2026 U.S. National Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2026 U.S. National Championships

Welcome to the third finals session of the 2026 U.S. National Championships! There are a lot of events on the schedule tonight, and swimming fans can expect some fast swims and close races.

The women’s 400 IM had a massive number of junior swimmers finish in the top-eight, though some opted to swim in the senior final Katie Grimes is the top seed in the senior final at 4:35.98, four seconds ahead of the 2nd seeded swimmer Sydney Schoeck‘s 4:38.92. Schoeck is a junior swimmer, but chose to swim in the senior final along with Kayla Han.

In the men’s 400 IM, Luke Ellis swam the top time of 4:14.86, finishing five tenths ahead of Noah Cakir‘s 4:15.34 in 2nd place, which in turn was two tenths ahead of Ryan Erisman‘s 4:15.51 for 3rd. Erisman has been on fire this week, and this could be one of the most exciting races of the night.

Bailey Hartman set the top time in the women’s 100 fly prelims at 58.23, four tenths faster than Michigan’s Hannah Bellard, who won the 200 fly final on night 1. Also in the final is World Junior record holder Mizuki Hirai, who qualified 3rd in 59.03.

The men’s 100 fly could be the most exciting race tonight. Caeleb Dressel and Ilya Kharun were the only two swimmers under 51 seconds in the prelims, and either one could come out on top tonight. Dressel had his fastest swim since the Olympic Trials final in 2024, stopping the clock in 50.55 to sit just 15 hundredths ahead of Kharun’s 50.70. Both will be trying to get under 50 tonight, a feat Kharun has never accomplished.

The session will wrap up with the men’s and women’s 50 breast and 50 back. McKenzie Siroky swam the top time in the 50 breast prelims as the only swimmer under 30 seconds while Michael Andrew set the men’s top time at 26.74.

In the 50 backstroke, Isabelle Stadden dominated the field, earning the top seed by almost a second with her 27.21. Quintin McCarty took the men’s top time in 24.66, only a tenth ahead of Jack Wilkening‘s 24.78 in 2nd and three tenths ahead of Finn Harland‘s 24.95 in 3rd.

Men’s 100 Freestyle — Swim-off

1. Mike Rice (MSA) — 49.07
2. Micah Tennison (SSAN) – 49.73

The session opened with a swim-off in the men’s 100 freestyle for a Junior Pan Pacs spot, and Mike Rice came out on top by almost seven tenths.

Rice and Micah Tennison tied for 2nd in the 18 & Under 100 free final on the first night of competition. The Junior Pan Pacs selection document states that the top 2 finishers in the 100 and 200 free will be selected as Priority 1 swimmers to the Pan Pacs team.

Rice took the lead from the start, splitting 23.54 on the the opening 50 to Tennison’s 23.73. He came home in a blistering 25.53 to take the race over Tennison’s 26.00.

Rice’s time was faster than Jordan Ragland‘s winning time on night 1 of 49.19 and was half-a-seocnd faster than the 49.53 he and Tennison swam. It also took four tenths off his lifetime best 4949 from last summer’s World Junior Championships. He is committed to Auburn for the fall.

Tennison will move to Priority 4 in the event, and could still make the team depending on how many spots are remaining.

Women’s 400 IM – Finals

• World Record: 4:23.65 – Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2025
• American Record: 4:31.12 – Katie Hoff – 2008
• US Open Record: 4:26.98 – Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2025
• LC Nationals Record: 4:31.12 – Katie Hoff (USA) – 2008

Top 8 Finishers

1. Katie Grimes (CA) — 4:33.26
2. Bella Sims (SAND) — 4:37.33
3. Sydney Schoeck (CSP) — 4:38.68
4. Teagan O’Dell (PLS) — 4:41.06
5. Emily Brown (TNAQ) — 4:41.19
6. Kayla Han (RDMA) — 4:43.02
7. Sophia Umstead (MLA) — 4:47.71
8. Alexa McDevitt (CAL) — 4:51.51

Katie Grimes had a massive swim in the women’s 400 IM to win the national title, stopping the clock in 4:33.26.

Grimes has struggled over the last few years after she won the Olympic silver in Paris in 2024, but her time tonight was faster than her silver medal swim in Paris (4:33.40), and was her fastest swim in the event since the spring of 2024 when she swam 4:32.45 in April. Her lifetime best stands at 4:31.41 from July of 2023

Grimes was out in 2nd, turning in 1:00.44 to sit about three tenths behind former Sandpipers teammate Bella Sims, who was out in 1:00.11 on the butterfly.

Grimes quickly took over the lead on the backstroke splitting 1:09.05 to sit about two seconds ahead of Bella Sims‘s 1:11.05.

