2025 World Championships
- July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
- Singapore, Singapore
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There have been rumours that the backstroke leg for the U.S. men’s medley relay will come down to two men, with the decision made by the coaches based on a time trial swim. The kicker? That those two are Tommy Janton, the 100 backstroke champion from U.S. Nationals, and Luca Urlando, who last raced long course backstroke in 2019.
That could be a huge call by the coaches.
The U.S. has gotten the following swims from its 100 backstrokers so far in Singapore:
- Tommy Janton – 53.87
- Keaton Jones – 54.20
- Jack Aikins – 56.54
Those times would all be at the back of the field in the medley relay final, so it is understandable that they are looking for something to shake the team up. Urlando is a wildcard choice for this, although he does own the American and US Open Record in the short course yards version of the event. He broke Ryan Murphy‘s records leading off Georgia’s medley relay in 2022 after going 43.35, but his last long course swim in the event was a 56.82 swum in June 2019. His best, from 2018, is slightly faster at 56.49.
The main takeaway from his yards record was the power of underwaters in short course swimming, where a fly specialist could beat the (at-the-time) world-record-holder due in part to making full use of the allowed 15 meters underwater. Urlando’s underwaters were incredible, take nothing away, but there are numerous elite short course backstrokers who have not made the step over into long course.
Urlando is also one of the few Americans who has been firing on all cylinders this week, leaving coaches with the choice of primary swimmers or ones with the hot hand here in Singapore. AJ Pouch could be another, after he made the 200 breast final and went out 1:00.79. He has a best of 59.86 in the 100, but could be a shout for the prelims relay at a minimum.
He was seen practicing backstroke 25s of the blocks (off the wedge?) during the prelims session this morning – one which both U.S. 100 fly swimmers failed to advance from. That could complicate matters, as Urlando could now be considered for the fly leg after winning the 200 fly in 1:51.87 earlier this week.
Shaine Casas was 51.66 this morning in prelims, less than a tenth off making it through, but Thomas Heilman was 52.02 and faded hard on the second 50 with a split of 27.92. That is 1.32 off his best, and he has added time in the 100 fly at the last three major championships he has raced now.
From the 50 fly swimmers, Dare Rose has been out of the water since finishing 12th in the 50 fly semi-finals, as has Michael Andrew ever since he raced prelims of the 50 breast, placing 25th.
That choice is still likely to be Casas, especially after his phenomenal 200 IM last night. His swim this morning could well have been a case of trying to cut things too fine with his energy conservation, although he was also a fair way off his 100 free best when leading off the prelims 4×100 free relay on Day 1.
The U.S. coaches will have far more data on what each swimmer’s current form is than we do, but the decisions now are not to be envied. The team came in with the fastest season-best add-up in the medley relay, but now would not be considered a favorite to even make the podium.
While this choice on backstroke may just be for finals, the U.S. could be in serious jeopardy of missing the final if they try to be too cute during the heats. There are a number of other countries, particularly European ones which may be a surprise given the time zone difference, that look to have very strong medley relay teams this year, and we saw NAB miss a 4×100 free final in which they could have been a contender due to surprise package Lithuania delivering a huge swim.
They probably cannot afford to rest whoever they decide the first-choice fly swimmer is, or the first-choice breaststroker. There are still some doubts over Josh Matheny, after he scratched the 200 breaststroke yesterday, which could see McKean used in both rounds. Patrick Sammon has had a very solid first world championships, and thanks to him Jack Alexy will not be required for the heats.
The fact that an option as left field as Urlando on backstroke is even being considered is part of the beauty of the scheduling for this event. The medley relay is the very final race of the meet, so coaches have the maximum amount of time to gauge form and gather information.
If the men’s 200 fly came after the medley relay, this would not be a conversation – it was not an option considered for the mixed medley – but given that he is clearly in the groove and has won the American men’s only gold medal so far, he now is.
If he does swim on the finals team, this would be the holiest of Hail Marys. Given the twists and turns we have seen at the meet so far, it would fit right in.
How Does Everyone Stack Up?
