Ledecky Defeats McIntosh in 800 Free

Pro Swim Series Westmont, Day 1 Finals: Katie Ledecky Swims 8:08.57 to Defeat Summer McIntosh in 800 Freestyle; Leon Marchand Doubles

The Wednesday night finals session on the USA Swimming Pro Swim Series in Westmont, Ill., opened with a bang as Katie Ledecky and Summer McIntosh confronted off within the 800 freestyle for the primary time since their unbelievable race eventually summer time’s World Championships. On that event, Ledecky held off McIntosh and Australian Lani Pallister to earn her record-setting seventh consecutive gold medal within the occasion regardless of all three swimmers breaking the championship report.

Later within the session, American-record holders Regan Smith and Kate Douglass picked up victories within the girls’s 200 backstroke and 200 breaststroke, respectively. On the boys’s aspect, celebrity Leon Marchand recorded a formidable double, taking first within the 200 again earlier than a come-from-behind win within the 200 breast. Also on the docket have been the finals of the 50 butterfly and semifinals of the 100 freestyle. Chris Guiliano highlighted the boys’s 100 free after he posted a Pro Series report of 47.38 in prelims.

Women’s 800 Freestyle

The highly-anticipated race between Katie Ledecky and Summer McIntosh went to the American as soon as once more, Ledecky incomes a two-second conquer McIntosh. Ledecky trailed McIntosh by three hundredths on the 50-meter mark, however she pulled right into a small lead by the second flip. After that, Ledecky would hold McIntosh at arm’s size for the primary half of the race earlier than lastly breaking away within the closing 200.

Ledecky touched in 8:08.57, the Thirteenth-fastest efficiency ever recorded within the occasion whereas McIntosh got here in second at 8:10.57, which simply missed the all-time top-20 performances within the occasion. Brazil’s Maria Fernanda Costa was effectively again in third in 8:29.41.

Ledecky, McIntosh and Lani Pallister are the one swimmers in historical past to interrupt 8:10 within the occasion. Ledecky has dominated the occasion internationally since 2012, when she burst onto the scene with a shocking Olympic gold medal. Her solely loss over that point got here at an area Florida meet in February 2014, when McIntosh picked up an sudden win. McIntosh didn’t race the 16-lap occasion on the Paris Olympics, however she added the race to her foremost slate in 2025, and he or she promptly jumped into the elite combine. The occasion marked her solely non-gold medal on the 2025 Worlds, with a bronze to go together with 4 golds.

Women’s 200 Backstroke

The prime American on this occasion for the higher a part of the final decade put up an especially robust time in her first 200 backstroke of the yr. Regan Smith swam a time of two:04.90 to leap to the highest of the early world rankings for 2026. Smith was solely six tenths behind the two:04.29 she swam for silver behind Kaylee McKeown eventually yr’s World Championships. McKeown and Smith are the one two energetic swimmers to ever go beneath 2:05.

Smith led the whole method, however a well-recognized rival swam a fantastic race behind her. Isabelle Stadden stayed near Smith all through earlier than ending second in 2:05.91. Stadden, a former Cal Bear, is a constant finalist within the backstroke occasions at main home meets, however this was her greatest time by greater than a second, having by no means earlier than been sub-2:07. Stadden is now the Thirteenth-fastest lady in historical past within the occasion and sixth-best amongst Americans.

Phoebe Bacon, a finalist within the occasion on the final two Olympics, was third in 2:08.00, adopted by Anna Peplowski in fourth (2:08.90).

Men’s 200 Backstroke

Backstroke may be the weakest stroke for the highest males’s swimmer on the earth, however Leon Marchand nonetheless got here by means of for the win towards backstroke specialists within the occasion Wednesday night. Marchand jumped out to an early benefit and held on to complete in 1:57.56, slightly greater than a second forward of Canadian Blake Tierney (1:58.61). Third went to American veteran Kieran Smith (1:59.31).

Women’s 50 Butterfly

Australia’s Lily Price captured the win in a good race, going 25.84 to surpass Canada’s Taylor Ruck (25.94) by a tenth. Mexico’s Andrea Sansores De La Fuente positioned third (26.51).

Men’s 50 Butterfly

Veteran sprinter Michael Andrew received again to his profitable methods on the Pro Series circuit with a time of 23.10 within the 50 fly. That time was 0.11 faster than Andrew swam for second place eventually yr’s U.S. Nationals, and it was ok to beat Sean Niewold by three hundredths. The 26-year-old has received a pair of World Championships medals on this occasion, silver in 2024 and bronze in 2022.

Niewold, a Dutch swimmer now coaching at Alabama, positioned second in 23.13 whereas Shaine Casas positioned an in depth third in 23.19. Dare Rose, final yr’s nationwide champion within the occasion, ended up fourth (23.52).

Women’s 200 Breaststroke

For all of the occasions the place Kate Douglass excels, her greatest is the 200 breaststroke. Since making her worldwide debut within the occasion on the 2022 World Championships, she has by no means missed the rostrum, and eventually yr’s World Championships, she swam the second-fastest time ever whereas dominating Evgeniia Chikunova, the world-record holder. In Westmont, Douglass put forth a time of two:22.01 for the win.

It was no shock to see Douglass dominate the competitors, and certainly, she completed greater than six seconds forward of anybody else within the subject. Canada’s Sophie Angus was subsequent in 2:28.29, and Mexico’s Melissa Rodriguez completed third in 2:31.22.

Men’s 200 Breaststroke

Racing shortly after his victory within the 200 again, Leon Marchand needed to come from effectively off the tempo to take this victory in his greatest stroke. Throughout the race, the lead belonged to Jack Kelly, a former Brown University swimmer now coaching at Texas alongside Marchand. Kelly was out in 1:01.55, a whopping 1.51 seconds away from the Frenchman and he remained greater than a second up with 50 meters left, however Marchand was too good coming dwelling.

Marchand’s closing pace received him the win in 2:10.06. Josh Matheny, among the many prime Americans on this occasion for the previous three years, surged dwelling to position second in 2:10.71 whereas Kelly, following a perfectly-executed 175 meters, fell to 3rd in 2:10.96. Carson Foster, a multi-time world medalist within the 400 IM, positioned fourth in 2:11.62.

Women’s 100 Freestyle Semifinals

The prime time within the semifinal spherical belonged to Simone Manuel, the 2016 Olympic co-champion and American-record holder. Manuel clocked 54.01 to paved the way whereas teenager Rylee Erisman received the second semifinal warmth in 54.14. Kate Douglass, contemporary off a win within the 200 breast, additionally superior.

Men’s 100 Freestyle Semifinals

Following his stellar prelims effort to set a Pro Series report, Chris Guiliano exploded once more at evening. He had the quickest time within the 100 free semis at 47.54, and he could have yet one more probability to pursue a private greatest Thursday.