American sprinter Van Mathias was on fire at the Bergen Swim Festival last weekend in Norway, setting the first national record of his career while hitting two additional personal best times.
Mathias, a 25-year-old pro and former Indiana University standout, stepped away from the sport in 2023 after wrapping up his college career with the Hoosiers, and ended up taking on the role of Director of Operations with the IU swimming program.
After returning to training in 2025, Mathias surprised last summer by putting up a time of 26.76 in the men’s 50 breaststroke at the U.S. Pro Championships, qualifying him for the 2026 Pan Pacific Championship roster.
The Portland, Ore., native has carried that momentum into 2026, culminating with a trio of career-best swims last weekend in Bergen.
Mathias kicked off the competition with a jaw-dropping swim in the 100 breaststroke.
After breaking 59 seconds for the first time in the prelims, clocking 58.98 to lower his previous best of 59.45, Mathias unleashed a time of 58.19 in the final, becoming the second-fastest American ever and narrowly missing the national record.
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Mathias’ time put him just five one-hundredths back of Michael Andrew‘s American Record of 58.14, set at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2021.
Split Comparison
| Andrew, Old NR | Mathias, Old PB | Mathias, Bergen Prelims | Mathias, Bergen Final |
| 26.83 | 27.32 | 27.28 | 26.99 |
| 58.14 (31.31) | 59.45 (32.13) | 58.98 (31.70) | 58.19 (31.20) |
In addition to becoming the second-fastest American ever, Mathias also moves into #5 all-time in the 100 breast.
Coming into the meet, his previous PB of 59.45 ranked him tied for 73rd all-time and tied for 15th among Americans.
All-Time Performers, Men’s 100 Breaststroke (LCM)
- Adam Peaty (GBR), 56.88 – 2019
- Qin Haiyang (CHN), 57.69 – 2023
- Arno Kamminga (NED), 57.80 – 2021
- Michael Andrew (USA), 58.14 – 2021
- Van Mathias (USA), 58.19 – 2026
- Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 58.26 – 2022
- Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 58.29 – 2019
- Nic Fink (USA), 58.36 – 2019
- Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) / James Wilby (GBR), 58.46 – 2012 / 2019
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Two days later, Mathias broke the first American Record of his career in the 50 breast, clocking 26.39 to erase Nic Fink‘s previous mark of 26.45 set in 2022. The swim moves Mathias into #8 all-time.
Mathias also won the 50 fly in Bergen, blasting a time of 22.99 to mark his first time under 23 seconds. In addition to owning the top time in the world rankings this season in the 50 and 100 breast, he also sits sixth in the 50 fly.
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