2026 Pro Swim Series – Austin: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2026 PRO SWIM SERIES – AUSTIN

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’s 800 free kicking off the action. The session continues with finals of the women’s and men’s 50 breaststroke, followed by finals of the women’s and men’s 200 free. Semifinals of the women’s and men’s 50 butterfly come next, followed by finals of the women’s and men’s 400 IM, before the evening concludes with semifinals of the women’s and men’s 50 backstroke.

As a reminder, the new series format 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’s finals, extending the meet to four days of competition with eight total sessions.

If you missed any of the action so far, reference the bullet points above to catch up.

Stay tuned for live updates below.

MEN’S 800M FREESTYLE – TIMED FINALS

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Daniel Wiffen (CAL) – 7:50.37
2. Bobby Finke (SPA) – 7:51.50
3. Ryan Erisman (CAL) – 7:51.87
4. Lucas Henveaux (CAL) – 7:58.44
5. Ilia Sibirtsev (UZB) – 8:00.09
6. Damien Joly (FRA) – 8:05.87
7. Emile Vincent (FRA) – 8:07.63
8. Treyvn Krauss (TOPS) – 8:17.74

The men’s 800 free delivered an exciting showdown between the past two Olympic champions and hot-hand Ryan Erisman.

Cal freshman Erisman jumped out to an early lead, but Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen, his training partner, had taken over by the 50, leading Erisman by six-tenths, with Bobby Finke 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.

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.

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.

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’s World University Games.

After the race, Wiffen reflected on his move to California: “It’s been a fun time. Obviously moving to California, we’ve got a great group there as well. We’re 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’s capable of.”

Asked about his finishing move from 650 to 700, Wiffen said: “The 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.”

WOMEN’s 50M BREASTSTROKE — FINAL

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Skyler Smith (NCAC) – 30.43
2. Anna Elendt (TXLA) – 30.76
3. Kate Canales (AAAA) – 32.02
4. Caprie Moreno (TIDE) – 33.07
5. Ella Peterson (DADS) – 33.39
6. Maya McCarney (NCAP) – 33.67
7. Grace Hunt (YSSC) – 33.81
8. Audrey Deras (MOR) – 34.15

UNC graduate Skyler Smith got out to an early lead in the women’s 50 breast, getting the best of the start and pullout. Despite a hard charge from Anna Elendt, 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.

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.

Quad A’s Kate Canales, a Florida commit, logged 32.02 for third place, six one-hundredths outside her lifetime best of 31.96.

Speaking after the win, Smith said: “I love the 50. We’ve been training a lot of it, working on our starts and our finishes. So I’m just happy it all came together.”

Asked about her development over the last year, Smith credited her training environment: “I have a great group of people I swim with every single day. They’re having a ball and pushing me right now. All my love goes out to B group, and I’m so thankful to be training with all of them. My coaches and support staff at Carolina—I wouldn’t be here without them.”

MEN’S 50M BREASTSTROKE — FINAL

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Van Mathias (ISC) – 26.89
2. Denis Petrashov (CARD) – 27.12
3. Mitch Mason (TFA) – 27.33
4. Jack Kelly (NYAC) – 27.61
5. Finn Brooks (ISC) – 27.65
6. Brian Benzing (ISC) – 27.72
7. Andres Puente Bustamante (TFA) – 27.82
8. Jeremie Delbois (FRA) – 27.94

To no one’s surprise, Indiana’s Director of Operations Van Mathias, who ripped a world-leading 26.57 in prelims to rank as the #3 American of all time in the event, dominated from the start.

Mathias popped up off the start, stayed even with the rest of the field, and then 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’ Denis Petrashov (27.12), the reigning world bronze medalist in the 100 breast, and Texas Ford Aquatics’ Mitch Mason (27.33) rounding out the top three.

Mason sliced two one-hundredths off his lifetime best from yesterday’s semifinals, while Petrashov has been as quick as 26.94 last May.

Speaking after the win, Mathias reflected on his recent training: “It’s been fun. A lot of hard work. Trying some new stuff with breaststroke, but it’s been a blast. It’s been a new lease on life in swimming, and I’m happy to be here.”

“It’s 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’t take it for granted,” he continued.

On balancing his coaching duties with training, Mathias joked: “Well, we work a little bit, we swim a little bit, we work some more.”

WOMEN’S 200M FREESTYLE — FINAL

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Claire Weinstein (UN-CA) – 1:56.62
2. Anna Peplowski (ISC) – 1:57.01
3. Rylee Erisman (LAKR) – 1:57.19
4. Simone Manuel (TXLA) – 1:57.58
5. Chloe Stepanek (LIAC) – 2:01.57
6. Blakely Hammel (EAJ) – 2:01.71
7. Brinkleigh Hansen (SPA-FL) – 2:02.12
8. Ava Chavez (CAL) – 2:03.14

Claire Weinstein used a strong final 50 to win the women’s 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.

