U.S. Short Course Trials, Day Three Men’s Finals: Josh Bey Nails Down World Champs Bid in 400 IM
The world-record siren could blare again during Night Three men’s competition at the U.S. World Short Course Championships Trials in Westmont, Illinois. One night after he set a world record in the 100-meter breaststroke, Van Mathias will take aim at the global standard in the 50 breaststroke on Friday night at the FMC Natatorium. Mathias led morning qualifying in 25.24, which was good for an American record. The effort also put Mathias within striking range of the world record, held by Turkey’s Emre Sakci at 24.95 since 2021.
In the men’s 100 freestyle, Jack Alexy (45.09) and Chris Guiliano (45.17) set back-to-back U.S. Open records during the morning prelims and will use finals to challenge the world record of 44.84, jointly owned by Aussie Kyle Chalmers (2021) and Russian Egor Kornver (2026). Alexy is the American-record holder at 45.05 and is coming off a runnerup finish in the 50 freestyle, where he placed behind Caeleb Dressel, who is also in the field for the 100 freestyle.
Men’s action will also unfold in the 400 individual medley, 50 backstroke, 1500 freestyle and 200 butterfly, athletes chasing berths to the World Short Course Champs in Beijing in early December. Here is an event-by-event recap of the Night Three events:
Men’s 400 Individual Medley
Indiana’s Josh Bey built a nearly three-second advantage following the breaststroke leg and fended over Ryan Erisman on the closing freestyle to earn victory in the 400 individual medley, going 4:00.05. Bey narrowly trailed Erisman at the midway point of the race, but a breaststroke split of 1:06.42 was a difference maker and put the Illinois native in position to win close to home.
Bey just missed breaking the four-minute barrier, but his time was plenty fast enough to defeat Erisman, who touched the wall in 4:00.28. Third place went to Noah Cakir, who turned in a swim of 4:03.62. Erisman now owns a trio of top-three finishes at the meet, as he was the winner of the 800 freestyle on Night One and was third in the 400 freestyle on the second night of competition.
Men’s 50 Backstroke