2025 World Championships: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

• 2025 World Championships

  • July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
  • Singapore, Singapore
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    • Prelims: Day 1
    • Finals:

Day 1 Finals Heat Sheet

Hello and welcome to the first finals session of the 2025 World Championships in Singapore!

We have a couple of huge battles in the 400 freestyles coming up, with teen phenom Summer McIntosh and stalwart Katie Ledecky to duke it out for gold after the Canadian set a brand new World Record earlier this year, with Sam Short and World Record Holder Lukas Maertens the two favorites for the men. Maertens broke Paul Biedermann‘s super-suited record after 16 years with a swim of 3:39.96, although he will only be in lane five tonight. 2024 World Champion Kim Woomin will be next to Short in lane 3 as he tries to make it three international podiums in a row.

The women’s 400 free will see a couple of big misses, as Claire Weinstein scratched the event and 2024 World Champion Erika Fairweather was disqualified in the heats.

McIntosh will double up with the 200 IM semifinals tonight, where Australian Tara Kinder is the top seed after a big PB in the heats. Alex Walsh and Mary-Sophie Harvey will also look to make it safely through to tomorrow’s final, with Walsh aiming to return to the podium after being DQed in Paris after finishing 3rd.

The men’s 50 fly sees European heavyweights Maxime Grousset and Noe Ponti enter as joint top seeds after tying in 22.74 this morning, with Thomas Ceccon, Nyls Korstanje, Ben Proud and Ilya Kharun also in the hunt for finals berths tomorrow.

Kirill Priogoda set a big best in the men’s 100 breaststroke as one of three men under 59 seconds, while 2023 World Champion made it through in 5th with a swim of 59.13. Reigning Olympic Champion Nicolo Martinenghi was 3rd in 58.84, with U.S. hopeful Campbell McKean squeaking through in joint-15th in 59.98

Gretchen Walsh is the big favorite in the women’s 100 fly, even more so now that Torri Huske is out of the event after scratching the heats. She will return for the women’s 4×100 free relay at the end of the session tonight, where the U.S. is the top seed in 3:33.57 and the favorite to take gold over longtime rivals Australia.

The men’s side will see the same battle, as the U.S. and Australia were separated by just 0.12 seconds this morning, Just seven-tenths of a second covered the rest of the finalists in the heats, so it looks like a tasty battle for the bronze medal, although Italy and China look to be the frontrunners.

Men’s 400 Freestyle – Final

• World Record: 3:39.96 – Lukas Märtens, Germany (2025)
• World Junior Record: 3:44.31 – Petar Mitsin, Bulgaria (2023)
• Championship Record: 3:40.07 – Paul Biedermann, Germany (2009)
• 2023 World Champion: Sam Short, Australia – 3:40.68
• 2024 Olympic Champion: Lukas Märtens, Germany – 3:41.78

1. Lukas Martens (GER) – 3:42.35
2. Sam Short (AUS) – 3:42.37
3. Kim Woomin (KOR) – 3:42.60
4. Victor Johansson (SWE) – 3:44.68
5. Zhanshuo Zhang (CHN) – 3:44.82
6. Marco de Tullio (ITA) – 3:44.92
7. Peter Mitsin (BUL) – 3:45.28
8. Oliver Klemet (GER) – 3:46.86

Sam Short and Lukas Martens were out ahead of the field, with the Australian flipping in 1:48.34 to lead the German in 1:48.53. Martens flipped the script in the third 100 to lead by two tenths as the began the final stretch, and the two were separated by just 0.06 seconds with 50 to go.

It was Martens who was able to close fastest, 28.03 to Short’s 28.11, as he took the win by just 0.02 seconds. This is the first world title in the event for the German swimmer, while Short returns to the podium after finishing 4th in Paris last summer.

Kim Woomin made it bronze for the second summer in a row, nearly gatecrashing the top two as he closed a second faster over the final 100. He ended up just two tenths back in 3:42.60, nearly matching his best time.

Victor Johansson set his second Swedish Record of the day to finish 4th in 3:44.68, holding off a fast finishing Zhang Zhanshuo who broke 3:45 for the first time in 3:44.82.