Indiana’s Anna Peplowski chopped about half a second off her season best to finish second in 1:57.01, while Rylee Erisman clocked her #2 time ever at 1:57.19 for third.

Speaking after the race, Weinstein reflected on building momentum from her bronze medal in this event at World Championships in Singapore last summer: “I mean, it’s nice to get some long course racing in again early in the year. I’ve been trying not to be too far removed from long course as we get into the season. I’m really glad we ended up coming to this meet.”

Asked about adjusting to college life at Cal, Weinstein said: “It’s 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’s definitely been a good challenge.”

MEN’S 200M FREESTYLE — FINAL

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Ryan Erisman (CAL) – 1:46.66
2. Luke Hobson (NYAC) – 1:47.31
3. Carson Foster (NYAC) – 1:47.49
4. Gabriel Jett (CAL) – 1:47.55
5. Chris Guiliano (TXLA) – 1:47.69
6. Patrick Sammon (NYAC) – 1:48.25
7. Denis Loktev (ISR) – 1:48.41
8. Lucas Henveaux (CAL) – 1:49.13

Despite Chris Guiliano leading for the first 150 meters, Ryan Erisman 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.

Texas training partners Luke Hobson (1:47.31), the reigning world silver medalist and Olympic bronze medalist, finished second, while Carson Foster logged 1:47.49 for third.

Speaking after the race, Erisman admitted he surprised himself: “I’m 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.”

Asked what he was thinking going into the final turn with so many veteran stars in the field, Erisman said: “I just had nothing to lose, so I may as well just put myself in it and attack the last 50.”

WOMEN’S 50M BUTTERFLY — SEMIFINALS

Top 8 Qualifiers For Tomorrow’s Final:

1. Marie Wattel (FRA) – 26.53
2. Mena Boardman (CS) – 26.54
3. Charlotte Crush (LAK) – 26.67
4. Emma Harvey (BER) – 27.07
5. Skyler Smith (NCAC) – 27.27
6. Lorelai Frauenfelder (TOPS) – 27.41
7. Lindsay Looney (TXLA) – 27.54
8. Tanishi Gupta (ALTO) – 27.82

France’s Marie Wattel, currently training at ASU, led a trio of sub-27 swims into the women’s 50 fly final.

She stopped the clock at 26.53 to lead Mena Boardman (26.54) and 100 backstroke world junior champion Charlotte Crush (26.67) into tomorrow’s final.

Wattel’s 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’s personal best stands at 26.18 from July 2023.

MEN’S 50M BUTTERFLY — SEMIFINALS

Top 8 Qualifiers For Tomorrow’s Final:

1. Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 22.81 *U.S. OPEN RECORD*
2. Van Mathias (ISC) – 23.46
3. Caeleb Dressel (SJAC) – 23.50
4. Nikita Baez (FRA) – 23.56
5. Finn Brooks (ISC) – 23.60
6. Matt King (ISC) – 23.70
7. Masahiro Kawane (MEI) – 23.80
8. Luke Barr (TFA) – 24.02

France’s Maxime Grousset, the reigning world champion in both sprint fly events, ripped a new U.S. Open Record (22.81) en route to securing the top seed. His best time remains the 22.48 he produced en route to the world title last July.

He posted a time of 22.81 to clip Caeleb Dressel‘s 2022 mark of 22.84. Van Mathias doubled back well to qualify second for tomorrow’s final in 23.46, while Dressel managed a 23.50 to safely qualify third.

Mathias hacked just under two-tenths off his lifetime best of 23.64 from the U.S. Open in December, while Dressel’s 2019 personal best and American Record of 22.35 stand as the #2 performance in world history.

WOMEN’s 400M IM — FINAL

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Summer McIntosh (TXLA) – 4:28.13
2. Emma Weyant (GSC-FL) – 4:40.11
3. Teagan O’Dell (CAL) – 4:47.60
4. Maren Byrne (ALTO) – 4:53.20
5. Rowyn Wilber (CLOV) – 4:56.07
6. Taylor Johannsen (TOPS) – 4:57.02
7. Georgia Wimberly (LAC) – 5:01.23
8. Elise Nguyen (NTRO) – 5:04.94

Another 400 IM, another sub-4:30 for Summer McIntosh. Make that eight of the top ten performances in history for the reigning Olympic champion and current world record holder.

The 18-year-old swam a time of 4:28.13 to dominate the race from the very first stroke, with two-time Olympic medalist Emma Weyant (4:40.11) a comfortable second over Teagan O’Dell (4:47.60), who claimed silver at July’s World University Games.

