2026 U.S National Championships: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap ...Middle East

By Terin Frodyma on SwimSwam

2026 U.S. National Championships

Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet

Day three is upon us in Irvine for the 2026 US National Championships. This morning we will be treated to another eight events: the men’s and women’s 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 50 breaststroke, and 50 backstroke.

A Pair of Cavalier Aquatics Swimmers lead the way in the women’s 400 IM; Leah Hayes and Katie Grimes will each be looking to fend off a youthful event, one that includes Alexa McDevitt, Audrey Derivaux, and Sydney Schoeck.

The men’s 400 IM will look to be another defining race for Cal’s Ryan Erisman, who has been on a tear through the early stages of this meet, including a pair of best times in the 200 free yesterday. He comes in as the 2nd fastest entrant behind Sun Devil Swimming’s Michael Hochwalt, who will swim in lane four of the final heat (heat 8).

The women’s 100 fly is loaded with young talents. Top-seeded Mizuki Hirai (56.70), who finished 2nd in the 50 fly last night, will look to fend off several up-and-coming superstars to earn her first national title; some of those other names in contention include Derivaux, Liberty Clark, Erika Pelaez, Charlotte Crush, Campbell Stoll, and Bailey Hartman.

Ilya Kharun will eye another national title at this meet, this time as the top seed in the men’s 100 fly with his 50.07, which is over a second faster than the rest of the event’s field. He will have to face off against Caeleb Dressel once again in a battle of past and future for US butterfly. The event will also feature the likes of Santo Condorelli, Matthew Klinge, and Maximus Williamson, all looking to spoil the party.

McKenzie Siroky and Anita Bottazzo lead the field in the women’s 50 breast as the top two seeds entering the event; only four other women swimming in Irvine are entered with sub-31-second times, those being Caroline Larsen, Rachel McAlpin, Lucy Thomas, and Piper Enge.

Michael Andrew comes into the day as the top-seeded men’s 50 breaststroker in 26.75, one of just two swimmers entered with a time under 27 seconds. The other is Indiana’s Alexei Avakov in 26.86. Mitch Mason, Brian Benzing, Ian Call, and Nate Germonprez will all look to secure a second swim tonight for a chance at a national title.

The final events will be the 50 back, where Isabelle Stadden could be staring down something that could shake up the world rankings; she leads the field by over half a second in 27.14, less than three tenths off of the World Record, and less than two tenths slower than the US Open and American Records.

The men’s 50 back will feature Pan Pacs swimmer Quintin McCarty, who leads the entries with his 24.34. He will be contested in this splash and dash with Ulises Saravia, Adam Chaney, Hunter Armstrong, and Jack Wilkening, among others.

Note: Junior swimmers in the top eight will advance to the junior final, rather than the open final, if they are vying for Junior Pan Pac selection. If they don’t want to vie for Junior Pan Pacs, swimmers can drop out of the junior final and subsequently slot into their spot in the open or ‘B’ final.

Foreign swimmers are eligible to qualify for the ‘A’ final, but not the 18 & under junior final.

Women’s 400 IM – Prelims

Top 15 (including junior swimmers):

The junior swimmers have come to play, as seven of the top 15 finishers in the prelims were 18 & Under swimmers.

Audrey Derivaux, the soon-to-be Texas Longhorn, battled strongly with Nations Capital’s Sadie Buckley. Buckley would make a big move on Derivaux on the breaststroke and fought to hold onto the lead. Buckley would close out strong, taking the win in 4:42.03, just a body length ahead of Kayla Han in 4:42.74. Derivaux finished 3rd in the heat in 4:45.33.

Leah Hayes did not show in her heat of the 400 IM.

Katie Grimes, an American ace in this event, was relatively uncontested in her heat of the 400 IM, showing off her racing ability throughout the duration of this race, turning more than two seconds ahead of the field at the 300 mark. Grimes would not let up, taking the top time in the heat in 4:35.98; she would be followed by Sydney Schoeck in 4:38.92, and rounding out the top four would be Teagan O’Dell and Emily Brown in 4:40.32 and 4:40.76.

