U.S. Nationals, Day 1 Finals: Jack Alexy Clocks 47.17 to Lead 100 Free as Eight Men Break 48
He had been quiet for much for the spring since wrapping up his collegiate career at Cal, but Jack Alexy wasted no time in showing off his ridiculous speed at Nationals. He set a blistering pace in the 100 free prelims as he clocked 46.99, taking down the U.S. Open record and becoming the sixth-fastest man in history in the event. Among Americans, only Caeleb Dressel has ever been quicker.
Alexy came back in the final and took care of business, beating the fastest domestic field ever assembled by three tenths and reasserting his spot as the fastest swimmer in the world this year.
One hundredth behind Chris Guiliano at the halfway point, Alexy pulled clear of the field in the final 25 meters and left the race for second place. He clocked 47.17, just 18-hundredths off his morning time that ranks first in the world this year.
“46 has been a longtime goal for me,” Alexy said. “This morning, I didn’t have any time expectations. I just wanted to see what I have, and tonight, I wanted to not overthink this. It’s swimming two laps down the pool. I’ve done it several times. I wanted to go in there and do it again. I added a little bit of time. My dive was a little deep. To be able to go 47-low when it’s not my best swim, I’ll definitely take that for now.”
Alexy will now head back to the World Championships as an obvious medal contender after scoring a surprise silver in the 100 free in 2023 and then winning a short course world title in the event last December. The 22-year-old has mastered the process required to come through in the biggest moments.
“I think going through rounds last year, multiple championships, Olympics, getting experience helps me manage my nerves before big finals like this,” Alexy said. “Although I am nervous, I just don’t try to overthink anything, don’t blow all my emotions, just trust in my routine and do my process.”
Joining him in the individual event at Worlds will be Patrick Sammon, the Arizona State swimmer who crushed his best time twice Tuesday to qualify for his first World Championships team. Sammon entered the meet with a best time of 48.18 before going 47.87 in the morning and 47.47 in the final. Sammon moved into a tie for No. 5 in the world rankings this year.
Just behind was Guiliano in 47.49, denied an individual spot but still heading to the World Championships for relay duty. Also automatically qualifying for a relay spot was Destin Lasco, in a lifetime best of 47.58. Lasco narrowly missed qualifying for the Olympics last year, placing seventh in the 100 free at Olympic Trials after scratching his main event, the 200 backstroke, to aim for a relay spot, but he came through this time to return to the global level. Lasco was previously a 200 back finalist and prelims relay swimmer in 2023.
Jonny Kulow took fifth in 47.82, and Shaine Casas was sixth in 47.92. Those swimmers could received invitations to Worlds as relay alternates. Two other swimmers got under 48 in the evening session, with Henry McFadden placing seventh (47.97) and Brooks Curry winning the B-final (47.96). Eighth-place swimmer Grant House just missed at 48.02. That is the most swimmers to ever break 48 at any country’s national-level meet, surpassing the six 47s from last year’s Olympic Trials.
The U.S. men dominated the field in the 400 free relay at the Paris Olympics, and based on the group assembled to compete at the upcoming World Championships in Singapore, the Americans will be strong favorites once again. While the American men seemed to have several significant holes to fill entering Nationals, sprint depth was never in question. The results Tuesday evening backed up that sentiment.
“A lot of the guys in the top-six that qualified just now, I swam four years of college against them,” Alexy said. “Destin, I train with him every single day. Jonny Kulow, Patrick Sammon, I’ve raced those guys in dual meets and NCAAs all the time. It’s really cool because during the NCAA season, you’re really intense, walking around the deck with your chest puffed out, but once you have that USA cap on, it’s really special to see that come together.”
Two members of the gold-medal-winning team from last year, Dressel and Hunter Armstrong, did not compete at Nationals, but the plethora of sub-48 swims combined with the fireworks by Alexy, Sammon, Guiliano and Lasco provide a strong foundation for relay purposes. No other country has even two swimmers under 48 this year, compared to the eight swimmers in Stars and Stripes.
