\t\t\t\t\t2026 PRO SWIM SERIES \u2013 AUSTIN<\/p>\n
The penultimate night of the 2026 Pro Swim Series in Austin is set to commence in less than an hour, with the fastest heat of the men\u2019s 800 free kicking off the action. The session continues with finals of the women\u2019s and men\u2019s 50 breaststroke, followed by finals of the women\u2019s and men\u2019s 200 free. Semifinals of the women\u2019s and men\u2019s 50 butterfly come next, followed by finals of the women\u2019s and men\u2019s 400 IM, before the evening concludes with semifinals of the women\u2019s and men\u2019s 50 backstroke.<\/p>\n
As a reminder, the new series format<\/a> features semifinals for all four 50s of stroke and the 200 IM at this first stop, with these events rotating over the next three stops. The top eight from the semis advance to tomorrow night\u2019s finals, extending the meet to four days of competition with eight total sessions.<\/p>\n If you missed any of the action so far, reference the bullet points above to catch up.<\/p>\n Stay tuned for live updates below.<\/p>\n MEN\u2019S 800M FREESTYLE \u2013 TIMED FINALS<\/p>\n Top 8 Finishers:<\/p>\n Daniel Wiffen<\/a> (CAL) \u2013 7:50.37 The men\u2019s 800 free delivered an exciting showdown between the past two Olympic champions and hot-hand Ryan Erisman<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cal freshman Erisman\u00a0jumped out to an early lead, but Ireland\u2019s Daniel Wiffen<\/a>, his training partner, had taken over by the 50, leading Erisman by six-tenths, with Bobby Finke<\/a> just over four-tenths behind. At the 100, Wiffen maintained his lead in 55.36, with Uzbek distance specialist Ilia Sibirtsev 1.01 behind and Finke third, 1.13 back.<\/p>\n Wiffen steadily extended his advantage through the middle of the race, leading Sibirtsev by 1.12 at the 200 and 1.42 at the 300, while Finke stayed within striking distance. By the halfway mark, Finke had moved past Sibirtsev into second, but Wiffen continued to pull away, flipping at 3:54.16 with Finke 1.51 behind and Sibirtsev 1.80 back.<\/p>\n The race remained relatively stable over the next 300 before Wiffen made his final move. With 100 to go, he opened his biggest lead at 1.81 seconds over Finke, while Sibirtsev fell off the pace entirely. Meanwhile, Erisman staged a late charge on the final 50, nearly catching Finke for second.<\/p>\n Erisman, after winning the 400 free in a near personal-best 3:46.74 less than 24 hours ago, did the same here, finishing 0.13 behind the personal best of 7:51.74 he clocked to win bronze at this summer\u2019s World University Games.<\/p>\n After the race, Wiffen reflected on his move to California: \u201cIt\u2019s been a fun time. Obviously moving to California, we\u2019ve got a great group there as well. We\u2019re going hard in training at the moment, but it was nice to see that result on the board. You know, with Bobby in there, you always know what he\u2019s capable of.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked about his finishing move from 650 to 700, Wiffen said: \u201cThe plan was to go out hard at the start and see if I could hold on. I was able to hold on, but I was dying at the end. I still made it to the wall first, but it was a great race on both parts of it.\u201d<\/p>\n WOMEN\u2019s 50M BREASTSTROKE \u2014 FINAL<\/p>\n Top 8 Finishers:<\/p>\n Skyler Smith<\/a> (NCAC) \u2013 30.43 UNC graduate Skyler Smith<\/a> got out to an early lead in the women\u2019s 50 breast, getting the best of the start and pullout. Despite a hard charge from Anna Elendt<\/a>, the reigning world champion in the 100 breast, over the final 15 meters, Smith held on for the win by 33 one-hundredths in a time of 30.43. She finished just two one-hundereths off her 30.41 PB from the 2023 U.S. Nationals.