U.S. Nationals Day 2 Men’s Prelims: Luke Hobson Leads Scorching 200 Free Field
The 2025 U.S. National Championships continued from Indianapolis with the Day 2 prelims.
The events are the 200 free, 200 breast, 200 back and 50 butterfly.
Here is a look at the men’s prelims events.
Men’s 200 Free
The fireworks started in the circle-seeded heats.
The first circle-seeded heat went to Kieran Smith (1:46.05) to hold off Henry McFadden (1:46.13) and Carson Foster (1:46.18), as the entire heat closed strong.
The second circle-seeded heat went to Chris Guiliano in 1:46.20, ahead of Daniel Diehl (1:46.70).
The final heat went to Luke Hobson in 1:44.78, the second-fastest time in the world this year. Gabriel Jett and Rex Maurer tied for second at 1:45.46.
Hobson took the top seed into finals at U.S. Nationals, with Maurer and Jett tied for second.
Lukas Mijatovic finished fourth and broke the 15-16 NAG by more than a second, getting to the wall in 1:45.92.
Smith was fifth, followed by McFadden, Foster and Guiliano.
Just how fast was the morning? Last year, the eighth-place tie was 1:47.00.
This morning at U.S. Nationals, 1:47.01 was 16th with 15 swimmers faster than the eighth-place from the Olympic Trials.
Men’s 200 Breaststroke
The first circle-seeded heat went to Ben Delmar, who got to the wall in 2:10.39, ahead of Josh Bey (2:11.78).
Gabe Nunziata won the second circle-seeded heat in 2:10.22, followed by Josh Matheny in 2:10.62.
The final heat went to AJ Pouch, who crushed the field in 2:08.96. NCAA champion Jassen Yep was second in 2:12.18.
Pouch was well ahead of the entire field and took the top seed ahead of Nunziata, Delmar, Matheny, Bey and Yep.
Men’s 200 Backstroke
Jack Aikins was able to pull away in the second circle-seeded heat and got to the wall in 1:55.49, the second-fastest time in the world this year. He was ahead at the 100 and continued to build and was well ahead of the rest of the field.
Will Modglin had some outside smoke from Lane 8 and finished second behind Aikins in the heat in 1:58.27.
In the final heat, Daniel Diehl finished in 1:57.12, ahead of Micheal Hochwalt (1:57.27).
But it wasn’t enough to catch Aikins, who is the top seed by nearly two seconds.
Kieran Smith, Destin Lasco and Luke Ellis scratched the event.
Men’s 50 Butterfly
The first 50 of the meet was a quick one with the top four breaking 23.5.
Dare Rose went a 23.12 in the first circle-seeded heat, ahead of Jonny Kulow (23.74).
The next heat went to Michael Andrew in 23.34 who held off Will Hayon (23.58).
Shaine Casas took care of business in the final heat in 23.10, setting up a fun final.
Casas took the top seed overall, ahead of Rose, Andrew, PJ Foy (23.48), Hayon, Thomas Heilman (23.61), Kulow and Kamal Muhammad (23.84).
