2025 Swimming World Cup – Westmont: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2025 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – Westmont

• October 17-19, 2025
• Westmont, Illinois
• SCM (25 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Recaps:
  • Prelims: Day 1
  • Finals: Day 1

Day 2 Prelims Heat Sheet

Good morning, swim fans! Happy Saturday–it’s time for the second day of the Swimming World Cup in Westmont, the series’ second stop. Last night, the action picked up right where it left off after the Carmel meet, with a flurry of record-setting swims from the likes of Regan Smith, Gretchen Walsh, Shaine Casas, and Lani Pallister, to name a few. We should see all these swimmers back in the water this morning, as Smith and Walsh take on events where they own the world record.

Event Schedule

• Women’s 400 IM — early heats
• Men’s 50 backstroke
• Women’s 200 freestyle
• Men’s 200 IM
• Women’s 100 backstroke
• Men’s 50 breaststroke
• Women’s 50 butterfly
• Men’s 100 freestyle
• Women’s 100 breaststroke
• Men’s 200 butterfly
• Men’s 800 freestyle — early heat

Women’s 400m IM — Slower Heats

• World Record: 4:15.48 — Summer McIntosh, Canada (2024)
• World Junior Record: 4:15.48 — Summer McIntosh, Canada (2024)
• World Cup Record: 4:18.94 — Mireia Belmonte Garcia, Spain (2017)
• U.S. Open Record: 4:21.21 — Katinka Hosszu, Hungary (2015)

Results:

1. Alex Walsh (CLB) — 4:34.99
2. Justina Kozan (CLB) — 4:37.97
3. Kimberly Shannon (CLB) — 4:42.04
4. Gina McCarthy (NZL) — 4:43.73
5. Carli Cronk (CLB) — 4:45.81
6. Lainey Mullins (CLB) — 4:47.79
7. Camden Doane (CLB) — 4:49.41
8. Laila Oravsky (CLB) — 4:50.37

With one heat of women’s 400 IM left to swim in the finals, it’s Alex Walsh who is the leader in the clubhouse. An Olympic medalist in the long-course 200-meter IM and NCAA champion in the 400-yard IM, this was Walsh’s first time racing the 400 IM in the short-course meter pool at an official meet.

She established an early lead from an outside lane in heat one with a 1:00.09 100 butterfly split. She didn’t look back from there, and her final time of 4:34.99 held up through the second timed final. That was won by Justina Kozan, who swam a 4:37.97, checking in nearly three seconds behind Walsh. This seemed to be Kozan’s first time racing the 400 IM in short-course meters too, and she was the only swimmer other than Walsh to break 4:40. Last weekend, Kozan raced with her fellow Trojans at the USC Invite.

Men’s 50m Backstroke — Prelims

• World Record: 22.11 — Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia (2022)
• World Junior Record: 22.47 — Miron Lifintsev, Russia (2024)
• World Cup Record: 22.58 — Isaac Cooper, Australia (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 22.65 — Hubert Kos, Hungary (2025)

Top 8:

1. Hubert Kos (HUN) — 22.73
2. Dylan Carter (TTO) — 23.04
3. Kacper Stokowski (CLB)/Thomas Ceccon (ITA) — 23.18
4. (tie)
5. Ralf Tribuntsov (EST) — 23.30
6. Miroslav Knedla (CLB) — 23.33
7. Lucien Vergnes (FRA) — 23.35
8. Cameron Gray (NZL) — 23.55

Fresh off breaking the U.S. Open Record at the Carmel World Cup stop, Hubert Kos shot back to the top of the pile in the men’s 50 backstroke this morning. He established the fastest time of prelims from the final heat, which he won by over a half-second ahead of Estonia’s Ralf Tribuntsov. Kos clocked a 22.73, less than a tenth from his U.S. Open Record from last weekend.

Kos was the only man to clear 23 seconds this morning, as Dylan Carter posted the second-fastest time of the morning in heat five with a 23.04. He hit the wall .14 seconds ahead of a tie between Kacper Stokowski and Thomas Ceccon at 23.18. Ceccon did not race the 50 backstroke at the first stop of this year’s circuit; this swim is a lifetime best for him. His previous best stood at 23.22 from the Berlin stop on the 2022 Swimming World Cup.

