55, Evgenia Chikunova (RUS), 2023
• Meet Record – 2:22.08, Tes Schouten (NED), 2024

GOLD – Angharad Evans (GBR), 2:21.81 *Meet Record*
SILVER – Lena Ludwig (GER), 2:26.99
BRONZE – Eneli Jefimova (EST), 2:27.18

It was a one-woman show in the 200m breaststroke final, with British national record holder and Olympian Angharad Evans crushing the field by over five seconds en route to the victory.

Evans touched in 2:21.81, a mark that sits about 3 seconds of the 2:19.70 British standard she established at this year’s Aquatics GB Championships. Her time overtook the meet record of 2:22.08 Olympic medalist Tes Schouen notched in 2024.

Germany’s Lena Ludwig gave her nation yet another piece of hardware on the night, with the 19-year-old posting 2:26.99.

Estonia’s Eneli Jefimova, who competes for NC State in the NCAA, captured the bronze in 2:27.18.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• British Record – 50.67, James Guy, 2017
• European Record – 49.62, Maxime Grousset (FRA), 2025
• Meet Record – 51.43, Nyls Korstanje (NED), 2025

GOLD – Ed Mildred (GBR), 51.58
SILVER – Isak Fernandez (ESP), 52.29
BRONZE – Evan Jones (GBR), 52.49

Ed Mildred carried his momentum from winning the men’s 100m butterfly event at the Aquatics GB Championships into the final here, winning the race in 51.58.

That held a healthy advantage over Spain’s Isak Fernandez, the next-closest performer in a mark of 52.29. Evan Jones of Great Britain bagged the bronze in 52.49.

23-year-old Mildred hit a mark of 51.02 at last month’s competition to take the title and earn his slot on the Commonwealth Games and European Championships rosters, as well as rank as the 2nd-best British swimmer of all time. Only Olympic multi-medalist James Guy has been faster, with the national record-setting 50.67 from almost a decade ago.

MEN’S 400 IM – FINAL

• British Record – 4:08.85, Max Litchfield, 2024
• European Record – 4:02.50, Leon Marchand (FRA), 2023
• Meet Record – 4:13.92, Cedric Buessing (GER), 2024

GOLD – Michael Hochwalt (USA), 4:16.20
SILVER – Max Litchfield (GBR), 4:16.78
BRONZE – Cedric Buessing (GER), 4:18.01 

A trio of men dipped under the 4:20 barrier in tonight’s 400m IM final, led by 21-year-old American Michael Hochwalt.

Hochwalt of Arizona State University stopped the clock at 4:16.20 to beat out three-time Olympian Max Litchfield of the host nation.

31-year-old Litchfield, who finished in a painstaking fourt place in this event at the last three Olympics, settled for silver just over half a second behind in 4:16.78.

Germany’s Cedric Buessing delivered a performance of 4:18.01 to add another bronze to his nation’s haul thus far.

Hochwalt is the 11th-best American performer in this event, courtesy of the 4:11.46 PB he nabbed last summer. Buessing’s PB is also in the 4:11-range, a mark of 4:11.52 produced as the German national record at the 2024 Olympics. He owns the meet record at the 4:13.92 registered in 2024.

Litchfield’s British standard rests at the 4:08.85 also produced in Paris.

MEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• British Record – 25.95, Adam Peaty, 2017
• European Record – 25.95, Adam Peaty, 2017
• Meet Record – 26.86, Alexei Avakov (USA), 2026

GOLD – Adam Peaty (GBR), 26.79
SILVER – Alexei Avakov (USA), 26.99
BRONZE – Filip Nowacki (GBR), 27.31

British Olympic champion and world record holder Adam Peaty scored the win in the men’s 50m breaststroke, despite heading into tonight’s main event as the 2nd-seeded swimmer.

Out of the heats, it was 21-year-old Alexei Avakov who scorched a lifetime best of 26.86 as the sole sub-27-second performer in the morning. That rendered him the 5th-fastest American of all time.

Peaty lowered Avakov’s newly minted meet record down to a blistering 26.79, just off the 26.64 he clocked at the Aquatics GB Championshps to rank 4th in the world this season.

Avakov touched in 26.99, just his 2nd mark under 27 seconds, as World Junior Championships multi-gold medalist Filip Nowacki turned in 27.31 for the bronze.

WOMEN’S 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – FINAL

• British Record – 3:54.01, 2021
• European Record – 3:53.38, RUS, 2017

GOLD – USA, 3:56.78
SILVER – GBR, 3:58.15
BRONZE – ENG, 4:03.13

The Americans were far and away the victors in this women’s medley relay, headlined by a scorching anchor of 52.30 by Moesch.

Great Britain, highlighted by Evans’ 1:04.81 breaststroke split, earned silver in 3:58.15 and England earned bronze in 4:03.13

American splits:

• Charlott Crush – 59.61
• Piper Enge – 1:07.27
• Audrey Derivaux – 57.60

MEN’S 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINAL

• British Record – 3:10.73, 2025
• European Record – 3:08.32, FRA, 2008

GOLD – ENG, 3:14.33
SILVER – GBR, 3:15.86
BRONZE – USA, 3:17.72

England were the decisive winners of the men’s 4x100m free relay, with the combination of Jacob Mills, Gabriel Shepherd, Tom Dean and James Guy combining for a final result of 3:14.33.

Mills opened in 48.40 before Shepherd put up a speedy 2nd leg of 47.85. Dean posted 49.36 and Guy anchored in 48.72.

Great Britain put up 3:15.86 as the silver medalists, with 2nd leg Duncan Scott putting up the fastest split of 47.85.The

USA were the bronze medalists tonight in 3:17.72, with Jonny Kulow opening in 48.51, the fastest of the nation’s foursome.

Of note, Matt Richards was the last leg for Wales and clocked 47.60 for a speedy anchor.