USA’s Dare Rose: “It’s a Privilege To Train With Jack Alexy Every Day” (Flash Quotes)

2025 World Championships

• July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
• Singapore, Singapore
• World Aquatics Championships Arena
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• How To Watch
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Entry Book
• Live Results
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8

Update: World Aquatics misattributed some quotes in the American women’s 400 medley relay originally. They have been corrected below.

After an intense eight days of action in Singapore, swimming at the 2025 World Championships has come to a close.

The United States wound up atop the overall medal table, followed closely by Australia, with France rounding out the top three nations.

This evening we saw the American women wrap up their campaign in fine fashion, ripping a new world record en route to claiming gold in the 4x100m medley relay.

That was after we were treated to two dominant performances in the 400 IM events, with Leon Marchand of France taking the men’s and Summer McIntosh of Canada winning the women’s.

We also saw a significant chapter close on the women’s side, as Olympic champion and world record holder Lilly King of the United States swam in the last race of her storied career.

Men’s 50 Backstroke — Final

• World Record: 23.55 — Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia (2023)
• World Junior Record: 24.00 — Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia (2018)
• Championship Record: 24.04 — Liam Tancock, Great Britain (2009)
• 2023 World Champion: Hunter Armstrong, United States — 24.05

Final:

1. Kliment Kolesnikov (NAB) – 23.68 *Championship Record
2. Pieter Coetze (South Africa)/Pavel Samusenko (NAB) – 24.17
3. (TIE)
4. Ksawery Masiuk (Poland) – 24.51
5. Quintin McCarty (United States) – 24.58
6. Apostolos Christou (Greece) – 24.59
7. Isaac Cooper (Australia) – 24.61
8. Hubert Kos (Hungary) – 24.62

Flash Quotes

GOLD – Kliment KOLESNIKOV (NAB)

On the result: 

“It was tough seven years since my first world championships in Budapest. I collected all medals from each championship, but just from short course. 

“Before the final tonight, I didn’t think that I could go so fast. When I touched the wall, I saw under 24s, it’s pretty fast for today. Still, after eight days of championships. Some good feelings, by the end, I’m happy. When I saw the result, I thought, come on, just off my world record, why not faster?

“I tried not to look at the results board, because I was a bit scared of looking. It’s the last day, everyone is nervous, everyone wants to win. For me, especially as the world record holder. I tried to go as fast as I can, but at the same time I didn’t see anyone on the sides, because it’s the backstroke. I just touched the board as fast as I can… I didn’t want to watch. I just tried to figure out by the sound what’s happening around. Three seconds after, I checked the board and I got an unexpected result. I was expecting my timing 23.9, or 23.8, and then you realise that you did 23.68 or something? I was like come on, 12 thousandths of a second to my personal best, and it was like why couldn’t I go faster? 

“Very happy to be back for the podium, first time for a long course championships. Very happy for my teammate (SAMUSENKO), because he finally got on the podium with me. It was painful to see him finish fourth, painful for me as a good friend.”

SILVER – Pieter COETZE (RSA)

On his feelings after the race:

“Very happy, I don’t really train for the 50 so to be able to come down and get a medal is awesome and then the tie (with SAMUSENKO) is just a bonus.” 

On winning a medal at 50/100/200 for the backstroke:

“I’m very proud, I’ve always been pretty even across all distances even though I mainly train for the 200, so getting a medal across all three distances is amazing and if you told me this a week or two ago I’d say I would be super happy with that too.”

On what distance he wants to focus on for LA:

“It would be awesome to keep doing all three of them but I think I’ll probably continue training for the 200 and the 100 because it’s easier to come down (in distance) than to train for the 50. I think I’ll probably just stay with what I’m doing right now.

“It’s completely different because (each race) uses different energy systems. For the 200 you obviously have to be able to hold a good speed for almost two minutes. The training is hard to balance and you kind of have to choose one. So I’ve decided to train using the 200 energy system and hope for the best in the 50.”

SILVER – Pavel SAMUSENKO (NAB)

On the result: 

“You don’t see anything – only the roof. But, the energy, the emotions, were insane. The race shows that in the world, there are a lot of good backstrokers.

It’s not my PB. I’ve got better results, but on these competitions at this level, it’s my best. I’m glad to be second, not fourth like I was at previous championships. I’m very happy. Confidence, for sure. I know myself that I can, and now I’m going to be better and better. The Olympics are another competition, but now with more confidence and emotions.”

