World Cup Toronto – Day Three Prelims: Gretchen Walsh, Kate Douglass Preparing for Night Showdown
After nearly three weeks of sensational racing in North America, the 2025 edition of the World Aquatics World Cup will conclude on Saturday night in Toronto. In addition to the meet featuring the final 11 races of the series, overall champions will be crowned. While Hungarian Hubert Kos is in command in the men’s standings, Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass are locked in a tight battle for the women’s crown.
The last session of prelims will allow Walsh and Douglass to position themselves for the evening finals, with Walsh slated to contest the 100 butterfly and Douglass scheduled for the 100 freestyle. Both women are the world-record holders in their respective events, with Douglass setting her mark at last week’s World Cup stop in Westmont (Ill.).
Here is an event-by-event recap of the Day Three prelims:
- Results
- Toronto Day One Recap
- Toronto Day Two Recap
- Westmont Day One Recap
- Westmont Day Two Recap
- Westmont Day Three Recap
- Carmel Day One Recap
- Carmel Day Two Recap
- Carmel Day Three Recap
Men’s 400 Individual Medley (Slowest Heats)
Japan’s Yumeki Kojima managed the top time of the morning, behind an effort of 4:11.33. Action will intensify at night when Shane Casas and Carson Foster occupy the middle lanes in the timed final, each seeded in 3:57-mid territory. Foster won the event at the Carmel stop of the World Cup tour while Casas emerged victorious last week in Westmont.
Women’s 100 Butterfly
World-record holder Gretchen Walsh blazed through the prelims in 53.83, a time only she has bettered. En route to the sixth-fastest time in history, the American easily secured the top seed for the final. She was followed as the No. 2 qualifier by Australian Alexandria Perkins, who touched the wall in 56.11, with Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey going 56.43 for the third seed. Perkins set an Aussie record in the 50 fly on Friday night.
Men’s 50 Butterfly
Canadian Ilya Kharun is seeking a sweep of the 50 butterfly during the World Cup, but that pursuit of a Triple Crown won’t be easy. Kharun took the top seed with a morning swim of 21.85, but Switzerland’s Noe Ponti (21.87) and Canada’s Josh Liendo (21.99) are lurking. Liendo set a world record in the 100 fly on the opening night in Toronto.
Women’s 200 Backstroke
Anastasiya Shkurdai earned Lane Four for the final of the 200 backstroke, behind an outing of 2:03.99. But make no mistake, the final will be a duel for the title between Aussie Kaylee McKeown and American Regan Smith, who last week delivered the two-fastest times in history. McKeown (2:04.20) and Smith (2:04.34) eased through their morning heats to set up their night showdown. Last week, McKeown set a world record of 1:57.87 while Smith raced to an American standard of 1:57.91.
Men’s 100 Backstroke
All that separates Hubert Kos from a perfect World Cup in the backstroke events is a victory over the 100-meter distance. Kos has already secured Triple Crowns in the 50 backstroke and 200 backstroke and grabbed the second seed in the 100 backstroke with an easy morning performance of 49.95. Poland’s Kacper Stokowski posted the fastest time of prelims with a swim of 49.80.
Women’s 50 Breaststroke
Belgium’s Florine Gaspard notched the only sub-30 effort of prelims as she covered her two laps in 29.99 to book Lane Four for the final. Ireland’s Mona McSharry figures to be a major challenger at night, after clocking in at 30.10 for the second seed.
Men’s 200 Breaststroke
The Netherlands’ Caspar Corbeau has enjoyed a terrific World Cup series and is chasing a Triple Crown in the 200 breaststroke following previous wins in Carmel and Westmont. Already the winner of the 50 breaststroke and 100 breaststroke in Toronto, Corbeau comfortably turned in the fastest time of prelims, with a time of 2:03.72. That swim was more than two seconds faster than the 2:06.04 marks from Ippei Watanabe and David Schlict.
Women’s 100 Freestyle
Coming off a world record in the 100 freestyle in Westmont, where she went 50.19, Kate Douglass will race out of Lane Five during the final in Toronto. Douglass produced a prelim performance of 51.59, which was good for second place behind Aussie Mollie O’Callaghan, who was timed in 51.54. Douglass will need a big swim at night as she battles with Gretchen Walsh for the overall World Cup crown.
Men’s 200 Freestyle
Another Triple Crown is being pursued in this race, as Luke Hobson is seeking his third straight triumph. Hobson managed the second-fastest time of the morning, clocking in at 1:41.62, but he’ll have a challenge from fellow American Chris Guiliano. With a swim of 1:40.19 in prelims, Guiliano looked sharp and ready to battle for the title in finals.
Women’s 200 Individual Medley
The United States’ Alex Walsh and Ireland’s Ellen Walshe went one-two in the prelims of the 200 individual medley, with the American taking the top seed in 2:05.59. Walshe, coming off an Irish record and win in the 400 IM, picked up the second seed for the night behing a time of 2:06.39.