We’ll start off with the U.S. – they have by far the greatest number of lineup options, which is not a good thing this year. Jack Aikins could recover enough to be an option, but we have no way of knowing. As he has been quite far off his times so far, we’ve not included him in any of the top lineups
Urlando on backstroke lineups are not considered (with one exception), because we have, quite frankly, not a single clue about what sort of time he would go.
All times are relay swims from the championships in Singapore unless denoted otherwise. An ‘*’ marks where the time is the swimmer’s best flat-start time here -0.5 seconds.
USA
| Backstroke | Breaststroke | Butterfly | Freestyle | Total | |
| Option 1 | Tommy Janton – 53.87 | Campbell McKean – 59.07 | Shaine Casas – 51.16* | Jack Alexy – 46.31* | 3:30.41 |
| Option 2 | Shaine Casas – 53.54** | Campbell McKean – 59.07 | Thomas Heilman – 51.52* | Jack Alexy – 46.31* | 3:30.08 |
| Option 3 | Tommy Janton – 53.87 | Campbell McKean – 59.07 | Luca Urlando – 50.82** | Jack Alexy – 46.31* | 3:30.07 |
| Option 4 | Tommy Janton – 53.87 | Josh Matheny – 58.65* | Shaine Casas – 51.16* | Jack Alexy – 46.31* | 3:29.99 |
| Option 5 | Shaine Casas – 53.54** | AJ Pouch – 59.36** | Luca Urlando – 50.82** | Jack Alexy – 46.31* | 3:30.03 |
| Option 5 | Tommy Janton – 53.87 | Josh Matheny – 58.65* | Thomas Heilman – 51.52* | Jack Alexy – 46.31* | 3:30.35 |
| Option 6 | Tommy Janton – 53.87 | Josh Matheny – 58.65* | Luca Urlando – 50.82** | Jack Alexy – 46.31* | 3:29.65 |
| Option 7 | Shaine Casas – 53.54** | Josh Matheny – 58.65* | Thomas Heilman – 51.52* | Jack Alexy – 46.31* | 3:30.02 |
| Option 8 | Shaine Casas – 53.54** | Josh Matheny – 58.65* | Luca Urlando – 50.82** | Jack Alexy – 46.31* | 3:29.32 |
| Option 9 | Tommy Janton – 53.87 | Josh Matheny – 58.65* | Dare Rose – 50.43** | Jack Alexy – 46.31* | 3:29.26 |
| Option 10 | Shaine Casas – 53.54** | Josh Matheny – 58.65* | Dare Rose – 50.43** | Jack Alexy – 46.31* | 3:28.93 |
| Option 11 | Luca Urlando – 51.79*** | Josh Matheny – 58.65* | Shaine Casas – 51.16* | Jack Alexy – 46.31* | 3:27.91 |
**Shaine Casas‘ season-best time, and Luca Urlando and AJ Pouch’s season best times -0.5 seconds
***From the Swimulator Real-Time Converter. We’re only like, 60-70% sure that he’ll go this time.
NAB
Right now, NAB look like favorites. Prigoda has been absolutely clutch on relays at short course world ( 54.86), Russian Nationals (57.94) and the mixed medley relay here (57.56), and they have not one but two world class backstrokers to choose from.
Andrei Minakov has been sub-51 in both heats and semis of the 100 fly, including his 3rd-fastest swim ever (50.87). Egor Kornev set a new best of 47.29 in the semi-finals of the men’s 100 free, and his slowest swim so far is 47.51. He’s looked great on the 50 as well.
There is no weak spot here. If everything goes right, they could even challenge the World Record.
| Backstroke | Breaststroke | Butterfly | Freestyle | Total | |
| Option 1 | Miron Lifintsev – 51.78 | Kirill Prigoda – 57.56 | Andrei Minakov – 50.37* | Egor Kornev – 46.79* | 3:26.50 |
| Option 2 | Kliment Kolesnikov – 52.04 | Kirill Prigoda – 57.56 | Andrei Minakov – 50.37* | Egor Kornev – 46.79* | 3:26.76 |
Italy
Coming into the meet we though there was a clear 1-2 punch for the Italians – Thomas Ceccon on backstroke handing over to Nicolo Martinenghi on breaststroke. Now, thanks to a couple of big drops, it looks like the changeover will be the other way around, with Ceccon on fly instead.