Women’s 50 Breaststroke — Final

• World Record: 29.16 — Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2023)
• World Junior Record: 29.30 — Benedetta Pilato, Italy (2021)
• Championship Record: 29.16 — Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2023)
• 2023 World Champion: Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania — 29.16

Final: 

1. Ruta Meilutyte (Lithuania) – 29.55
2. Tang Qianting (China) – 30.03
3. Benedetta Pilato (Italy) – 30.14
4. Anita Bottazzo (Italy) – 30.21
5. Lilly King (United States) – 30.25
6. Eneli Jefimova (Estonia) – 30.29
7. Anastasia Gorbenko (Israel) – 30.45
8. Veera Kivirinta (Finland) – 30.68

Flash Quotes

GOLD – Ruta MEILUTYTE (LTU)

On her fourth straight world title in this event: 

“That’s eight years, right? That’s crazy, I don’t know, I don’t know what’s happening. I’m just really thankful for this opportunity to do what I’m doing, to be where I’m at. Just to share this experience in this pool with great people, and the girls. It was really cool, to do it with Lilly (KING) on her last race today. Cheers to Lilly.” 

On emotions after the race:

“I got emotional singing the national anthem, it means a lot to me, as well as for my country, and I love my country, and I’m just really grateful to be able to do it at this level.”

On her future: 

“It’s hard to say, or explain this, but I enjoy this very much, and so long as I enjoy it, as long as it’s meaningful,  I can continue.

“I’ll just have a holiday now, nothing on my mind now, just holiday, then we’ll pick up from there.”

On having more Lithuanians in the sport:

“It means a lot to see our team expanding, and it’s becoming bigger. We have a great relay for the boys and a lot of ambitious, strong swimmers coming up. So that’s really exciting to see. I’m really proud of that.”

SILVER – TANG Qianting (CHN)

On her overall performance:

“Today’s showing was within expectations. All the mental pressure and fatigue really accumulated over the meet, I felt very tired, not as excited or well-motivated as I was earlier in the meet. But I didn’t want to leave any regrets in Singapore. 

On the silver medal:

“It was within expectaitons. Ruta is a very strong athlete, with a high level of ability. I still have a lot to learn from her, especially the details in the sprints, training intensity, and race dynamics.”

On Lilly KING’s last career race:

“She’s a very good athlete and a great senior figure in the sport. She’s achieved so much, even a world record. She’s someone who motivates me. I applauded for her after the race and I hope she finishes her final competition happily.”

On her Singapore 2025 campaign: 

“This World Championships felt different from before. I faced a lot of problems, especially mentally, but I overcame them. I believe I can be more mature moving forward.

“Before I came to Singapore, I thought I could do better. But during the meet, I didn’t want to focus too much on the result. I just tried to do my best within my physical condition and keep an open mindset.”

BRONZE – Benedetta PILATO (ITA)

On her medal: 

“It’s my fifth podium in the 50 metre races. I’m very happy with my performance. This year has been very difficult for me so today has been very good.”

On her Singapore 2025 campaign: 

“It’s very good like always. It’s always the motivation of competing in the world championship that is really fun.”

On Lilly KING (USA): 

“This was the last final for Lilly King (USA) and it was very emotional for me because she was the first swimmer I shared a podium with so I went straight to her and thanked her after the race.”

5th – Lilly KING (USA)

On her enjoyment of the race:

“Good, it was great. Honestly, tonight the pressure was off, just kind of show up and it’s your last race, so whatever happens, happens. Just tried to enjoy it and take the crowd in, and it’s always fun the last night because pretty much our whole team is in the stands, so I got to look up to a huge USA crowd and just take it all in.”

On the post-race embrace with Ruta MEILUTYTE (LTU):

“It was great. Ruta and I, we’ve been through a lot together. We’re a part of the very exclusive club and the mutual respect we have for each other is pretty amazing, so always love watching her kick some ass and respect the hell out of her and her journey, and just excited to see her continuing to do her thing.”

On whether she has thought about her legacy:

“Not really, I just kind of do me. I hope I leave the sport better than I found it. I was kind of a voice for the young girls that are maybe a little overconfident or cocky or said the wrong thing every once in a while or just aren’t afraid to be themselves, so that’s kind of what I’m hoping I leave the youth of the sport with. Just bring a little dose of Lilly to the swimming world.”

Women’s 50 Freestyle — Final

• World Record: 23.61 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2023)
• World Junior Record: 24.17 — Claire Curzan, United States (2021)
• Championship Record: 23.61 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2023)
• 2023 World Champion: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden — 23.62
• 2024 Olympic Champion: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden — 23.71

Final: 

1. Meg Harris (Australia) – 24.02
2. Wu Qingfeng (China) – 24.26
3. Cheng Yujie (China) – 24.28
4. Gretchen Walsh (United States) – 24.40
5. Milou Van Wijk (Netherlands) – 24.47
6. Torri Huske (United States) – 24.50
7. Florine Gaspard (Belgium) – 24.63
8. Kasia Wasick (Poland) – 24.74

Flash Quotes

GOLD – Meg HARRIS (AUS)

On being a world champion:

“I mean, I really actually have nothing to say. I’m sure I’ll process it later, but I’m so happy, like, that’s the most fun I’ve had in a race. For a while, I’ve been pretty nervous, especially, like, specifically training for this, but decided to try and relax and talk to the girls in marshalling. And it seemed to work. So I’m happy with that.

