2025 World Championships
- July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
- Singapore, Singapore
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Shaine Casas announced himself on the world stage in a big way tonight, clocking the 8th-fastest swim of all time in the 200 IM to win his second individual world medal, three years after taking bronze in the 200 back in Budapest.
The Texas Longhorn won bronze for his prelims swim as part of the men’s 4×100 free relay on Day 1, but added a silver here to leave him needing just one more color to complete his collection.
Leon Marchand took gold in the final, as he circled back and made sure he was the first person to swim a 1:53 200 IM as well as the first to swim 1:52, but was pushed all the way by his Austin teammate.
Marchand was slightly faster through each of the first three legs, but Casas was right on his shoulder even deep into the breaststroke leg. Casas had flipped less than half a second behind the French swimmer and 0.44 seconds under Lochte’s American Record pace, and looked to have the better turn as he came up almost level.
Marchand did pull away, but only outsplit him by 0.33 seconds on the breaststroke, 32.96 to 33.29. They were the fastest two breaststroke splits in the field and the only ones under 34 seconds. In addition, Casas was 0.18 seconds under Lochte’s American Record pace when he hit the wall with 50 to go
He had the fastest split of the field coming home on freestyle in 27.97, and the only one under 28 seconds, closing the gap to Marchand slightly. With his final time of 1:54.30, hacked 0.83 seconds off his best time of 1:55.13 in the semi-finals yesterday, which had just clipped his previous best of 1:55.24 from 2022.
| 2022 U.S. Nationals – 1:55.24 | 2025 World Semi-finals – 1:55.13 | 2025 World Final – 1:54.30 | |
| Butterfly | 24.30 | 23.88 | 24.16 |
| Backstroke | 29.07 | 29.89 | 28.88 |
| Breaststroke | 33.37 | 33.03 | 33.29 |
| Freestyle | 28.50 | 28.33 | 27.97 |
Casas was slower on the fly and breaststroke legs, but was a full second quicker than last night on backstroke here. Compared to his 2022 best he was faster on all four lengths. He is now the 4th-fastest performer all-time, behind three all-time IM greats.
All-Time Top-10 Performers, Men’s 200 IM
- Leon Marchand, FRA – 1:52.69 (2025)
- Ryan Lochte, USA – 1:54.00 (2011)
- Michael Phelps, USA – 1:54.16 (2011)
- Shaine Casas, USA – 1:54.30 (2025)*
- Shun Wang, CHN – 1:54.62 (2023)
- Kosuke Hagino, JPN – 1:55.07 (2016)
- Laszlo Cseh, HUN – 1:55.18 (2009)
- Michael Andrew, USA – 1:55.26 (2021)
- Duncan Scott, GBR – 1:55.28 (2021)
- Hubert Kos, HUN – 1:55.34 (2025)
The 3rd-place finisher made this a trifecta for Bob Bowman, with Hubert Kos making it a Texas-based 1-2-3. The Hungarian was just 0.16 seconds away from Laszlo Cseh‘s super-suited National Record from 2009, and cracks the top-25 swims all-time. He was right with his teammate at the halfway mark, turning in 52.89, but couldn’t quite match their breaststroke speed.
This was still a huge PB for Kos, as he dropped more than a second from his best of 1:56.40, and he will be aiming to cap off a phenomenal season with a win in the 200 back tomorrow. He now ranks in the top-ten all-time in both the 200 IM (10th) and 200 backstroke (9th), although he will have a fight on his hands to regain his world title in the latter tomorrow after Peter Coetze (1:54.22, 10 all-time) and Yohan Ndoye-Brouard (1:54.47, #15 all-time) set big new bests in the semi-finals.
Casas has broken through this season in terms of his consistency. An aspect he has struggled with previously, rarely swimming his best at either U.S. Trials or World Championships. His previous 200 IM best came from the 2022 U.S. Nationals, held after the 2022 World Championships which he did not qualify for.
His time of 1:55.24 at that meet would have been just 0.02 seconds behind Marchand for gold in Budapest, and would have been more than four-tenths clear of Carson Foster for silver. Since then he has finished 4th at the 2023 World Championships and 9th at the 2024 Olympic Games.
However, Casas had a great short course season, winning the 200 IM world title in 1:49.51 the second-fastest time in history. That was also an American Record, 0.12 seconds faster than Ryan Lochte‘s mark from the 2012 World Championships. With success in long course as well this season and still having the 50 back and 100 fly to come, this may well be the meet where Casas becomes a star.
Is it wrong that I am more impressed by Shaine’s time in the final than Leon’s? Obviously Leon’s is faster but I feel like Shaine’s is more significant.
Given Leon went 1:52.6 in the semi not at all.
1:53.6 was almost disappointing after that.
I took 1:54.3 as a sign Casas had arrived.
Then he went no semi in the 100 fly 🤦♂️
i think the best part of Bowman’s resume for GOAT coach is the difference of the athletes he’s coached, in terms of both physical ability and temperament. Casas is a much different athlete from Leon, who is a much different athlete from Phelps. I’m biased because I’ve seen firsthand how his environment creates excellence, but seeing that UT podium was really special.
I think this is going to be true for every coach in an all time great conversation (because you can’t get there with one athlete).
Phelps raced and beat the best from his era in 3 strokes. Marchand needs a third stroke to be compared to him
200back
Bowman swimmers who have won an Olympic/Worlds IM medal:
— Phelps
— Katie Hof
— Chase Kalisz
— Jay Litterland
— Leon the Professional
— Carson Foster
— Casas
— Hubert Kos
Forgetting anyone?
Deleting, didn’t see the word IM lol
You are forgiven!
Allison Schmitt.
I don’t believe Schmitt won an individual IM medal at Olys or Worlds.
Sorry, brain didn’t register the IM.
Don’t think Hoff was trained by Bowman! At least not when she was winning World or Olympic titles. That would be Paul Yetter!
Hope Jason, Jay, Eddie, and Wyatt were watching
Great that they all train together and all swept the podium!
And yet none on the podium went to college at Texas!
Hubi does
And wasn’t Leon NCAA for a year or two till he turned pro as well? I don’t know if he’s still taking classes.
(And we very proudly claim Shaine despite him going to A&M)
Yeah, Leon only went to two years of college, but college nonetheless. I welcome everyone to help our Americans get faster. As rowdy would say fast makes fast faster.
NCAA only at ASU. I think he’s taken classes at Texas though?
No, I can confirm he is still taking classes at ASU
And a fourth from the Longhorn workout squad — Foster — qualified for the final but withdrew, likely due to illness.
Wasn’t sure he was going to fulfill his potential, but wow, so impressed. He’s right at Phelp’s time. Incredible.
08 Phelps would destroy marchand still. It’s likely he would’ve been 1:52 as well if not for all his events