Kos has established himself as the man to beat in this race, but in addition to challenges from Carter and Stokowksi, Miroslav Knedla could also push the pace in this race. Knedla swam a 23.33 to qualify sixth this morning but holds the Czech record at 22.74 from the 2024 Short Course World Championships semifinals.

Women’s 200m Freestyle — Prelims

• World Record: 1:50.31 — Siobhan Haughey, Hong Kong (2021)
• World Junior Record: 1:51.62 — Claire Weinstein, United States (2024)
• World Cup Record: 1:50.43 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2017)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:50.77 — Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia (2025)

Top 8:

1. Erika Fairweather (NZL) — 1:53.72
2. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) — 1:53.88
3. Anna Peplowski (CLB) — 1:53.99
4. Lani Pallister (AUS) — 1:54.10
5. Minna Abraham (CLB) — 1:54.48
6. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) — 1:54.77
7. Ella Jansen (CLB) — 1:55.16
8. Freya Colbert (GBR) — 1:55.19

In Carmel, it took a 1:54.81 to make it back for the women’s 200 freestyle final. It only took a 1:55.19 this morning in Westmont, but the top end did get faster, as three women cracked 1:54 this morning as opposed to two in Carmel.

Lani Pallister set the pace with a 1:54.10 to win heat three ahead of Marrit Steenbergen, just missing the 1:54 threshold. Erika Fairweather cleared the barrier in the next heat with a 1:53.72, beating second-place Minna Abraham by over a half-second. This was a big improvement on Carmel prelims from Fairweather, who swam 1:54.29 in the morning last weekend before a 1:53.33 for fourth in the final.

Fairweather’s time held up as the morning’s best through the final heat, where the newly minted U.S. Open record holder, Mollie O’Callaghan, came from behind to edge out Anna Peplowski for the win. O’Callaghan came within a half-second of the world record in Carmel, swimming a 1:50.77. She was also faster this morning than she was in Carmel, where she clocked 1:54.01 in prelims. This morning, O’Callaghan beat Peplowksi by .11 seconds, 1:53.88 to 1:53.99. Peplowski’s swim was just off the 1:53.90 she swam in Carmel prelims.

Men’s 200 IM — Prelims

• World Record: 1:48.88 — Leon Marchand, France (2024)
• World Junior Record: 1:51.45 — Matthew Sates, South Africa (2021)
• World Cup Record: 1:48.88 — Leon Marchand, France (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:49.43 — Shaine Casas, United States (2025)

Top 8: 

1. Tomoyuki Matsushita (JPN) — 1:53.08
2. Shaine Casas (USA) — 1:53.58
3. Finlay Knox (CAN) — 1:53.91
4. Luke Barr (CLB) — 1:54.10
5. David Schlicht (AUS) — 1:54.18
6. Kieran Smith (USA) — 1:54.36
7. Trenton Julian (CLB) — 1:54.80
8. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) — 1:54.88

Tomoyuki Matsushita hit a lifetime best 1:53.08 in heat four of the men’s 200 IM this morning, chopping a tenth off the best he swam last weekend for fourth in Carmel. This morning in Westmont, the 1:53.08 was good enough to secure lane four for the final.

In the final heat, the American record holder Shaine Casas cruised to a 1:53.58, right on his prelims swim from Carmel. In that final, Casas beat Leon Marchand by three-tenths with a 1:49.43, setting American and U.S. Open records. He’ll be the favorite for tonight’s final, and a win tonight would put him in line to claim a Triple Crown at the circuit’s final stop in Toronto.

Finlay Knox, David Schlicht, Kieran Smith, and Alberto Razzetti have all secured a second-straight berth in the 200 IM final at this World Cup. Knox’s morning time of 1:53.91 marks his first time under 1:54 on this circuit. He’s the Canadian record holder with a 1:50.90 from his bronze medal-winning swim at the 2024 Short Course World Championships and has been improving each time he’s swum the 200 IM at this World Cup. After swimming 1:55.35 in Carmel prelims, he clocked a 1:54.66 in the final and has now produced a 1:53.91.

The newcomers to the 200 IM final this evening are Luke Barr and Trenton Julian. Meanwhile, Carson Foster was a no show in the 200 IM for the second-straight stop. Once again, he’s on this evening’s start list for the fastest timed final of the men’s distance event (the 800 freestyle at this meet).

