2025 Pro Swim Series – Fort Lauderdale: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

By Spencer Penland on SwimSwam

2025 Pro Swim Series – Fort Lauderdale

• Wednesday, April 30 – Saturday, May 3, 2025
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 2 | Day 3
  • Finals: Day 1 (Timed Finals) | Day 2 | Day 3

SATURDAY PRELIMS HEAT SHEET

Welcome to the final day of the 2025 Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale! This morning’s action will feature prelims of the 100 back, 200 breast, 100 fly, 200 IM, and 50 free. The 800 free will also be swum as a timed finals event today, with the slowest heats going at the end of the prelims session, and the fast heats with finals.

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 57.13 – Regan Smith, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 57.57 – Regan Smith, USA (2019)
• American Record: 57.13 – Regan Smith, USA (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 57.13 – Regan Smith, USA (2024)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 57.64 – Regan Smith (2024)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Regan Smith (TXLA) – 58.40
2. Kylie Masse (CAN) – 59.37
3. Katharine Berkoff (WOLF) – 59.57
4. Claire Curzan (TAC) – 1:00.06
5. Rhyan White (WOLF) – 1:00.08
6. Charlotte Crush (LAK) – 1:00.33
7. Carmen Weiler Sastre (ESP) – 1:00.94
8. Catie Choate (FLOR) – 1:00.95

Regan Smith was the top swimmer of the morning by far in the women’s 100 back, swimming a 58.40. Smith was well within a second of her own Pro Swim Series Record of 57.64 this morning. With Kylie Masse going 59.37 and Katharine Berkoff going 59.57, we’re set up for what should be a great race tonight.

Interestingly, Masse was out faster than Smith this morning, splitting 28.51 on the opening 50, compared to Smith’s 28.60. On the other hand, Smith came home much faster, splitting 29.80 on the 2nd 50, which was more than a second faster than Masse’s 30.86.

Claire Curzan was solid this morning as well, swimming a 1:00.06. As a 58.29 100 backstroker, Curzan could really make some noise tonight as well.

MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 51.60 – Thomas Ceccon, ITA (2022)
• World Junior Record: 52.08 – Miron Lifintsev, RUS (2024)
• American Record: 51.85 – Ryan Murphy, USA (2016)
• U.S. Open Record: 51.94 – Aaron Peirsol, USA (51.94)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 52.40 – David Plummer (2016)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Hubert Kos (TXLA) – 53.29
2. Jack Aikins (UN) – 54.84
3. Jack Harvey (BER) – 54.87
4. Gavin Keogh (FAC) – 55.14
5. Jack Dolan (SUN) – 55.17
6. Quintin McCarty (WOLF) – 55.26
7. Aiden Norman (FLOR) – 55.57
8. David King (UN) – 55.76

Texas’ Hubert Kos was incredible this morning, swimming a 53.29 in the men’s 100 back. He led the field by a huge margin, 1.55 seconds, with the swim. Kos was also just 0.51 seconds off his career best of 52.78, setting himself up in a great position for tonight’s final. This morning, Kos was out in 25.34 and came home in 27.95.

Jack Aikins was next up this morning, swimming a 54.84 this morning. Though he was a lot slower than Kos this morning, Aikins holds a career best of 52.74, so he could push Kos tonight.

Penn State’s Jack Harvey clocked a new career best of 54.87 for 3rd this morning, dipping under 55 seconds for the first time in his career.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:17.55 – Evgeniia Chikunova, RUS (2023)
• World Junior Record: 2:19.64 – Viktoria Gunes, TUR (2015)
• American Record: 2:19.24 – Kate Douglass (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:19.30 – Kate Douglass, USA (2024)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 2:19.30 – Kate Douglass (2024)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Kate Douglass (NYAC) – 2:25.42
2. Alex Walsh (NYAC) – 2:27.23
3. Leah Hayes (UN) – 2:28.23
4. Emma Weber (UN) – 2:30.13
5. Sophie Angus (CAN) – 2:31.15
6. Emily Santos (VT) – 2:31.23
7. Isabelle Odgers (NOVACA) – 2:31.33
8. Grace Rainey (FLOR) – 2:32.39

The women’s 200 breaststroke came up all Virginia this morning, as the top 4 finishers were all Cavaliers. Kate Douglass, the American Record holder in the event, led the way with a 2:25.42. Douglass went 2:22.60 in the event at the Westmont PSS back in March, so we may see a faster swim out of Douglass tonight.

