Pro Swim Series Indianapolis, Day 2 Finals: Gretchen Walsh Swims Fifth-Fastest 100 Fly in History; Katharine Berkoff Goes Sub-27 in 50 Back
The Thursday evening finals session at the USA Swimming Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis began with the final of the men’s 1500 freestyle and continued with women’s and men’s action in the 100 butterfly, 50 backstroke, 200 breaststroke and 400 IM.
A trio of swimmers who won world titles last year were in action, with Gretchen Walsh facing Olympic champion Torri Huske in the women’s 100 fly while Kate Douglass raced in the 200 breast and Katharine Berkoff raced in the 50 back. All three came through with wins, with Walsh swimming the fifth-fastest time in history while Berkoff was just one hundredth off her own American record in the sprint backstroke race. For the men, Ryan Murphy aimed for a second win in the 50 back following his strong performance in the 100-meter race Wednesday.
Men’s 1500 Freestyle
Fresh off a strong first year competing for Harvard University, Will Mulgrew came through in the 1500 freestyle final for a win over two-time Olympic gold medalist and world-record holder Bobby Finke. A leading pack of four swimmers pulled clear of the field, with Kentucky’s Carson Hick and teenager Ellis Crisci of Tsunami Swim Team joining Mulgrew and Finke.
After Finke led for most of the race, Hick took over in the final 400 meters. But on the final two lengths, he could not overcome the surging Mulgrew. The 19-year-old touched in 15:07.68, not far off his best time of 15:05.30. Just behind was Finke, who closed in 27.37 to finish in 15:08.43. Hick ended up five hundredths back at 15:08.48, with Crisci touching fourth in 15:10.75.
Event 10 Men 1500 LC Meter Freestyle
==================================================================
World: W 14:30.67 8/4/2024 Bobby Finke, USA
American: A 14:30.67 8/4/2024 Bobby Finke, USA
U.S. Open: O 14:40.28 6/23/2024 Bobby Finke, Saint Petersburg
Pro Swim: M 14:52.33 3/6/2026 Samuel Short, Australia
Jr World: 14:41.22 8/4/2024 Kuzey Tuncelli, TUR
Name Age Team Prelims Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===
1 Mulgrew, William 19 Shawmut Aquatic- 15:18.38 15:07.68
r:+0.73 27.62 57.20 (29.58)
1:27.52 (30.32) 1:57.94 (30.42)
2:28.48 (30.54) 2:59.18 (30.70)
3:29.78 (30.60) 4:00.20 (30.42)
4:30.41 (30.21) 5:00.66 (30.25)
5:31.31 (30.65) 6:01.87 (30.56)
6:32.81 (30.94) 7:03.18 (30.37)
7:33.87 (30.69) 8:04.47 (30.60)
8:35.01 (30.54) 9:05.75 (30.74)
9:36.25 (30.50) 10:06.93 (30.68)
10:37.60 (30.67) 11:08.17 (30.57)
11:38.71 (30.54) 12:09.34 (30.63)
12:39.95 (30.61) 13:10.65 (30.70)
13:41.01 (30.36) 14:10.63 (29.62)
14:39.86 (29.23) 15:07.68 (27.82)
2 Finke, Bobby 26 Saint Petersburg 15:19.92 15:08.43
r:+0.73 27.42 57.17 (29.75)
1:27.58 (30.41) 1:57.94 (30.36)
2:28.53 (30.59) 2:59.08 (30.55)
3:29.78 (30.70) 4:00.31 (30.53)
4:30.81 (30.50) 5:00.99 (30.18)
5:31.51 (30.52) 6:01.96 (30.45)
6:32.51 (30.55) 7:03.01 (30.50)
7:33.65 (30.64) 8:04.03 (30.38)
8:34.67 (30.64) 9:05.33 (30.66)
9:35.92 (30.59) 10:06.59 (30.67)
10:37.32 (30.73) 11:07.92 (30.60)
11:38.52 (30.60) 12:09.23 (30.71)
12:39.73 (30.50) 13:10.37 (30.64)
13:40.94 (30.57) 14:11.27 (30.33)
14:41.06 (29.79) 15:08.43 (27.37)
3 Hick, Carson 21 Kentucky Aquatic 15:34.86 15:08.48
r:+0.73 27.49 57.47 (29.98)
1:27.41 (29.94) 1:58.00 (30.59)
2:28.59 (30.59) 2:59.47 (30.88)
3:30.23 (30.76) 4:01.16 (30.93)