The first circle seed heat saw the lead frequently change hands, as at the halfway mark, Nebraska’s Gena Jorgensen held about a half body length lead over 14-year-old Kate Allen of Carmel Swim Club, though it was the 200 Breast Champion from last night Sophia Umstead who made the move on the breaststroke in lane one who would scorch the field on the penultimate 100, turning more than two and a half seconds ahead of the field. Alexa McDevitt would give her all to close the gap, but would come up just short in 4:45.72 to Umstead’s 4:45.63. Jorgensen would touch 3rd in 4:38.56, and Allen finished 4th in 4:48.57.

That time for Allen moves her up into a tie for 10th all time in the girls 13-14 age group for the 400 IM.

Future Indiana Hoosier Lylah Theriac in heat 2 managed to drop over 11 seconds from her former best of 4:55.35 to win her heat in 4:43.70. That time stood as the fastest through the entirety of the first four heats prior to the circle-seeded races

Men’s 400 IM – Prelims

Top 9 (including junior swimmers):

Top-seeded Michael Hochwalt of Sun Devil Swimming and Baylor Nelson looked to be trading blows for the entire 400 meters of this race. Hochwalt led after the 100 by three tenths over Nelson, though it was Sean Green who made the biggest move on the backstroke, turning 1.7 seconds ahead of the field at the 200 mark. Nelson and Hochwalt quickly regained their ground on the first breaststroke leg. Heading into the final 100, Nelson had grown a lead to about a body length, and would look to hold on through the final touch. Nelson would slide to third at the final touch in 4:16.20, though Hochwalt and Green were not far ahead. Hochwalt took the win in 4:16.14, Green just behind in 4:16.17.

Ryan Erisman looked to be unstoppable; the Cal swimmer picked up right where he left off after night two, swimming a controlled and calculated race en route to a heat victory. His only slight hiccup in the prelims here came on the breaststroke leg as Yi Zheng made up over two body lengths to overtake Erisman heading into the final 100, though it felt that it would not matter given Erisman’s freestyle ability. Erisman would take the win in 4:15.51; Zheng was 4:16.92, while Cooper Lucas rounded out the top three in 4:20.76.

Louisville’s Gregg Enoch wasted no time getting going in the 400 IM, opening up out front, splitting 57.37. At the halfway mark, AJ Robinson had taken over the lead, leading Enoch by three tenths. Noah Cakir, Luke Ellis, and 200 breast champion Josh Bey all made big pushes on the breast to get themselves in contention on the last 100. Cakir and Ellis would battle to the final touch, as the win would go to Luke Ellis in 4:14.86, Cakir just behind in 4:15.34, while Enoch and Bey would touch 3rd and 4th in heat six in 4:16.85 and 4:18.08.

Women’s 100 Fly – Prelims

Top 11 (including junior swimmers):

Hannah Bellard notched the morning’s 2nd fastest time in 58.71 to win the final heat; behind her were a pair of 59.0s in Mizuki Hirai in 59.03 and Erika Pelaez in 59.04.

The 10th heat was the tightest heat yet, as it saw six swimmers under 1:00, and the top five separated by 15 one-hundredths of a second. Derivaux, in her 2nd swim of the day, took the win in 59.01, 100 free and 200 free champion Anna Moesch just behind in 59.10, 16-year-old Gabi Brito 3rd in 59.14, and then a tie for 4th between Liberty Clark and Rachel Klinker in 59.16. Carli Cronk also added a 59.51 for 6th.

Charlotte Crush, the only swimmer in her heat under the age of 20, led the first circle-seeded heat at the 50 mark in 27.01, but would ultimately tail off towards the finish to Bailey Hartman in 58.23. Crush would take the runner-up spot in 58.77.

Heading into the Circle seeded heats, the top time of the prelims was owned by Miriam Sheehan of Sun Devil Swimming in 59.30. She was followed by three other sub-1:00 swimmers in Lily Sawyer (59.59) and Campbell Chase (59.62).

Men’s 100 Fly – Prelims

Top 8:

Dressel looked to have turned back the clock, taking the win in 50.55, nearly a second and a half faster than the rest of the field. His season-best this season previously sat at 51.26 from the Fort Lauderdale Open.