Alex Walsh was next up this morning, swimming a 2:27.23. She was actually out a touch faster than Douglass, splitting 1:10.62 on the opening 100, compared to Douglass’ 1:10.78

Leah Hayes, who just finished her freshman season at Virginia, came in 3rd this morning with a 2:28.23, which marks a new career best for the 19-year-old. Hayes’ previous best of 2:28.42 was set back in May of 2023.

Emma Weber rounded out the Virginia quartet this morning, swimming a 2:30.13.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:05.48 – Qin Haiyang, CHN (2023)
• World Junior Record: 2:08.04 – Dong Zhihao, CHN (2023)
• American Record: 2:06.54 – Matthew Fallon (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:06.54 – Matthew Fallon, USA (2024)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 2:08.18 – Matthew Fallon (2024)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Carles Coll Marti (ESP) – 2:12.59
2. Lyubomir Epitropov (TNAQ) – 2:13.43
3. Mariano Lazzerini (PSU) – 2:13.90
4. Denis Petrashov (UOFL) – 2:13.92
5. Noah Cakir (TS) – 2:14.27
6. Grant Sanders (FAST) – 2:14.44
7. Apollo Hess (CAN) – 2:14.46
8. Oliver Dawson (CAN) – 2:15.49

Carles Coll Marti continues to impress with his LC breaststroke this year. Following his career best of 2:10.25 at the PSS in Sacramento last month, he clocked a 2:12.59 this morning, leading the field by nearly a second. For context, his swim this morning was faster than the 2:13.22 he swam in prelims at the Sacramento PSS last month.

Coll Marti jumped out to an early lead this morning, splitting 1:03.10 on the opening 100, which was the fastest opening 100 in the field by well over a second.

Coll Marti will have a fight on his hands tonight, however, as Lyubomir Epitropov has been under 2:10 before. Epitropov was 2:13.43 this morning. Meanwhile, Denis Petrashov has been 2:10.19 and was 2:13.92 this morning.

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 55.18 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 56.33 – Mizuki Hirai, JPN (2024)
• American Record: 55.18 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 55.18 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 56.13 – Torri Huske (2024)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Gretchen Walsh (NYAC) – 55.09 (WORLD RECORD)
2. Alex Shackell (CSC) – 57.95
3. Charlotte Crush (LAK) – 58.96
4. Torri Huske (AAC) – 58.97
5. Audrey Derivaux (JW) – 59.08
6. Ellen Walshe (TMP) – 59.13
7. Beata Nelson (WISC) – 59.19
8. Helena Bach (DEN) – 59.45

Well…Gretchen Walsh certainly didn’t waste any time this morning. The 22-year-old cracked her own World Record in the women’s 100 fly, swimming a 55.09. That swim undercut the previous WR, which Walsh set at the US Olympic Trials last summer, by 0.09 seconds. Of course, the swim also marks, American, US Open, and Pro Swim Series records as well, and is the fastest time in the world this year.

Walsh was out fast this morning, swimming a 25.54 on the opening 50, which was only 0.61 seconds slower than the 24.93 she swam to win the 50 fly last night in finals. Despite going out fast, she held on very well also, splitting under 30 seconds coming home, 29.55. Her 2nd 50 split was the only one under 31 seconds in the field this morning,

Moreover, Walsh has gone faster in finals than in prelims in each of her two other events at this meet, so it looks like we’ll need to be on “sub-55 watch” tonight in finals.

Carmel Swim Club’s Alex Shackell put up a strong swim this morning, clocking a 57.95 for 2nd. Shackell holds a career best of 56.78, so we’ll see what she’s able to do tonight.

Swimming in her 2nd race of the morning, Lakeside Swim Team 17-year-old Charlotte Crush swam a 58.96 this morning, taking 3rd. Crush has been as fast as 58.19 before.

Torri Huske, the only swimmer in this field who could challenge Walsh tonight, swam a 58.97 for 4th this morning. While that time doesn’t exactly jump off the page, keep in mind