4:31.76 (30.60) 5:02.56 (30.80)
5:32.83 (30.27) 6:03.13 (30.30)
6:33.67 (30.54) 7:04.13 (30.46)
7:34.53 (30.40) 8:05.02 (30.49)
8:35.61 (30.59) 9:06.37 (30.76)
9:36.93 (30.56) 10:07.60 (30.67)
10:37.80 (30.20) 11:08.08 (30.28)
11:38.47 (30.39) 12:08.91 (30.44)
12:39.35 (30.44) 13:09.81 (30.46)
13:40.01 (30.20) 14:10.51 (30.50)
14:40.37 (29.86) 15:08.48 (28.11)
4 Crisci, Ellis 17 Tsunami Swim Tea 15:31.01 15:10.75
r:+0.67 27.94 57.49 (29.55)
1:27.85 (30.36) 1:58.10 (30.25)
2:28.75 (30.65) 2:59.31 (30.56)
3:29.98 (30.67) 4:00.59 (30.61)
4:31.08 (30.49) 5:01.16 (30.08)
5:31.86 (30.70) 6:02.36 (30.50)
6:32.76 (30.40) 7:03.22 (30.46)
7:33.95 (30.73) 8:04.37 (30.42)
8:34.83 (30.46) 9:05.59 (30.76)
9:36.09 (30.50) 10:06.96 (30.87)
10:37.69 (30.73) 11:08.26 (30.57)
11:38.94 (30.68) 12:09.67 (30.73)
12:40.57 (30.90) 13:10.91 (30.34)
13:41.38 (30.47) 14:12.00 (30.62)
14:41.46 (29.46) 15:10.75 (29.29)
Women’s 100 Butterfly
No one has beaten Gretchen Walsh in the women’s 100 butterfly or even come close in almost two years, and she added another stellar performance to her ledger in Indianapolis. Racing just seven weeks after she broke the world record for the fourth time, Walsh unleashed on a highly competitive field in Indianapolis. She scorched the first 50 meters in 25.22, an incredible 1.4 seconds ahead of the field, and she was more than a second clear of anyone else coming back as well, splitting 29.78.
Walsh touched in 55.00, the fifth-fastest performance in history. She has previously swum times of 54.33 in April as well as 54.60, 54.73 and 54.76 last year. Walsh now owns the 14 quickest performances in history, all times recorded since June 2024.
Three Olympians vied for runnerup honors behind Walsh. The best finished belonged to Claire Curzan, a Tokyo Olympian in this race, who touched in 57.48. Olympic champion Torri Huske touched third in 57.54, with Walsh’s older sister Alex Walsh fourth in 57.69. Another Olympian, Alex Shackell, came in fifth (58.47).
Event 11 Women 100 LC Meter Butterfly
==================================================================
World: W 54.33 5/2/2026 Gretchen Walsh, USA
American: A 54.33 5/2/2026 Gretchen Walsh, New York Athleti
U.S. Open: O 54.33 5/2/2026 Gretchen Walsh, New York Athleti
Pro Swim: M 54.60 5/3/2025 Gretchen Walsh, New York Athleti
Jr World: 56.33 6/22/2024 Mizuki Hirai, JPN
Name Age Team Prelims Finals
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Walsh, Gretchen 23 New York Athleti 55.56 55.00
r:+0.74 25.22 55.00 (29.78)
2 Curzan, Claire 21 TAC Titans-NC 58.85 57.48
r:+0.63 26.63 57.48 (30.85)
3 Huske, Torri 23 New York Athleti 59.08 57.54
r:+0.50 26.63 57.54 (30.91)
4 Walsh, Alex 24 New York Athleti 58.08 57.69
r:+0.73 26.76 57.69 (30.93)
5 Shackell, Alex 19 Carmel Swim Club 58.63 58.47
r:+0.65 26.98 58.47 (31.49)
6 Crush, Charlotte 18 Lakeside Swim Te 59.63 58.57
r:+0.66 26.95 58.57 (31.62)
7 Pelaez, Erika 19 NC State Univers 59.44 58.76
r:+0.64 27.42 58.76 (31.34)
8 Howley, Tess 21 Long Island Aqua 59.44 59.69
r:+0.65 27.88 59.69 (31.81)
Men’s 100 Butterfly
Ilya Kharun currently sits in a transitional position as he switches his sporting nationality from Canada to the United States, but he is proving his status as a future headliner for the American team in the butterfly events. Kharun put up a strong performance in the 100 fly in Indy, swimming the third-fastest time in the world in a nearly-wire-to-wire performance.