“Starting low, finishing strong, I’m pretty happy with that. This team’s been amazing this week. Yeah, it’s been one to remember.”

On why she took a breath mid-race:

“I’ve also been working on not taking a breath, but I took a breath. Pretty much my whole training has been to focus on not taking a breath. But it didn’t feel so great in the semis, so I just tried to do whatever came naturally, and the breath came naturally. It’s usually always about 35 metres (in). I have my eyes on the lines around there. So, I’ll take a breath.”

On the race: 

“I mean, stoked. Like, there’s not much more I could say, like I achieved the dream that I’ve been dreaming of this whole time. Like this is why I swim, also for the enjoyment, but it is nice winning.” 

On her emotions following the race:

“I’m not quite sure. I still can’t even put it into words. It’ll take a while to process, but I’m just happy to finish off the week strong. We started so strong with the girls at the start of the week. This team has been incredible this week, and it’s just nice to finish it off.”

On her mindset after finishing second at the Paris Olympics: 

“It was a bit of a tough one. I felt such a high coming off that, and then starting out this year I had to find a new motivation, not just coming in and doing the exact same thing. I tried for the first couple months, but something just wasn’t working. I needed to find a new way to do it. So I stripped everything back and started with the basics, all the things… like the reasons I started swimming. I love sprinting, I love racing. So we just took that all back, did everything that I love. I’m excited now to put together the rest when I get home. But yeah, cannot be happier.”

On swimming with her eyes closed: 

“It’s normal for me. I do it a lot in the 50m and in the 100m, I always do it on the second lap. So I’m not quite sure what it is. I do it in training as well, but I guess it’s just like trying to focus on my stroke… not 100% sure. That’s just what happens.”

SILVER – WU Qingfeng (CHN)

On the result: 

“I didn’t think so much about medals, I just wanted to put a good race out there. My experience in Singapore… it’s just about taking each day as they come. I’ll take this medal and work hard on myself and improve further.” 

BRONZE – CHENG Yujie (CHN)

On the result: 

“The time is within expectation, but my placing is probably better than what I thought. I really like competing on the international stage. I feel that when I compete domestically, I tend to fear losing. 

“It’s a boost to my confidence. It’s the first time I’ve broken through my best, and to do it at a world championships is great validation.”

Men’s 1500 Freestyle – Final

• World Record: 14:30.67 – Bobby Finke, United States (2024)
• World Junior Record: 14:41.22 – Kuzey Tuncelli, Turkey (2024)
• Championship Record: 14:31.54 – Ahmed Hafnaoui, Tunisia (2023)
• 2023 World Champion: Ahmed Hafnaoui, Tunisia – 14:31.54
• 2024 Olympic Champion: Bobby Finke, United States – 14:30.67

Final: 

1. Ahmed Jaouadi (Tunisia) – 14:34.41
2. Sven Schwarz (Germany) – 14:35.69
3. Bobby Finke (United States) – 14:36.60
4. Sam Short (Australia) – 14:43.08
5. Florian Wellbrock (Germany) – 14:44.29
6. Kuzey Tuncelli (Turkey) – 14:52.44
7. Zalan Sarkany (Hungary) – 14:55.17
8. Damien Joly (France) – 15:19.06

Flash Quotes

GOLD – Ahmed JAOUADI (TUN)

On what was going through his mind:

“Struggle. I knew that everyone was struggling and feeling the pain. I wasn’t the only one. My body was in a lot of pain. But through my mind is that I want this medal and I want to win it.

“I just tried being the strongest one mentally. It was a good one, because all of the boys swam a good race.”

On his competitors:

“It was hard for every one of us, for the three of us, me, Bobby FINKE and Sven SCHWARZ to compete. I think it came down to the one who wanted the gold medal more to win, and I won.” 

On representing Tunisia:

“I know in Tunisia we don’t typically have a lot of medalists in this event, because there’s not a lot of swimmers from Tunisia, and of course I’m proud to represent my country and get the medal.”

On what’s next for him:

“Definitely some rest, a few weeks of rest, and I will come back and try to do better. Maintain my timing or do better next time.”

SILVER – Sven SCHWARZ (GER)

On the race:

“It’s absolutely amazing. I can’t believe I was able to do this and I’m really proud of myself to get two medals here. I need some time to process this and we’ll see what will be next.”

On Germany’s strength in long-distance swimming:

“We have two guys in the 1500 final and two guys in the 800 final. Now we’re back, and the next (few) years we hope to be the same like this one and improve. You can see that we’re not the worst nation in long-distance swimming so we’ll see.”

BRONZE – Bobby FINKE (USA)

On the race:

“It was interesting. I was feeling pretty decent in the beginning. I saw the split timings and it was actually kind of slow compared to what I’d like to have. I’m proud of the USA team and what we’ve been able to accomplish, despite all the people back at home saying whatever they want to say. But you know, I’m proud of these boys. If someone’s angry, my DMs are open, do whatever you want, okay? But you know, I’m proud of the team and what we’ve been able to do here…it’s a big stepping point for the 2028 LA Olympics.”

