2025 World Junior Swimming Championships
- August 19-24, 2025
- Otopeni, Romania
- LCM (50 meters)
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Rylee Erisman of the U.S. turned in a stunning performance in Otopeni tonight, throwing down a lifetime best time of 52.79 in the girls’ 100 free.
That performance lands her yet another new Championship Record in the event, marking her third time breaking it during this meet, and officially puts her on Team USA’s Pan Pacs Roster. Erisman’s swim moves her into the #3 spot on the American depth chart this year behind only Torri Huske (52.43) and Gretchen Walsh (52.78) and bumps Brady Kendall off the Pan Pacs Roster.
Erisman’s swim also would have won bronze at the senior World Championships in Singapore earlier this month.
Her time was just .09 off of the World Junior Record, set by Canada’s Penny Oleksiak back in 2016, and at just 16 years old, Erisman still has nearly two full years to try to take down that record. It is worth noting that Oleksiak was also 16 when she broke the World Junior Record in 52.70, and that swim won her Olympic gold in Rio.
Erisman is now the #6 U.S. performer of all-time in the 100 free, just .01 behind Walsh. She also ranks 5th in the world for top times this season, jumping ahead of Simone Manuel‘s 52.83 from the U.S. National Championships in June.
Erisman led the field right from the start tonight, taking it out in 25.49 and charging home in 27.30 to claim gold by almost 1.5 seconds.
She has been on a massive role at the World Junior Championships this week. She first broke the Championship Record in this event during prelims, 53.17 to take almost half a second off of Canadian Taylor Ruck‘s previous record time of 53.63 from 2017. Erisman followed it up with a 53.09 during the semifinals, lowering the record again, before delivering a jaw-dropping 52.79 in finals tonight to shatter her own record again.
Splits Comparison
| Erisman – 2025 World Junior Champs Finals | Erisman – 2025 World Junior Champs Semifinals | Erisman – 2025 World Junior Champs Prelims | |
| 50 | 25.49 | 25.80 | 25.79 |
| 100 | 27.30 | 27.20 | 27.38 |
| Final Time | 52.79 | 53.09 | 53.17 |
On top of repeatedly breaking the meet record in the 100 free, Erisman also annihilated the US National Age Group Record for 15-16 girls. Prior to Erisman hitting the water this week, the NAG record stood at 53.55 and was held by Claire Curzan; over the course of the last two days, Erisman has knocked .76 off of that standard.
Her performance in the semifinal had already put her time under the US NAG for 17-18 girls, which Simone Manuel holds with a 53.25, making Erisman the fastest American junior ever in this event, a title which is only more apparent after her latest race. Oleksiak remains the only person who has been faster at age 16, while Ruck and Mollie O’Callaghan are the only other juniors to have broken 53.
Erisman’s campaign in Otopeni is far from over, as she is set to compete in the 50 free and 200 free later this week.
This Aussie is happy to recognise that this swim was sensational, and I loved seeing the progression from heats to semis to finals, all in senior competitive times.
Keen to see how she progresses over the next few years, and keen to see the really battles unfold (while hoping to see the Aussies come out on top).
I completely agree – Aussie here too. This will push the Aussies to get better as well. Good competition!
I’m a little surprised Ruck has only been 52.72, a pair of 51.7 and 51.8 relay splits as an 18 year old is pretty nasty. I assume her 51.72 has to be the fastest split by a junior (using the modern definition)
Also completely unrelated but it’s crazy that she held the commonwealth record in the 200 free at 1:54.81 and now there’s 4 swimmers under 1:54 with two under 1:53
She was on a tear the year she went 1:54. Then I think injuries or something else.
oh yeah i specifically meant that year, she was open about her ed after that year but im just a bit surprised at how much faster her relay swims were that year. Like 53.0/52.7 at CW/Pan Pacs individually, but then 51.8/51.7 anchoring a relay at both meets
Since the comments section for the actual video is closed for some reason, I will comment about the video here. Absolutely AWFUL camera work. Jr Worlds and Worlds camera work has been trash, garbage, sh@t. C’mon World Aquatics, either hire a real television company or train the camera people on how to shoot a swim race! Off angles so no one knows who’s winning, switching views every three to four seconds, views from behind, and even shots where the leader can’t even be seen is absolutely unprofessional. F- effort. As for Erisman, she’s amazing.
Australia’s streak of the 4x100m relay is in huge danger in LA. Wunsch, Jansen, Casey and De Lutiis need to drop almost a second each if they want to defend this title. They’ve got 3 years, good luck!
Mollie and Meg will almost certainly swim the final in LA. The other 2 will be out of those 4 and Jack probably.
Very hard to make predictions this far out though. Aussie women set a legendary WR in 2023 and then most predicted them to lose in 2025
I hope not. Recently it feels like our future isn’t looking great in terms of how we will stack up to the rest. That would suck as someone recently getting into the sport
The absolute next sprint star
Erisman and Charlotte Crush (in backstroke) swim more like Australian swimmers with strong backhalf.
Oop. Fantastic swim. She’s going to a real problem moving forward
Simply ridiculous & good for Team Usa free relay !!!
Rylee Erisman, you are a marvel!