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – Semifinals

• World Record: 54.60– Gretchen Walsh, USA (2025)
• World Junior Record: 56.33– Mizuki Hirai, JPN (2024)
• Championship Record: 55.53 – Sarah Sjostroem, SWE (2017)
• 2023 World Champion – Zhang Yufei (CHN), 56.12
• 2024 Olympic Champion – Torri Huske (USA), 55.59

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA) and Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL) – 56.07
2. –
3. Alexandria Perkins (AUS) – 56.19
4. Daria Klepikova (NAB) – 56.42
5. Angelina Kohler (GER) – 56.75
6. Zhang Yufei (CHN) – 56.84
7. Mizuki Hirai (JPN) – 56.86
8. Yu Yiting (CHN) – 57.11

Alexandria Perkins led out the first semi-final on a brand new PB on the day of her birthday, taking just over two-tenths of a second off to take the win in 56.19. She was just ahead of NAB’s Dari Klepikova, who broke 57 seconds for the first time and smash the Russian record by nearly seven-tenths of a second.

The second semifinal saw top seed Gretchen Walsh out in 25.76, half a second slower than she was this morning. She did not pull away from the field down the stretch, and instead it was Roos Vanotterdijk who closed fastest in 29.93 to pull even with the American and touch at exactly the same time in 56.07.

That was a second Belgian record of the day for Vanotterdijk, who has hacked nearly a second off her own mark from earlier this year in just a few hours.

Angelina Kohler and Zhang Yufei, the 2024 and 2023 World Champions, made it through in 5th and 6th, with Yu Yiting completing the first part of her double tonight successfully as she snuck through in 8th.

Great Britain’s Keanna Macinnes set a new best and Scottish Record of 57.67 as she finished back in 12th.

Men’s 50 Fly – Semifinals

• World Record: 22.27 – Andriy Govorov, Ukraine (2018)
• World Junior Record: 22.96 – Diogo Ribeiro, Portugal (2022)
• World Championships Record: 22.35 – Caeleb Dressel, United States (2019)
• 2023 World Champion: Thomas Ceccon, Italy (22.68)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 22.61
2. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 22.72
3. Ben Proud (GBR) – 22.74
4. Nyls Korstanje (NED) – 22.79
5. Diogo Ribeiro (POR) – 22.83
6. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 22.83
7. Gui Caribe (BRA) & Luca Armbruster (GER) – 22.91
8. –

We saw the Greek, Austrian, German, British and French records all fall in the semi-finals here, with multiple 22-point swims not making it through to the final. Maxime Grousset hacked a tenth off his record from the French Elite Championships to take the top seed by 0.11 seconds over short course World Record holder Noe Ponti, with Ben Proud qualifying 3rd.

World Junior Record Holder Diogo Ribeiro nearly matched his best time of 22.80, while 2023 World Champion Thomas Ceccon made it through safely in 6th.

The biggest miss was back in 9th, as Ilya Kharun added slightly to his heats swim to finish outside the finals positions by just a hundredth in 22.92. Both American failed to advance as Dare Rose (12th) and Michael Andrew (16th) failed to break 23 seconds.

Josh Liendo shaved some more time from his best in 23.11, but it was not enough to advance. Seven of the eight finalists for tomorrow are European, with Brazil’s Gui Caribe the sole exception.

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – Final

• World Record: 3:54.18 – Summer McIntosh, Canada (2025)
• World Junior Record: 3:56.08– Summer McIntosh, Canada (2023)
• Championship Record: 3:55.38 – Ariarne Titmus, Australia (2023)
• 2023 World Champion – Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 3:55.38
• 2024 Olympic Champion – Ariarne Titmus  (AUS), 3:57.49

1. Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 3:56.26
2. Li Bingjie (CHN)  – 3:58.21
3. Katie Ledecky (USA) – 3:58.49
4. Lani Pallister (AUS) – 3:58.87
5. Isable Gose (GER) – 4:02.90
6. Jamie Perkins (AUS) – 4:03.20
7. Yang Peiqi (CHN) – 4:06.47
8. Maya Werner (GER) – 4:09.38

Lani Pallister went out with the two frontrunners through the first 150, as all three of her, McIntosh and Ledecky flipped in 1:57s. McIntosh began to pull away down the third 100 as Ledecky and Pallister settled into a fight for the silver.

McIntosh was nearly two seconds off World Record pace with 100 to go, as Li Bingjie seemed to close fastest as she caught a fading Pallister and swam past her in the final 50 meters. Not content with making up one place, she roared past Katie Ledecky in the final 10 meters to take silver as we had a remarkable four women under 3:59.

Bingjie ended up touching in 3:58.21 to take second, hacking nearly two seconds from her previous Chinese Record of 3:59.99, as she beat Ledecky by a quarter of a second. She came home in a staggering 58.27, including a 28.67 final 50.

Pallister was 3:58.87 to just miss the podium, as she made up half a second on Ledecky on the final length. She set a new best, and ranks as the 5th fastest women in history – she was unlucky that three of those faster were in the field tonight.