On the breaststroke, Grimes split 1:21.43, two seconds faster than Sims 1:23.74 to extend her lead. She came home in 1:02.34, the fastest freestyle split in the field. Sims came home in 1:02.43.

Grimes’ swim is the 4th fastest time in the world this year, coming in behind Jenna Forrester‘s 4:31.19 from the Commonwealth Games.

2Yu
ZidiCHN4:30.7906/193Jenna
FORRESTERAUS4:31.1907/274Katie
GRIMESUSA4:33.2607/305Ke
WenxiCHN4:33.5906/19View Top 26»

Sims’ final time of 4:37.33 was a massive personal best, taking four seconds off the 4:41.55 mark she set in June of 2026.

Sydney Schoeck took 3rd in 4:38.68 after splitting 1:03.16/1:10.24/1:21.75/1:03.53.

Audrey Derivaux won the 18 & Under final in 4:41.09 with her split of 1:01.82/1:09.76/1:23.62/1:05.89. This was about four seconds off her best of 4:37.27.

Men’s 400 IM – Finals

• World Record: 4:02.50 – Leon Marchand (FRA) – 2023
• American Record: 4:03.84 – Michael Phelps – 2008
• US Open Record: 4:05.25 – Michael Phelps (USA) – 2008
• LC Nationals Record: 4:05.25 – Michael Phelps (USA) – 2008

Top 8 Finishers

1. Ryan Erisman (CAL) — 4:09.57
2. Noah Cakir (ISC) — 4:13.28
3. Michael Hochwalt (SUN) — 4:13.37
4. Baylor Nelson (TXLA) — 4:13.53
5. Luke Ellis (SAND) — 4:16.66
6. Sean Green (LIAC) — 4:17.63
7. Frederick lein (CAL) — 4:17.69
8. Gregg Enoch (UOFL) — 4:18.95

Ryan Erisman continues to dominate. After winning the 200 free final last night, he set a massive personal best time to win the men’s 400 IM in 4:09.57, almost four seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

Erisman trailed at the 50 mark by just a few hundredths, turning in 26.41 to sit three hundredths behind Michael Hochwalt‘s 26.39 in the lead. He quickly moved into the 1st place position, splitting 56.01 on the opening 100 to turn four tenths ahead of Hochwalt’s 30.04.

He extended his lead from there, splitting 1:04.69 on the backstroke to sit about than a second ahead of Hochwalt’s 1:05.01.

On the breaststroke, Erisman split 1:11.74, continung to build his lead over Hochwalt’s 1:12.49.

He made it up on the freestyle, closing in a monster 57.13 to earn the event win and set the 7th fastest time in the world this year.

2Tomoyuki
MatsushitaJPN4:06.9303/223Carson
Foster USA4:07.0212/054Asaki
NishikawaJPN4:07.6711/295Lewis
CLAREBURTNZL4:08.7207/286Yumeki
KojimaJPNWJR 4:08.8403/227Ryan
ERISMANUSA4:09.5707/308William
PetricAUS4:10.2004/089RAITO
NUMATA JPN4:10.2906/0710Ilya
BORODINRUS4:10.3006/09View Top 26»

Hochwalt fell back to 3rd after Indiana’s Noah Cakir split 58.83 on the freestyle to move from 4th to 2nd on the 1st 50. He split 58.07/1:06.36/1:10.02 on the first three 100s of the race to stop the clock in 4:13.28. This was a massive drop from the 4:21.29 mark he set in July of 2024.

Hochwalt swam 59.44 on the final 100 to take 3rd in 4:13.37, a two second add from the 4:11.46 he swam last July.

Carmel Swim Club 17-year-old Yi Zheng swam a personal best time of 4:14.82 to win the 18 & Under final, dropping half-a-seocnd from the 4:15.36 he swam in June.

Women’s 100 Fly – Finals

• World Record: 54.33 – Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 2026
• American Record: 54.33 – Gretchen Walsh – 2026
• US Open Record: 54.33 – Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 2026
• LC Nationals Record: 54.76 – Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 2025

Top 8 Finishers

1. Mizuki Hirai (TNAQ) — 57.52
2. Hannah Bellard (MICH) — 58.27
3. Erika Pelaez (WOLF)/Bailey Hartman (CA) — 58.43
4. —
5. Charlotte Crush (LAK) — 58.55
6. Anna Moesch (GSCY) — 58.73
7. Rachel Klinker (CSTE) — 58.74
8. Campbell Stoll (TXLA) — 59.97

Mizuki Hirai took the top spot in the women’s 100 fly final, stopping the clock in 57.52 to finish seven tenths ahead of Michigan’s Hannah Bellard in 2nd.