Kharun touched second at the 50-meter mark, 0.15 behind Kaii Winkler, but he might have been first if not for a long slide into the wall. Still, Kharun responded off the turn to establish an advantage. He came home in 26.84, well clear of the field, to win in 50.61. The only swimmers to go quicker this year are Hungarian Olympic champion Kristof Milak and Australia’s Matt Temple.
Winkler got under 51 for the first time in his career as he touched second in 50.92. Dare Rose, who swam butterfly for the U.S. men on the bronze-medal-winning 400 medley relay at last year’s Worlds, placed third in 51.19. The other swimmer to go sub-52 in the final was Thomas Heilman, the 19-year-old from the University of Virginia who has represented the U.S. in this event each of the past three summers. Heilman touched in 51.94.
Caeleb Dressel, the Tokyo Olympic champion and world-record holder, had a slow prelims race but came back to win the B final in 51.96.
Event 12 Men 100 LC Meter Butterfly
==================================================================
World: W 49.45 7/31/2021 Caeleb Dressel, USA
American: A 49.45 7/30/2021 Caeleb Dressel, USA
U.S. Open: O 49.76 6/18/2021 Caeleb Dressel, Gator Swim Club
Pro Swim: M 50.42 5/3/2025 Ilya Kharun, Canada
Jr World: 50.62 7/29/2017 Kristof Milak, HUN
Name Age Team Prelims Finals
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Kharun, Ilya 21 Sun Devil Swimmi 52.25 50.61
r:+0.66 23.77 50.61 (26.84)
2 Winkler, Kaii 20 NC State Univers 51.52 50.92
r:+0.66 23.62 50.92 (27.30)
3 Rose, Dare 23 Scarlet Aquatics 52.74 51.19
r:+0.61 23.88 51.19 (27.31)
4 Heilman, Thomas 19 Cavalier Aquatic 52.54 51.94
r:+0.63 24.57 51.94 (27.37)
5 Carter, Dylan 30 Azura Florida Aq 52.23 52.15
r:+0.62 23.78 52.15 (28.37)
6 Skazobtsov, Maxim 19 TAC Titans-NC 52.83 52.49
r:+0.63 24.35 52.49 (28.14)
7 Eidam, Ole 23 Univ. Of Michiga 52.54 52.64
r:+0.62 24.05 52.64 (28.59)
8 Klinge, Matthew 20 Ohio State Unive 52.93 53.56
r:+0.76 24.40 53.56 (29.16)
Women’s 200 Breaststroke
Kate Douglass already won the 200 IM in Indianapolis, going 2:07.04 in a dominant performance Wednesday, and the 200 breast brought the same story. Douglass, the reigning world and Olympic champion, went up by more than a second at the halfway point and continued to extend her margin.
She finished in 2:21.65, a time that only she and two others, Great Britain’s Angharad Evans and Russia’s Evgeniia Chikunova, have beaten this year. Douglass swam her best time of 2:18.50 on the way to gold at last year’s World Championships, lowering the American record and reaffirming her status as the second-fastest performer in history.
Also performing well here was Aimee Canny, the South African who just completed her college career at Virginia. Canny finished in 2:23.61, a strong indication that she will could make an international impact in the event in coming years. Alex Walsh, fresh off finishing fourth in the 100 fly, came in third in 2:25.76 to make it a sweep of Virginia swimmers in the top-three. Estonia’s Eneli Jefimova, the 50 breast winner, came in fourth (2:26.92) while Virginia-trained swimmers Katie Christopherson (fifth, 2:29.54) and Sophia Umstead (eighth, 2:31.45) also competed in the final.
