Hubert Kos, Regan Smith Double Saturday Night in Austin; Marchand Clocks 2:08.25 200 Breast
A concluding session of tune-up racing at the Longhorn Elite Invitational saw backstroke specialists Hubert Kos and Regan Smith each win over 100 meters in their preferred stroke, and both swimmers returned afterward to win medley races as well. Meanwhile, Leon Marchand backed up his 4:07 400 IM Friday evening with a strong showing in the 200 breaststroke.
Kos, fresh off a 1:55.50 clocking in the 200 back, went 53.51 to win over half the distance. Kos was even faster at 53.28 in prelims, and he currently ranks No. 4 globally in the event at 52.24. His Texas teammate Will Modglin took second in 54.18, with Wisconsin’s Michael Long third (54.98). Later on, Kos was the only swimmer to break 2:00 in the 200 IM, finishing in 1:59.18.
Smith posted a time of 58.34 in the women’s 100 back, well ahead of Wisconsin swimmers Maggie Wanezek (1:00.47) and Phoebe Bacon (1:00.59). Smith previously clocked 57.46 earlier this month in Fort Lauderdale for the world’s top time in 2025, and this latest mark is one only she and two-time Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown have surpassed thus far in the year. Later on, Smith’s sensational front half helped her overcome a typically-challenging breaststroke leg to win the 200 IM in 2:11.36, with Campbell Chase coming in behind her (2:12.53).
Marchand swam another of his Olympic-gold-medal events and crushed the field in the 200 breaststroke. He came in at 2:08.25, good enough to make him the fourth-fastest performer in the world this year. The Frenchman’s Olympic-gold-medal-winning time of 2:05.85 made him the No. 2 performer in history. Carson Foster. the bronze medalist behind Foster in the 400 IM in Paris, came in second at 2:14.31 after taking fourth in the 100 back earlier in the night.
Simone Manuel entered the global top-10 in the 50 free with a time of 24.54, improving upon her previous season best of 24.79. Manuel previously clocked 53.11 in the 100 free earlier in the meet. Manuel has won this event at the last three U.S. Olympic Trials, but she will face strong domestic challengers in the splash-and-dash at U.S. Nationals. Gretchen Walsh is currently the world’s top-ranked swimmer while Torri Huske ranks ahead of Manuel and Kate Douglass just behind.
A strong meet for Rex Maurer concluded with his third best time in a freestyle event. Maurer went 7:51.19 in the 800 free, putting him just behind Bobby Finke as the No. 2 American in the event this year. Additionally, Piper Enge won the women’s 200 breast, and the men’s 50 free went to Ben Scholl (22.56).