<\/p>\n Elendt settled for runner-up in 30.76, a new season best; her lifetime best remains the 30.10 she produced during the 2022 Mare Nostrum circuit.<\/p>\n Quad A\u2019s Kate Canales<\/a>, a Florida commit, logged 32.02 for third place, six one-hundredths outside her lifetime best of 31.96.<\/p>\n Speaking after the win, Smith said: \u201cI love the 50. We\u2019ve been training a lot of it, working on our starts and our finishes. So I\u2019m just happy it all came together.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked about her development over the last year, Smith credited her training environment: \u201cI have a great group of people I swim with every single day. They\u2019re having a ball and pushing me right now. All my love goes out to B group, and I\u2019m so thankful to be training with all of them. My coaches and support staff at Carolina\u2014I wouldn\u2019t be here without them.\u201d<\/p>\n MEN\u2019S 50M BREASTSTROKE \u2014 FINAL<\/p>\n Top 8 Finishers:<\/p>\n Van Mathias<\/a> (ISC) \u2013 26.89 To no one\u2019s surprise, Indiana\u2019s Director of Operations Van Mathias<\/a>, who ripped a world-leading 26.57 in prelims to rank as the #3 American of all time in the event<\/a>, dominated from the start.<\/p>\n Mathias popped up off the start even with the rest of the field but pulled away over the final 15 meters to secure the win with the only sub-27 outing of the evening. He stopped the clock at 26.89, with Cardinal Aquatics\u2019 Denis Petrashov<\/a> (27.12), the reigning world bronze medalist in the 100 breast, and Texas Ford Aquatics\u2019 Mitch Mason<\/a> (27.33) rounding out the top three.<\/p>\n Mason sliced two one-hundredths off his lifetime best from yesterday\u2019s semifinals, while Petrashov has been as quick as 26.94 last May.<\/p>\n Speaking after the win, Mathias reflected on his recent training: \u201cIt\u2019s been fun. A lot of hard work. Trying some new stuff with breaststroke, but it\u2019s been a blast. It\u2019s been a new lease on life in swimming, and I\u2019m happy to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an amazing group. A lot of good talent, a lot of guys who work really hard, especially in breaststroke. Being in that environment is a blessing, and I can\u2019t take it for granted,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n On balancing his coaching duties with training, Mathias joked: \u201cWell, we work a little bit, we swim a little bit, we work some more.\u201d<\/p>\n WOMEN\u2019S 200M FREESTYLE \u2014 FINAL<\/p>\n Top 8 Finishers:<\/p>\n Claire Weinstein<\/a> (UN-CA) \u2013 1:56.62 Claire Weinstein<\/a> used a strong final 50 to win the women\u2019s 200 free in her second-fastest in-season time ever at 1:56.62. After flipping fourth at the 150, she split 29.2 on the final 50 to secure the win.<\/p>\n Indiana\u2019s Anna Peplowski chopped about half a second off her season best to finish second in 1:57.01, while Rylee Erisman<\/a> clocked her #2 time ever at 1:57.19 for third.<\/p>\n Speaking after the race, Weinstein reflected on building momentum from her bronze medal in this event at World Championships in Singapore last summer: \u201cI mean, it\u2019s nice to get some long course racing in again early in the year. I\u2019ve been trying not to be too far removed from long course as we get into the season. I\u2019m really glad we ended up coming to this meet.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked about adjusting to college life at Cal, Weinstein said: \u201cIt\u2019s been amazing. Obviously, college is a huge adjustment. The biggest thing for me has been the academics, honestly, because I did online all four years of high school. But it\u2019s definitely been a good challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n On those early morning classes, she laughed: \u201cWe\u2019ll see if they take attendance.