Virginia Women Take Top Five Spots Heading Into The 200 Breast Final At U.S. Nationals

2025 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, June 3 – Saturday, June 7, 2025
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Indiana University Natatorium
• LCM (50 meters)
• World Championship Selection Criteria
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets (Updated 6/2)
• Live Results
• Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2
  • Finals: Day 1

After finishing 37th in this event at NCAAs, UVA’s Katie Christopherson bounced back in a big way to get things rolling. The Swim Atlanta product dropped a massive new personal best to win the first of the circle-seeded heats. Out in 1:11.58, she closed in 1:15.38 to clock a 2:26.96, chopping 2.09 seconds off her entry time and recording her first PB in the event since 2022. Leah Hayes, the 2022 World bronze medalist in the 200 IM, and the 3rd seed, took 2nd in the heat with a time of 2:27.62, just .02 shy of her best.

Their teammate Alex Walsh, the #2 seed, put together a slightly faster front half (1:10.45) and managed to overtake Christopherson as the top time of the morning with a 2:26.24. Walsh, the 2022 world gold medalist in the 200 IM, entered with a best time 2:22.38 from last summer’s Trials.

The fastest swim came in the final heat, as Olympic gold medalists Kate Douglass and Emma Weber completed the Cavalier sweep of the top 5. Douglass surged ahead of Walsh’s time with a controlled 2:23.32, the only swimmer to split under 1:10 on the front half (1:09.50). Weber, last year’s runner-up in the 100 breast, clocked 2:28.14 to grab the 5th seed, making it an all-UVA top five.

Tonight, Douglass will be the heavy favorite. Already on the World Championship team by virtue of her 4th place finish in the 100 free, she will look to lock in an individual event in the 200 breast. The American record holder leads the field by over three seconds and may be in a race against the clock. She owns a season-best of 2:20.78 from the Fort Lauderdale Pro Swim Series and has already logged seven career swims under 2:20.

One more 2:19 tonight would be historic, as Douglass would become the first swimmer in history to post eight sub-2:20s in the 200 breast. That would break her current tie with 2020 Olympic champ and 2024 silver medalist Tatjana Smith (née Schoenmaker).

Douglass’ Sub-2:20 Outings In The LCM 200 Breaststroke:

Top 8 Finalists:

1. Kate Douglass (NYAC) – 2:23.32 *Virginia-trained*
2. Alex Walsh (NYAC) – 2:26.24 *Virginia-trained*
3. Katie Christopherson (SA) – 2:26.96 *Virginia-trained*
4. Leah Hayes (CA) – 2:27.62 *Virginia-trained*
5. Emma Weber (CA) – 2:28.14 *Virginia-trained*
6. Kayda Geyer (MSA) – 2:28.79
7. Abigail Herscu (CAL) – 2:28.89
8. Lucy Bell (ALTO) – 2:29.06