Women’s 100 Backstroke — Prelims

• World Record: 54.02 — Regan Smith, United States (2024)
• World Junior Record: 55.75 — Bella Sims, United States (2022)
• World Cup Record: 54.27 — Regan Smith, United States (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 54.92 — Regan Smith, United States (2025)

Top 8: 

1. Regan Smith (USA) — 55.39
2. Katharine Berkoff (CLB) — 56.08
3. Kaylee McKeown (AUS) — 56.44
4. Rhyan White (CLB) — 56.77
5. Bella Sims (CLB) — 56.80
6. Kylie Masse (CAN) — 56.90
7. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) — 56.91
8. Miranda Grana (CLB) — 56.95

It will be world record holder Regan Smith in lane four for the women’s 100 backstroke final tonight. The majority of the top stars kept their cards quite close to the best this morning, which hopefully portends an exciting final. Smith was one of the  exceptions; a 55.3 isn’t anything to write home about for someone who holds the world record at 54.02, but she did improve on her Carmel prelims time by two-tenths.

Smith was also the only swimmer to clear 56-seconds this morning, as Katharine Berkoff‘s 56.08 from heat four stands as the second-fastest qualifying time. She also improved on her Carmel prelims swim, dropping from a 56.26 last weekend. Kaylee McKeown will swim on Smith’s other side in lane three after putting up a 56.44 to win heat five this morning. McKeown swam a 55.98 in Carmel prelims.

Bella Sims is back in the women’s 100 breaststroke final too. She placed third last weekend with a lifetime best (her first in this event in three years) of 55.28. She swam a 56.80 this session; last weekend she was well under the 56-second mark.

Berkoff will once again have an NC State teammate in the final, though this weekend it’s Rhyan White instead of Leah Shackley. The Canadian Olympic pair of Kylie Masse and Ingrid Wilm have also made it back, and will be threats to move up from their sixth and seventh-place qualifying times.

Though some of the top swimmers backed off this morning compared to last weekend, the event did get quicker. Last weekend, it took 57.19 to make it back for the final. Today, it took under 57-seconds, as Miranda Grana qualified eighth in 56.95, with Anastasiya Shkurdai (57.15) and Phoebe Bacon (57.22) in ninth and tenth.

Men’s 50 Breaststroke — Prelims

• World Record: 24.95 — Emre Sakci, Turkey (2021)
• World Junior Record: 25.66 — Chris Smith, South Africa (2024)
• World Cup Record: 25.25 — Cameron van der Burgh (2009)
• U.S. Open Record: 25.75 — Nic Fink, United States (2019)/Chris Smith, South Africa (2025)

Top 8: 

1. Caspar Corbeau (NED) — 25.81
2. Finn Brooks (CLB) — 25.96
3. Van Mathias (CLB) — 26.15
4. Ilya Shymanovich (NAA)/Adam Peaty (GBR) — 26.17
5. (tie)
6. Shin Ohashi (JPN) — 26.32
7. Michael Andrew (USA) — 26.35
8. Brian Benzing (CLB)/Ludovico Viberti (ITA) — 26.50*

*Swim-off required

Chris Smith tied the U.S. Open record last weekend and this morning, Caspar Corbeau gave it another rattle. The Dutch Olympian, now back training with Mark Faber after using up his NCAA eligibility at Indiana, fired off a 25.81 this morning, just six-hundredths off the U.S. Open record.

This swim was just three-hundredths off Corbeau’s silver-winning time from Carmel (25.78). Ilya Shymanovich was also near the record last weekend, winning bronze in 25.79. He’ll be back for tonight’s final after swimming a 26.17in heat six, tying with Adam Peaty. They placed second in heat six behind Indiana’s Finn Brooks, who neared his lifetime best with a 25.96 this morning. Brooks posted a 25.84 in Carmel prelims.

His Hoosier teammate Van Mathias will also feature in the final after swimming a 26.15 for third overall. The pair could be joined by their teammate Brian Benzing, but Benzing will need to swim-off against Ludovico Viberti for a spot in the final after they tied at eighth in 26.50 this morning.

