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≡ U.S. NATIONALS ≡
Six finals on the first night of the USA Swimming National Championships at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis, with a world-leading performance in the morning prelims for the 22-year-old, 6-8 Cal star Jack Alexy.
Swimming in the final heat of the men’s 100 m Freestyle, Alexy – seventh in the Paris Olympic 100 and a relay gold medalist – won in a sparkling 46.99, making him only the sixth man in history to break 47 seconds, and moving him to no. 2 all-time U.S. behind Caeleb Dressel’s 46.96 from 2019.
There was one more world leader in the final session, with five-time Paris Olympic medalist Torri Huske rising to the top of the list in a duel in the women’s 100 m Free final.
The races:
● Women/200 m Butterfly:
Two-time Olympic silver winner Regan Smith led the qualifying by more than a second, and had the lead after the first turn in the final. She had an 0.46 lead over Olympic relay gold medalist Alex Shackell at 100 m and 0.55 at 150.
But Stanford’s Caroline Bricker mounted a charge in the final 20 m and touched just ahead in a huge upset, in 2:05.80 to 2:05.85! The time moves Bricker to no. 3 on the 2025 world list, to nol. 23 all-time and now the no. 5 all-time U.S.
Tess Howley was third in 2:06.79, then Paris Olympian Shackell, in 2:07.03. A shocker of a start, especially considering Bricker won the NCAA women’s 400-yard Medley, but was third in the 200-yard Fly!
● Men/200 m Butterfly:
Luca Urlando came in as the world leader at 1:52.37 in April – no. 4 all-time – but Worlds relay medalist Trenton Julian had the lead by 0.13 at 100 m. But Urlando got to the front at 150 m and had an 0.84 lead on Julian coming for home.
Urlando got home in 1:53.42, but he was being pressed by Carson Foster, the 2024 Paris 400 m Medley bronze medalist, a close second in 1:53.70, followed by Paris Olympian Thomas Heilman – still 18 – at 1:54.03, then Julian in fourth in 1:55.26.
Urlando didn’t touch his world-leading mark, but Foster and Heilman are now nos. 2-3 for 2025.
● Women/100 m Freestyle:
What would Gretchen Walsh do? The seven-time World Short-Course gold medalist from last December came in no. 2 in the world for 2025 at 52.90 and led the qualifiers at 52.99.
But Huske, the Paris Olympic silver winner in this event in 2024, was having none of it and was right with Walsh – 0.05 down – at the turn and poured it on over the final 25 m to touch first in a world-leading 52.43, with Walsh at 52.78 and Rio 2016 co-champ Simone Manuel resurgent in third at 52.83. That’s 1-3-4 on the 2025 world list, and Huske’s 52.43 is the fastest time ever swum on U.S. soil.
Kate Douglass, the Olympic Trials winner in 2024, was fourth in 53.16.
● Men/100 m Freestyle:
Alexy was in lane four in the final, but Olympic teammate Chris Guiliano – eighth in the Paris final last year – had the lead at the turn by 0.02. But Alexy came on strongly after that and would not be denied, touching in 47.17.
The surprise came from Arizona State’s Patrick Sammon, who got a lifetime best of 47.87 in the morning, then came on late to get second with another best, of 47.47, no. 6 in the world in 2025, with Guiliano third in 47.49, now no. 7.
Destin Lasco got a lifetime best in fourth as well, at 47.58, now no. 8.
● Women/800 m Freestyle:
No doubt about the favorite: four-time Olympic champ Katie Ledecky, the world-record holder and owner of 22 of the top 24 times in history. She was up by more than four seconds after three laps, and was on world-record pace at the half (4:00.66), and 0.93 up on her own record pace at 500 m.
She was 0.56 up at 600 m, but was 0.12 behind it at 700 m, and finished in 8:05.76, the no. 3 time in history! An astonishing follow-up to her world record 8:04.12 in May.
Behind her, teen star Claire Weinstein – still just 18 and a Paris 2024 relay silver medalist – won a tight duel with Jillian Cox, 8:19.67 to 8:19.88 for second, now nos. 5-6 in the world for 2025.
● Men/1,500 m Freestyle:
Two-time Olympic champ and world-record holder Bobby Finke was the prohibitive favorite, and ahead by almost two seconds after two laps and 3 1/2 seconds after four. He cruised home in 14:48.65, moving up to no. 5 in the world for 2025.
Paris Olympian David Johnston was a clear second through most of the race, and finished in 14:57.83, now no. 12 on the year. Aiden Hammer was third in 15:05.13.
Coming Wednesday: men’s and women’s 200 m Free, 200 m Breast, 200 m Back and the 50 m Flys. The meet is being shown on the USA Swimming Web site (both sessions) and NBC’s Peacock streaming service for the evening session at 7 p.m. Eastern.
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