2025 U.S. Summer Championships
- Tuesday, August 5 – Friday, August 8, 2025
- Irvine, California
- William Woollett Aquatics Center
- Start Times
- Prelims: 9:00 am local / 12:00 pm ET
- Finals: 5:00 pm local / 8:00 pm ET
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Live Stream Info (Available on USA Swimming Network App)
- Live Recaps
MEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE — FINAL
- World Record: 14:30.67 — Bobby Finke, USA (2024)
- American Record: 14:30.67 — Bobby Finke, USA (2024)
- U.S. Open Record: 14:40.28 — Bobby Finke, USA (2024)
- World Junior Record: 14:41.22 — Kuzey Tuncelli, TUR (2024)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 14:53.12 — Jordan Wilimovsky, USA (2016)
Top 8 Finishers:
- David Johnston (Longhorn Aquatics) – 15:02.15
- Colin Jacobs (Unattached) – 15:06.04
- Lance Norris (Wolfpack Elite) – 15:12.23
- Matthew Galea (Australia) – 15:13.82
- Isaac Fleig (Fishers Area Swi) – 15:17.43
- Gabriel Manteuf (Sandpipers Of Nevada) – 15:21.17
- Joshua Brown (Sandpipers Of Nevada) – 15:22.94
- Juan Vallmitjan (South Florida Aquatics) – 15:28.55
During the final individual event of the 2025 US Summer Champs, 16 year old Colin Jacobs continued to impress as he shaved over 10 seconds off his personal best of 15:16.33 in the 1500 free, rocketing up to the #4 performer in the 15-16 age group. That 15:16 swim came just a few months ago at the France stop of the 2025 Mare Nostrum Tour in May, where he won the event. Jacobs has dropped over 30 seconds this past year, as he entered the season with a personal best of 15:41.35 from the 2024 TYR Pro Series stop in San Antonio.
His 15:06 now sits just over 2 seconds off of Bobby Hackett’s legendary 15-16 NAG Record set back in 1976, and is less than a second off of World Record Holder Bobby Finke‘s PB from when Finke was 16 years old. Further, Jacobs’ time would’ve placed him 5th at US Trials in June, though he didn’t compete at that meet, instead opting to swim at the French Elite Championships. Jacobs will turn 17 on September 5th.
US 15-16 Boys 1500 Free Top 5:
- Bobby Hackett – 15:03.91 (1976)
- Larsen Jensen – 15:04.83 (2002)
- Bobby Finke – 15:05.29 (2016)
- Colin Jacobs – 15:06.04 (2025)
- Arthur Frayler – 15:07.37 (2010)
Jacobs is on the US National Junior Team and has experience on the international stage, as he represented the US at the Open Water Swimming Jr World Championships last summer. There, he swam the 7.5km and mixed 4×1500 km, helping the American relay finish 4th. However, he currently trains in France with CN d’Antibes under coach Fred Vergnoux; notably, that’s where Summer McIntosh spent the past few months training leading up to the 2025 World Championships.
Earlier this week, Jacobs posted a 7:55.50 in the 800 free, making him the 4th fastest 15-16 performer.
Amazing! Kid is spectacular. Coach Fred getting his athletes right as per usual. Coach Fred and Philippe Lucas will teamup soon and form the Francevengers.
hope he gives the record another run before he turns 17–pretty crazy to have a 49 year old NAG
So is he going back to Sarasota in the fall and school year?
Sure, that’s why he is unattached.
Hell nah he will be in Antibes doing real distance training
Couldn’t agree more. I currentl’y own and operate an Italian restaurant. Might switch to french cuisine after these performances.
So does he represent the US or France? And if the US, is he going to WJs?
This article says he didn’t swim at trials, how could he make the WJ team?
Amazing to me – or maybe not – that Americans must go to Europe to find coaches offering this type of training.
Would love to hear how he ended up in France with Vergnoux – really unique choice by an American athlete to go to a different country to train. Clearly working for him though!
This intelligent swimmer knew how to avoid short course yards (SCY), a type of training and competition which will unfortunately increasingly weigh down American swimming!
Bobby Finke and Katie Ledecky say hi
Good god, tip of the hat to Bobby Hackett. I have to admit I don’t know much about him. Did he even use goggles?
No goggles in that race, but he certainly wore them in his monster practices. Bobby went only 3:55 in the straight 400 free in the US trials, but was 3:58.6 in the final 400 of that Olympic 1500. Brian Goodell was 3:56.9 on the final 400 for gold in 15:02.4. They were flat-out sprinting the final 150. Great race.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFjpMUp6A14&t=2s
Who’s the oldest in that final? The announcer seemed to saying everyone was 16!
Hackett was 16, Goodell 17, Holland was 18, Salnikov was 16. Holland retired from swimming thereafter (the kids broke his spirit?) . Hackett later went on to Harvard and Harvard Business School, Goodell UCLA and NCAA glory, Salnikov went on to double Olympic glory and now is a shill for Putin’s Russian Sports Federation.
And Salnikov was the only one to go on and break 15!
But kids not improving in college is a ‘new’ problem?
Thanks for the info! 👍
Just to complete to finalist list. Dan Madruga was 17, Max Metzger was 16, Paul Hartloff was 18, and Zoltan Wladar was 16. Lotsa young guys in that race.
Ya I wonder if the biggest difference now is the fact that some can make a living well into their 20’s as a pro swimmer, or is the training just very different. Or both
Whoa Nellie!
And a very young Salnikov.
If you’ve never read 4 Champions, One gold medal it’s a must read for any swimming fan. Talks about the training for all 4 guys in the 1976 1500m race all the way through the race itself.
Yeah that book is absolutely insane, such a good read
Book is tough to come by now.
Amazon US have a “mass market paperback” (whatever that means) for $55.87. New for $178.86!
So if anyone has a copy lying around they could make a few bucks.
Wow. Think I have an original.
Sames. Also have a copy of the 50 meter jungle. Also fairly rare.
Found it cheaper for anyone that’s interested. Abebooks.com $25.56. But only 1 available.