McIntosh ended up taking a comfortable win in 3:56.26, pulling away on the second half to take her first world title in the event, although she added two seconds from her World Record at Canadian Trials

Men’s 100 Breast – Semifinals

• World Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019)
• World Junior Record: 59.01 – Nicolo Martinenghi, Italy (2017)
• World Championships Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019)
• 2023 World Champion – Qin Haiyang (CHN) – 57.69
• 2024 Olympic Champion: 59.03 – Nicolo Martinenghi, Italy

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Qin Haiyang (CHN) – 58.24
2. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) – 58.62
3. Ludovico Viberti (ITA) – 58.89
4. Lucas Matzerath (GER) – 58.93
5. Josh Matheny (USA) – 59.15
6. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 59.17
7. Denis Petrashov (KGZ) – 59.20
8. Kirill Prigoda (NAB) – 59.36

Matzerath hit the wall first in semifinal 1, but it was Daniil Seminianov who looked the strongest with 25 to go. However, the German came through in a tight battle for the touch, swimming in the only time under 59 seconds. He was slightly slower than the 58.75 he went this morning,

Josh Matheny was second in a new best of 59.15, but fellow American Campbell McKean fell to 8th in his heat in 59.74. Caspar Corbeau was just off his new best from this morning as he made it through in 59.17

Denis Petrashov set another Kyrgyzstan record, his second of the season, as he finished  in 59.20. He is only just over in Singapore after winning gold at the World University Games in Berlin last week

It was a pair of Italians who took charge for the second heat, with Ludivico Viberti hitting halfway first in 27.04. Viberti is the world leader in the 50 breast this season after a time fo 26.27 at the Sette Colli at the end of June, but did not make the Italian team in the event and will not swim it here in Singapore.

. Qin Haiyang stormed home on the second 50 to touch in 58.24, his fastest time this year, to take lane 4 for tonight’s final. Viberti held on to go 58.89 for a new best time and take 3rd overall.

Nicolo Martinenghi, the Olympic Champion and second-fastest man tonight in 58.62, was sensationally disqualified before it was overturned on appeal. He will be in lane 5 tomorrow night

Kirill Prigoda, the top seed from this morning, added eight-tenths of a second and snuck through in 8th. Ilya Shymanovich and Melvin Imoudu, 58-point swimmers, missed the final.

Women’s 200 IM — Semifinals

• World Record: 2:05.70 — Summer McIntosh, CAN (2025)
• World Junior Record: 2:06.56 — Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
• Championship Record: 2:06.12 — Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2015)
• 2023 World Champion: 2:07.17 — Kate Douglass, USA
• 2024 Olympic Champion: 2:06.56 — Summer McIntosh, CAN

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2:07.39
2. Alex Walsh (USA) – 2:08.49
3. Mio Narita (JPN)- 2:09.16
4. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 2:09.68
5. Abbie Wood (GBR) – 2:10.12
6. Mary-Sophie Harvey – 2:10.19
7. Yu Zidi (CHN) – 2:10.22
8. Ellen Walshe (IRE) – 2:10.49

Summer McIntosh absolutely dominated the first semifinal, touching in 2:07.39 as she blew the field away on the first 100, touching in 58.79 for the only sub-60 split of the night. Mary-Sophie Harvey came back strong for second,  and ended up placing 6th overall in 2:10.19

Yu Yiting, on her second swim of the night, led out the second semi, but American Alex Walsh took over the lead by halfway. She pulled away from most of the field on the second half, but was matched by Anastasia Gorbenko, with Abbie Wood also separating herself from the field on the breaststroke.

Walsh touched first in 2:08.49 to take the win and the second seed for the final, but it was Mio Narita who closed fastest with the inly final 50 under 31 seconds, as she came home in 30.42 to touch in 2:09.16, a new best time. Wood and Gorbenko also made it through in 4th and 5th.

Yu Zidi, who is just 12 years old, was 2:10.22 for a new best time and made it through to the final in 7th ahead of her teammate Yu Yiting.

Tara Kinder, the top seed from this morning, placed last in her semifinal and missed out on the final, adding two seconds to place 12th overall. Phoebe Bacon also added a couple of seconds from her season best to bow out.

Ellen Walshe set a new Irish Record in 2:10.49, making it through to her first long course world final.