On missing out on a world title again:

“Sadly, I couldn’t win the gold here. It’s probably the pressure I’m putting on myself to keep getting back up to that point. It’s kind of unfortunate, because I’ve always been able to perform well throughout the past year… being able to get the best time in one of my best events. But I can’t always do that. I guess this year was kind of my down year. But you know, it’s just all about getting back on that podium and the end goal is securing the gold at the 2028 LA Olympics in my home country.”

On critics of the USA team:

“There’s a lot of people who want to comment on what they think is going on behind the scenes, and you know, some of what they said is true. We should probably have a USA swimming CEO by now, but it’s not going to change how we’re going to compete here. And personally, I have to disagree with what some say, that our swimmers are entitled. I think that’s a weak statement. 

“There’s a lot of stupid stuff being said. They have zero clue, like, the kind of teamwork that we have behind the scenes, and how well we’re being put together. We have like, 11 new guys on a team, and there’s a lot of high schoolers… those boys stepped up. And despite everything that was happening these past two weeks, we did great work.

“I don’t understand why people are mad. We went to Thailand too, that resort had a very good history of stuff. And don’t think it was the resort’s fault. You know, it’s just, you can’t predict everything that’s gonna happen. Shit’s gonna happen. That resort’s got a great reputation. It’s like, why not go there? You’re never gonna win with those people. So I have a lot of thoughts. My brain has just been spiralling. I’m just disappointed, but I’m gonna back these boys no matter what they say.”

Men’s 400 IM — Final

• World Record: 4:02.50 – Leon Marchand, France (2023)
• World Junior Record: 4:10.02 – Ilya Borodin, Russia (2021)
• Championship Record: 4:02.50 – Leon Marchand, France (2023)
• 2023 World Champion: Leon Marchand, France – 4:02.50
• 2024 Olympic Champion: Leon Marchand, France – 4:02.95

Final:

1. Léon Marchand (France) – 4:04.73
2. Tomoyuki Matsushita (Japan) – 4:08.32
3. Ilia Borodin (NAB) – 4:09.16
4. Asaki Nishikawa (Japan) – 4:10.21
5. Maxim Stupin (NAB) – 4:12.46
6. Gabor Zombori (Hungary) – 4:12.51
7. Max Litchfield (Great Britain) – 4:12.77
8. Brendon Smith (Australia) – 4:13.28

Flash Quotes

GOLD – Leon MARCHAND (FRA)

On the race: 

“Honestly, it was crazy… in the best possible way! It was amazing. That’s probably why I’m here, I guess. This morning wasn’t easy. Swimming at 9am is never ideal, so I wasn’t too stressed, but I was lucky with my lane, and I managed to swim my race from start to finish.

“Physically, it was really tough. I felt heavy in the water, especially at the bottom without fins. But I kept going and gave everything I had, because I really wanted to connect with my body. Afterward, it was hard to recover in just 30 minutes. But given what was at stake, I was determined to perform well in the relay with the team. In the end, I recovered well. I came out of it okay. Actually, I even feel kind of lifted by the whole experience.

“I’m not sure what to say about the race… I felt really good during warm-up, and I thought I could get close to my record. Unfortunately, I’m still a bit off. It shows I’m lacking some training on the 400 IM. It’s kind of what I expected. After my 200 IM, I knew I still had a lot of power, but maybe not as much endurance as I used to.

“So now it’s time to train. It was still a great race. During the breaststroke leg, I don’t know what happened — my legs just gave out all of a sudden. It was really hard, but I managed to hang on from start to finish. I didn’t look too much at the others. At the Olympics, I usually try to control what’s happening around me because I want to be Olympic champion… but this time, it felt like a different kind of race.

“No two 400 IM races are ever the same, and that’s what I love about it. For example, in the 200 IM final, it was a real battle. The goal was to win the title, and in those moments, I’m much less relaxed—I swim in a more aggressive mode. This time, everyone was taking their time getting ready, taking off their clothes… it felt like forever. So I looked around a bit. The pool had a special vibe, the stands were in darkness, and then suddenly they lit everything up. I wanted to take it all in.”

On breaking a world record in Singapore: 

“The world record? It shows I’ve still got the fire, that I still love this. It’s what excites me most. I still want to keep going, and I saw a lot of things I can improve. So I’ll try to prepare as best as I can for the European Championships. After that, I’ll be back at it at the end of August in Austin with Bob. We’ll work on the 400, the IMs, the 200, maybe even the 400 free. We’ll see how it goes.

“Today was proof that I made the right choices and that I’m doing what I love. I didn’t necessarily need that confirmation—I already knew it—but it always feels good to be on the top step of the podium, to hear the national anthem, and to reflect on everything that’s happened this year.”