\u201d<\/p>\n MEN\u2019S 200M FREESTYLE \u2014 FINAL<\/p>\n Top 8 Finishers:<\/p>\n Ryan Erisman<\/a> (CAL) \u2013 1:46.66 Despite Chris Guiliano leading for the first 150 meters, Ryan Erisman<\/a> pulled off a massive upset over the final 50 to win with the only sub-1:47 performance of the night at 1:46.66. Bouncing back from his near-personal-best 800 free about 20 minutes prior, Erisman closed in 26.6 over the final 50, breaking 1:47 for the first time in his career.<\/p>\n Texas training partners Luke Hobson<\/a> (1:47.31), the reigning world silver medalist and Olympic bronze medalist, finished second, while Carson Foster logged 1:47.49 for third.<\/p>\n Speaking after the race, Erisman admitted he surprised himself: \u201cI\u2019m not really sure, to be honest. It was just a great race. I knew Guiliano was in it for the first 150, but I got the last 50.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked what he was thinking going into the final turn with so many veteran stars in the field, Erisman said: \u201cI just had nothing to lose, so I may as well just put myself in it and attack the last 50.\u201d<\/p>\n WOMEN\u2019S 50M BUTTERFLY \u2014 SEMIFINALS<\/p>\n Top 8 Qualifiers For Tomorrow\u2019s Final:<\/p>\n Marie Wattel<\/a> (FRA) \u2013 26.53 France\u2019s Marie Wattel<\/a>, currently training at ASU, led a trio of sub-27 swims into the women\u2019s 50 fly final.<\/p>\n She stopped the clock at 26.53 to lead Mena Boardman<\/a> (26.54) and 100 backstroke world junior champion Charlotte Crush<\/a> (26.67) into tomorrow\u2019s final.<\/p>\n Wattel\u2019s best remains the 25.33 she produced at the 2022 European Championships, while Boardman has been as quick as 26.23, which she clocked for fourth at the 2025 U.S. National Championships. Crush\u2019s personal best stands at 26.18 from July 2023.<\/p>\n MEN\u2019S 50M BUTTERFLY \u2014 SEMIFINALS<\/p>\n Top 8 Qualifiers For Tomorrow\u2019s Final:<\/p>\n Maxime Grousset<\/a> (FRA) \u2013 22.81 France\u2019s Maxime Grousset<\/a>, the reigning world champion in both sprint fly events, ripped a new U.S. Open Record en route to securing the top seed. His best time remains the 22.48 he produced en route to the world title last July.<\/p>\n He posted a time of 22.81 to clip Caeleb Dressel<\/a>\u2018s 2022 mark of 22.84. Van Mathias<\/a> doubled back well to qualify second for tomorrow\u2019s final in 23.46, while Dressel managed a 23.50 to safely qualify third.<\/p>\n Mathias hacked just under two-tenths off his lifetime best of 23.64 from the U.S. Open in December, while Dressel\u2019s 2019 personal best and American Record of 22.35 stand as the #2 performance in world history.<\/p>\n WOMEN\u2019s 400M IM \u2014 FINAL<\/p>\n Top 8 Finishers:<\/p>\n MEN\u2019S 400M IM \u2014 FINAL<\/p>\n Top 8 Finishers:<\/p>\n WOMEN\u2019S 50M BACKSTROKE \u2013 SEMIFINALS<\/p>\n Top 8 Qualifiers For Tomorrow\u2019s Final:<\/p>\n MEN\u2019S 50M BACKSTROKE \u2013 SEMIFINALS<\/p>\n Top 8 Qualifiers For Tomorrow\u2019s Final:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"2026 PRO SWIM SERIES \u2013 AUSTIN The penultimate night of the 2026 Pro Swim Series in Austin