Women’s 50 Butterfly — Prelims

• World Record: 23.72 — Gretchen Walsh, United States (2025)
• World Junior Record: 24.55 — Claire Curzan, United States (2021)
• World Cup Record: 23.72 — Gretchen Walsh, United States (2025)
• U.S. Open Record: 23.72 — Gretchen Walsh, United States (2025)

Top 8: 

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA) — 24.26
2. Alexandria Perkins (AUS) — 24.91
3. Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL) — 25.55
4. Laura Lahtinen (FIN) — 25.66
5. Phoebe Bacon (CLB) — 25.89
6. Kasia Wasick (POL) — 25.93
7. Taylor Ruck (CAN) — 26.15
8. Olivia Wunsch (AUS) — 26.17

Gretchen Walsh continues to rewrite the books in the women’s 50 butterfly. She broke her world record in the event last weekend with a blistering 23.72. This morning, she recorded the sixth-fastest time in history, according to USA Swimming, with a 24.26. She now owns the top six performances all-time as Therese Alshammar is the second-faster performer with a 24.38–the former world record that had stood from 2009 until Walsh started her tear last winter.

Perkins has also been on form this circuit, taking down the Australian record in Carmel with a 24.64. She was within three-tenths of that time this morning, clocking 24.91. Once again, she was the only swimmer to join Walsh in swimming faster than 25 seconds.

The top three swimmers this morning were the top three swimmers in last weekend’s final. Belgian’s recent breakout Roos Vanotterdijk was the bronze medalist in Carmel and she’s sitting third overall now after swimming 25.55 to win heat two. The time is just .11 seconds from her bronze-medal winning time in Carmel.

Kasia Wasick is the other returning finalist from the first stop of this year’s World Cup. And though Bacon missed the women’s 100 backstroke final, she rebounded by qualifying for the 50 fly final in fifth with a 25.89.

Men’s 100 Freestyle — Prelims

• World Record: 44.84 — Kyle Chalmers, Australia (2021)
• World Junior Record: 45.64 — David Popovici, Romania (2022)
• World Cup Record: 44.84 — Kyle Chalmers, Australia (2021)
• U.S. Open Record: 45.22 — Caeleb Dressel, United States (2019)

Top 8:

1. Jack Alexy (CLB) — 45.53
2. Tomas Lukminas (CLB) — 46.28
3. Chris Guiliano (CLB) — 46.36
4. Matt Richards (GBR) — 46.54
5. Brooks Curry (CLB) — 46.59
6. Josh Liendo (CAN) — 46.69
7. Luke Hobson (USA)/Matt King (CLB) — 46.95
8. (tie)

Jack Alexy won the final heat of the men’s 100 freestyle prelims in 45.53, solidifying him as the man to beat tonight. He won this event in Carmel with a 45.32 and as he was in that final, he was the only swimmer to crack 46 seconds today.

Tomas Lukimas, who swims at Arizona, won heat eight in 46.28, just under two-tenths from the Lithuanian record he swam in the 2024 Short Course World Championship semifinals. His time from heat eight held up as the second fastest of the morning, even as heat ten saw a race between Chris Guiliano and Matt Richards. Guiliano, the Carmel silver medalist, got the better of the British Olympian, 46.36 to 46.54.

Behind Alexy’s win in heat 11, Brooks Curry edged out Josh Liendo by a tenth for second with a 46.59. Both improved greatly on their prelims swims from Carmel. Curry swam 46.90 last weekend to qualify seventh, while Liendo missed out on that final after swimming 47.24 for 14th place.

Luke Hobson and Matt King tied for seventh overall in 46.95, locking Ruslan Gaziev out of the final by a hundredth.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke — Prelims

• World Record: 1:02.36 — Alia Atkinson, Jamaica/Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2016/2013)
• World Junior Record: 1:02.36 — Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2013)
• World Cup Record: 1:02.36 — Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2013)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:02.77 — Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2022)

Top 8:

1. Kate Douglass (USA) — 1:03.53
2. Mona McSharry (IRL) — 1:04.38
3. Ella Ramsay (AUS) — 1:05.07
4. Sophie Angus (CAN) — 1:05.18
5. Rebecca Meder (RSA) — 1:05.41
6. Satomi Suzuki (JPN) — 1:05.51
7. Alex Walsh (CLB) — 1:05.54
8. Macarena Ceballos (ARG) — 1:05.66

2025 has been the first year that Kate Douglass has seriously taken on the 100 breaststroke during international competition. She’s made quick work of establishing herself as a serious contender in both the long-course and short-course meter pool. After scaring the U.S. Open record with her win in Carmel (1:02.90), she reinforced herself as the top contender in Westmont with a 1:03.53 prelims swim.

