\t\t\t\t\t2026 U.S. National Championships<\/p>\n
Welcome to the fifth and last finals session of the 2026 U.S. National Championships.<\/p>\n
Tonight\u2019s session has both the longest and shortest events in swimming, with the women\u2019s 1500 freestyle opening the session and the men\u2019s 50 freestyle closing it out.<\/p>\n
Katie Grimes<\/a> is the top seed in the women\u2019s 1500 freestyle, and she could have a very strong race after she swam one of her fastest 400 IM times in history earlier in the meet.<\/p>\n The women\u2019s 200 IM will see Alex Walsh<\/a> race as the top seed after she swam 2:10.39 in prelims to qualify half a second ahead of Campbell Chase<\/a> from Longhorn Aquatics. The rest of the final is also close with fellow UVA swimmers Leah Hayes<\/a> and Teagan O\u2019Dell qualifying 3rd and 4th, both under 2:12.<\/p>\n The men\u2019s 200 IM final could also be exciting with many of the top eight swimmers having strong swims throughout the meet. Owen McDonald<\/a> is the top seed with his 1:57.71, but any athlete in the top eight, including 8th seed Maximus Williamson<\/a>, could walk home with the national title.<\/p>\n The men\u2019s 800 freestyle will race after the 200 IM, and we will get to see a rematch of last night\u2019s 400 free final between Luka Mijatovic<\/a> and Ryan Erisman<\/a>. Erisman is the top seed in 7:45.42, just under two seconds ahead of Mijatovic\u2019s 7:47.08.<\/p>\n The meet will wrap up with the 50 freestyle. World record holder Gretchen Walsh<\/a> is the top seed on the women\u2019s side with the 23.96 she swam in prelims sitting four tenths ahead of Anna Moesch<\/a>\u2018s 24.39 in 2nd. Liberty Clark<\/a> and Camille Spink<\/a> are also podium contenders at 24.53 and 24.55 respectively.<\/p>\n The men\u2019s 50 freestyle will be the final event of the meet, and Caeleb Dressel<\/a> is looking to pick up his 2nd national title after he swam 21.45 in prelims to qualify three tenths ahead of Quintin McCarty<\/a>\u2018s 21.73 in 2nd.<\/p>\n Women\u2019s 1500 Freestyle \u2014 Timed Final (Fastest Heat)<\/p>\n World Record: 15:20.48 \u2014 Katie Ledecky, United States (2018) Top 8 Finishers<\/p>\n Katie Grimes<\/a> (CA) \u2014 15:55.69 After setting her fastest 400 IM time in more than two years a few nights ago, Katie Grimes<\/a> repeated the feat to win the women\u2019s 1500 freestyle final, stopping the clock in 15:55.69, her fastest swim in more than four years.<\/p>\n Before this season, Grimes had not swum the race since the 2024 Olympic Games, when she swam 16:12.11 to finish 10th overall. She swam it for the first time since at the Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis at the end of June, stopping the clock in 16:04.20.<\/p>\n Tonight, she took the lead early, splitting 1:00.39 on the opening 100 to lead Sydney Schoeck<\/a>\u2018s 1:01.74 in 2nd more than a second. She only extended her lead throughout the race, splitting between 31-high and 32-lows to swim her fastest time since the 2022 World Championships, when she won the silver medal in 15:44.89.<\/p>\n Kate Hurst<\/a> took 2nd overall, touching in 16:04.46 to drop five seconds from her 2023 lifetime best of 16:09.37. She held mostly 32-low 50s with a few 31 second splits mixed in.<\/p>\n Nebraska\u2019s Gena Jorgenson<\/a> took 3rd in 16:12.73. This was also a personal best time by about a second from the 16:13.87 she swam in June of 2026.