2026 Speedo Fort Lauderdale Open: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2026 Speedo Fort Lauderdale Open

• Wednesday, April 29 – Saturday, May 2, 2026
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center
• LCM (50 meters)
• All the Links
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results: “Fort Lauderdale Open” on Meet Mobile
• SwimSwam Recaps

Welcome to the ultimate day of the 2026 Speedo Fort Lauderdale Open! This morning’s motion will function prelims of the 100 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 100 butterfly, 200 IM, and 50 freestyle. The 800 freestyle will even be swum as a timed finals occasion right this moment, with the slowest heats going within the early afternoon, and the quickest warmth for every gender kicking off tonight’s finals session.

*FIXED* Scoreboard Live Steam and Audio

Stay tuned for dwell updates.

WOMEN’S 100M BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Isabelle Stadden (AQJT) – 58.05
2. Regan Smith (TXLA) – 58.25
3. Katharine Berkoff (WOLF) – 59.09
4. Erika Pelaez (NCS) – 1:00.41
5. Phoebe Bacon (WISC) – 1:00.89
6. Catie Choate (GSC) – 1:01.65
7. Sadie Buckley (NCAP) – 1:01.82
8. Roos Rottink (NAC) – 1:02.13

After scorching a 2:04.37 to win the 200 backstroke final night time and change into the fourth-fastest lady in world historical past, Virginia-trained Isabelle Stadden carried her momentum into this morning’s 100 again prelims.

The 23-year-old clocked a field-leading 58.05, splitting 28.22/29.83 to slice 0.21 off her lifetime greatest from the Westmont cease of the Pro Swim Series final month. The swim moved her from third to second on the earth standings and forward of Australian Kaylee McKeown, who has been untouchable on this occasion in main particular person finals since 2021.

Entering the season, Stadden’s lifetime greatest had stood on the 58.99 she produced on the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, that means she’s sliced almost a full second off of it since shifting to Charlottesville a couple of months in the past.

World document holder Regan Smith is the almost definitely candidate to disclaim Stadden a backstroke sweep right here in Fort Lauderdale. She emphasised her again half this morning, splitting 28.70/29.55 for a 58.25, the one different sub-59 swim of the session. Smith owns a world-leading season better of 57.91, and it seems she’s going to must be proper round that mark, if not a couple of tenths sooner, to fend off Stadden tonight.

NC State professional Katharine Berkoff (59.09), the reigning Olympic and World Championship bronze medalist within the occasion, was the one different lady underneath a minute.

MEN’S 100M BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Hubert Kos (TXLA) – 54.03
2. Jack Aikins (UVA) – 55.95
3. Aiden Norman (FLOR) – 56.03
4. Liam Carrington (BSS) – 56.35
5. Finn Harland (ALTO) – 56.36
6. Ethan Bathala (BSS) – 56.50
7. Caleb Maldari (GSC) – 57.00
8. Gavin Schinkelshoek (WAC) – 57.20

Hubert Kos clocked a time of 54.03 to steer the lads’s 100m again prelims by almost two full seconds, with Jack Aikins (55.95) and Aiden Norman (56.03) rounding out the highest three qualifiers.

Kos, who gained the 50 and 200 again earlier within the meet, seems to be carrying a heavy coaching load, as his backstroke instances have been effectively off his season and private bests. He did, nevertheless, throw down a private greatest within the 200 free, an occasion he not often races, lower than 24 hours in the past.

Kos’ season greatest stays the 52.63 he swam on the U.S. Open, which ranks him #4 on the earth rankings for the 2025-26 season.

Outside of the highest three, the Bolles School Sharks certified two age groupers into the ‘A’ closing: 17-year-olds Liam Carrington (4th, 56.35) and Ethan Bathala (eighth, 56.50). Carrington has been as swift as 54.54 this season, whereas Bathala dropped simply over 4 tenths from his greatest time set at 2025 Summer Juniors.

WOMEN’S 200M BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Kate Douglass (NYAC) – 2:24.75
2. Mona McSharry (TNAQ) – 2:25.84
3. Sophia Umstead (UVA) – 2:28.38
4. Alex Walsh (NYAC) – 2:29.34
5. Summer McIntosh (TXLA) – 2:30.12
6. Kaidy Stout (GSA) – 2:31.35
7. Emma Weber (CA-Y) – 2:31.47
8. Eneli Jefimova (NCS) – 2:31.58

The reigning Olympic and world champion was on cruise management on this morning’s 200 breast, clocking 2:24.75 to carry a snug one-second margin over the remainder of the sphere. Douglass, who ranks second on the earth standings this season at 2:20.86, might have Angharad Evans’ world-leading 2:19.70 in her sights tonight.