Speaking after the race, McIntosh discussed working with coach Bob Bowman: “Bob is the best, especially when it comes to an event like the 400 IM. We’ve done lots of practices that are a thousand times harder than a 400 IM race, lots of IM ladders, long course, and short rest. The hard training in practice gives me lots of confidence heading into these races.”

Asked how she approaches races where she’s often out front alone, McIntosh said: “I think for me, I just have an extra boost of confidence knowing I’ve started to master this race when it comes to splits and things like that. I mean, obviously there’s a ways to go, but going in, I know how to execute the race. Just having lots of confidence and also this being one of my favorite events. I have a lot of passion for it. It really helps.”

When asked if the 400 IM is her favorite event, McIntosh said: “No, the 200 fly is, for sure. But this one’s definitely up there.”

MEN’S 400M IM — FINAL

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Leon Marchand (TXLA) – 4:13.21
2. Bobby Finke (SPA-FL) – 4:18.35
3. Wilson York (LAK) – 4:22.20
4. Humberto Najera (CAL) – 4:25.50
5. Gerhardt Hoover (CS) – 4:27.64
6. Rafael Arizpe Arriaga (IM) – 4:32.93
7. Jacob Bougaieff (DADS) – 4:33.33
8. Fin McLane (CS) – 4:35.48

It was much the same story in the men’s 400 IM, with an utterly dominant performance from the world record holder and reigning Olympic champion.

France’s Leon Marchand, training partner of McIntosh at Texas, led from start to finish with a final time of 4:13.21.

Bobby Finke, the fifth-fastest American in history, doubled back well after his runner-up showing in the 800 to grab second in 4:18.35. He had a comfortable margin over the third-place finisher: Lakeside’s Wilson York (4:22.20).

York’s swim was impressive in its own right; he dropped 2.5 seconds from his previous personal best of 4:24.72 from the Fort Lauderdale Pro Series stop last May.

Speaking after the race, Marchand discussed his summer plans: “I’m coming back to Paris for Euros, which will be really fun for me, but I don’t know exactly what my schedule is going to look like yet. We’ll see. I’m pretty excited for it.”

Asked about looking ahead to the 2026 and 2028 World/Olympic schedules, Marchand said: “Yeah, of course, I mean, we still have time, right? It’s kind of hard to visualize that much ahead, but yeah, I’ve seen the schedule. I know I’m gonna have to focus on some things and have to remove some others. But we still have two years.”

On whether the 400 IM is his favorite event, Marchand stated: “It depends on how much I’m hurting. I was very excited for the race tonight, but it’s always really painful. I think I started a bit too fast for the shape that I’m in right now. But yeah, it was a good race.”

WOMEN’S 50M BACKSTROKE – SEMIFINALS

Top 8 Qualifiers For Tomorrow’s Final:

1. Regan Smith (TXLA) – 27.65
2. Beryl Gastaldello (FRA) – 28.13
3. Charlotte Crush (LAK) – 28.71
4. Emma Harvey (BER) – 29.16
5. Sydney Wasylenky (TOPS) – 29.88
6. Jaylee Hager (SASA) – 29.90
7. Chloe Meyer-Blohm (CS) – 29.92
8. Suriano Rodriguez A.C. (IM) – 29.93

After a subdued 28.52 in prelims, Regan Smith clocked the fastest time of the women’s 50 back semifinals. She stopped the clock at 27.65 to win semi #1 by over a second, with Charlotte Crush touching second in 28.60. Crush herself finished a second ahead of Chloe Meyer-Blohm (29.92).

Semi #2 saw France’s Beryl Gastaldello dominate the heat by about a body length in 28.13, over a second ahead of runner-up Emma Harvey (29.16), with Sydney Wasylenky touching third (29.88).

MEN’S 50M BACKSTROKE – SEMIFINALS

Top 8 Qualifiers For Tomorrow’s Final:

1. Shaine Casas (TXLA) – 25.01
2. Yohann Ndoye-Brouard (FRA) – 25.11
3. Grant Bochenski (HSC) – 25.30
4. Luke Barr (TFA) – 25.47
5. Benjamin Jaggers (WLOO) – 25.80
6. Mathys Chouchaoui (FRA) – 25.97
7. Ahmed Sallam (BULL) – 26.24
8. Jack Dahlgren (AQJT) – 26.31

In a preview of tomorrow’s main event, Shaine Casas (25.01) shaved about four-tenths off his prelim swim to upend France’s Yohann Ndoye-Brouard (25.11) to win the second semifinal, with the duo recording the two fastest times of the evening.

Casas’ best time remains the 24.00 he produced for third at the 2022 U.S. International Team Trials, while Ndoye-Brouard’s 24.62 dates back to the French Championships last June.

Grant Bochenski won the first semi in 25.30, about a half-second off the 24.79 personal best he threw down last July.