<\/p>\n Zayda Miehl<\/a>, a 16-year-old from Corvallis Aquatic Team in Oregon, swam the top 18 & Under time to secure her roster spot for the 2026 Junior Pan Pacific Championships. She swam in the early heats and set a personal best time of 16:15.93, taking 17 seconds off the 16:32.77 mark she set at the end of May. She came into the season at 16:37.99 from last August\u2019s Junior Nationals.<\/p>\n Women\u2019s 200 Individual Medley \u2014 Finals<\/p>\n Top 8 Finishers<\/p>\n Alex Walsh<\/a> (NYAC) \u2014 2:08.59 The women\u2019s 200 IM final went to Alex Walsh<\/a> in 2:08.59, a second-and-a-half ahead of Texas Longhorn Campbell Chase<\/a>\u2018s 2:10.09 in 2nd place.<\/p>\n Walsh was in 2nd after the 50, splitting 27.58 to sit five hundredths behind Emily Brown<\/a>\u2018s leading 27.53. Teagan O\u2019Dell was 3rd in 27.60.She stayed in that position after the backstroke, splitting 33.18, though O\u2019Dell moved into the lead after she split 33.15.<\/p>\n Walsh took over the lead on the breaststroke led, swimming 36.74 to pass O\u2019Dell\u2019s 38.39 split by more than a second.\u00a0She came home in 30.85, the 2nd fastest closing 50 split in the field to set a new season best time in the event.<\/p>\n Chase split 27.94\/33.81\/37.88 over the first 150 before she had the fastest closing split in the field of 30.46 to earn the silver medal. She dropped about a second from her previous best of 2:10.95, which she set last July.<\/p>\n O\u2019Dell came home in 31.06 to stop the clock in 2:10.20, a full second drop fromt he 2:11.24 she swam last July.<\/p>\n Audrey Derivaux<\/a> swam 2:11.89 to win the junior final, splitting 27.69\/32.97\/40.54\/30.69. She added about a second from her best of 2:10.32, which she set in May.<\/p>\n Men\u2019s 200 Individual Medley \u2014 Finals<\/p>\n World Record: 1:52.69 \u2014 L\u00e9on Marchand, France (2024) Top 8 Finishers<\/p>\n Maximus Williamson<\/a> (LAC) \u2014 1:56.40 In a rematch of sorts from the 2026 NCAA Championships, Maximus Williamson<\/a> set a massive personal best time in the men\u2019s 200 IM, stopping the clock in 1:56.40 to win the national title and become the 8th fastest performer in American history.<\/p>\n Williamson started the race in 3rd, splitting 24.85 on the opening 50 to sit about a tenth behind Owen McDonald<\/a>\u2018s 24.74. He quickly moved into the lead after that, swimming 28.71 on the backstroke leg to sit more than a tenth ahead of Owen McDonald<\/a>, who swam 28.98 on the backstroke.<\/p>\n Williamson only continued to extend his lead, swimming 34.32 on the breaststroke efore coming home in 28.52 to lock up the top time and drop about a second from his previous lifetime best of 1:57.29 from September of 2023.<\/p>\n Updated Top-10 All-Time Americans<\/p>\n Ryan Lochte \u2014 1:54.00 (2011) McDonald split 34.76\/29.20 over his final 100 meters to swim 1:57.68 for 2nd place, a tenth add from the 1:57.51 he swam at the 2024 Olympic Trials.<\/p>\n Kieran Smith<\/a> won the bronze medal in 1:58.36, splitting 25.19\/29.67\/34.70\/28.80. This was a little more than a second add from his lifetime best of 1:56.97, which he set at the Olympic Trials in June of 2024.<\/p>\n Men\u2019s 800 Free \u2014 Timed Final (Fastest Heat)<\/p>\n World Record: 7:32.12 \u2014 Zhang Lin, China (2009) Top 8 Finishers<\/p>\n Ryan Erisman<\/a> (CAL) \u2014 7:43.53 Ryan Erisman<\/a> had a massive comeback in the men\u2019s 800 freestyle, stopping the clock in 7:43.65 to become the 2nd fastest American in history in the event and pick up his 3rd national title of the meet.