Ireland’s Mona McSharry grabbed the second seed in 2:25.84, whereas UVA’s Sophia Umstead (2:28.38) hacked over three seconds off her lifetime greatest to advance third. Training accomplice Alex Walsh was the one different swimmer to crack 2:30, touching in 2:29.34; she has been as fast as 2:24.88 thus far this season.

Of observe, Canadian famous person Summer McIntosh checked in fifth general at 2:30.12, just below three seconds off her private greatest of two:27.23 from February 2024.

MEN’S 200M BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Leon Marchand (TXLA) – 2:13.37
2. Jack Kelly (NYAC) – 2:14.27
3. Rafael Mimoso (WVU) – 2:16.48
4. Grant Sanders (SPA) – 2:17.25
5. Ian Call (NAC) – 2:17.85
6. Prakhanthi Rai (BSS) – 2:18.02
7. Cas Verstegen (WVU) – 2:18.99
8. Jordan Willis (GSC) – 2:19.29

The males’s 200 breast closing is shaping as much as be a head-to-head matchup between Texas coaching companions Leon Marchand and Jack Kelly.

Marchand, the reigning Olympic champion, bought the higher hand once more this morning, touching in 2:13.37 to steer Kelly’s 2:14.27 by 9 tenths, with the duo clearing the remainder of the sphere by over two full seconds. Marchand’s season greatest is the two:09.72 he swam on the Austin Pro Series in January, whereas Kelly’s private and season greatest stays the two:09.90 he threw down at December’s U.S. Open.

West Virginia University’s Rafael Mimoso (2:16.48) grabbed the third seed as the one different swimmer to interrupt 2:17, a season greatest that was simply over a second exterior his lifetime greatest of two:15.25 from the 2024 European Junior Championships.

WOMEN’S 100M BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Gretchen Walsh (NYAC) – 55.39
2. Claire Curzan (TAC) – 58.61
3. Audrey Derivaux (JW) – 59.30
4. Tess Howley (LAC) – 59.80
5. Bailey Hartman (CA-Y) – 59.95
6. Lindsay Looney (TXLA) – 1:00.00
7. Lismar Lyon (SOFL) – 1:00.14
8. Erika Palaez (NCS) – 1:00.31

World document holder Gretchen Walsh has been untouchable within the ladies’s 100m butterfly over the previous 18 months, and she or he confirmed why once more this morning, blasting by way of the primary 50 in 25.67 earlier than closing in 29.72 for a closing time of 55.39. It is the Twelfth-fastest efficiency in world historical past, with Walsh now proudly owning all 12 of the quickest swims ever recorded.

No different swimmer was inside three seconds of Walsh, with UVA coaching accomplice Claire Curzan the closest at 58.61 in her first swim of the occasion this season.

Multi-time world junior champion Audrey Derivaux superior third in 59.30.

MEN’S 100M BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Ilya Kharun (SUN) – 51.48
2. Josh Liendo (FLOR) – 51.56
3. Caeleb Dressel (SJAC) – 52.38
4. Shaine Casas (TXLA) – 52.50
5. Dylan Carter (AZFL) – 53.16
6. Patrick Sammon (NYAC) – 53.24
7. Aethur Balva (PRIN) – 54.60
8. Hutch Paxton (NAC) – 54.88

Ilya Kharun and Josh Liendo posted a pair of 51-mid swims to clear the remainder of the sphere by just below a second within the males’s 100m butterfly prelims.

Kharun clocked 51.48 out of the primary circle-seeded warmth to set the quickest time of the morning, earlier than Liendo responded with a 51.56 within the penultimate warmth. The two are among the many most constant 100 butterfliers over the previous few seasons, with Liendo taking silver and Kharun bronze on the Paris Olympics earlier than Kharun collected the identical shade medal and Liendo touched fourth at Worlds final summer time.

Kharun’s season greatest is the 50.40 he posted on the U.S. Open, whereas this was Liendo’s first time racing the occasion in lengthy course since final summer time.

World document holder Caeleb Dressel (52.38) and the versatile Shaine Casas (52.50) have been the one others to crack 53 seconds.

Casas’ season greatest is the 50.24 he posted to outduel Kharun on the U.S. Open, whereas Dressel was as fast as 51.33 at that very same meet.