Taking his backstroke spot would be Christian Bacico, who has had four swims between 52.68 and 52.78 here including both rounds of the mixed medley relay, and they should then get a 47-low out of whichever of Lorenzo Zazzeri, Manuel Frigo or Carlos D’Ambrosio anchors. Ludovico Viberti is an option instead of Martinenghi on breaststroke if needed.
| Backstroke | Breaststroke | Butterfly | Freestyle | Total | |
| Option 1 | Thomas Ceccon – 51.90 | Nicolo Martinenghi – 58.08* | Federico Burdisso – 51.09* | Carlos D’Ambrosio – 47.28* | 3:28.35 |
| Option 2 | Christian Bacico – 52.68 | Nicolo Martinenghi – 58.08* | Thomas Ceccon – 49.92* | Manuel Frigo – 47.34 | 3:28.02 |
| Option 3 | Christian Bacico – 52.68 | Ludivico Viberti – 58.39* | Thomas Ceccon – 49.92* | Lorenzo Zazzeri – 47.36 | 3:28.43 |
China
None of China’s swimmers for this relay look quite in top form in Singapore. Qin Haiyang is the closest, but split 58.13 on the mixed medley relay instead of the 57-point we have become accustomed to, and was beaten in the 50 breaststroke.
Xu Jiayu looks to be around a second slower than last year, and while Pan Zhanle split 46.63 on the 4×100 freestyle relay he missed the final individually in 47.81. Fly still looks a weakness, as Chen Juner added nearly a second to his season-best of 51.03, despite setting a 200 fly Chinese Record earlier this week.
This is still a strong team, but they don’t have the same momentum that the other teams do. Only one of their swimmers has made the final of their stroke 100. For context, NAB have four, Italy have two, and France have two.
| Backstroke | Breaststroke | Butterfly | Freestyle | Total | |
| Option 1 | Xu Jiayu – 53.14 | Qin Haiyang – 57.73* | Chen Juner – 51.45* | Pan Zhanle – 46.63 | 3:28.95 |
| Option 2 | Xu Jiayu – 53.14 | Qin Haiyang – 57.73* | Xu Fang – 51.40* | Pan Zhanle – 46.63 | 3:28.90 |
France
France look a strong bet to back up their bronze from last year. Yohan Ndoye-Brouard has stepped up in a big way on backstroke this year and was 51.92 to set a new French record, jumping to #8 all-time (#7 at the time). Maxime Grousset looks phenomenal in fly so far and has been 49-mid on this relay the last two years, and Yohan le Goff was 47-mid on the 4×100 free relay on the first day.
Leon Marchand will almost certainly be on breaststroke, and looks in fantastic form so far. He will have the 400 IM, but is probably the best-suited swimmer in the world to swimming that double.
They could go rogue and put Clement Secchi on fly, with Grousset anchoring, but sticking with tried-and-tested should be the way for them to go.
| Backstroke | Breaststroke | Butterfly | Freestyle | Total | |
| Option 1 | Yohan Ndoye-Brouard – 51.92 | Leon Marchand – 58.62** | Maxime Grousset – 49.75* | Yohann le Goff – 47.55 | 3:27.84 |
| Option 2 | Yohan Ndoye-Brouard – 51.92 | Leon Marchand – 58.62** | Clement Secchi – 50.73* | Maxime Grousset – 46.89* | 3:28.16 |
**Marchand’s leg from the 4×100 medley relay final last summer.
Great Britain
While there were not high hopes for the medley relay coming in, with the middle legs looking light, things look far more positive now. Oliver Morgan and Matt Richards are strong bookends to the relay, and Greg Butler and Ed Mildred have each dropped four-tenths of a second and made the semi-finals in breaststroke and fly, respectively. They won’t be able to quite hang with the middle lanes, but breaking 3:30 again is not a pipe dream.