<\/p>\n At the start of the race, Erisman, William Mulgrew<\/a>, and Luka Mijatovic<\/a> were locked in a tight battle. Mijatovic held a slight lead at the 100 mark, splitting 54.85 to sit about a tenth ahead of Mulgrew\u2019s 54.94 and Erisman\u2019s 55.15.<\/p>\n By the 200, Mulgrew and Erisman had taken a slight lead, both turning in 1:53.61 to sit just four hundredths ahead of Mijatovic\u2019s 1:53.68.<\/p>\n Mulgrew quickly moved into the lead, and at the 400 mark, he turned in 3:52.26 to sit about a second ahead of Erisman\u2019s 3:53.14. Mijatovic had overtaken Erisman for 2nd, and turned in 3:52.93.<\/p>\n Mulgrew extended his lead, and at the 500, he was nearly two seconds ahead, flipping in 4:50.88 with Erisman turning in 4:52.79 and Mijatovic splitting 4:52.72.<\/p>\n Erisman started building into the race after that point, dropping into the 29-low range for the next 100 meters, and by the 500, he had surpassed Mijatovic and cut Mulgrew\u2019s lead to a little more than a second. He flipped in 5:51.18 to Mulgrew\u2019s 5:49.99.<\/p>\n Over the last 200 meters, Erisman turned on the gas in a massive way. He split 28.83\/28.73\/27.83\/26.96 over the final 200 meters for a total split of 1:52.35. He overtook Mulgrew for the lead at the 750 meter mark, and finished more than a second ahead. Erisman massively negative split his 400s, swimming 3:53.14\/3:50.39.<\/p>\n Mulgrew swam 1:55.22 on his final 200, and he nearly even split his 400s at 3:52.26\/3:52.94. He stopped the clock in 7:45.21, taking six seconds off his best of 7:51.99, which he swam at last summer\u2019s World Junior Championships. he will become the 8th fastest performer in history in the event.<\/p>\n Updated Top-10 All-Time Americans<\/p>\n Bobby Finke \u2014 7:38.67 (2023) Mijatovic finished 3rd in 7:46.57, a new personal best by five tenths from the 7:47.08 he swam in May.<\/p>\n Women\u2019s 50 Freestyle \u2014 Finals<\/p>\n Top 8 Finishers<\/p>\n Gretchen Walsh<\/a> (NYAC) \u2014 23.60 *CR Gretchen Walsh<\/a> set the 3rd fastest performance in history in the women\u2019s 50 freestyle, stopping the clock in 23.60 to pick up a new meet record and win the event by four tenths.<\/p>\n Her swim was five hundredths off her own world record time of 23.55 from the end of June, and it came in just one hundredth behind Kate Douglass\u2019 former world record of 23.59.<\/p>\n Updated Top-5 Performances<\/p>\n Gretchen Walsh<\/a>, USA \u2014 23.55 (2026) Anna Moesch<\/a> took 2nd in a lifetime best 24.05, taking a 0.15 seconds off the 24.20 she swam at the Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis.<\/p>\n Liberty Clark<\/a> took 3rd in 24.28, four tenths faster than the 24.67 she swam at the U.S. Open in December, and Camille Spink<\/a> finished 4th in a lifetime best 24.39, half-a-second faster than the 24.84 she swam in May.<\/p>\n Gabi Brito<\/a> won the 18 & Under final in 24.99, taking four tenths off the 25.42 she swam in June of 2024 and marking her first time under 25 seconds.<\/p>\n Men\u2019s 50 Freestyle \u2014 Finals<\/p>\n Top 8 Finishers<\/p>\n Caeleb Dressel<\/a> (SJAC) \u2014 21.35 Caeleb Dressel<\/a> continued to prove that he is\u00a0back and that he will be a major contender in the next few years. He won his 2nd national title of the week, swimming 21.35 to win the men\u2019s 50 freestyle by four tenths over Quintin McCarty<\/a>.<\/p>\n Dressel\u2019s swim makes him the 3rd fastest performer in the world this year, only behind world record holder Cameron McEvoy and Russia\u2019s Egor Kornev. It is also his fastest swim in the event since April of 2022 when he swam 21.29 at the International Team Trials.<\/p>\n McCarty sawm 21.75 to take 2nd, three tenths off his best of 21.43, which he swam at the Mare Nostrum stop in Monaco.<\/p>\n Nikita Sheremet<\/a> finished 3rd in 21.76, a tenth off his best of 21.62 from the TYR Pro Series in Westmont.<\/p>\n The junior final had some excitement with first alternate Ty Thomas<\/a> taking Austin Carpenter<\/a>\u2018s place in the heat, racing in a speedo since he did not have time to change into a tech suit. He finished 8th in 23.18, only nine hundredths off his prelims swim of 23.09.<\/p>\n