On the relay: 

“The relay is always intense—especially a 4×100 medley like that. We were in lane 1, but we knew we had a shot. And tonight I swam with Max and Yann—guys I love. I gave it everything. I was totally wiped out, but emotionally, it’s always so much more intense than an individual race.

“The silver medal was amazing. And the time we did was really fast, so that’s exciting for what’s to come. I think we can do even better. It was much harder than I expected. The protocol was pretty strict. I was lucky to avoid the media, so I managed to recover a bit. I swam maybe 700 meters, but my legs were still on fire. I didn’t even feel like throwing up—it just wasn’t a great feeling. But I managed to get back into race mode.

“Then I arrived in the call room at the last minute with my teammates, and I told myself, “Okay, let’s do this.” At that point, I couldn’t really talk anymore—I was trying to save energy. But we kept encouraging each other. And now, I’m going to see my family.

SILVER – Tomoyuki MATSUSHITA (JPN)

On the race:
“It’s a bit frustrating that I couldn’t really compete head-to-head because Leon Marchand was in a far lane, but first and foremost, I’m happy that I was able to win a silver medal.”

On his strategy:
“In the first half, I tried to swim with the same feeling of effort as in the heats, but I think I might have tightened up a bit in the second half of the Fly and in the Backstroke. For the final Freestyle leg, I went in with the mindset of “I’m absolutely going to win at least a silver,” and I swam through it with sheer determination.”

On silver medal:
“One of my goals was to at least win a medal, so I think I achieved the minimum result. But to be honest, I’m frustrated with the silver medal. I truly believed I would break the Japanese national record (4:06.05), so I feel a bit disappointed in myself. Still, I do feel that winning a silver medal is an honorable achievement.”

On comparison to the silver in Paris:
“Last year’s silver was a happy one, but this time, the feeling of frustration welled up right after the race. I think that’s because I set higher goals for myself over the past year. In that sense, I feel that I’ve grown as an athlete.”

On distance from Marchand:
“After swimming the heats, I felt that I was close enough to win, so that makes it all the more frustrating. To be honest, the path to LA28 had seemed long and distant, but now I feel more confident.”

On his condition since arriving in Singapore:
“I’ve been feeling pretty good overall. I might have tightened up a bit because I was trying too hard to go fast in the 200m IM and the relays. During yesterday’s warm-up and today’s prelims, I focused on big strokes, which worked well for the 400m IM. My condition wasn’t bad since arriving in Singapore, but I may have had a bit of stiffness.”

BRONZE – Ilia BORODIN (NAB)

On the result: 

“It was a tough morning for me. I didn’t expect the guys to go so fast in the morning. I think it’s not enough for me. Next time, I will be better. I’m not happy with my time – it’s not my best. Next time.”

On the difficulty of racing Leon MARCHAND: 

“One day, I want to beat him, for sure. I’ll go back and work on my backstroke. I missed a lot in the backstroke, I saw my time – Marchand beat me a lot in the back.” 

On his experience: 

“I missed a lot of competitions – three world championships in long course, and this is my first time. It’s good for the first time. It’s not pressure for me. I just have fun for every race every day.

Women’s 400 IM — Final

• World Record: 4:23.65 – Summer McIntosh, Canada (2025)
• World Junior Record: 4:24.38 – Summer McIntosh, Canada (2024)
• Championship Record: 4:27.11 – Summer McIntosh, Canada (2023)
• 2023 World Champion: Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 4:27.11
• 2024 Olympic Champion: Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 4:27.71

Final:

1. Summer McIntosh (Canada) – 4:25.78 *Championship Record*
2. Jenna Forrester (Australia)/Mio Narita (Japan) – 4:33.26
3. (tie)
4. Yu Zidi (China) – 4:33.76
5. Emma Weyant (United States) – 4:34.01
6. Katie Grimes (United States) – 4:36.52
7. Waka Kobori (Japan) – 4:38.05
8. Freya Colbert (Great Britain) – 4:40.21

Flash Quotes

GOLD – Summer MCINTOSH (CAN)

On her ambitions for the meet:

“I think it was very obvious that my goal was five golds. Time just didn’t matter. I just wanted to get my hand on the wall the first five times.

“I fell short of that, but I think it’s just going to keep me hungry and push, and keep moving forward. Even if I were to get five golds, I would still want more. That’s just my mentality.”

On learning from the experience:

“I think this meet, I learned more than any other meet ever. And that says a lot. The things I’m learning the most is the bronze and 800 freestyle. And that’s going to keep me hungry moving into next season and into LA. All those little things I’m learning from, and I’m going to take notes on the plane on what I can keep improving on.”

On managing the schedule and her body:

“I’ve never done a double before… also doing five individual events. I’ve never done that before, let alone one of them being the 800. 

“My sleep has never been this good. I’ve never been a good sleeper during meets… I’ve been able to relax and have amazing sleep. It’s so key to recovery, especially that I can catch up to you in the last final days.”