Hirai started the race in 2nd, turning in 26.67 to sit two tenths behind Charlotte Crush‘s 26.48 in the lead. She came home in 30.85, the fastest closing split in the field to stop the clock about a second off her lifetime best of 56.33 from June of 2024.

Hannah Bellard finished 2nd in 58.27, splitting 27.39/30.88. She took about a second off her pre-meet best of 59.22 from June.

Erika Pelaez and Bailey Hartman tied for 3rd in 58.43. Pelaez split 27.52/30.91 to drop three tenths from her best of 58.76, which she set in June, and Hartman took one hundredth off the 58.44 she swam in September of 2023 with her 27.26/31.17 splits.

Audrey Derivaux split 27.53/30.64 to stop the clock in 58.17, half-a-second off her best of 57.57, which she set in August of 2023. She won the 18 & UNder final by eight tenths.

Men’s 100 Fly – Finals

Top 8 Finishers

1. Ilya Kharun (SUN) — 50.05
2. Caeleb Dressel (SJAC) — 50.45
3. Rowan Cox (TXLA) – 50.64
4. Logan Robinson (TXLA) — 51.38
5. Matthew Klinge (OSU) — 51.59
6. Tyler Ray (TXLA) — 52.62
7. Maximus Williamson (LAC) — 51.97
8. Kamal Muhammad (FAST) — 52.83

The men’s 100 fly final was exciting. Ilya Kharun ultimately swam the top time og 50.05 with a massive surge on the back quarter of the race pulling him into the lead over Caeleb Dressel‘s front-end speed.

Kharun opened the race in 23.56, a little more than a tenth behind Dressel’s 23.42 opening 50. Dressel held on through the first 25 of the 2nd 50, but he fell off the pace in the final 25 meters, opening the door for Kharun with his huge 26.59 split to take the win.

Kharun’s swim was a new lifetime best, taking two hundredths off the 50.07 he swam at last year’s World Championships as he continues to edge closer to the 50-second barrier. He will take the top time in the world this season over Kristof Milak‘s 50.22.

Dressel split 27.03 on the final 50 to stop the clock in 50.45, his new fastest time since the 2024 Olympic Trials when he swam 50.19. He will move up to 6th in the world this year.

2Kristof
MILAKHUN50.2204/193Shaine
CASAS USA50.2412/054Josh
LIENDOCAN50.4207/265Matthew
TempleAUS50.4307/26View Top 27»

Rowan Cox had a massive swim to take 3rd in the event, stopping the clock in 50.64 after he split 23.90/26.74. This took almost two seconds off his previous best time of 52.59, which he set in August of 2024. One of those seconds came in prelims though, when he swam 51.42 to qualify for the final.

It is also a new 17-18 NAG record in the event, taking six hundredths off the 50.70 mark Thomas Heilman set at last year’s U.S. Nationals. Cox is not eligible for the Junior Pan Pacs team, since he turns 19 before the cut off, but he is still eligible for NAG records since he doesn’t turn 19 until the end of August. Cox has been training with the University of Texas team since graduating from high school earlier this summer. He will officially be joining the program for the fall semester.

Charlie Cancelmo won the 18 & Under final in 52.47, a lifetime best by about a second from the 53.20 he swam last August.

Women’s 50 Breast  – Finals

• World Record: 29.16 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) – 2023
• American Record: 29.40 – Lilly King – 2017
• US Open Record: 29.62 – Lilly King (USA) – 2018
• LC Nationals Record: 29.62 – Lilly King (USA) – 2018

Top 8 Finishers

1. McKenzie Siroky (TNAQ) — 29.99
2. Piper Enge (TXLA) — 30.28
3. Anita Bottazzo (ISC) — 30.51
4. Lucy Thomas (ALTO) — 30.63
5. Maria Ramos Najji (OSU) — 30.80
6. Maddy Huggins (CS) — 31.32
7. Rachel McAlpin (UARK) — 31.41
8. Zara Zallen (BAMA) — 31.73

The women’s 50 breaststroke went to Tennessee’s McKenzie Siroky in 29.99, the only sub-30 split in the filed.

She finished just three tenths ahead of Texas Longhorn Piper Enge‘s 30.28 in 2nd place. Siroky was a little off her prelims time of 29.87 and off her lifetime best of 29.64 from the Mare Nostrum Tour in Monaco.

Enge set a new personal best, taking a little more than two tenths off the 30.53 they swam in February of 2024 at the world Aquatics Championships in Doha.

Anita Bottazzo took 3rd in 30.51, five tenths off her lifetime best of 30.02, which she set in July of 2023.

Maria Ramos Najji finished 5th in 30.80, tying her Spanish record time from prelims.