\nAmerican Record: 15:20.48 \u2014 Katie Ledecky (2018)
\nU.S. Open Record: 15:20.48 \u2014 Katie Ledecky (2018)<\/p>\n
\nKate Hurst<\/a> (TXLA) \u2014 16:04.46
\nGena Jorgenson<\/a> (HUSK) \u2014 16:12.73
\nMila Nikanorov<\/a> (OSU) \u2014 16:13.80
\nZayda Miehl<\/a> (CAT) \u2014 16:15.93
\nSydney Schoeck<\/a> (CSP) \u2014 16:19.26
\nLeticia Fassina Romao<\/a> (UOFL) \u2014 16:21.84
\nPaige Downey<\/a> (UN) \u2014 16:24.11<\/p>\n
\nCampbell Chase<\/a> (TXLA) \u2014 2:10.09
\nTeagan O\u2019Dell (PLS) \u2014 2:10.20
\nLeah Hayes<\/a> (CA) \u2014 2:10.82
\nEmily Brown<\/a> (TNAQ) \u2014 2:11.03
\nKatie Christopherson<\/a> (SA) \u2014 2:13.13
\nEmily Thompson<\/a> (CSCY) \u2014 2:14.06
\nGrace Rabb<\/a> (GSC) \u2014 2:15.40<\/p>\n
\nAmerican Record: 1:54.00 \u2014\u00a0Ryan Lochte<\/a>\u00a0(2011)
\nU.S. Open Record: 1:54.43 \u2013\u00a0Ryan Lochte<\/a>\u00a0(2010)<\/p>\n
\nOwen McDonald<\/a> (ISC) \u2014 1:57.68
\nKieran Smith<\/a> (RAC) \u2014 1:58.36
\nBaylor Nelson<\/a> (TXLA) \u2014 1:58.40
\nLogan Brown<\/a> (AGS) \u2014 1:58.44
\nLuke Barr<\/a> (TFA) \u2014 1:58.55
\nJosh Bey<\/a> (ISC) \u2014 1:58.86
\nMitchell Schott<\/a> (NYAC) \u2014 1:59.85<\/p>\n
\nMichael Phelps \u2014 1:54.16 (2011)
\nShaine Casas \u2014 1:54.30 (2025)
\nMichael Andrew \u2014 1:55.26 (2021)
\nEric Shanteau \u2014 1:55.36 (2009)
\nChase Kalisz \u2014 1:55.40 (2018)
\nCarson Foster \u2014 1:55.65 (2024)
\nMaximus Williamson<\/a> \u2014 1:56.40 (2026)
\nAbrahm DeVine \u2014 1:56.79 (2017)
\nSam Stewart \u2014 1:56.91 (2022)<\/p>\n
\nAmerican Record: 7:38.67 \u2014 Bobby Finke (2023)
\nU.S. Open Record: 7:40.34 \u2014 Bobby Finke (2023)<\/p>\n
\nWilliam Mulgrew<\/a> (SAC) \u2014 7:45.21
\nLuka Mijatovic<\/a> (PLS) \u2014 7:46.57
\nSean Green<\/a> (LIAC) \u2014 7:54.57
\nCarson Hick<\/a> (KYA) \u2014 7:57.58
\nAhmed Hafnaoui<\/a> (UN) \u2014 7:57.65
\nAiden Hammer<\/a> (TXLA) \u2014 7:58.04
\nMax Carlsen<\/a> (WOLF) \u2014 7:58.96<\/p>\n
\nRyan Erisman<\/a> \u2014 7:43.53 (2026)
\nMichael McBroom \u2014 7:43.60 (2013)
\nZane Grothe \u2014 7:43.74 (2018)
\nConnor Jaeger \u2014 7:44.26 (2013)
\nJordan Wilimovsky\/Luke Whitlock \u2014 7:45.19 (2018\/2024)
\n\u2014
\nWilliam Mulgrew<\/a> \u2014 7:45.21 (2026)
\nLarsen Jensen \u2014 7:45.63 (2005)
\nChad La Tourette \u2014 7:46.52 (2011)<\/p>\n
\nAnna Moesch<\/a> (GSCY) \u2014 24.05
\nLiberty Clark<\/a> (ISC) \u2014 24.28
\nCamille Spink<\/a> (TNAQ) \u2014 24.39
\nMaxine Parker<\/a> (FAST) \u2014 24.61
\nAnnam Olasewere<\/a> (ALTO) \u2014 24.71
\nCadence Vincent<\/a> (BAMA)\/Caroline Larsen<\/a> (UOFL) \u2014 24.72
\n\u2014<\/p>\n
\nKate Douglass, USA \u2014 23.59 (2026)
\nGretchen Walsh<\/a>, USA \u2014 23.60 (2026)
\nSarah Sjostrom, SWE \u2014 23.61 (2023)
\nSarah Sjostrom, SWE \u2014 23.62 (2023)<\/p>\n
\nQuintin McCarty<\/a> (WOLF) \u2014 21.75
\nNikita Sheremet<\/a> (UOFL) \u2014 21.76
\nBrendan Whitfield<\/a> (VT) \u2014 21.78
\nMichael Andrew (MASA) \u2014 21.92
\nWarner Russ<\/a> (AU) \u2014 21.95
\nJonny Kulow<\/a> (SUN) \u2014 21.99
\nMatthew Klinge<\/a> (OSU) \u2014 22.03<\/p>\n