On the 800m freestyle final:

“I mean, I haven’t watched it yet, but people have been commenting. I think it’s great for the sport. I woke up this morning, and I didn’t think about the 800… I was already focused on the 400 IM, because 400 IM on the last day of a meet is never fun. Tonight, I actually felt really good in the water, and that’s my fastest time that I’ve ever been on a stage before.”

On her outlook:

“Overall, happy with my meet, but always want more. I’m just going to celebrate my wins and kind of take a reset heading into next season. The negatives, I’m going to apply to next season.”

SILVER – Jenna FORRESTER (AUS)

On her joint silver with Mio NARITA (JPN)

“I didn’t know that I was going to come in second. I thought maybe a third, but then seeing second up on the big screen, I was honestly just in disbelief. That was crazy.”

On her performance:

“I’m so stoked. I feel like it’s been a really tough two years. Obviously last year I didn’t perform the way that I wanted to. It was a massive fight to get on the Olympic team in Paris and then to just miss the final was a bit disappointing. So to make a comeback like that this year, I’m super proud of myself. I’m super grateful to have the support team around me, my coach, my family, my friends. It really means the world to me. And I feel like that swim was for everyone who helped me get here.

On racing behind Summer MCINTOSH: 

“I knew she was going to be pretty far ahead. I just didn’t know how far and I went in with the mindset of letting that take me out, but not letting it bother me at the same time. I feel like I’ve done quite a few 400 IMs, a lot of pace work and training. So I knew how to swim my own race and I feel like that’s what got me the silver medal.”

On a second world championships medal overall: 

“Bronze was obviously a huge, huge achievement. My first international medal. And I feel like this honestly feels the same. After last year, I definitely had a lot of doubts, thinking about if I could get on the podium again. So to not only get a medal, but to get the silver one, that is just huge.”

On how she bounced back from injury:

“This year has been a bit interrupted for me. I had a back injury, a shoulder injury that took me out for a while. So this prep was very, very short. It really has come down to my mindset. I’m having a lot of fun with training. And I feel like I really had the pressure off tonight. And I just wanted to perform for myself and my loved ones.”

On her Singapore 2025 campaign:

“The world championships have been amazing. Singapore has been the most awesome host. All the staff and volunteers have been incredible.”

SILVER – Mio NARITA (JPN)

On the result:
“I’m just filled with happiness.”

On her race and race plan:
“Looking at the splits, my first half was in the 2:14 range, which might have been a bit nerve-wracking if I were watching from the outside. But being in an outside lane, I couldn’t really see the other swimmers, which allowed me to focus on my own race plan. I’m glad I was able to pick up the pace right at the end.

“To be honest, in today’s prelims, the earlier heats were fast, and I was nervous, so my mindset wasn’t settled, which led to a 2:15 first half split. But in the final, I think I stayed calm and focused on my own race without being distracted by others.”

On her improvement:
“I feel that every experience has been meaningful. Whether it was in Fukuoka, Paris, or domestic meets, each competition had significance for me. At each one, I received support from my coach, family, the Japan national team, and my training partners. Even the frustrating experiences where things didn’t go well gave me confidence when I pushed through until things did go well. Those experiences became a great source of strength.”

On the future looking ahead—the gap between Summer McIntosh:
“I haven’t thought about it in detail yet. I’ve been focused just on getting through this championships, and I’ve thought a lot about swimming during this meet. I want to keep going, analyze my races, figure out what I need to improve, and become the kind of swimmer who consistently wins medals and doesn’t lose when it comes down to close races.”

Men’s 4×100 Medley Relay — Final

• World Record: 3:26.78 — United States (Murphy, Andrew, Dressel, Apple) (2021)
• World Junior Record: 3:33.19 — Russia (Zurev, Gerasimenko, Minakov, Shchegolev) (2019)
• Championship Record: 3:27.20 — United States (Murphy, Fink, Rose, Alexy) (2023)
• 2023 World Champion: United States (Murphy, Fink, Rose, Alexy) — 3:27.20
• 2024 Olympic Champion: China (Xu, Qin, Sun, Pan) — 3:27.46

Final: 

1. Neutral Athletes – B (Lifintsev, Prigoda, Minakov, Kornev) – 3:26.93 *Championship Record*
2. France (Nodye-Brouard, Marchand, Grousset, le Goff) – 3:27.96
3. USA (Janton, Matheny, Rose, Alexy) – 3:28.62
4. Italy – 3:28.72
5. Canada – 3:29.75
6. Great Britain – 3:30.63
7. South Korea – 3:32.32
8. Netherlands – 3:32.35

Flash Quotes

GOLD – NEUTRAL ATHLETES B

Andrei MINAKOV (NAB)

On being world champions:

“You know, it’s a very special moment for us. We won the World Junior (short course) championships in December with the world record. So it’s the same four guys, four of us, we set the same standard. You know we came here to win. We knew it’s going to be a great rivalry. But you know, it’s always good to come out on top.”

