Anna Moesch Crushes U.S. Open Record in 100 Freestyle with 52.11, Just 0.17 Off American Record
For the second time in less than a month, Anna Moesch has shown that she belongs in the conversation for the best 100 freestyler in the world. In the last women’s championship final at the Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis, Moesch took down a pair of decorated international performers by a huge margin while swimming the fastest time ever on American soil.
Moesch, fresh off a breakout sophomore season for the Cavaliers, recently lowered the 100 freestyle American record at the AP London International, taking down a seven-year-old mark previously held by Simone Manuel and going 51.94. Moesch became the third-fastest performer in history in the event with that effort, and she also proved herself to be an international contender in the 50 and 200.
In Indianapolis, Moesch raced next to University of Virginia training partner Kate Douglass, who broke the world record in the 50 free Friday, while Torri Huske swam two lanes further away. While he two University of Virginia-trained swimmers earned the spotlight based on their performances in the sprint events in recent weeks, Huske has been the best 100 freestyler in the United States the past two years, winning Olympic silver in Paris and finishing 2025 as the top-ranked swimmer in the world.
This showdown belonged to Moesch, however, as she quickly pulled into a three-tenth lead at the halfway point. She split 24.98, positioning herself for a run at that American record. Her back half of 27.13 was a bit off, but she still powered to the wall in 52.11. That smashed the previous U.S. Open record of 52.43 set by Huske at last year’s U.S. Nationals. Although Dutch sprinter Marrit Steenbergen ranks ahead of Moesch in this year’s rankings, Moesch’s time here was faster than the times required to win Olympic gold in Paris as well as the title at last year’s World Championships.
Huske placed second in 53.05, good for the No. 8 spot in this year’s world rankings and a strong in-season swim as she prepares for the Pan Pacific Championships in August. Douglass, who followed up her 50 free world record with a win in the 50 butterfly earlier in the session, returned to take third in 53.09, just behind her season-best of 53.01.
Rylee Erisman, the 17-year-old who dominated the freestyle races at last year’s World Junior Championships, placed fourth in 53.24, within a half-second of her best time of 52.79. Indiana’s Liberty Clark took fifth in a lifetime best of 53.51, surpassing her previous top mark of 53.72. Seven other women, three in the A heat plus four in the B final, recorded times in the 54-second range.
With these results, the United States continues to show off the speed and depth required to challenge longtime frontrunner Australia in the women’s 400 freestyle relay. The team will be missing a major weapon at Pan Pacs with Moesch not part of the team, which was selected based on results in 2025. Still, the Americans should be formidable with Huske, Douglass, Erisman, Manuel, Gretchen Walsh and Erin Gemmell as possibilities for the relay. Moesch’s expected addition should further bolster the Americans in 2027 and beyond.
Event 31 Women 100 LC Meter Freestyle
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World: W 51.71 7/23/2017 Sarah Sjostrom, SWE
American: A 51.94 5/25/2026 Anna Moesch, USA
U.S. Open: O 52.43 6/3/2025 Torri Huske, Arlington Aquati
Pro Swim: M 52.74 4/11/2024 Siobhan Haughey, Hong Kong
Jr World: 52.70 8/11/2016 Penny Oleksiak, CAN
Name Age Team Prelims Finals
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=== A - Final ===
1 Moesch, Anna 20 Greater Somerset 52.88 52.11O
r:+0.70 24.98 52.11 (27.13)
2 Huske, Torri 23 New York Athleti 54.32 53.05
r:+0.58 25.32 53.05 (27.73)
3 Douglass, Kate 24 New York Athleti 53.77 53.09
r:+0.73 25.39 53.09 (27.70)
4 Erisman, Rylee 17 Laker Swim-FL 53.66 53.24
r:+0.68 25.79 53.24 (27.45)
5 Clark, Liberty 18 Indiana Universi 54.11 53.51
r:+0.52 25.69 53.51 (27.82)
6 Vincent, Cadence 21 Univ Alabama Swi 53.92 54.21
r:+0.51 25.91 54.21 (28.30)
6 Pelaez, Erika 19 NC State Univers 54.49 54.21
r:+0.64 26.33 54.21 (27.88)
8 Gemmell, Erin 21 Longhorn Aquatic 54.24 54.43
r:+0.57 26.13 54.43 (28.30)