Ultra Swimmer of the Month: Van Mathias

Ultra Swim Swimmer of the Month is a recurring SwimSwam feature shedding light on a U.S.-based swimmer who has proven themselves over the past month. As with any item of recognition, Swimmer of the Month is a subjective exercise meant to highlight one athlete whose work holds noteworthy context – perhaps a swimmer who was visibly outperforming other swimmers over the month, or one whose accomplishments slipped through the cracks among other high-profile swims. If your favorite athlete wasn’t selected, feel free to respectfully recognize them in our comment section.

Indiana pro Van Mathias had an electric performance at the Bergen Swim Festival in mid-April, setting the first American Record of his career while nearly breaking another, to earn Ultra Swimmer of the Month honors.

Mathias, 25, made his presence known during the opening session of the meet on April 17, firing off a personal best time of 58.98 in the men’s 100 breaststroke to become the eighth-fastest American ever and the eighth to break 59 seconds.

In the final, Mathias unleashed a time of 58.19, missing Michael Andrew‘s American Record of 58.14 by just five one-hundredths of a second while becoming the fifth-fastest performer of all-time (and #2 among Americans).

All-Time Performers, Men’s 100 Breaststroke (LCM)

1. Adam Peaty (GBR), 56.88 – 2019
2. Qin Haiyang (CHN), 57.69 – 2023
3. Arno Kamminga (NED), 57.80 – 2021
4. Michael Andrew (USA), 58.14 – 2021
5. Van Mathias (USA), 58.19 – 2026
6. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 58.26 – 2022
7. Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 58.29 – 2019
8. Nic Fink (USA), 58.36 – 2019
9. Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) / James Wilby (GBR), 58.46 – 2012 / 2019
10. –

Mathias came into the meet with a personal best time of 59.45, set in January, which ranked him tied for 73rd all-time and tied for 15th among Americans.

Split Comparison

Two days later, Mathias broke the first American Record of his career in the 50 breast, clocking 26.39 in the prelims to erase Nic Fink‘s previous mark of 26.45 set in 2022. The swim moves Mathias into #8 all-time.

Mathias followed up by winning the final in 26.46. He came into the meet with a best time of 26.57, set at the Austin Pro Swim Series in January.

All-Time Performers, Men’s 50 Breaststroke (LCM)

1. Adam Peaty (GBR), 25.95 – 2017
2. Qin Haiyang (CHN), 26.20 – 2023
3. Ludovico Viberti (ITA), 26.27, – 2025
4. Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 26.28 – 2023
5. Sam Williamson (AUS), 26.32 – 2024
6. Felipe Lima (BRA) / Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 26.33 – 2019 / 2022
7. –
8. Van Mathias (USA) – 26.39, 2026 Bergen Swim Festival
9. Joao Gomes Junior (BRA) / Simone Cerasuolo (ITA)/Joao Gomes Junior (BRA), 26.42 – 2019 / 2025
10. –

In the day between his two breaststroke events, Mathias raced the 50 fly, breaking 23 seconds for the first time in 22.99, chipping seven one-hundredths off his previous best of 23.06 set in January. The swim makes him the fifth-fastest American ever.

All-Time U.S. Performers, Men’s 50 Butterfly (LCM)

1. Caeleb Dressel, 22.35 – 2019
2. Michael Andrew / Dare Rose, 22.79 – 2022 / 2023
3. –
4. Bryan Lundquist, 22.91 – 2009
5. Van Mathias, 22.99 – 2026

Last summer, Mathias broke through by winning the 50 breast at the U.S. Pro Championships in a time of 26.76, earning him a berth on the American roster for the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships.

Given his progression across the 100 breast and 50 fly over the last few months, in addition to becoming the fastest American ever in the 50 breast, Mathias will be a multi-gold medal threat this summer at Pan Pacs.

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