2026 U.S. National Championships
Day 1 Finals Prelims Heat Sheet
Outside of the swimming world, it’s been a pretty slow couple of days for professional sports. But swim fans have a bounty of riches because not only are the Commonwealth Games on, but today the 2026 U.S. Nationals began, meaning that you could have watched almost 24 hours of swimming.
Whether you got up early or stayed up late, welcome to the first night of finals at the 2026 U.S. National Championships in Irvine, California. Tonight, we’ll see finals of the 200 butterfly and 100 freestyle, along with the fastest heats of the women’s 800 freestyle and men’s 1500 freestyle.
The men’s 100 freestyle was the highlight of the morning session. Four swimmers broke 48 seconds in the heats, led by Brooks Curry‘s 47.56, which was just off his lifetime best. Patrick Sammon (47.83), Maximus Williamson (47.93), and Caeleb Dressel (47.98) all joined Curry under the 48-second threshold. Dressel’s time was significant as it marked his first sub-48 second outing since the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, while Williamson’s time broke his three-year old lifetime best. With these four in the middle of the pool, there should be fireworks again in the final.
American record holder Anna Moesch cruised to the top time of the morning in the women’s 100 freestyle (53.10). She’ll be surrounded by a field filled with fellow NCAA swimmers, including Camille Spink (53.26) and Liberty Clark (53.46). World junior record holder Rylee Erisman is the lone swimmer in the ‘A’ final who has yet to suit up for her collegiate team. She’s seeded fourth with a 53.62, rounding out the group that broke 54 seconds this morning.
The top six swimmers in the women’s 200 butterfly this morning are all within a second of each other. Bella Sims leads after clocking a 2:08.39 lifetime best, putting her slightly ahead of Lindsay Looney (2:08.53) and Audrey Derivaux (2:08.68). Derivaux is aiming for a Junior Pan Pacs berth so we’ll see her in the 18&under final this evening, which will likely give her clear water but does take some of the firepower out of the ‘A’ final.
The men’s 200 butterfly heats were a competitive affair as well. Jack Dahlgren ran down former world champion Luca Urlando in the last heat to earn lane four with a 1:55.16. The men’s side is an even closer affair than the women’s 200 fly was this morning; Dahlgren is seeded first with a 1:55.16 and Logan Robinson secured lane eight in 1:55.95. With the likes of Urlando, Ilya Kharun, Tyler Ray, and Mitchell Schott in the mix, it feels like the win could come from anywhere in the pool.
WOMEN’S 200 FLY – Finals
Final:
- Hannah Bellard (MICH), 2:06.86
- Bella Sims (SAND), 2:07.19
- Lindsay Looney (TXLA), 2:07.26
- Emily Brown (TNAQ), 2:08.25
- Rachel Klinker (CSTE), 2:08.59
- Bailey Hartman (CA-Y), 2:10.21
- Carli Cronk (IA), 2:11.17
- Campbell Stoll (TXLA), 2:12.74
The women’s 200 butterfly has been full of surprises for years now on the national scene. We got another surprise in the event tonight, as Michigan’s Hannah Bellard swam her second lifetime best of the day for the win.
Bellard led the open championship final from start to finish. She was out in 1:00.09 at the halfway point, about four-tenths ahead of Tennessee’s Emily Brown. Bellard maintained her lead with a 33.21/33.56 back-half, stopping the clock for her national title in 2:06.86. The time ranks her sixth in the world in the event this season, just ahead of Australia’s Brittany Castelluzzo (2:06.95) from the Australian Trials.
Bellard came into the day with a lifetime best of 2:09.92 from 2023. She undercut that with a 2:08.95 in prelims. That means she dropped 3.06 seconds over the course of the day.
Bella Sims, the top seed from this morning, was running fourth for the first 150 meters. She found another gear down the final stretch, splitting a field-best 32.89 over the final 50 meters to go from fourth to second at the touch. Her swim marked her second lifetime best of the day as well, improving on the 2:08.39 she swam in prelims.
