Day 2 Finals Race Videos

2026 U.S. Short Course World Championship Trials

It was a busy night in Westmont, Illinois on the second day of competition at the 2026 U.S. Short Course World Championships. Swimmers like Van Mathias and Tyler Ray set the tone with records during this morning’s prelims session. There were no holds barred tonight as it seemed like with every event there was another record falling.

World records, American records, U.S. Open records…catch up on all the action from the second night of finals below.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – Final

Final:

1. Ilya Kharun (SUN) — 48.45 *U.S. Open Record*
2. Tyler Ray (TXLA) — 48.56
3. Caeleb Dressel (SJAC)/Luca Urlando (DART) — 48.57
4. (tie)
5. Dare Rose (SCAR) — 49.61
6. Logan Robinson (GPAC) — 50.08
7. Kamal Muhammad (SPAC) — 51.28
8. Narutaka Hotta (BA) — 52.21

Ilya Kharun set the tone for the session by breaking the U.S. Open record Tyler Ray tied in prelims. Kharun led from start to finish in the race and won with a 48.45. This swim qualifies him to represent the U.S. for the first time on the senior international stage.

Ray was slightly off his performance from this morning but his 48.55 earned him second ahead of a tie for third between Luca Urlando and Caeleb Dressel. This was the first of Dressel’s three events this session.

WOMEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – Final

• World Record: 25.23, Regan Smith (USA) – 2024
• American Record: 25.23, Regan Smith – 2024
• U.S. Open Record: 25.37, Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 2024
• Beijing ‘A’ Qualification Time: 26.54

Final: 

1. Katharine Berkoff (WOLF) — 25.21 *World Record*
2. Claire Curzan (UVA) — 25.26
3. Olivia Smoliga (TFA) — 25.70
4. Isabelle Stadden (AQJT) — 25.81
5. Kaitlyn Owens (SUN) — 26.59
6. Miriam Sheehan (UN-AZ) — 26.69
7. Abby Chan (HSA) — 26.95
8. Lucy Velte (EKC) — 27.55

World record holder Regan Smith skipped the 50 backstroke tonight in favor of the 200 butterfly. Her Olympic teammate Katharine Berkoff lowered that world record standard to punch her ticket to Beijing. Berkoff swam a 25.21, breaking Smith’s mark from 2024 by two-hundredths of a second.

Olympian Claire Curzan pushed Berkoff all the way to the wall and touched second in 25.26, just three-hundredths off Smith’s now former world record effort.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – Final

• World Record: 1:45.12, Hubert Kos (HUN) – 2025
• American Record: 1:46.68, Ryan Lochte – 2010
• U.S. Open Record: 1:46.84, Hubert Kos (HUN) – 2025
• Beijing ‘A’ Qualification Time: 1:52.11

Final: 

1. Gabriel Jett (CAL) — 1:47.75
2. Destin Lasco (PDR) — 1:47.94
3. Owen McDonald (IU) — 1:50.10
4. Tommy Hagar (BAMA) — 1:50.98
5. Jack Dahlgren (AQJT) — 1:51.63
6. Nick Simons (UN-AZ) — 1:51.72
7. Paul Moody (ARMY) — 1:52.11
8. JT Ewing (UN-AZ) — 1:54.28

The men’s 200 backstroke final quickly developed into a head-to-head between former Cal training partners Gabriel Jett and Destin Lasco. It was Lasco who held the lead through the middle 100 of the race. He had the advantage over Jett heading into the final turn, but Jett used an excellent final underwater to make up the slim gap.

Jett, who really began to showcase his backstroke prowess during the final year of his NCAA career, got the win in 1:47.75. Lasco took second in 1:47.94. Neither had logged an official SCM 200 backstroke in competition before the meet and now they are the two fastest men in the event this season.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – Final

• World Record: 2:12.50, Kate Douglass (USA) – 2024
• American Record: 2:12.50, Kate Douglass – 2024
• U.S. Open Record: 2:13.97, Kate Douglass (USA) – 2025
• Beijing ‘A’ Qualification Time: 2:21.91

Final:

1. Kate Douglass (NYAC) — 2:14.12
2. Alex Walsh (NYAC) — 2:18.76
3. Lucy Bell (ALTO) — 2:21.71
4. Maddy Huggins (CS) — 2:21.84
5. Mia Cheatwood (GTAC) — 2:25.34
6. Sedona Stratton (SAW) — 2:30.19
7. Mea Hoye (BAD) — 2:32.62
8. Isla Rapcan (RISE) — 2:34.03

Kate Douglass flirted with her own world record line during the early part of the women’s 200 breaststroke final. She dropped off that pace through the rest of the race, but still showed that this is her event. She put on a show for the Westmont crowd, storming to the win by over 4.5 seconds with a 2:14.12. Her Virginia training partner Alex Walsh swam 2:18.76 and was the only other swimmer in the final to break 2:20.

