The 2026 USA Swimming Short Course World Championship Trials continued with the Day 3 prelims from Westmont, Illinois.
The events on the docket are the men’s 400 IM, women’s 100 backstroke, men’s 50 backstroke, women’s 200 IM, women’s 200 free, men’s 100 free, women’s 50 butterfly, men’s 200 fly, women’s 100 breaststroke and the men’s 50 breast.
Here is look at how the prelims unfolded.
Men’s 400 IM
There were just five entrants in the 400 IM as the short-course focus continues to favor the sprint events.
Cal’s Ryan Erisman took the top seed in 4:10.29, finishing a tenth ahead of Indiana’s Noah Cakir (4:10.39).
Indiana’s Josh Bey snagged the third seed in 4:15.54.
Women’s 100 Backstroke
Regan Smith kicked off the women’s events for the morning with the ninth-fastest swim in history in the SCM 100 back.
Smith cruised to a 54.75 to take the top seed in tonight’s finals.
Virginia’s Claire Curzan took the second spot in 55.49, ahead of Wolfpack’s Katharine Berkoff (55.55), who broke the world record in the 50 back on Thursday, Oct. 29.
Aquajet’s Isabelle Stadden, who trains with Curzan at Virginia, took the fourth spot in 56.17, setting up a packed final – always the case in this event in the U.S.