Audrey Derivaux punched her ticket to the 2026 Junior Pan Pacific Championships by winning the girls’ 18& under 200 butterfly final. Derivaux was in control the whole time but used the third 50 meters to really put distance between herself and the rest of the field. She touched in 2:07.86, just off the 2:07.41 season-best she swam at the AP Race International Meet in May. Zara Kocak swam a 2:10.07 to narrowly snag second-place and will likely be confirmed to the Junior Pan Pac team as a Priority #3 swimmer later.
MEN’S 200 FLY – Finals
Final:
- Luca Urlando (DART), 1:54.45
- Ilya Kharun (SUN), 1:54.59
- Enzo Solitario (WISC), 1:54.99
- Tyler Ray (TXLA), 1:55.11
- Mitchell Schott (MYAC), 1:55.37
- Andrew Shackell (ISC), 1:56.06
- Jack Dahlgren (AQJT), 1:56.24
- Logan Robinson (GPAC), 1:57.23
Logan Robinson grabbed the early lead in the men’s 200 butterfly championship final, kicking off with a 25.11 opening split. Urlando took over at the 100-meter mark with a 53.97 split ahead of Jack Dahlgren‘s 54.54.
Urlando and Dahlgren were still in first and second at the final turn. Urlando looked like he was in a strong position, but began to tighten up down the stretch. Meanwhile, Ilya Kharun was charging. After turning at the 150-meter mark in 7th place, he fired off a 29.49 final 50 split. That was nearly enough to catch Urlando, but the world champion dug in and held off the Paris Olympic bronze medalist, 1:54.45 to 1:54.59. Those are season-bests for both of them, and make them the third and fourth fastest in the world this season.
Enzo Solitario swam his second lifetime best of the day to sneak into third. His 1:54.99 marks his first sub-1:55 outing of his career. He came into the meet with a 1:57.17 lifetime best, which he’d brought down to 1:55.45 in prelims.
The boys’ 18 & under 200 butterfly final was a close one. It was a three person race coming out of the final turn. Ewan Dalrymple got his hands on the wall first with a personal best 1:56.56 to secure his spot on the Junior Pan Pacs roster. David Sammons grabbed second in 1:57.14.
WOMEN’S 100 FREE – Finals
Final:
- Anna Moesch (GSCY), 51.88 *American, U.S. Open, Championship Record*
- Rylee Erisman (LAKR), 52.92
- Liberty Clark (ISC), 52.97
- Camille Spink (TNAQ), 53.19
- Kristina Paegle (ISC), 54.24
- Cadence Vincent (BAMA), 54.30
- Erika Pelaez (WOLF), 54.33
- Caroline Larsen (UOFL), 54.40
The women’s 100 freestyle championship final was all about Anna Moesch. The Virginia star came into the meet as the heavy favorite after her breakthrough swim at the AP Race International Meet, where she broke the American record with a 51.94.
She reset the American record for the second time this season in tonight’s final, powering to a 51.88 that improves her standing as the third-fastest woman in event history. Moesch was out under her record pace, splitting a 25.07 to her feet at the halfway point. That put her more than a half-second ahead of the field, as Camille Spink turned second in 25.60.
Moesch continued to put distance between herself and the field on the second 50 meters. Her 26.81 split also kept her ahead of her own record pace; 51.88 shaves six-hundredths off her time from May.
Top 3 Performers, Women’s 100 Freestyle (LCM)
- Marrit Steenbergen, Netherlands — 51.68 (2026)
- Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden — 51.71 (2017)
- Anna Moesch, United States — 51.88 (2026)
Rylee Erisman grabbed second in the final with a 52.92. The time is just off her lifetime best of 52.79 from last season. Meanwhile, Liberty Clark moves into the top-10 among American women with a 52.97 PB. She swam a 53.46 lifetime best in prelims this morning after arriving in Irvine with a 53.51 best from last month. In the last 12 months, she’s improved her best from the 54.41 she swam at last year’s Junior National Championships.
Gabi Britto and Aria Grossenbach tied for the win in the girls’ 18 & under final. They both stopped the clock in 54.85. Priority #1 for selecting the Junior Pan Pacs roster is the top two finishers in the 100/200 freestyle events, so there’s no need for a swim-off and both will be confirmed to the team.