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – Final

• World Record: 55.28, Ilya Shymanovich (BLR) – 2021
• American Record: 55.48, Van Mathias (USA) — 2026
• U.S. Open Record: 55.48, Van Mathias (USA) — 2026
• Beijing ‘A’ Qualification Time: 57.38

Final:

1. Van Mathias (ISC) — 55.14 *World Record*
2. Brian Benzing (TUS) — 56.23
3. Josh Bey (IU) — 57.23
4. Andy Dobranzski (SUN) — 57.31
5. Noah Cakir (IU) — 57.41
6. Mitch Mason (TFA) — 57.75
7. AJ Pouch (PRVT) — 58.03
8. Chris O’Grady (SPAR) — 58.51

Van Mathias continues to shine this year. He showcased his form this morning with American and U.S. Open records in the 100 breaststroke, then bettered that with a world record in tonight’s final.

Mathias ripped a 55.14, breaking Ilya Shymanovich‘s five-year old mark by .14 seconds. He was out in 25.76, then came home in a 29.38 to get under the world record mark. Brian Benzing finished second in 56.23.

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – Final

Final:

1. Claire Weinstein (SAND) — 4:00.18
2. Rylee Erisman (CAL) — 4:00.25
3. Chloe Stepanek (LIAC) — 4:08.52
4. Katie McCarthy (UOFM) — 4:11.06
5. Ellie Patla (RA) — 4:12.52
6. Lainey Mullins (IA) — 4:13.08
7. Adalyn Lee (BREA) — 4:13.39
8. Liliana Hineman (GM) — 4:20.58

California teammates Claire Weinstein and Rylee Erisman went head-to-head in the women’s 400 freestyle final. The two Golden Bears quickly separated themselves from the field but neither could shake the other. Within the final 100 meters, the gap was just a tenth of a second.

Weinstein took the win in 4:00.18 to Erisman’s 4:00.25 as she continues to get back to racing this season.

WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – Final

Final:

1. Kate Douglass (NYAC) — 22.75 *= World Record*
2. Gretchen Walsh (NYAC) — 22.99
3. Camille Spink (TENN) — 23.26
4. Liberty Clark (IU) — 23.42
5. Cadence Vincent (BAMA) — 23.63
6. Torri Huske (NYAC) — 23.69
7. Caroline Larsen (UOFL) — 23.85
8. Olivia Smoliga (TFA) — 24.19

Douglass was back on the blocks shortly after winning the women’s 200 breaststroke, this time facing Gretchen Walsh in the 50 freestyle. The two spent the summer exchanging the long-course 50 freestyle world record and Walsh took over the SCM edition’s mark with a 22.75 two weeks ago.

Douglass tied Walsh’s world record performance with a 22.75 of her own, picking up her second win of the meet. Walsh earned second in 22.99. She was the only swimmer to break 23-seconds in the final aside from Douglass, as Camille Spink finished third in 23.26.

MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – Final

Final:

1. Caeleb Dressel (SJAC) — 20.57
2. Jack Alexy (CAL) — 20.59
3. Chris Guiliano (TXLA) — 20.66
4. Ilya Kharun (UN-AZ) — 20.69
5. Adam Chaney (SUN) — 20.85
6. Brendan Whitfield (VT) — 20.93
7. Matt King (TFA) — 20.94
8. Jonny Kulow (SUN) — 21.08

It came down to the touch in the men’s 50 freestyle final. Dressel earned the win in 20.57, his fastest SCM 50 freestyle since 2021 as he qualified for his first U.S. senior international team since Paris. He is now the fifth-fastest man in the event this season.

