INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JUNE 21: Regan Smith of the United States reacts after winning the Women’s 200m backstroke final on Day Seven of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium on June 21, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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The 2025 Swimming World Cup opened with U.S. swimmers showcasing a promising start.
At the first stop of the World Cup in Carmel, Regan Smith claimed the 200-meter butterfly final gold and set new records. The Olympic swimmer blasted halfway through the race to post a new American short-course meter (SCM) and U.S. open record in 2:00.28. Smith managed to break her own American record of 2:01.00 set last year at the SC World championships. She also managed to lower a decade-long U.S. open record of 2:03.39 set by retired world champion Cammille Adams in 2015.
18-year-old Alex Schakell followed Smith into the race. Schakell began with a strong swim on home soil, maintaining a lead by seven hundredths until halfway through the race. However, she eventually lost momentum and posted a new personal best time of 2:02.51 to place second. Ireland’s Ellen Walshe also managed a podium finish by touching the wall in 2:05.07.
Regan Smith, who opted out of her expertise event, the 50 backstroke final, is currently the third fastest swimmer in the 200 fly after Summer McIntosh (1.59.32) and Mireia Belmonte (1:59.61). Now at the next two stops, Smith, who also holds the 200 fly American record in long-course, will aim to break the 1:59 sub. Notably, the swimmer will most likely face strong competition from Canadian prodigy McIntosh, who holds the world record and the second fastest time in the fly event in short-course and long-course meters, respectively. McIntosh was forced to skip the first leg of the World Cup due to illness.
Gretchen Walsh Wins Individual Medley In Record Time
Another event, another record. Gretchen Walsh continues to be a force to be reckoned with throughout the season. At her debut swimming World Cup event as a professional swimmer, Walsh yet again created history by winning the women’s individual medley with a new world cup record. The 22-year-old who maintained a strong lead from the start posted a time of 55.91 to surpass Katinka Hosszu’s time of 56.51 set at the 2017 World Cup. Walsh’s impressive time helped her register the second fastest final 50 split ever and the third fastest time in the event’s history (she holds all top five times). She also lowered her own U.S. open record of 55.98, set at an NCAA dual meet last year.
Walsh’s performance comes as no surprise, after the American swimmer made history at her debut SC World Championships last year by breaking nine world records. She also claimed the gold in the Individual Medley with a new world record in 55.11.
Gretchen Walsh was followed by her teammate Kate Douglass in 56.34. Her time helped her claim a new personal best, surpassing her previous time of 56.49 SCM Worlds last year. The first day drew a fair amount of success for Douglass, as the swimmer also claimed the gold in the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:13.97, taking down the U.S. open record.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/parasjan/2025/10/11/swimming-world-cup-day-1-regan-smith-and-gretchen-walsh-win-with-new-records/
