The 2026 USA Swimming Short Course World Championship Trials continued with the Day 4 prelims from Westmont, Illinois.
The events on the docket are the men’s 200 breaststroke, women’s 50 breaststroke, men’s 200 IM, women’s 400 IM, men’s 50 butterfly, women’s 100 butterfly, men’s 100 backstroke, women’s 200 backstroke, men’s200 free and women’s 100 free.
Here is look at how the prelims unfolded.
Men’s 200 Breaststroke
No shocker that Indiana had some of the top seeds in the 200 breast.
Noah Cakir took the top seed into finals with a prelims swim of 2:04.34.
AJ Pouch was second in 20:04.61, followed by Indiana’s Josh Bey (2:06.00), swimming in his home pool.
Women’s 50 Breaststroke
NCAC’s Skyler Smith took the top seed in the 50 breast in 29.83 with Texas’ Piper Enge, coming off of her 100 win, grabbing the second seed in 29.94.
Louisville’s Caroline Larsen was third (30.03).
The final will also see Olympic veterans Molly Hannis (30.72) and Breeja Larson (30.79), who grabbed the top last two seeds.
Men’s 200 IM
Cal star Destin Lasco cruised to the top see in the 200 IM, getting to the wal in 1:55.17, finishing a second ahead of the field.
Virginia’s Maximus Williamson took the second seed in 1:56.33, ahead of Sun Devils’ Grant House (1:56.93).
Women’s 400 IM
Alex Walsh dominated the field in the prelims of the 400 IM, leading from start to finish to take the top seed for finals in 4:27.05.
Former USC All-American Isabelle Odgers took the second spot in 4:44.29, holding off Lainey Mullins (4:45.95).
There were only six competitors in this event.
Men’s 50 Butterfly
Ilya Kharun continued his stellar meet with an American record in the 50 fly to kick off his morning,
Kharun got to the wall in 21.61, breaking the American record set by Tom Shields (21.99) in 2021 and his own U.S. Open mark set in the same pool a year ago.
Longhorn Aquatics’ Tyler Ray took the second spot in 21.75, ahead of Van Mathias (22.17), Caeleb Dressel (22.19) and Dare Rose (22.33), setting up an extremely fast final.
Women’s 100 Butterfly
Gretchen Walsh was well faster than the field, getting to the wall in 54.57 for the top seed in the 100 fly.
Alex Shackell took the second spot in 56.22.
Torri Huske also made the final in 57.51, while Claire Curzan scratched to focus on the 200 back.
Men’s 100 backstroke
After winning the 200 fly on Friday, Luca Urlando snagged the top seed for Saturday’s final in the 100 backstroke.
The Dart swimmer got to the wall in 50.16.
Indiana’s Owen McDonald took the second spot in 50.27, ahead of Army’s Johnny Crush (50.50).
Nick Simons was fourth (50.75) and Adam Chaney, who won the 50 back on Friday, was fifth in 50.86.
Women’s 200 backstroke
The women’s 200 back only had a field of six, but it was still completely stacked with stars.
Isabelle Stadden took the top spot in 2:05.74.
Her Virginia training partners Phoebe Bacon (2:06.10) and Claire Curzan (2:07.64).
Regan Smith was fourth in 2:08.31, ahead of Rylee Erisman (2:08.58).
Men’s 200 Free
In another one of the heavier events, former Texas star Luke Hobson claimed the top seed in the 200 free, getting to the wall in 1:40.51.
Cal’s Ryan Erisman, fresh – or not so fresh – off of his 400 IM, mile double – took the second seed in 1:41.61.
He led a trio of Bears with Gabriel Jett taking the third seed (1:41.73) and Jack Alexy the fourth (1:41.95).
Mitchell Schott was fifth (1:42.27) and Chris Guiliano was sixth (1:42.31), ahead of Jack Dahlgren (1:42.61), Kieran Smith (1:42.62) and Brooks Curry (1:42.63), leaving him ninth.
Women’s 100 free
Kate Douglass claimed the top seed in the 100 free in 50.92, holding off a strong field.
Rylee Erisman took the second seed in 51.48, ahead of Liberty Clark (51.50) and Gretchen Walsh (51.57), who took the fourth seed.
Simone Manuel also made the final in 52.50.
