2026 U.S. National Championships: Day 4 Prelims Reside Recap

2026 U.S. National Championships

Happy Friday everybody, it’s time for the fourth day of the 2026 U.S. National Championships! There are simply three occasions on the schedule this morning–the 400 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, and 100 backstroke–however there needs to be loads of motion.

Stay tuned for stay updates.

Women’s 400 Freestyle — Prelims

• World Record: 3:54.18 — Summer McIntosh, Canada (2025)
• American Record: 3:56.46 — Katie Ledecky (2016)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:55.37 — Summer McIntosh, Canada (2025)

Championship Final Qualifiers: 

1. Madi Mintenko (CA-Y) – 4:08.10
2. Brinkleigh Hansen (SPA) – 4:08.36
3. Kate Hurst (TXLA) – 4:08.84
4. Cavan Gormsen (LIAC) – 4:10.61
5. Gena Jorgenson (HUSK) – 4:11.28
6. Marie Landreneau (COLA) – 4:11.30
7. Bella Sims (SAND) – 4:11.39
8. Lillian Nesty (TXLA) – 4:11.48

A trio of 4:08-point swims highlighted the prelims of the ladies’s 400m free.

Virginia rising sophomore Madi Mintenko claimed the highest qualifying spot with a time of 4:08.10, with Saint Petersburg Aquatics’ Brinkleigh Hansen (4:08.36) and Texas rising junior Kate Hurst (4:08.84) rounding out the highest three qualifiers.

Mintenko, who completed eighth a 12 months in the past, was inside placing distance of her two-year-old lifetime better of 4:07.53 from the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. She’s coming off a big-time lifetime better of 1:55.87 within the 200m free earlier within the meet, a swim that earned her bronze.

Hansen’s time this morning sliced over three seconds off her former better of 4:11.73 from the 2025 U.S. National Championships, the place she touched thirteenth.

As for Hurst, she hacked over a second off her profession better of 4:10.34 from the 2025 Fort Lauderdale Pro Swim Series.

Men’s 400 Freestyle — Prelims

• World Record: 3:39.96 — Lukas Märtens, Germany (2025)
• American Record: 3:42.78 — Larsen Jensen (2008)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:43.33 — Rex Maurer, United States (2025)

Championship Final Qualifiers: 

1. Luka Mijatovic (PLS) – 3:47.55
2. Ryan Erisman (CAL) – 3:47.94
3. William Mulgrew (SAC) – 3:48.03
4. Aiden Hammer (TXLA) – 3:48.99
5. Sean Green (LIAC) – 3:50.01
6. Max Carlsen (WOLF) – 3:50.69
7. Carson Hick (KYA) – 3:50.78
8. Andrew Shackell (ISC) – 3:51.74

The second- and third-place finishers from the 2025 U.S. National Championships led all qualifiers into the lads’s 400m free remaining.

17-year-old Luka Mijatovic clocked a time of three:47.55 to edge out rising Cal sophomore Ryan Erisman, the 200 free champion, (3:47.94) by just below 4 tenths, with rising Harvard sophomore William Mulgrew (3:48.03) practically making it three underneath 3:48.

Mijatovic’s finest time rests on the 3:45.20 he swam on the Sacramento Pro Swim Series cease in May, whereas Erisman boasts a PB of three:44.20 from the AP Race International in May, and Mulgrew obliterated his former finest time of three:51.28 from the FG SFTL Fort Lauderdale Open in April.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke — Prelims

• World Record: 1:04.13 — Lilly King, United States (2017)
• American Record: 1:04.13 — Lilly King (2017)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:04.45 — Jessica Hardy, United States (2009)

Championship Final Qualifiers: 

1. Kate Douglass (NYAC) – 1:06.25
2. Emma Weber (CA-Y) – 1:07.05
3. McKenzie Siroky (TNAQ) – 1:07.24
4. Anita Bottazzo (ISC) – 1:08.22
5. Piper Enge (TXLA) – 1:08.28
6. Lucy Thomas (ALTO) – 1:08.31
7. Maddy Huggins (CS) – 1:08.37
8. Adalene Robillard (ALTO) – 1:08.80

Kate Douglass, the reigning nationwide champion and world championship silver medalist on this 100m breast occasion, clocked a time of 1:06.25 to advance first to tonight’s finals by precisely eight tenths of a second.

Three swimmers dipped underneath the 1:08 threshold, with 2024 U.S. Olympian Emma Weber (1:07.05) qualifying second general and 50 breast champion McKenzie Siroky (1:07.24) proper on her heels.

Douglass’ finest time stays the 1:05.27 she posted on the 2025 World Championships, whereas Weber holds a lifetime better of 1:06.10 from the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, and Siroky just lately logged 1:06.20 on the Barcelona leg of the Mare Nostrum circuit in May.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke — Prelims

• World Record: 56.88 — Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019)
• American Record: 58.01 — Van Mathias (2026)
• U.S. Open Record: 58.01 — Van Mathias, United States (2026)

Championship Final Qualifiers: 

1. Alexei Avakov (ISC) – 59.29
2. Gabe Nunziata (TNAQ) – 59.67
3. Luke Barr (TFA) – 59.88
4. Eli Martin (VT) – 1:00.27
5. Finnley Conklin (UOFL), Nate Germonprez (TXLA), & Josh Matheny (UN) – 1:00.32
6. –
7. –
8. Mitch Mason (TFA) – 1:00.33

Women’s 100 Backstroke — Prelims

• World Record: 57.13 — Regan Smith, United States (2024)
• American Record: 57.13 — Regan Smith (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 57.13 — Regan Smith, United States (2024)

Championship Final Qualifiers: 

1. Isabelle Stadden (AQJT) – 58.03
2. Claire Curzan (TAC) – 59.15
3. Maggie Wanezek (WISC) – 59.21
4. Kennedy Noble (WOLF) – 59.64
5. Erika Pelaez (WOLF) – 59.67
6. Rhyan White (WOLF) – 59.95
7. Charlotte Crush (LAK) – 59.96
8. Phoebe Bacon (WISC) – 1:00.19

Men’s 100 Backstroke — Prelims

• World Record: 51.60 — Thomas Ceccon, Italy (2022)
• American Record: 51.85 — Ryan Murphy (2016)
• U.S. Open Record: 51.94 — Aaron Piersol, United States (2009)

Championship Final Qualifiers: