U.S. Short Course Trials Day 3 Prelims: Van Mathias Blasts American Record in 50 Breaststroke
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.
Van Mathias saved the best swim for last in the session, setting the American and U.S. Open record in the 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.
Men’s 50 Backstroke
Without several of the usual names atop the backstroke events in Westmont, a new wave got to show the country what they are made of.
Army’s Johnny Crush sprinted to the fastest time in the 50 backstroke. He earned the top seed in 22.95.
Loyola’s Joe Hayburn took the second spot in 23.20, followed by Arizona’s Nick Simmons (23.30), Cal’s Lucca Battaglini (23.54) and Northwestern’s Stuart Seymour (23.60).
Women’s 200 IM
The big names had some big swims for prelims in the 200 IM.
Kate Douglass had the fastest swim of the morning, getting to the wall in 2:09.01.
Teammate Alex Walsh was second in 2:10.2, looking strong in all four strokes.
Alto Swim Club’s Lucy Bell, an NCAA champion at Stanford, took the third spot in 2:11.67 ahead of Louisville’s Fernanda Celidonio (2:12.06).
Phoebe Bacon took fifth (2:12.48) and Torri Huske was sixth (2:13.96), both looking to save something for the finals.
Women’s 200 free
Indiana’s Liberty Clark was out fast and hung on to take the top seed in the 200 free. She got to the wall in 1:52.80.
Tennessee’s Camille Spink took the second spot in 1:53.71, followed by Cal’s Rylee Erisman (1:54.76).
There will be more than three contenders in this loaded event.
Simone Manuel took the fourth seed in 1:54.76, ahead of Indiana’s Alex Shackell (1:55.40), Chloe Stepanek (1:56.24), Sandpiper’s Claire Weinstein (1:57.50) and Torri Huske (1:58.90), who swam the 200 IM, just minutes before.
In the finals, the men’s 1500 will be between the women’s 200 IM and 200 free, giving Huske a little bit of time to rest and reset.
Men’s 100 Free
Cal’s Jack Alexy threw down a 45.09 to take the top seed in the absolutely packed 100 free finals.
Olympic teammate Chris Guiliano took the second spot in 45.17, while Cal’s Gabriel Jett, fresh off his win in the 200 back, took the third seed in 45.74.
Indiana’s Matt King was fourth in 46.00, followed by Patrick Sammon (46.08), Cal’s Destin Lasco (46.25), Caeleb Dressel (46.37) and Grant House (46.55).
Dressel had some outside smoke from Lane 2 last night, perhaps that will be the case again.
Women’s 50 Butterfly
Gretchen Walsh cruised to the wall a full second ahead of the field in a strong prelims swim of 24.42 in the 50 fly.
Virginia teammate Claire Curzan was second in 25.42, well ahead of the rest of the field.
Alex Shackell (25.73) and Torri Huske (25.90) also made finals. For Huske it was the third final she made in a row.
Men’s 200 Butterfly
Luca Urlando put together a strong morning swim to take the top seed in the 200 fly (1:49.08).
He was nearly 2 seconds ahead of the field as Tyler Ray, now swimming for Longhorn Aquatics, took the second spot in 1:51.19, just ahead of Arizona State’s Ilya Kharun (1:51.26) and NYAC’s Mitchell Schott (1:52.86).
Cal’s Dare Rose took the fifth spot in 1:53.60.
Women’s 100 Breaststroke
Texas’ Piper Enge sprinted to the top time in the 100 breast, getting to the wall in 1:04.80.
Virginia’s Alex Walsh was second in 1:05.46 after swimming multiple events this morning., ahead of Maddy Huggins (1:05.79) and Mia Cheatwood (1:05.88).
Breeja Larson returned to her first national meet since the 2024 Olympic Trials and took the seventh spot in 1:06.27.
Men’s 50 Breaststroke
Indiana Swim Club’s Van Mathias continued his breaststroke dominance by breaking the American and U.S. Open record in the 50 breast.
Mathias got to the wall in 25.24 with his teammate Finn Brooks taking second in 25.96.
Mitch Mason and Brian Benzing tied for the third spot in 26.22.