The 18 & Under final went to Maddie Moreth‘s 31.30 for Valparasio Swim Club, which was a tenth faster than the 31.41 mark she set in June. She is headed to Florida in the fall.

Men’s 50 Breast – Finals

• World Record: 25.95 – Adam Peaty (GBR) – 2017
• American Record: 26.30 – Van Mathias – 2026
• US Open Record: 26.30 – Van Mathias (USA) – 2026
• LC Nationals Record: 26.52 – Michael Andrew (USA) – 2022

Top 8 Finishers

1. Watson Nguyen (MTRO) — 26.65
2. Michael Andrew (MASA) — 26.91
3. Mitch Mason (TFA) — 27.08
4. Alexei Avakov (ISC) — 27.10
5. Finnley Conklin (UOFL) — 27.46
6. Andy Dobrzanski (SUN) — 27.49
7. Brian Benzing (TUS) — 27.57
8. Jake Wang (BULL) — 27.80

Rising Penn junior Watson Nguyen had a massive swim in the men’s 50 breaststroke final, stopping the clock in a personal best 26.65 to win by nearly three seconds over Michael Andrew‘s 26.91. His pre-meet best was 27.49 from the 2025 U.S. Nationals

Nguyen is the latest American breaststroke to see a huge emergence this year, including current American record holder Van Mathias. His swim would have won the bronze medal at last year’s World Championships in Singapore. There were no Americans in the semifinal.

Andrew finished 2nd in 26.91, a little off his best of 26.52 from 2022 and off his season best of 26.75 from the Pro Swim Series in Westmont.

Mitch Mason finished 3rd in 27.08, a new lifetime best by two tenths form the 27.10 he set in May.

Ian Call won the 18 & Under final in 27.09, three tenths faster than the 27.37 he swam in May. He is committed to Texas for 2027.

Women’s 50 Back – Finals

• World Record: 26.86 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2023
• American Record: 26.97 – Katharine Berkoff – 2025
• US Open Record: 26.97 – Katharine Berkoff (USA) – 2025
• LC Nationals Record: 26.97 – Katharine Berkoff (USA) – 2025

Top 8 Finishers

1. Isabelle Stadden (AQJT) — 27.09
2. Maggie Wanezek (WISC) — 27.88
3. Rhyan White (WOLF) — 27.93
4. Erika Pelaez (WOLF) — 28.06
5. Morgan Scott (TFA) — 28.15
6. Cadence Vinent (BAMA)/Kennedy Noble (WOLF) — 28.19
7. —
8. Emily Jones (BAMA) — 28.37

Isabelle Stadden dropped even more time in the 50 backstroke final, stopping the clock in 27.09 to take five hundredths off the 27.14 mark she set at the Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis last month and win the event by eight tenths.

Maggie Wanezek finished 2nd in 27.88, a tenth off the 27.70 she swam at the Indianapolis Pro Swim Series.

Wolfpack’s Rhyan White was the final swimmer under 28 seconds, touching in 27.93, half-a-second off the 27.45 mark she set in April of 2022.

Alyssa Sagle swam 28.03 to win the 18 & Under final by four tenths over Gabi Brito. Sagle, who is committed to Virginia for the fall, took two tenths off her best of 28.2 from July of 2026.

Bryn Greenwaldt won the ‘B’ final in 27.83, a massive lifetime best from the 28.29 she swam in June. This is her first long course season ever, and she trains at Virginia in the backstroke group with Stadden and European Record holder Sara Curtis.

Men’s 50 Back – Finals

Top 8 Finishers

1. Quintin McCarty (WOLF) — 24.73
2. Jack Wilkening (TXLA) — 24.75
3. Ulises Saravia (TNAQ) — 24.90
4. Finn Harland (ALTO) — 24.91
5. Devin Naoroz (KYA) — 24.99
6. Ben Bricca (TNAQ) — 25.08
7. Sam Lorenz (SSTY) — 25.10
8. Adam Chaney (SUN) — 25.12

The men’s 50 backstroke went to Quintin McCarty by just two hundredths over Texas’ Jack Wilkening, who finished 2nd in 24.75.

McCarty’s swim was a little off his season best of 24.45, which he swam in June at the Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis. His lifetime best is 24.34 from the 2025 U.S. National Championships.

Wilkening set a new personal best time, taking a tenth off the 24.88 he swam, also at the 2025 U.S. Nationals.

Ulises Saravia finished 3rd in 24.90, two tenths off his best of 24.68, which he swam at the 2025 World Championships for Argentina.

The 18 & Under final went to Ethan Bathala from Bolles School in 25.51. This was a new personal best by half-a-second from the 26.09 he swam last July.