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≡ USA SWIMMING NATIONALS ≡
The USA Swimming national championships in Indianapolis concluded on Saturday with more world leads, another American Record from Gretchen Walsh and, of course, another brilliant performance from Katie Ledecky.
● Women/1,500 m Free:
No doubt about the winner, as Freestyle superstar Ledecky won her third gold of the meet, up by almost two seconds at 100 m and expanding her lead from there. She won easily in 15:36.76, the no. 17 performance in history; she now has the top 23.
Jillian Cox, the two-time NCAA 1,650-yard champion at Texas, finished second in 16:05.88, which was only third overall, as 200 m Free champ Claire Weinstein had the fastest time in the morning sections in 16:01.96, no. 5 in the world in 2025, and would be in line to swim this event at the World Championships in Singapore if she chooses. Cox is no. 7 in the world this year and would go if Weinsterin passes.
Ledecky finishes the meet with wins in the 400-800-1,500 m Frees as expected and a place on the 4×200 m Free relay, which she also wanted.
● Women/200 m Medley:
Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Alex Walsh was the qualifying leader at 2:10.22, with 2022 Worlds bronze medalist Leah Hayes close at 2:11.22 and then surprise 200 m Fly winner Caroline Bricker at 2:11.63.
But it was Phoebe Bacon, the 2022 Worlds 200 m Back silver medalist, who got out well in the Fly and maintained a tiny lead of 0.07 after the Back leg. Walsh took the lead on the Breast leg, but Bacon held second, ahead of a charging Hayes. No trouble for Walsh to move ahead solidly on the final lap, winning in 2:08.45, no.2 in the world for 2025.
Hayes was moving up nicely on the final lap, but Bacon stayed strong and touched second in 2:09.22, no. 6 in the world this year. Bricker passed Hayes late for third, 2:10.12 to 2:10.83.
● Men/200 m Medley:
Paris Olympian Shaine Casas, the 2024 World Short-Course winner in this race, was the only one under 1:58 in the heats (1:57.70), but two-time Worlds runner-up Carson Foster was close at 1:58.15, and Tokyo 400 m Free bronzer Kieran Smith qualified fourth at 1:58.50.
Casas was out like a shot on the Fly, touching first ahead of Owen McDonald, and then Foster came up for third after the Back leg. Foster moved into second on the Breast leg, but Casas was sturdy and led on the turn by 0.83.
Foster moved right up on the Free and was almost even, but ran out of pool and Casas won in 1:55.73, fastest in the world in 2025! It’s his second title of the week, after the 100 m Fly.
Foster was right behind at 1:55.76 and no. 2 in 2025, followed by fast-closing Trenton Julian (1:57.59), who passed McDonald (1:57.98).
● Men/800 m Free:
Tokyo Olympic winner and Paris runner-up Bobby Finke said he would not contest the 400 m Medley – which he won earlier – at the Worlds in Singapore, and would concentrate on his signature distance Freestyles.
In the 800, Finke took the lead over 400 m Free winner Rex Maurer at 75 m, and was up by 3.22 seconds at 400 m. He won going away in 7:43.13, moving from no. 17 in the world to no. 5.
Maurer and 1,500 m Free runner-up David Johnston were battling for second, and within 0.4 of each other at 500 m, and were right together coming home, with Maurer getting the touch in 7:49.53 (world no. 13), to 7:49.85.
● Women/50 m Free:
Naturally, ex-Virginia stars Gretchen Walsh (the 2024 World Short Course champ) and Kate Douglass (the 2024 Worlds runner-up in this event) led the qualifying at 24.30 and 24.38, with Paris 2024 100 m Free runner-up Torri Huske at 24.42.
Douglass got off best in the final, but Walsh was strong underwater and came up with a slight lead and stayed in front – barely ahead of Huske and Douglass, with Walsh gaining a clear edge in the final 10 m and touching first in a world-leading 23.91, equaling Douglass’ American Record from 2024, and equal-eighth performer in history.
Huske got a lifetime best at 23.98 for second and Douglass was third in 24.04, followed by 2019 World Champion Simone Manuel at 24.39. The top three in the race are now the top three in the world for 2025.
● Men/50 m Free:
The 100 m Free winner, Jack Alexy, looked strong in the heats at 21.59, now no. 4 on the world list for 2025, followed by Jonny Kulow (lifetime best 21.75, no. 8) and Santo Cordonelli at 21.87.
Off the start, the field was even as they came up, but Alexy got to the lead by midway and was the clear leader with 10 m to go, touching with a lifetime best of 21.36, the world leader in 2025! He’s now no. 15 all-time and no. 2 in U.S. history.
A clear second was the 30-year-old Condorelli, who previously represented Canada and Italy at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, in 21.68 (world no. 8), just ahead of Kulow (21.73).
There were also two fast swim-offs for national team places, with Paris Olympian Erin Gemmell winning the women’s 200 m Free over Anna Peplowski, 1:55.23 to 1:55.70. Gemmell’s time moves her to no. 3 in the world year, with Peplowski at no. 5. Gemmell will swim the individual 200 m Free in Singapore.
In the women’s 50 m Breast, McKenzie Siroky started fast and won in 30.05, a lifetime best and no. 5 in the world for 2025. Emma Weber was second in 30.55.
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As expected, the meet produced a powerful showcase for the U.S., with 10 world-leading marks across five days:
● Men/100 m Free: 46.99, Jack Alexy (day 1)
● Women/100 m Free: 52.43, Torri Huske
● Men/200 m Free: 1:43.73, Luke Hobson (day 2)
● Men/200 m Back: 1:54.25, Jack Aikins
● Women/200 m Free: 1:54.92, Claire Weinstein
● Women/50 m Fly: 24.66, Gretchen Walsh ~ American Record
● Women/50 m Back: 26.97, Katharine Berkoff (day 3) ~ American Record
● Men/50 m Free: 21.36, Alexy (day 5)
● Men/200 m Medley: 1:55.73, Shaine Casas
● Women/50 m Free: 23.91, Walsh ~ equals American Record
Add in Ledecky’s three wins and this will, once again, be a strong American team at the World Championships in Singapore, starting at the end of July.
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