WOMEN’S 200M INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Phoebe Bacon (WISC) – 2:13.34
2. Sadie Buckley (NCAP) – 2:13.61
3. Regan Smith (TXLA) – 2:13.99
4. Alex Walsh (NYAC) – 2:15.56
5. Emma Weyant (GSC) – 2:16.21
6. Eleanor Sun (PRIN) – 2:16.89
7. Sophia Umstead (UVA) – 2:17.99
8. Sydney Hardy (SYS) – 2:18.00

Phoebe Bacon led a trio of two:13 swims within the ladies’s 200 IM prelims, stopping the clock at 2:13.34 to steer Sadie Buckley (2:13.61) and Regan Smith (2:13.99) into the championship closing.

Smith was entered in a triple for right this moment’s session, however opted for the 100 again/200 IM double quite than the 100 again/100 fly double that she’s usually taken on at these in-season competitions.

Alex Walsh posted 2:15.56 for the fourth seed, doubling again on a brief turnaround after her 200 breast earlier within the session, whereas final night time’s 400 IM winner Emma Weyant moved by way of fifth in 2:16.21.

MEN’S 200M INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Hubert Kos (TXLA) – 2:00.94
2. Mitchell Schott (PRIN) – 2:01.34
3. Carson Foster (NYAC) – 2:01.35
4. Leon Marchand (TXLA) – 2:02.28
5. Grant Sanders (SPA) – 2:02.89
6. Kieran Smith (RAC) – 2:02.90
7. Reef McMeeking (LAKR) – 2:06.39
8. Aiden Norman (FLOR) – 2:06.72

The males’s 200 IM was all in regards to the Texas professional group, each current and future, and so they have been all on cruise management.

Hubert Kos (2:00.94), the 2025 World Championship bronze medalist within the occasion, and Mitchell Schott (2:01.34), the 2025 World University Games champion, posted the 2 quickest instances out of the penultimate warmth.

Carson Foster, the 2022 World Championship silver medalist, gained the primary circle-seeded warmth in 2:01.35, only one one-hundredth slower than Schott’s mark posted a couple of minutes later, along with his time holding up for third seed.

Leon Marchand, the world document holder, defending Olympic champion, and three-time world champion within the occasion, gained the ultimate warmth in 2:02.28 to soundly advance fourth general.

WOMEN’S 50M FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Gretchen Walsh (NYAC) – 24.47
2. Kate Douglass (NYAC) – 24.49
3. Anna Moesch (GSCY) – 24.59
4. Bryn Greenwaldt (UVA) – 24.90
5. Claire Curzan (TAC) – 25.27
6. Simone Manuel (TXLA) – 25.31
7. Elizaveta Klevanovich (UN) – 25.34
8. Lily King (NCS) – 25.63

The Virginia Cavalier ladies stole the present within the ladies’s 50m free, with Gretchen Walsh advancing as the highest qualifier.

UVA’s Bryn Greenwaldt kicked the motion off by blasting an enormous lifetime better of 24.90 to win warmth two. That ripped to shreds her former greatest time of 25.69 from November 2023, and held up for the fourth-fastest time of the morning.

A couple of minutes later, co-American Record holder Walsh (24.47) and Anna Moesch (24.59) dominated the penultimate warmth, with Moesch’s time obliterating her former greatest time of 24.87 from the summer time of 2023. Walsh was simply shy of her 24.39 season greatest from the Westmont Pro Swim Series.

Kate Douglass, who owns the identical PB as Walsh, threw down a 24.49 out of the ultimate warmth to maneuver by way of second general, with Claire Curzan (25.27) ending second within the warmth to finish a Cavalier 1–2–3–4–5 sweep in prelims.

Douglass’ season-best 24.20 from the U.S. Open stays the world main time, whereas it’s Curzan’s lengthy course season debut within the occasion.

Simone Manuel, the 2019 world champion and third-fastest lady in American historical past, clocked 25.31 to win the primary circle-seeded warmth.

MEN’S 50M FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Josh Liendo (Florida) – 22.29
2. Dylan Carter (AZFL) – 22.41
3. Ilya Kharun (SUN) – 22.52
4. Ruslan Gaziev (OSU) – 22.53
5. Patrick Sammon (NYAC) & Caeleb Dressel (SJAC) – 22.56
6. N/A
7. Ralf Tribuntsov (EST) – 22.61
8. Chris Guiliano (TXLA) – 22.66

Josh Liendo and Ilya Kharun doubled again after posting the 2 quickest qualifying instances within the 100m fly by profitable the primary two circle-seeded heats of the 50m free.

Liendo clocked 22.29 within the first warmth for the quickest time of the morning, with Kharun swimming 22.52 lower than a minute later to rank #3 heading into the ‘A’ closing.

Trinidad and Tibago’s Dylan Carter hit the touchpad in 22.41 to win the ultimate warmth, the second-swiftest time of the morning.