She won the final heat by over a second and secured lane four for the final by .85 seconds. Ireland’s Mona McSharry will swim out of lane five after clocking a 1:04.38 to win heat three. Like Douglass, she took her heat win comfortably, touching well ahead of Ella Ramsay‘s 1:05.07. McSharry took fourth in Carmel with a 1:04.16.

After beginning this session with a 400 IM, Alex Walsh switched gears and qualified for the women’s 100 breaststroke final with a 1:05.54. While the top end of the final is stretched out, fifth through eighth are separated by .25 seconds.

Men’s 200 Butterfly — Prelims

• World Record: 1:46.85 — Tomoru Honda, Japan (2022)
• World Junior Record: 1:49.61 — Chen Juner, China (2022)
• World Cup Record: 1:48.56 — Chad Le Clos, South Africa (2013)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:48.77 — Daiya Seto, Japan (2019)

Top 8:

1. Ilya Kharun (CAN) — 1:52.07
2. Federico Burdisso (ITA) — 1:52.92
3. Trenton Julian (CLB) — 1:53.16
4. Noe Ponti (SUI) — 1:53.31
5. Krzysztof Chmielewski (CLB) — 1:53.33
6. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) — 1:53.84
7. Haakon Naughton (CLB) — 1:54.04
8. Michal Chmielewski (CLB) — 1:54.57

Ilya Kharun, the Carmel 200 butterfly winner, holds a comfortable advantage on the field heading into tonight’s final. Kharun checked in with a 1:52.07, about two-tenths quicker than he was last weekend before he produced a 1:50.65.

Carmel’s bronze medalist Federico Burdisso, fourth-place Trenton Julian, and sixth-place Alberto Razzetti are all back for the final in Westmont. Julian will face a 200 IM/200 butterfly final double this evening, provided he doesn’t scratch out of one of those events.

To make this final more interesting, there are a couple of Olympic and World Championship medalists in the mix this weekend. After bypassing this event in Carmel, Noe Ponti checked in with a 1:53.31 to qualify fourth overall, two-hundredths ahead of Krzysztof Chmielewski, who joined the World Cup this weekend after racing at the USC Invite last weekend.

In addition to their senior international medals in the long-course 200-meter butterfly, both Ponti and K. Chmielewski hold their national records in the short-course 200 butterfly. Ponti owns the Swiss record in 1:48.77 from earlier this year, while K. Chmielewski has the Polish record at 1:49.26 from December 2024. K. Chmielewski is also joined in final by his brother, Michal Chmielewski.

Men’s 800 Freestyle — Early Heat

• World Record: 7:20.46 — Daniel Wiffen, Ireland (2023)
• World Junior Record: 7:36.00 — Sven Schwarz, Germany (2019)
• World Cup Record: 7:35.40 — Pan Zhanle, China (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 7:36.24 — Pál Joensen, Denmark (2011)

Results:

1. Raul Moreno Gutierrez (MEX) — 8:05.45
2. Shin Ohashi (JPN) — 8:06.69
3. Thomas Olsen (CLB) — 8:11.72
4. Charlie Mayr (CLB) — 8:12.20
5. Francisco Goya (CLB) — 8:18.67
6. Alexander Rousseau (CLB) — 8:23.59
7. Griffin Cagle (CLB) — 8:33.23
8. Byambajargal Pagva (MGL) — 8:58.05

Raul Moreno Gutierrez holds the fastest time of the men’s 800 freestyle with the final heat still to come during the finals session tonight. He swam an 8:05.45, which gives him a lead over the rest of the field by over a second. Sitting second is Japanese teenager Shin Ohashi, who broke out this summer for his breaststroke speed. Ohashi made up some ground on Gutierrez during the back half of the race, but was still over a second behind him at the finish, clocking an 8:06.69.

Men’s 50 Breaststroke Swim-Off

1. Ludovico Viberti (ITA) — 26.22
2. Brian Benzing (CLB) — 26.37

Both Ludovico Viberti and Brian Benzing went faster during the swim-off than they did in the men’s 50 breaststroke prelims, where they tied for eighth in 26.50. Still, the Italian sprint breaststroke specialist left little doubt it would be him in the final tonight. He led from start to finish, hitting the lone turn at 11.96, ahead of Benzing’s 12.04 split.

Viberti extended his lead over the second 25 meters with a 14.26 split, stopping the clock at 26.22. Benzing finished .15 seconds behind in 26.37, having come home in 14.33.