is…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":126546,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[54630,54324,54631,50876,54632,54326,132,134,133,54633,50880,50882,50884,50886,50887,54634,50888,54635,54327,50891,54636,54637,53686,54328,54638,54329,54330,54331,50896,54639,54640,50898,50899,54641,50901,53930,54642,54332,54333,53321,54643,54644,54645,50903,54334,54646,50904,50905,54647,54335,50906,50908,50909,54648,50911,54649],"class_list":{"0":"post-126545","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-austin","8":"tag-adam-peaty","9":"tag-allison-schmitt","10":"tag-andrii-govorov","11":"tag-anna-elendt","12":"tag-anna-pelowski","13":"tag-ariarne-titmus","14":"tag-austin","15":"tag-austin-headlines","16":"tag-austin-news","17":"tag-benedetta-pilato","18":"tag-bobby-finke","19":"tag-caeleb-dressel","20":"tag-charlotte-crush","21":"tag-claire-weinstein","22":"tag-daniel-wiffen","23":"tag-david-popovici","24":"tag-denis-petrashov","25":"tag-diogo-matos-ribeiro","26":"tag-gretchen-walsh","27":"tag-hunter-armstrong","28":"tag-ilya-borodin","29":"tag-ilya-kharun","30":"tag-kate-canales","31":"tag-katharine-berkoff","32":"tag-katie-hoff","33":"tag-kaylee-mckeown","34":"tag-kliment-kolesnikov","35":"tag-kylie-masse","36":"tag-leon-marchand","37":"tag-lilly-king","38":"tag-lorenzo-galossi","39":"tag-luke-hobson","40":"tag-marie-wattel","41":"tag-matt-targett","42":"tag-maxime-grousset","43":"tag-mena-boardman","44":"tag-michael-andrew","45":"tag-michael-phelps","46":"tag-minna-atherton","47":"tag-mitch-mason","48":"tag-nic-fink","49":"tag-nicolo-martinenghi","50":"tag-paul-biedermann","51":"tag-regan-smith","52":"tag-rikako-ikee","53":"tag-ruta-meilutyte","54":"tag-ryan-erisman","55":"tag-rylee-erisman","56":"tag-sam-short","57":"tag-sarah-sjostrom","58":"tag-shaine-casas","59":"tag-skyler-smith","60":"tag-summer-mcintosh","61":"tag-sun-yang","62":"tag-van-mathias","63":"tag-zhang-lin"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126545"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126545\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/126546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=126545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=126545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nBobby Finke<\/a> (SPA) \u2013 7:51.50
\nRyan Erisman<\/a> (CAL) \u2013 7:51.87
\nLucas Henveaux (CAL) \u2013 7:58.44
\nIlia Sibirtsev (UZB) \u2013 8:00.09
\nDamien Joly (FRA) \u2013 8:05.87
\nEmile Vincent (FRA) \u2013 8:07.63
\nTreyvn Krauss (TOPS) \u2013 8:17.74<\/p>\n
\nAnna Elendt<\/a> (TXLA) \u2013 30.76
\nKate Canales<\/a> (AAAA) \u2013 32.02
\nCaprie Moreno (TIDE) \u2013 33.07
\nElla Peterson (DADS) \u2013 33.39
\nMaya McCarney (NCAP) \u2013 33.67
\nGrace Hunt (YSSC) \u2013 33.81
\nAudrey Deras (MOR) \u2013 34.15<\/p>\n
\nDenis Petrashov<\/a> (CARD) \u2013 27.12
\nMitch Mason<\/a> (TFA) \u2013 27.33
\nJack Kelly (NYAC) \u2013 27.61
\nFinn Brooks (ISC) \u2013 27.65
\nBrian Benzing (ISC) \u2013 27.72
\nAndres Puente Bustamante (TFA) \u2013 27.82
\nJeremie Delbois (FRA) \u2013 27.94<\/p>\n
\nAnna Peplowski (ISC) \u2013 1:57.01
\nRylee Erisman<\/a> (LAKR) \u2013 1:57.19
\nSimone Manuel (TXLA) \u2013 1:57.58
\nChloe Stepanek (LIAC) \u2013 2:01.57
\nBlakely Hammel (EAJ) \u2013 2:01.71
\nBrinkleigh Hansen (SPA-FL) \u2013 2:02.12
\nAva Chavez (CAL) \u2013 2:03.14<\/p>\n
\nLuke Hobson<\/a> (NYAC) \u2013 1:47.31
\nCarson Foster (NYAC) \u2013 1:47.49
\nGabriel Jett (CAL) \u2013 1:47.55
\nChris Guiliano (TXLA) \u2013 1:47.69
\nPatrick Sammon (NYAC) \u2013 1:48.25
\nDenis Loktev (ISR) \u2013 1:48.41
\nLucas Henveaux (CAL) \u2013 1:49.13<\/p>\n
\nMena Boardman<\/a> (CS) \u2013 26.54
\nCharlotte Crush<\/a> (LAK) \u2013 26.67
\nEmma Harvey (BER) \u2013 27.07
\nSkyler Smith<\/a> (NCAC) \u2013 27.27
\nLorelai Frauenfelder (TOPS) \u2013 27.41
\nLindsay Looney (TXLA) \u2013 27.54
\nTanishi Gupta (ALTO) \u2013 27.82<\/p>\n
\nVan Mathias<\/a> (ISC) \u2013 23.46
\nCaeleb Dressel<\/a> (SJAC) \u2013 23.50
\nNikita Baez (FRA) \u2013 23.56
\nFinn Brooks (ISC) \u2013 23.60
\nMatt King (ISC) \u2013 23.70
\nMasahiro Kawane (MEI) \u2013 23.80
\nLuke Barr (TFA) \u2013 24.02<\/p>\n