MEN’S 100 FREE – Finals
- World Record: 46.40, Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 2024
- American Record: 46.81, Jack Alexy – 2025
- U.S. Open Record: 46.99, Jack Alexy (USA) – 2025
- LC Nationals Record: 46.99, Jack Alexy (USA) – 2025
Final:
- Caeleb Dressel (SJAC-FL), 47.70
- Brooks Curry (CAL), 47.81
- Patrick Sammon (NYAC), 47.87
- Maximus Williamson (LAC), 47.99
- Jerry Fox (WOLF), 48.29
- Grant House (SUN), 48.30
- Jack Alexy (CAL), 48.62
- Henry McFadden (JW), 48.69
The prelims heats promised an action packed final, and the swimmers in the men’s 100 freestyle final delivered. Brooks Curry narrowly missed his lifetime best this morning and he attacked the race tonight. He split a 22.26 on the opening 50 meters, turning under American record pace and getting the fans hyped for the potential of two American records in back-to-back championship finals.
The final could not hold onto Jack Alexy‘s American record pace, but it was still an exciting race as Curry, Caeleb Dressel, and Patrick Sammon stormed to the wall. It was Dressel who got his hand on the wall first, stopping the clock with a 47.70. His time this morning was his best since the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials and he did even better tonight, dropping .28 seconds from his prelims swim.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a one next to my name,” he said after the race. “It feels like freshman year again,” he continued as he spoke about the journey that he’s been on in the sport over the past five years.
Curry got his hand on the wall for second in 47.81, a few tenths off his morning swim. He touched .06 seconds ahead of Sammon. These three along with Maximus Williamson, made up the quartet of swimmers sub-48 seconds this morning. All four got back under that threshold in the final, with Williamson swimming 47.99. The 47.93 he swam in prelims was a lifetime best.
Cal’s Jordan Ragland won the 18 & under final in 49.19 ahead of a tie for second between Micah Tennison and Mike Rice (49.53).
Women’s 800 Free — Fastest Heat
- World Record: 8:04.12, Katie Ledecky (USA) — 2025
- American Record: 8:04.12, Katie Ledecky (USA) — 2025
- U.S. Open Record: 8:04.12, Katie Ledecky (USA) — 2025
- LC Nationals Record: 8:05.76 — Katie Ledecky (USA) — 2025
Final:
- Kate Hurst (TXLA), 8:28.33
- Gena Jorgenson (HUSK), 8:31.18
- Sydney Schoeck (CSP), 8:32.44
- Brinkleigh Hansen (SPA), 8:33.05
- Katie McCarthy (UOFM), 8:33.94
- Paige Downey (UN), 8:35.07
- Mila Nikanorov (OSU), 8:35.47
- Zayda Miehl (CAT), 8:35.56
Texas’ Kate Hurst pulled away from the fastest heat of the women’s 800 freestyle to win the national title. In a final heat crowded with NCAA swimmers, Hurst got the better of them with an 8:28.33. The swim is a lifetime best for Hurst, bettering the 8:28.92 she swam at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Nebraska’s Gena Jorgenson swam a lifetime best as well, grabbing second with an 8:31.18. She was in a close battle with Brinkleigh Hansen for much of the final heat, but was able to pull away from her in the final laps. Her swim betters her previous lifetime best of 8:32.01 which she swam about a month ago.
Sydney Schoeck finished third overall with a 8:32.44. There was no separate 18 & under event but as the top placed junior swimmer, Schoeck, a Texas commit, earned the title of junior national champion and a spot on the junior Pan Pacific roster. Shoeck’s swim cut 4.84 seconds off her lifetime best (also a month old).
Men’s 1500 Free — Fastest Heat
- World Record: 14:30.67, Bobby Finke (USA) — 2024
- American Record: 14:30.67, Bobby Finke (USA) — 2024
- U.S. Open Record: 14:40.28 — Bobby Finke (USA) — 2024
- LC Nationals: 14:40.28 — Bobby Finke (USA) — 2024
Final:
- William Mulgrew (SAC), 14:58.50
- Sean Green (LIAC), 15:07.03
- Luka Mijatovic (PLS), 15:08.12
- Ahmed Hafnaoui (UN), 15:14.43
- Max Carlsen (WOLF), 15:14.76
- Aiden Hammer (TXLA), 15:14.80
- Carson Hick (KYA), 15:15.07
- Joshua Brown (SAND), 15:18.84