Event 13 Women 200 LC Meter Breaststroke
==================================================================
World: W 2:17.55 4/21/2023 Evgeniia Chikunova, RUS
American: A 2:18.50 8/1/2025 Kate Douglass, USA
U.S. Open: O 2:19.30 1/13/2024 Kate Douglass, New York Athleti
Pro Swim: M 2:19.30 1/13/2024 Kate Douglass, New York Athleti
Jr World: 2:19.64 8/30/2015 Viktoria Gunes, TUR
Name Age Team Prelims Finals
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Douglass, Kate 24 New York Athleti 2:25.28 2:21.65
r:+0.70 31.91 1:07.43 (35.52)
1:43.95 (36.52) 2:21.65 (37.70)
2 Canny, Aimee 22 South Africa-IT 2:28.64 2:23.61
r:+0.74 32.26 1:08.67 (36.41)
1:45.50 (36.83) 2:23.61 (38.11)
3 Walsh, Alex 24 New York Athleti 2:27.99 2:25.76
r:+0.74 33.69 1:10.84 (37.15)
1:48.03 (37.19) 2:25.76 (37.73)
4 Jefimova, Eneli 19 Estonia-IT 2:29.95 2:26.92
r:+0.69 33.11 1:10.72 (37.61)
1:49.05 (38.33) 2:26.92 (37.87)
5 Christopherson, Katie 20 SwimAtlanta-GA 2:30.14 2:29.54
r:+0.62 33.92 1:11.68 (37.76)
1:50.14 (38.46) 2:29.54 (39.40)
6 Robillard, Adalene 18 Alto Swim Club-P 2:29.70 2:30.64
r:+0.68 33.77 1:11.55 (37.78)
1:50.72 (39.17) 2:30.64 (39.92)
7 Nawrocki, Elizabeth 19 Academy Bullets- 2:29.35 2:30.90
r:+0.68 33.40 1:11.40 (38.00)
1:50.72 (39.32) 2:30.90 (40.18)
8 Umstead, Sophia 19 Michigan Lakesho 2:30.56 2:31.45
r:+0.69 33.96 1:12.58 (38.62)
1:51.84 (39.26) 2:31.45 (39.61)
Men’s 200 Breaststroke
Denis Petrashov has established a strong record of performance in the 100 breaststroke, winning World Championships bronze in the event last year. Petrashov is also showing improvement in the 200-meter event, as evidenced by his dominant swim in the event in Indy. Petrashov blasted ahead of the field and held tough as Josh Bey closed in slightly on the final length. He touched in 2:09.16, taking down his previous best time of 2:10.19 by almost a second.
Bey, meanwhile, continues to show that he could have a strong future in the event for the United States. The 19-year-old fresh off his freshman campaign at Indiana University dropped eighth tenths from his previous best as he touched in 2:10.06 for second. Bey previously placed second in the 200-yard breast at the NCAA Championships, less than two tenths behind winner Yamato Okadome.
Finishing third here was Towson’s Jed Garner in 2:11.15, another best time by almost a second.
Event 14 Men 200 LC Meter Breaststroke
==================================================================
World: W 2:05.48 7/28/2023 Haiyang Qin, CHN
American: A 2:06.54 6/19/2024 Matthew Fallon, Univ Pennsylvani
U.S. Open: O 2:06.54 6/19/2024 Matthew Fallon, Univ Pennsylvani
Pro Swim: M 2:08.18 4/13/2024 Matthew Fallon, Univ Pennsylvani
Jr World: 2:06.91 6/20/2025 Shin Ohashi, JPN
Name Age Team Prelims Finals
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Petrashov, Denis 26 Cardinal Aquatic 2:13.67 2:09.16
r:+0.71 28.97 1:01.54 (32.57)
1:35.08 (33.54) 2:09.16 (34.08)
2 Bey, Josh 19 Indiana Universi 2:12.61 2:10.06
r:+0.66 29.39 1:02.53 (33.14)
1:36.36 (33.83) 2:10.06 (33.70)
3 Garner, Jed 21 Towson Universit 2:12.92 2:11.15
r:+0.64 29.57 1:02.46 (32.89)
1:36.15 (33.69) 2:11.15 (35.00)
4 Conklin, Finnley 19 Univ Louisville- 2:13.65 2:11.76
r:+0.67 30.26 1:04.28 (34.02)
1:38.21 (33.93) 2:11.76 (33.55)
5 Barr, Luke 23 Texas Ford Aquat 2:11.98 2:11.83
r:+0.65 28.89 1:02.40 (33.51)
1:36.73 (34.33) 2:11.83 (35.10)
6 York, Wilson 16 Lakeside Swim Te 2:14.48 2:13.58
r:+0.66 30.44 1:04.51 (34.07)
1:38.66 (34.15) 2:13.58 (34.92)
7 Matheny, Josh 23 Indiana Swim Clu 2:13.74 2:14.16
r:+0.69 29.79 1:03.93 (34.14)
1:38.44 (34.51) 2:14.16 (35.72)
8 Egeland, Charlie 21 Bergensvommerne- 2:13.23 2:14.57
r:+0.69 30.04 1:03.80 (33.76)
1:38.50 (34.70) 2:14.57 (36.07)
Women’s 50 Backstroke
The reigning world champion in the 50 backstroke put up the fastest time in the world, and she nearly clipped her own American record in the process. Berkoff faced tough competition from Isabelle Stadden, who has surged to the top of the backstroke rankings this year, and she touched 0.16 ahead with a time of 26.98. That was just a hundredth behind the American record of 26.97 she set in the same pool last June. The swim is tied for the third-quickest performance in history, and Berkoff is not far off Kaylee McKeown’s world record of 26.86.
