2025 U.S. Summer Championships
- Tuesday, August 5 – Friday, August 8, 2025
- Irvine, California
- William Woollett Aquatics Center
- Start Times
- Prelims: 9:00 am local / 12:00 pm ET
- Finals: 5:00 pm local / 8:00 pm ET
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Live Stream Info (Available on USA Swimming Network App)
- Live Recaps:
MEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS
- World Record: 25.95 – Adam Peaty, GBR (2017)
- American Record: 26.45 – Nic Fink (2022)
- US Open Record: 26.52 – Michael Andrew, USA (2022)
- World Junior Record: 26.97 – Nicolo Martinenghi, ITA (2023)
TOP 8:
- Van Mathias – 26.76
- Evgenii Somov – 27.55
- Alexei Avakov – 27.58
- Joshua Collett – 27.61
- Brian Benzing – 27.62
- Pavel Romanov – 27.71
- Luke Barr – 27.73
- Charlie Egeland – 27.79
Van Mathias swam even faster tonight after posting a 26.87 in prelims of the men’s 50 breast to led the way. Tonight, Mathias earned the win in a 26.76. That ties him as the 3rd fastest American ever in the event alongside Kevin Cordes who swam a 26.76 back at the 2015 World Championships for bronze.
All-Time Top 5 American Men, LCM 50 Breast
- Nic Fink (2022) – 26.45
- Michael Andrew (2022) – 26.52
- Kevin Cordes (2015), Van Mathias (2025) – 26.76
- –
- Mark Gangloff (2009) – 26.86
In addition to being the #3 American performer all-time, Mathias also sits as the fastest American this season. Campbell McKean previously held that mark at a 26.90.
With his swim tonight, if he had been at the 2025 World Championships, Mathias would have only been 0.09 seconds off of earning a medal as Qin Haiyang of China won bronze in a 26.67. Both McKean (27.32, 24th) and Michael Andrew (27.37, 25th) did not advance to semifinals for the US.
Mathias spent his collegiate career at Indiana, finishing his NCAA career at 2023 NCAAs. He did not compete at all in 2024 but returned to competition in June 2025. This week is his third meet returning to competition.
This won’t happen again. Guaranteed
how do you feel after that 26.3 58.19?
I believe that he would have won the 50 Free, as well, had they swam it on a different day. Dude went 22.39 in a time trial a few weeks ago, unshaved
Breaks out as a 200 flier in high school. After a pretty quiet college career picks up sprint breast and free his 5th year and absolutely explodes. Now, after 2 years of retirement, he is the fastest 50 breaststroker in America in his first big meet back. Legendary career arc.
With a mustache too lmao
So does this mean he’ll be on the Pan Pacs team?
I believe so.
I’m not a huge fan of Looze but nobody can deny that guy really knows how to coach up breaststrokers. Blows my mind that he not only develops blue chip talents like King and Miller into Olympians but takes guys like Mathias and Finn Brooks that didn’t even swim breast as age groupers into people that are relevant on the international stage
If he somehow turns Matt King into a national team level breaststroker I will have truly seen it all…
I would credit his recent success to more strength, power, and speed focus, rather than pure breastroke training with Looze
This guy decided to skip Olympic Trials last year and worlds qualification this year and just shows up at this much tamer meet and does this.
What.
We need more inside info on this story… The dude hasn’t swam a meet in two years until two months ago and is now the 3rd fastest American ever in the 50 breast. That’s wild! Excited to see what he does in the 100.
Wonder if he went the Cam McEvoy route but for breast. Is he entered in the 100?
The US has never really had 50 stroke specialists like other countries, but with the 50s for stroke on the docket at the LA Olympics, that’s probably about to change. Plenty of guys can be good at both the 50 and the 100, but it seems like you can index hard for the 50 (bulk, power, etc) and completely punt on any kind of endurance that you’d need for the 100.
Maybe Mathias is about to go 58.5 in the 100 as well, but he may be all in on the 50, which would be a pretty smart play given the current start of US breaststroke.
he found a weakness within USA Swimming right now and is attacking it with a “what do I have to lose” type of approach. I think it is outstanding.
I think Dressel is looking to go the 50 fly/free route if I were to guess
Cody miller talks about how he put on 20lbs of muscle in the past year and is really morphed into a pure sprinter