They don’t have too many other options, with Jonny Marshall only 53.91 on backstroke and no second fly swimmer, but Max Morgan (59.83 split) could be used in heats, as could Duncan Scott on the anchor (47.32 split)
| Backstroke | Breaststroke | Butterfly | Freestyle | Total | |
| Option 1 | Oliver Morgan – 52.37 | Greg Butler – 59.03* | Ed Mildred – 50.86* | Matt Richards – 47.09* | 3:29.35 |
| Option 2 | Oliver Morgan – 52.37 | Max Morgan – 59.83 | Ed Mildred – 50.86* | Duncan Scott – 47.32 | 3:30.38 |
Canada
Blake Tierney and Oliver Dawson have stepped up big time so far, and turn this from from a solid relay into one that should expect a finals berth. Ilya Kharun and Josh Liendo are a wickedly fast back half, and Dawson was 59.63 to help Canada to mixed medely bronze, more than a second under his flat-start best, after being 59.97 in the heats.
While Tierney did not swim the 100 back, he was 1:55-low three times in the 200 and looked strong. His best is 53.48 from last summer, but a 53-low or maybe even better is not out of the question. Ruslan Gaziev could be an option for the heats on free, as could Knox on breaststroke, but they may go strong and aim for a centre lane.
| Backstroke | Breaststroke | Butterfly | Freestyle | Total | |
| Option 1 | Blake Tierney – 53.48** | Oliver Dawson – 59.63 | Ilya Kharun– 49.89* | Josh Liendo – 47.08 | 3:30.08 |
| Option 2 | Blake Tierney – 53.48** | Finlay Knox – 1:00.52 | Ilya Kharun– 49.89* | Ruslan Gaziev – 47.87* | 3:31.56 |
**Tierney’s 100 back PB from Paris last summer
Netherlands
With Nyls Korstanje missing the 100 fly final and Sean Niewold not swimming the individual 100 free, this relay is a little light on swims here. Kai van Westering missed the semi-finals in the 10 back as well, and is yet to break 54 in Singapore. However, if Korstanje can be back to 50-low on this relay and van Westering is a little closer to his Dutch Record of 53.51, their National record from the 2024 championships in Doha could be there for the taking.
| Backstroke | Breaststroke | Butterfly | Freestyle | Total | |
| Option 1 | Kai van Westering– 54.03 | Caspar Corbeau – 58.53* | Nyls Korstanje – 51.04 | Sean Niewold – 47.92** | 3:31.52 |
**Niewold has a 48.42 SB. No Dutch man has swum the 100 free in Singapore so far.
Australia
If they can get some drops out of the first two legs, Matt Temple and Kyle Chalmers is an outstanding back half to this relay. They will need to be kept in touch with the field to do any damage, and they may have a lot of wash to fight through.
Bradley Woodward could be an option instead of Edwards-Smith, but neither have broken 54 this season and this team will be some way back even by the first changeover.
| Backstroke | Breaststroke | Butterfly | Freestyle | Total | |
| Option 1 | Josh Edwards-Smith – 54.52 | Nash Wilkes – 59.76 | Matt Temple – 50.26 | Kyle Chalmers – 46.53 | 3:31.07 |
Poland
Poland have a sneaky good team, and were European silver medalists in 2024. Ksawery Masiuk has looked good individually on backstroke, but has made a habit over the years of adding time on relays, one he has continued so far here in the mixed medley relay. If he’s back down in the 52s, Dawid Wiekiera can get back to the 59s he was swimming at the World University Games, and Kamil Sieradzki can have the kind of swim in the 100 that he had to make the 200 free final, they could surprise people.
| Backstroke | Breaststroke | Butterfly | Freestyle | Total | |
| Option 1 | Ksawery Masiuk – 52.67 | Dawid Wiekiera – 59.77* | Jakub Majerski – 50.72 | Kamil Sieradzki – 47.89* | 3:31.05 |
Germany
Luca Armbruster is probably the key leg to this relay. He set a new German record in the 50 fly, dropping to 22.84 as he finished 6th, but added nearly a second in the 100 to go 52.05, well off his 51.21 PB, He split 50.96 in Paris last summer as well.