Jack Alexy placed second with a 20.59, just two-hundredths behind Dressel. This improves on his season-best from prelims (20.66) and maintains him as sixth-fastest in the event’s global rankings this season. Chris Guiliano was third (20.66) while Kharun finished fourth (20.69) on the second swim of his double.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – Final

• World Record: 1:59.32, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2024
• American Record: 2:00.20, Regan Smith – 2025
• U.S. Open Record: 2:00.20, Regan Smith (USA) – 2025
• Beijing ‘A’ Qualification Time: 2:08.85

Final:

1. Regan Smith (TXLA) — 2:00.87
2. Alex Shackell (IU) — 2:02.76
3. Rachel Klinker (SD) — 2:05.04
4. Lillie Nordmann (NU) — 2:08.89
5. Carli Cronk (IA) — 2:09.83
6. Rachel Conley (UOFM) — 2:12.26
7. Averie Hager (UN-IN) — 2:12.77
8. Katie McCarthy (UOFM) — 2:12.83

Alex Shackell took this race out hard. She led the way through the first 150-meters as Regan Smith moved through the field and into second by the halfway point. Smith still had some ground to make up on Shackell heading into the final 50 meters. She closed the gap to Shackell and then some with a 30.74 closing split. That final push earned her the win by 1.89 seconds with a 2:00.87.

Smith now ranks as the fastest woman in the event this season, while Shackell is third with her 2:02.76, a hundredth behind Yu Yiting. 

MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – Final

• World Record: 3:32.25, Yannick Agnel (FRA) – 2012
• American Record: 3:34.38, Kieran Smith – 2022
• U.S. Open Record: 3:35.99 Kieran Smith (USA) – 2022
• Beijing ‘A’ Qualification Time: 3:42.18

Final: 

1. Luke Hobson (NYAC) — 3:36.24
2. Kieran Smith (RAC) — 3:37.13
3. Ryan Erisman (CAL) — 3:38.43
4. Mitchell Schott (NYAC) — 3:41.00
5. Luke Brennan (UOFM) — 3:49.36
6. James Darcy (UN-IN) — 3:52.64
7. Grant Lilly (UN-IN) — 3:54.83
8. Sean Atkinson (UN-IN) — 4:04.20

Luke Hobson took over the lead in the men’s 400 freestyle final from Kieran Smith at the 150-meter mark and never gave it back. Hobson steadily opened up a gap on Smith and the rest of the field from there and earned the win in a lifetime best 3:36.24. He now ranks fourth-fastest in the world this season.

Smith could not go with Hobson but held on well for second place in 3:37.13. Ryan Erisman took this in 3:38.43. He already qualified for the U.S. team with his win in the 800 freestyle on Day 1.

WOMEN’S 100 IM – Final

Final:

1. Gretchen Walsh (NYAC) — 56.58
2. Torri Huske (AAC) — 58.24
3. Phoebe Bacon (NCAP) — 58.34
4. Lucy Velte (EKC) — 1:00.76
5. Adalyn Lee (BREA) — 1:03.21
6. Grace Gannon (FASTIN) — 1:03.80
7. Mea Hoye (BAD) — 1:04.86

Walsh took on one of her signature SCM events for her second swim of the night: the 100 IM. She was out .30 seconds under her own world record pace, quickly establishing a sizable lead over the rest of the final as Torri Huske and Phoebe Bacon battled it out for second behind her.

Walsh could not maintain her world record pace but picked up her first win of the meet with a 56.58. She won by 1.66 seconds over Huske (58.24). Only Marrit Steenbergen has been faster this season (56.18).

MEN’S 100 IM – Final

Final:

1. Caeleb Dressel (SJAC) — 50.34 *U.S. Open Record*
2. Grant House (SUN) — 51.33
3. Maximus Williamson (UVA) — 51.39
4. Michael Andrew (UN-CA) — 51.94
5. Logan Robinson (GPAC) — 52.05
6. Owen McDonald (IU) — 52.17
7. Brian Benzing (TUS) — 52.29
8. Stuart Seymour (NU) — 52.49

The 100 IM marked Dressel’s second win tonight in a three-event session for him. Like Walsh, he took the race out under his own world record pace, making the turn to breaststroke in 22.37. Though he did not stay under world record pace he did crack the U.S. Open Record, swimming a 50.34 to take over the mark from Shaine Casas (50.45).

Michael Andrew was second at the halfway point but faded on the back half of the race. Meanwhile, Maximus Williamson surged but ran out of room to track down Grant House. House took second in 51.33 while Williamson was third in 51.39. The Cavalier moved from seventh at the 50 to third by the final wall.