On what this win means to him:

“This win particularly means as a step forward towards our goal, towards 2028 and this is another milestone. We’re happy to win! Unfortunately we missed the world record by just a tiny bit but you know, I’m happy with our group and where we’re at. I’m sure that we’ll grow.”

SILVER – FRANCE 

Yohann NDOYE-BROUARD (FRA) 

On the race:

“It was really cool. The crowd was cheering for the French people. It was a really good race and we got to stand on the podium. So I think we succeeded at it.”

On having Leon MARCHAND (FRA) on the team:

“It adds a lot of confidence, not pressure. Even if he had 45 minutes between the 400m Individual Medley and the relay, we knew that he was capable of being at his best for this race. So no, it gives me a lot of confidence to race with him.”

BRONZE – UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

Jack ALEXY (USA)

On the race:

“I’m really proud of the team and the other guys, Josh, Dare, Tommy, and also Campbell. Obviously for team USA we always want to win but we’re still on the podium there. Pretty good meet for us, some things didn’t go our way in the past two weeks but I think it’s a testament to Team USA’s resiliency and just the hard work we put in. Not only in the past two months but also the past year. I think there’s a standard of excellence we’re expected to bring and we had a lot of great swims, some not great swims and it’s just going to fuel us for the next meet and the next few years for LA.”

On Michael Phelps’s comments on Team USA:

“We definitely heard about that, and that’s really disappointing. As I said, there’s a standard of excellence for this team and when we don’t meet that standard 100% of the time there’s going to be some criticisms and that just motivates us for the future. I think it fired us up a little bit and it’s going to motivate us for the future.”

On his time in the final leg:

“It hurt a lot. It was my goal to go 45 and I had pretty decent swims going 46. I knew that 45.5 was in me and I’m just really happy I could finish off strong and help these guys (in the team) get a podium. It’s a team effort. The morning really with Campbell, and Dare and Tommy and Josh with me.

“A lot of people have been doubting (our performance in) this relay specifically and I’m really proud of these guys for getting the job done and getting on the podium.”

Josh MATHENY (USA)

On watching Jack ALEXY:

“He’s just had an incredible week and an incredible couple of years. Him and I have been swimming for the national team since Budapest Junior Worlds and watching him climb the ranks as well, and just become America’s premiere sprinter. It’s just an honour to be there every step of the way and to be his friend while he just throws down splits that you would not believe. I know the three of us have unbelievable confidence that when he gets in the water, as long as he sniffs them, you can get them.”

Tommy JANTON (USA)

On watching Jack ALEXY:

“Watching that swim in the last 30 metres I knew he was going to pull it together and do what he needed to do and I’m very grateful to be a part of this relay and stand next to these guys as well. It was an honour to be up there with them and he pulled through and got a 45. Second person to ever go 45, it’s truly an accomplishment.  

Dare ROSE (USA)

On watching Jack ALEXY (USA)

“It’s a privilege to train with Jack every day and I strive to be the person he is.”

Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay — Final

• World Record: 3:49.63 — United States (Smith, King, G. Walsh, Huske) (2024)
• World Junior Record: 3:58.38 — Canada (Hannah, Knelson, Oleksiak, Ruck) (2017)
• Championship Record: 3:50.40 — United States (Smith, King, Dahlia, Manuel) (2019)
• 2023 World Champion: United States (Smith, King, G. Walsh, Douglass) — 3:52.08
• 2024 Olympic Champion: United States (Smith, King, G. Walsh, Huske) — 3:52.08

Final: 

1. United States (Smith, Douglass, G. Walsh, Huske) – 3:49.34 *World Record*
2. Australia (McKeown, Ramsay, Perkins, O’Callaghan) – 3:52.67
3. China (Peng, Tang, Zhang, Cheng) – 3:54.77
4. NAB – 3:55.17
5. Canada – 3:55.63
6. Germany – 3:56.02
7. Japan – 3:57.63
8. Great Britain – 3:57.95

Flash Quotes

GOLD – UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Gretchen WALSH (USA)

On finishing on a high:

“I think this is the best way to end the event, and I feel like we have such a good opportunity when you have this stacked group of women closing it out like this, like, we’re gonna put it all in the pool and we’re gonna leave Singapore with a smile on our face.”

On camaraderie within the team: 

“There was a recurring message that the team morale was really high, and I agree wholeheartedly in that, I’ve never felt so closely bonded to a team before in my international senior-level meet career. So even though there were highs and lows, I feel like it brought us really close together. And that’s something, a camaraderie that maybe the USA hasn’t seen in a couple of years. And I think that that, more than anything, is going to set us up really, really well for this quad, for an Olympics in our home country, just to have that kind of team atmosphere, team spirit, and just love for one another is going to be huge, and a big part of why I think we are going to be so successful.”