Stadden, meanwhile, came in second in 27.14, improving her best time by four hundredths and moving into a tie for No. 9 on the all-time list. Finishing third was Claire Curzan in 27.54, just edging out a field where every swimmer eclipsed 28. The field actually included three swimmers who have won world titles in the event: Berkoff last year, Curzan at the February 2024 meet in Doha and seventh-place finisher Olivia Smoliga in 2019.
Event 15 Women 50 LC Meter Backstroke
==================================================================
World: W 26.86 10/20/2023Kaylee McKeown, AUS
American: A 26.97 6/5/2025 Katharine Berkoff, Wolfpack Elite
U.S. Open: O 26.97 6/5/2025 Katharine Berkoff, Wolfpack Elite
Pro Swim: M 27.05 6/18/2026 Katharine Berkoff, Wolfpack Elite-N
Jr World: 27.49 1/29/2016 Minna Atherton, AUS
Name Age Team Prelims Finals
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Berkoff, Katharine 25 Wolfpack Elite-N 27.05 26.98M
r:+0.55
2 Stadden, Isabelle 23 Aquajets Swim Te 27.18 27.14
r:+0.56
3 Curzan, Claire 21 TAC Titans-NC 27.98 27.54
r:+0.50
4 Shackley, Leah 19 NC State Univers 28.15 27.63
r:+0.53
5 White, Rhyan 26 Wolfpack Elite-N 28.01 27.66
r:+0.53
6 Wanezek, Maggie 20 Wisconsin Aquati 28.03 27.70
r:+0.52
7 Smoliga, Olivia 31 Texas Ford Aquat 27.78 27.85
r:+0.60
8 Owens, Kaitlyn 23 Texas A & M Univ 28.07 27.86
r:+0.47
Men’s 50 Backstroke
The focus was on Ryan Murphy in the men’s 50 back after the nine-time Olympic medalist won the 100 back Wednesday in 52.80. Indeed, Murphy got off to a strong start, but reigning national champion Quintin McCarty came through with a strong finish to take the win by three tenths. McCarty, a finalist in the event at last year’s World Championships, touched in 24.45, just 0.11 off his lifetime best that ranks him 17th-best in history.
Murphy touched second in 24.77, narrowly ahead of Kaii Winkler’s 24.85. Winkler, who took second in the 100 fly with a best time earlier in the session, made it a 1-3 finish for NC State swimmers. Adam Chaney finished just behind in 24.88.
Event 16 Men 50 LC Meter Backstroke
==================================================================
World: W 23.55 7/27/2023 Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS
American: A 23.71 4/28/2022 Hunter Armstong, Ohio State
U.S. Open: O 23.71 4/28/2022 Hunter Armstrong, Ohio State
Pro Swim: M 24.23 3/6/2025 Shaine Casas, Longhorn Aquatic
Jr World: 24.00 8/4/2018 Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS
Name Age Team Prelims Finals
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 McCarty, Quintin 22 NC State Univers 24.92 24.45
r:+0.54
2 Murphy, Ryan 30 California Aquat 24.75 24.77
r:+0.51
3 Winkler, Kaii 20 NC State Univers 25.04 24.85
r:+0.55
4 Chaney, Adam 24 Sun Devil Swimmi 25.18 24.88
r:+0.56
5 Andrew, Michael 27 MA Swim Academy- 25.25 25.18
r:+0.58
6 King, David 20 Cavalier Aquatic 25.29 25.20
r:+0.59
7 Fabiani, Remi 24 Sun Devil Swimmi 25.36 25.29
r:+0.54
7 Bochenski, Grant 23 Hinsdale Swim Cl 25.30 25.29
r:+0.54
Women’s 400 IM
Men’s 400 IM
