Jack Alexy on Popovici, Milak, Pan Zhanle and the Highway to LA2028

Jack Alexy joins this GMM takeover of the SwimSwam Podcast to interrupt down his Pan Pacific Championships efficiency and the place these swims place him in a really elite, very crowded international dash subject.

Alexy gained the 100 freestyle in a Pan Pac Championship Record of 47.14, took silver within the 50 free in 21.42, and delivered a pair of sub-47 relay anchors for Team USA. He cut up 46.78 on the successful 4×100 freestyle relay and 46.97 on the successful 4×100 medley relay.

And, in fact, Alexy owns the 100 free American Record at 46.81, set on the 2025 World Championships.

But the worldwide competitors has solely gotten sooner.

At the European Championships, David Popovici gained the 100 free in 46.56, adopted by Egor Kornev in 46.74 and Kristof Milak in 46.87. Milak then dropped a blistering 46.29 relay cut up.

At the Commonwealth Games, rising Australian star Flynn Southam went 47.09 main off the 4×100 free relay, gained the person 100 in 47.13, and later cut up 46.55 on Australia’s medley relay.

Meanwhile, Pan Zhanle’s World Record stays at 46.40, although his 47-plus performances throughout 2025 and 2026 cloud the image. Is he affected by post-Olympic blues, or just conserving emotional vitality within the run-up to LA2028? We ask Jack that query.

We additionally get into Alexy’s tough 100 free at U.S. Nationals and whether or not that swim involved him on the time, whether or not he now considers himself America’s prime 100 freestyler, and what went via his thoughts when he noticed the occasions from Popovici, Milak, Kornev and Southam.

An even bigger query hangs over the dialog, one that may observe Alexy all the way in which to the LA Olympic Games. He has already turn out to be America’s quickest 100 freestyler. What will it take to turn out to be the quickest man on the planet?