On doubts coming into the event:

“There were doubts, it was like a bonding experience, if anything, some of us were so low during parts of this trip that we were able to band together and be like, okay, bring it on. Like, this sucks, but like, we’re gonna bounce back from it. But yes, I think we all had moments where we were like, Let’s get it.”

Torri HUSKE (USA)

On the race:

“Honestly, I knew that we were gonna be right there in front. I didn’t hear much, but this is my favourite relay. And there’s no better way to end it. So I’m really happy. “

On difficulties getting here:

“This is my favourite relay, and I was just so blessed to be put on another relay after the front half of the meet. I also think that this not only sends a message to the rest of the world, but also a message within our team. We’re the only ones who really know what we went through and how awful it was to be right now, I feel like we can speak more candidly, but, the fact that we were able to overcome as much as we did, is, I think, inspiring.” 

Regan SMITH (USA)

On finishing the meet on a high:

“It feels really good, ending the season this way with Team USA. We have so much faith and we’re so proud of this medley relay. We always like ending with a bang. And so we love that and we bring our all every single time, and we wanted to deliver tonight, and that’s what we did.”

On the message sent:

“​​It’s not over till it’s over. I’d say Team USA always knows how to finish with a bang. And I think it just sends a really positive message out to the viewers at home who didn’t really believe in us. This is the beginning of a very long quad, and it’s going to be a very successful quad, and we prove that we had a higher gold medal tally than we had in Fukuoka under insanely terrible circumstances, to put it bluntly. So I’m so excited for our future.”

Kate DOUGLASS (USA)

On breaking the world record:

“I remember last year I watched these girls kill it for real in Paris and break this world record. And I’m so happy to have the chance this year and try to break that world record again. I’m really proud of this.”

“I think we’re really happy with that swim. I think we all knew that if we all swam a really good race, we had the possibility of breaking that record. And I think we just wanted to go out on a high note, considering all the challenges. And I definitely think just with the momentum we kind of gained through the second half of the meet, this was possible. I know Torri was thinking about it, and when she heard Kate’s split, knew that that was definitely on the table for us. And I think we were just gonna put everything we could out there in the pool just so that we could end on such a great note and with another back-to-back world record from last year to this year. I think it’s a really cool thing to see our progression just as a team in this event.”

SILVER – AUSTRALIA

Kaylee McKeown (AUS)

On concluding Singapore 2025 with a silver:

“I think it’s always really nice to come out with the girls on the last night and put together whatever we’ve got left in the tank. We’ve done such an amazing job this whole week. I’m super proud of the Australians and doing what we’ve managed to accomplish.”

Alexandria PERKINS (AUS)

On the race:

“I’m really proud of us all. I think we’ve all had a big week, so just to come out here and do our best is really important and I think we did a great job. And also a special mention to our little 16-year-old heat swimmer Sienna TOOHEY – she did a great job this morning too.”

Ella RAMSAY (AUS)

On what the silver medal means:

“It means a lot. It’s my first world medal, so it’s pretty surreal and something I’ll cherish. Getting up alongside these girls is something spectacular.”

Mollie O’CALLAGHAN (AUS)

On her individual and relay events:

“I was just focused on relay events, to be honest. It’s always a privilege to do the individuals, but the relays are something special and it’s nice to know the depth that we have, especially coming off an Olympic year. 

“Everyone thinks it’s a rebuilding year, and these girls and men and women all stepped up to perform this meet. It’s just been a privilege to watch them and grow as athletes and individuals. I’m really inspired by them and I’ve watched them train and watched them grow. It makes us all determined at the end of the day; I get fire from them. It’s very special to be a part of this team, and it’s very rare to swim alongside the medley relay girls, so I’m pretty stoked.” 

BRONZE – CHINA

CHENG Yujie (CHN)

On the result: 

“I feel really happy about the medal. It’s the first time I’m on a podium at the world championships for this event. I hope to do better in the future, and change the colour of the medal. 

ZHANG Yufei (CHN)

On the result: 

“I think we still have room for improvement. It’s the last day of the meet – we’re all a little fatigued whether in our body or in the mind. On paper, we can still be better, it’s not impossible for us to fight Australia for silver at LA 2028.” 

On the team’s performance in Singapore: 

“We all had some results in our individual events. That’s basic – we all have higher targets. The girls this morning in the heats also put in their best to get us in the final today. 

TANG Qianting (CHN)

On the result: 

“Swimming the 50m before this wasn’t too much to bear, it didn’t affect too much doing a double tonight. You have to make adjustments. It’s good to finish the meet with this medal, to know that you contributed to the result. 

On the team’s performance in Singapore: 

“We’ve shown that there is great depth in the Chinese team. That goes to show that there’s more to come from us in the future.” 

PENG Xuwei (CHN)

On the team’s performance in Singapore: 

“Overall, after so many days of competitions, we are feeling some fatigue. It’s a lesson for us, to know better how to handle that in the future.”