Kharun in the final heat still threw down a strong performance in his own right, touching in 50.70, though it was still behind Dressel, whom he beat yesterday to win the 50 fly, making for another marquee showdown for the 100 fly final this evening.

Santo Condorelli and Matthew Klinge looked to have the battle of the first circle seeded heat, though it was Rowan Cox who has had a stellar meet thus far, surging home on the final 25 meters to win in 51.42.

The final heat before the circle-seeded heat was won by new Texas Pro Group member Tyler Ray, who had to hold off a charging Maximus Williamson on the final 25 meters to win in 51.73. Williamson notched a big best time of 52.13.

Women’s 50 Breast  – Prelims

Top 9 (including junior swimmers):

The first of three circle-seeded heats was highlighted by the battle in the middle of the pool between Maria Ramos Najji and Piper Enge, as both swimmers notched sub-31-second performances with Enge getting the better of the two in 30.64 and Ramos Najji just behind in 30.80.

In the following race, it was a battle between college stars as Anita Bottazzo stormed to a big win in the heats over Lucy Thomas in 30.32; Thomas would also swim under that 31-second barrier to take 2nd in 30.77.

The final heat featured top seed McKenzie Siroky, who looked every bit the part, establishing a near body length lead at the 25-meter mark, securing the only sub-30-second time of the prelims in 29.87, and winning the heat by well over a second. Rachel McAlpin was the next fastest in 31.20.

Men’s 50 Breast – Prelims

Top 9 (including junior swimmers):

Mitch Mason used his high stroke count and smooth stroke to secure the top time in the first of three circle-seeded heats in 27.10; he touched two tenths faster than 2nd-place finisher Ian Call in 27.30. Finnley Conklin nabbed the 3rd place position from Nate Germonprez (27.52) in 27.48.

It was a three-horse race in the 2nd-to-last heat, as Watson Nguyen blasted the first sub-27-second time of the prelims in 26.96 after mounting a stellar final 20-meter comeback on both Alexei Avakov (27.32) and Brian Benzing (27.42). Andy Dobrzanski also closed well, touching 4th in the heat in 27.47.

Michael Andrew looked to be in a form of the past, dominating the final heat in 26.74, by far the fastest performer of the heat, as Jake Wang finished next fastest in 27.41.

Women’s 50 Back – Prelims

Top 8:

Stadden, the clear headliner of the event coming into this meet, did not disappoint, demolishing the final heat in 27.21, a very fast prelims performance, setting up for a potentially historic outing in the final. Morgan Scott would be the next quickest in the heat in 28.28, with Cadence Vincent just behind her in 28.30.

It was a tight string across the middle of the pool as the top four all touched within three-tenths of one another. The veteran Rhyan White took the win in the penultimate heat in 28.17, followed very closely by Wisconsin’s Maggie Wanezek in 28.21. Nation’s Capital’s Alyssa Sagle was 3rd in 28.39, as Bryn Greenwaldt would nearly miss out on the top three in the heat in 28.47.

Emily Jones got out to a major lead early in the first circle-seeded heat, though that early effort would not hold up against Kennedy Noble’s finish, as she would just slip ahead of Jones at the touch in 28.25. Jones settled for the runner-up finish in 28.28, as Erika Pelaez touched 3rd in the heat in 28.32 to slip into the top 8 and make the ‘A’ final.

Men’s 50 Back – Prelims

Top 8:

In the final event of the prelims, Quintin McCarty, who has progressed to one of the most consistent US Sprinters today, put that on full display in the 50 back, swimming the top time out of the heats in 24.66. Just behind him was newer Texas pro in Jack Wilkening, who won the first circle seeded heat in 24.78.

Finn Harland also added a sub 25-second performance to the prelims total in 24.85, earning him a lane right next to McCarty this evening.

Two of the fastest swims of the prelims came in heat four, two heats before the circle seeded swims began; Ben Bricca, who raced in lane 8, and Devin Naoroz in lane four of that heat, each nearly cracked 25 to leapfrog themselves into the ‘A’ final in 25.04 and 25.05, respectively.

Adam Chaney and Ulises Saravia, both early favorites to potentially win the national title in this event, both just barely sneak into the championship final after tying for 7th in 25.08.

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