Joshua Salchow and Luzas Matzerath have looked good on freestyle and breaststroke respectively, but backstroke is a weak leg – Lukas Maertens is their fastest swimmer this year in 54.18, and their fastest in Singapore is Vincent Passek‘s 54.92 from the mixed medley relay.
Don’t be surprised if this add-up undervalues them. Kaii Winkler is an option on free as well after splitting 47.52 on the 4×100 free relay, and Melvin Imoudou could slot onto breaststroke.
| Backstroke | Breaststroke | Butterfly | Freestyle | Total | |
| Option 1 | Vincent Passek – 54.92 | Lucas Matzerath – 58.25* | Luca Armbruster – 51.55* | Joshua Salchow – 47.38* | 3:32.10 |
| Option 2 | Vincent Passek – 54.92 | Melvin Imoudu – 58.93* | Luca Armbruster – 51.55* | Kaii Winkler – 47.52 | 3:33.02 |
Japan
Japan probably don’t have the backstroke strength or freestyle anchor to quite be competitive in this relay, but should be pretty set in their lineup. Katsuhiro Matsumoto could slot onto the anchor instead of Tatsuya Murasa, but Murasa has the hot hand after taking bronze in the 200 free, where he also broke Matsumoto’s Japanese Record, especially as Matsumoto has not looked too hot on freestyle so far this year, including being left off the 4×200 free relay this morning.
| Backstroke | Breaststroke | Butterfly | Freestyle | Total | |
| Option 1 | Riku Matsuyama – 53.94 | Taku Taniguchi – 59.09* | Naoki Mizunuma – 50.46* | Tatsuya Murasa – 48.25** | 3:31.74 |
**Murasa’s swim is from the 2025 Japanese Championships
51.79…. I mean it’s not like it would be the first time that Luca has broken a Murphy American Record in the 100 back.
I say go for it
If Luca goes 52.5 or lower, backstroke…. I’ll eat my gym socks (gladly). They should just throw him on, anyway, the meet is kinda scrapped at this point. When things don’t go your way, try something different.
NAB could have runaway win a la mixed medley relay with Miron and Prigoda
France looking fierce, too bad Marchand will be coming off the 400 IM
Bruh might as well put Smith on it atp
everybody got it wrong..
MANdrew on back, he has a gigataper stored for this event (intentionally hasnt swum it in years)
Casa on breasts bc decent IM split (think about it!…)
ALexy on fly (just tell him to swim double freestyle, he’ll split 47.)
Kate Dougie-Douggg on free bc i like her
You might be the swimming mind that the USA needs
Back in 2019 I would’ve assumed MA would become like a medley relay Swiss Army knife to just plug into any role other than maybe Free. I think it’s kind of crazy that the guy who put down the breastroke split on the WR relay isn’t even up for consideration for the role anymore while being present at the meet.
Even in 2022 he put up a 50 flat fly split when Dressel went afk
he also swam a 50. fly split on a medley relay to replace a missing Dressel
2019 was five years ago. MA finished 25th in the 50 (not 100) breast a mere three days ago. Can’t swim more than a lap w/out conking out. it’s crazy to think MA would be considered for a relay esp if requires more than a 50 which even then he can’t make it out of the prelims.
I guess MA needs to go back to swimming for his dad
he needs to train for the IM again, or do the training to swim a fast 200M race even if he never actually competes in it. Problem now is that he is training a power sprinter and he isn’t and is about 50 pounds of mustle away from it.
Put Luca on it. Nothing to lose. He’ll do great.
His NCAA/ American record 100 back was one of the most jaw dropping races I’ve ever watched. Certainly from his results he’s not terribly affected by the illness issue.
Let Luca Cook!
I say him in fly and casas back. Luca not as good in the long pool in backstroke. Casas has been plenty of 52s and will have some rest since he can only swim fast like once every 3 days
I know my colors are going to show, but just use McCarthy for the prelims and let’s see if he can earn the spot in the finals