Gretchen Walsh almost breaks world document, Caeleb Dressel wins once more to cap swim nationals

Gretchen Walsh almost broke her personal world document to win the U.S. title within the 50m freestyle as she prepares for the most important worldwide meet of the yr.

She clocked 23.60 seconds, the third-fastest time in historical past, in Irvine, California.

The solely quicker instances are Walsh’s world document of 23.55 from June 28 and Virginia coaching accomplice Kate Douglass’ former world document of 23.59 from June 19.

Walsh takes that momentum into the Pan Pacific Championships in two weeks, additionally in Irvine. Pan Pacs are for swimmers from outdoors of Europe, whereas Europeans compete in their very own continental championships this month.

SWIMMING NATIONALS: Results

“I’ve had a great summer in that event already, and it’s not over yet,” Walsh stated on the NBC Sports broadcast. “This is a great tune-up swim for Pan Pacs.”

Walsh additionally owns the 16 quickest instances in historical past within the 100m butterfly, plus the second-fastest 50m fly in historical past — eight hundredths off Swede Sarah Sjostrom’s world document.

Walsh swept the 50m and 100m flies on the 2025 World Championships for her first particular person golds at a significant worldwide long-course meet.

With the 50m fly making its Olympic debut in 2028, Walsh might go into the LA Games with an opportunity to grow to be the fourth American girl to win three particular person swimming golds at one Olympics after Debbie Meyer (1968), Janet Evans (1988) and Katie Ledecky (2016).

Also Saturday, nine-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel capped his finest swim meet in two years by claiming his second win in 4 races.

Dressel gained the boys’s 50m free in 21.35 seconds, his finest time in 4 years.

Dressel ranks third on the earth this yr by finest time after 2024 Olympic gold medalist Cam McEvoy of Australia (20.88 world document) and Russian Egor Kornev (21.06).

Earlier this week, Dressel gained the 100m free — his first top-level race victory for the reason that 2024 Olympic Trials — together with his finest time for the reason that 2024 trials.

He was additionally runner-up within the 50m fly in his finest time for the reason that 2022 World Championships and runner-up within the 100m fly in his finest time for the reason that 2024 trials. Ilya Kharun gained each races.

“Freestyle is usually second-best, but I think we flipped it at this meet,” stated Dressel, who turns 30 on Aug. 16. “I’m the old man, it’s fine.”

While nationals marked Dressel’s largest meet of 2026, different stars are prepping for Pan Pacs. The Pan Pacs roster was decided by high instances from final summer season. Dressel, who took day off after the Paris Olympics, didn’t make the Pan Pacs workforce.

Earlier Saturday, Douglass turned the fourth-fastest girl in historical past within the 100m free.

The Olympic 200m breaststroke gold medalist swam 51.93 in a time trial in Irvine. That’s 5 hundredths off Virginia coaching accomplice Anna Moesch’s American document.

The solely quicker ladies in historical past than Moesch and Douglass are world document holder Marrit Steenbergen of the Netherlands (51.68) and the previous world document holder Sjostrom (51.71).

Ryan Erisman gained his third nationwide title this week, taking the 800m free in 7:43.53 to grow to be the second-fastest American in historical past behind Olympic gold medalist Bobby Finke.

Erisman, a rising Cal sophomore, additionally gained the 200m free and 400m particular person medley.

Maximus Williamson went from the final qualifier into the boys’s 200m IM ultimate to successful the nationwide title.

Williamson, a rising University of Virginia sophomore, clocked 1:56.40 to grow to be the second-fastest American teen in historical past after Michael Phelps.