Summer vs. Ledecky Rematch in the 800 Free Highlight Westmont PSS Psych Sheets

2026 Pro Swim Series #2 – Westmont

• March 4-7, 2026
• FMC Aquatic Center, Westmont, Illinois
• Long Course Meters (50 meters), Prelims/Finals
• Psych Sheet

Entries for the 2026 Pro Swim Series stop in Westmont, Illinois have dropped, and a deep field full of internationals will inject some energy into the series, even with most of the collegiate stars focused on collegiate competition.

There are about 75 more swimmers entered in this meet than in Austin.

With stars and superstars all over the place at the meet, the highlight races will be both the men’s and women’s distance events.

The women’s 800 free will feature a rematch of the most exciting race of the 2025 World Championships, with World Record holder Katie Ledecky of the USA and the heir to her throne Summer McIntosh of Canada reviving their rivalry. The two have raced head-to-head sparsely throughout their careers.

While McIntosh is entered in six events and may scratch some (200 fly, 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 free, 400 free, 800 free), we can at least spend the next week fawning over the potential of this head-to-head battle in the event that has been its best.

Ledecky is entered in her usual 200/400/800/1500 free, but is also entered in the 400 IM – an underrated event in her repertoire but one where she’s shown international-medal-caliber ability.

While it’s hard to top the anticipation of Ledecky vs. McIntosh, in terms of depth, the men’s distance races do one better. Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen, currently training in the US at Cal; and American Bobby Finke are the top two seeds (in one order or another in the 800 and 1500). They will be joined by an injection of spirit from Australian Sam Short, the silver medalist at Worlds in the 400 free and the 4th place finisher in the 1500.

All three swimmers are regrouping after illnesses impacted their World Championship performances over the summer (Finke and Short violent food poisoning, Wiffen appendicitis). In the 800, they will be racing for double prize money through a prelims and finals round.

Note that last year at this meet, Short set the Pro Swim Series Record in the 800 free in 7:45.02. That time would have easily won the 800 in Austin in January.

All three are also entered in the 400 free, where Short has the advantage. But he’ll have a handful of other superstar challengers in that event.

That includes Frenchman Leon Marchand, who dropped over four seconds in this event while racing it at the U.S. Open in December. Also in that race is Kieran Smith, Lucas Henveaux, Luke Hobson, and Brazil’s best Stephan Steverink.

Other Races to Watch

• The women’s backstroke races feature good international and domestic fields, especially in the 200. That includes American Olympians Regan Smith, Phoebe Bacon, and Rhyan White; Isabelle Stadden testing her new training at the University of Virginia; top Canadians Madison Kryger (17) and Ingrid Wilm (27); and Mexican star Celia Pulido, an NCAA All-American.
• Smith is not entered in the 100 back, but is also entered in the 200 free and 400 IM as her only other two events. These are not events that she has traditionally raced, but they are events that swim fans have longed to see her abilities in for years.
• Frenchman Leon Marchand, probably the world’s best male swimmer, is entered in the 200 back (#2 seed behind Canadian Blake Tierney), 100 breast (#2 seed behind Kyrgyzstan’s Denis Petrashov), 200 breast (#1 seed), and 200 free (#16 seed). He won’t race either of his signature IM events where he is World Record holder, nor the 200 fly. He did swim the IMs at the Austin stop. That means no headline matchups with Shaine Casas or Carson Foster of Team USA.
• Following the pattern of big names paring back their schedules, Kate Douglass will swim the 100 breaststroke (#1 seed), 200 breaststroke (#1 seed), and 100 fly (#11 seed). While she has infinite versatility, heading toward LA, Team USA’s biggest area of need is the breaststrokes.
• Gretchen Walsh won’t swim the 50 fly, where she’s the American Record holder. She will swim the 100 fly (#1 seed) and 50 free (#1 seed) though. The latter race includes names like Simone Manuel, Maxine Parker from her new training grounds in California, Taylor Ruck, Rylee Erisman, and Olivia Smoliga from her new training grounds in Dallas.
• Alex Walsh will return to racing after sitting out the Austin stop in January. She will race the 200 IM against Summer McIntosh, the 50 breast, the 100 fly, and the 200 free.
• The men’s 100 free will feature a good field with names like Chris Guiliano, Caeleb Dressel, Destin Lasco, Matt King, Brooks Curry, Kieran Smith, and Finlay Knox and Yuri Kisil from Canada. Dressel will also swim the 50 free, 50 fly, and 100 fly.

American World Championship Team Members Entered:

• Luke Hobson (#1 seed 200 free, also in 100/400 free)
• Gabriel Jett (#2 seed 200 free, #3 seed 200 fly, also in 100 free)
• Bobby Finke (#1 seed 1500 free, #2 seed 800 free, also in 400 free/400 IM)
• Shaine Casas (#1 seed 200 IM, #2 seed 50 fly, #2 seed 100 fly, #2 seed 100 back, also in 400 IM)
• Michael Andrew (#2 seed 50 breast, #4 seed 50 back, #4 seed 100 breast, also in 50 free/50 fly/100 fly)
• Josh Matheny (#3 seed 100 breast/#3 seed 200 breast, also in 50 breast)
• AJ Pouch (#2 seed 200 breast, also in 50/100 breast)
• Dare Rose (#1 seed 50 fly, #4 seed 100 fly, also in 100 free/200 fly)
• Carson Foster (#1 seed 400 IM, #2 seed 200 IM, also in 200 breast/200 free)
• Chris Guiliano (#1 seed 100 free, #3 seed 50 free, #3 seed 200 free)
• Destin Lasco (#3 seed 100 free, also in 100/200 back, 200 free, 200 IM)
• Gretchen Walsh (#1 seed 100 fly, #1 seed 50 free)
• Katie Ledecky (#1 seed 400 free, #1 seed 800 free, #1 seed 1500 free, also in 400 IM)
• Katharine Berkoff (#1 seed 50 back, #1 seed 100 back, also in 50/100 free, 200 back)
• Regan Smith (#1 seed 200 back, #3 seed 400 IM, also in 200 free)
• Alex Walsh (#2 seed 200 IM, #3 seed 50 breast, #4 seed 100 fly, also in 200 free)
• Emma Weyant (#1 seed 400 IM, also in 200/400 free, 200 breast, 200 IM)
• Simone Manuel (#2 seed 50 free, #2 seed 100 free, also in 200 free)
• Anna Peplowski (#3 seed 100 free, #3 seed 200 free, also in 100/200 back, 400 free)

Australians entered:

• Lily Price (#1 seed 50 fly, #3 seed 100 fly, also in 50/100 free)
• Harrison Turner (#1 seed 200 fly, also in 50/100 fly, 50/100 free)
• Matt Temple (50/100 free, 100 fly)
• Charlie Hawke (100/200/400 free)
• Tommy Neill (100 free, 100 breast, 100 fly, 400 free)
• Rowan Crothers (Para) (50/100 free)
• Tiana Kritzinger (#4 seed 800 free, #2 seed 1500 free, also in 400 free)
• Molly Walker (#4 seed 400 free, also in 800/1500 free)
• Sam Short (#1 seed 400 free, #3 seed 800/1500 free, also in 200 free).