Liberty Clark Breaks Her First Ever American Record With 1:51.31 200 Freestyle

2026 U.S. Short Course World Championship Trials

WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – Final

• World Record: 1:49.36, Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) – 2025
• American Record: 1:51.62, Claire Weinstein – 2024
• U.S. Open Record: 1:49.77, Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) – 2025
• Beijing ‘A’ Qualification Time: 1:55.60

Top 7 Finishers

1. Liberty Clark (IU) — 1:51.31 *New American Record
2. Rylee Erisman (CAL) — 1:51.96
3. Simone Manuel (TXLA) — 1:52.05
4. Camille Spink (TENN) — 1:54.14
5. Alex Shackell (IU) — 1:54.46
6. Claire Weinstein (SAND) — 1:56.50
7. Chloe Stepanek (LIAC) — 1:56.59

Liberty Clark set her first ever American Record, touching in a 1:51.31 in the 200 freestyle. That broke the previous American Record of a 1:51.62 set by Claire Weinstein back at the 2024 SCM World Championships. Weinstein was 6th in the event tonight in a 1:56.50.

Split Comparison

Clark saw the biggest difference come on the final 50, as she charged home in a 28.49 to get under Weinstein’s old record as she was 0.62 seconds faster on the final 50. She was faster on all but the second 50 tonight compared to the old record.

With her swim tonight, Clark also becomes the #8 performer all-time in the event. She punched her ticket to swim at Beijing in her win.

All-Time Top Performers, Women’s SCM 200 Free

1. Mollie O’Callaghan, 1:49.36 (2025)
2. Marrit Steenbergen, 1:50.23 (2026)
3. Siobhan Haughey, 1:50.31 (2021)
4. Sarah Sjostrom, 1:50.43 (2017)
5. Federica Pellegrini, 1:51.17 (2009)
6. Katinka Hosszu, 1:51.18 (2014)
7. Bingjie Li, 1:51.25 (2022)
8. Liberty Clark, 1:51.31 (2026)
9. Ariarne Titmus, 1:51.38 (2018)