Virginia Pro Am, Session 2: Gretchen Walsh, Jordan Crooks, Kate Douglass Set U.S. Open Marks
Katie Ledecky clocked a time of 15:15.49 in the women’s 1,500 freestyle at the Virginia Pro-Am on Friday.
That’s the third-fastest time in history. Only ahead of her is Ledecky’s world record of 15:08.24 in 2022 and Lani Pallister’s U.S. Open record of 15:13.83 from the World Cup last year.
The session also included a U.S. Open record from – hang on – backstroker Jordan Crooks? That’s right, the former Tennessee sprint start marked his return by going 22.60 in the 50 back to set the U.S. Open mark. It began with a 100 fly U.S. Open record for Gretchen Walsh.
Kate Douglass time-trialed a 50 freestyle after the session official ended, going 22.94. That’s a U.S. Open record, downing the 23.10 set by Walsh in a dual meet with Florida last fall. It’s her best time and slots in third all-time in world history, behind two swims from Walsh (including the 22.83 world record) and Ranomi Kromowidjojo’s 22.93 from 2017.
Women’s 100 butterfly
Gretchen Walsh started the morning with a blistering swim of 53.04. That’s the third-fastest time in history, trailing only her 52.71 and 52.87 from Worlds in 2024. She owns the top eight times in history.
It also obliterates her U.S. Open record of 53.69 from the World Cup in 2025.
Regan Smith finished second in 55.15. That’s a best time for her by more than two seconds over the 57.56 listed as her PB from the World Cup in Shanghai in 2024. Third was Simone Manuel in 58.33.
Men’s 100 butterfly
Tyler Ray dropped a time of 49.56 to best Caeleb Dressel and crack the top 10 performers in the world this year. Dressel was second in 49.86. Ray’s is the fifth-fastest performance in the world in 2026.
Dare Rose went 50.84 for third place.
Women’s 200 breaststroke
Kate Douglass set the world’s fastest time this year by going 2:15.65. That’s within two seconds of her U.S. Open record and two seconds clear of any time in the world this season.
Kristen Romano was second in 2:25.82.
Women’s 50 backstroke
Katharine Berkoff and Claire Curzan tied for the win and tied for the best time in the world this year to win in 25.43 seconds. That nearly nipped the U.S. Open record of 25.37 set by Gretchen Walsh last year.
Third was Isabelle Stadden in 25.91. Bryn Greenwaldt was fourth in 26.74
Men’s 50 backstroke
Look out world, Jordan Crooks is a backstroker now. The Tennessee grad and Cayman Island World Short-Course Champion went 22.60 to win the race. That down’s Hubert Kos’ U.S. Open mark of 22.65 from the 2025 World Cup and is not far off Ryan Murphy’s American record.
It is a top-30 all-time performance. It appears as though his previous best in the event dated to early 2020, when he went 25.23 at the Cayman National Championships.
Second was Lamar Taylor, Crooks’ Tennessee training partner, in 23.41.
Women’s 400 individual medley
Alex Walsh picked up a win in 4:27.12, becoming the ninth woman to break 4:30 this year. She’s no. 3 in the world this year.
Women’s 100 individual medley
Phoebe Bacon won the race in 58.72. Second was Kristen Romano in a best time of 1:00.02.
Bacon also time-trialed a 100 backstroke later in the session, going 57.76. Her best time is 57.10 from last year’s World Cup circuit.
Men’s 100 individual medley
Caeleb Dressel held off Brian Benzing with a time of 51.98. That’s 7th in the world this year. Benzing was second in 52.96, with Kieran Smith second in 53.20.
Men’s 1,500 freestyle
In a battle of Floridian freestylers, Ahmed Jaouadi and Bobby Finke posted top-five times in the world this year. Jaouadi won in 14:29.94, holding off Finke’s 14:32.14. Also breaking into the top 10 globally was Romanian Theo Proca, who went 14:39.01. That’s within five seconds of the Romanian record, as Proca owns the 800 free mark.