Women’s 4×100 Free Relay – Final

• World Record: 3:27.96 – AUS (M. O’Callaghan, S. Jack, M. Harris, E. McKeon), 2023
• World Junior Record: 3:36.19 – CAN (T. Ruck, P. Oleksiak, R. Smith, K. Sanchez) – 2017
• Championship Record: 3:27.96 – AUS (M. O’Callaghan, S. Jack, M. Harris, E. McKeon), 2023
• 2023 World Champion: AUS (M. O’Callaghan, S. Jack, M. Harris, E. McKeon) – 3:27.96
• 2024 Olympic Champion – AUS (M. O’Callaghan, S. Jack, E. McKeon, M. Harris) – 3:28.92

1. Australia – 3:30.60
2. USA – 3:31.04
3. Netherlands – 3:33.89
4. China – 3:34.17
5. France -3:34.62
6. NAB – 3:34.69
7. Italy – 3:35.18
8. Hungary – 3:36.34

Milou van Wijk was out first to 50 meters, but it was Mollie O’Callaghan who touched first in 52.79, 0.71 seconds off her best. Simone Manuel was just behind in 53.09, dropping a significant amount of time from her 54.21 anchor this morning, as van Wijk was just behind in 53.27

Both Meg Harris (51.89) and Kate Douglass (51.92) broke 52 seconds on leg 2 as the U.S. and Australia separated themselves from the field.

After Gretchen Walsh was a sensational late withdrawal from this relay, her replacement Erin Gemmell split 53.17 on the third leg. Milla Jansen was 52.89 to pull Australia slightly ahead, handing over to anchor Olivia Wunsch.

Torri Huske erased the Australian’s lead down the first 50 of the final leg, but could not hold off Olivia Wunsch in the closing meters. The Australian swimmer powered past in the final 15 of the race, coming home in 27.51 to give Australia the win.

Huske split 52.88, but did all the work on the first 50 meters, going out in 24.75.

The Netherlands took bronze after several years off the podium, as Marrit Steenbergen came home like a train in 51.64. That was the fastest split in the field, as she outtouched China’s Qingfeng Wu by 0.28 seconds.

France and NAB also got sub-53 anchors, with Marie Wattel (52.97) and Daria Klepikova (52.68) fighting it out for 5th, which was won by the Frenchwoman.

Men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay – Final

• World Record: 3:08.24 – United States (M. Phelps, G. Weber-Gale, C. Jones, J. Lezak) (2008)
• World Junior Record: 3:15.49 — United States (D. Diehl, M. Williamson, H. Williams, J. Zhao) (2023)
• World Championship Record: 3:09.06 — United States (C. Dressel, B. Pieroni, Z. Apple, N. Adrian) (2019)
• 2023 World Champion: Australia- 3:10.16
• 2024 Olympic Champion: United States- 3:09.28

1. Australia – 3:08.97 *Championship Record*
2. Italy – 3:09.58
3. USA -3:09.64
4. Great Britain – 3:10.73
5. China -1 3:11.15
6. Hungary – 3:12.75
7. Lithuania – 3:12.84
8. Canada – 3:12.89

Jack Alexy was out first to the 50 meter mark, touching in 22.36 to lead by nearly half a second. He handed over in 47.24, just off his best, as we had five teams go out under 48 seconds. Carlos D’Ambrosio reset his brand new best time to go 47.78 at just 17 years old. Flynn Southam was right on his best with a swim of 47.77.

We got a 47.03 split from Patrick Sammon on leg two, although that was matched almost exactly by Australia’s Kai Taylor (47.04) . Italy’s Thomas Ceccon kept them in touch at halfway with a 47.10 leg of his own, but China, who had Pan Zhanle on the anchor, were well back.

Chris Giuliano and Max Giuliani matched each other as well on leg 3, with the American having the edge 47.43 to 47.63, but the fastest leg came from Italy’s Lorenzo Zazzeri in 47.36, and he took a quarter of a second off his split from this morning.

The final 100 was absolute vintage swimming. Italy, Australia and the U.S were separated by just 0.21 at the final turn, and when you have Kyle Chalmers hot on your heels with 50 to go you know that you’re in trouble. King Kyle split 46.53, one of only two sub-47 in the field, as Australia ended up winning by more than six-tenths of a second.

Jonny Kulow (47.94) faded in the final few meters and was overtaken by Italian anchor Manuel Frigo (47.34), as the U.S. broke 3:10 and still only took bronze in what was the fastest podium in history.

Pan Zhanle was 46.63 on the anchor for China but was too far back to get in on the action, as Great Britain took 4th in a new National Record of 3:10.73. Matt Richards and Duncan Scott had 47-low splits for the Brits, who will be hoping for more relay success in the men’s 4×200 free later in the week.