{"id":603800,"date":"2025-01-25T14:48:09","date_gmt":"2025-01-25T21:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=603800"},"modified":"2025-01-25T14:48:09","modified_gmt":"2025-01-25T21:48:09","slug":"shaine-casas-becomes-fifth-fastest-ever-in-400-yard-im-during-pro-exhibitions-in-austin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/shaine-casas-becomes-fifth-fastest-ever-in-400-yard-im-during-pro-exhibitions-in-austin\/","title":{"rendered":"Shaine Casas Becomes Fifth-Fastest Ever in 400-Yard IM During Pro Exhibitions in Austin"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shaine Casas Becomes Fifth-Fastest Ever in 400-Yard IM During Pro Exhibitions in Austin<\/strong><\/p>\n

Time trials featuring University of Texas-based professional swimmers were held during this weekend’s Eddie Reese Texas Showdown, and\u00a0Shaine Casas<\/strong> took advantage of the rare short course yards racing opportunity to blast his best time in the 400 IM while scaring the American record. Olympic champions\u00a0Regan Smith<\/strong> and\u00a0Simone Manuel<\/strong> were among the others who competed.<\/p>\n

Casas, who qualified for the U.S. Olympic team in the 200 IM and then won a short course world title in the 200 IM in December<\/a>, clocked 3:34.09 in the 16-lap race Friday, coming within seven tenths of the American record. His time was a tenth faster than Texas training partner\u00a0Rex Maurer<\/strong> swam in November, and Casas now ranks fifth all-time in the event behind\u00a0Leon Marchand<\/strong>,\u00a0Hugo Gonzalez<\/strong>,\u00a0Chase Kalisz<\/strong> and\u00a0Carson Foster<\/strong>. In addition to this medley success, Casas also swam a 50 freestyle time trial and clocked 19.13.<\/p>\n

Smith, fresh off a sweep of the backstroke events at the Short Course World Championships to cap off an impressive 2024<\/a>, swam both backstroke events and posted times of 49.87 in the 100 and 1:48.17 in the 200. Smith is the former American-record holder in both distances, with times of 49.16 and 1:47.16, respectively.<\/p>\n

Manuel, racing for the first time since competing in her third Olympics earlier this year in Paris, made a rare appearance in the 200 IM and clocked 1:57.01, beating her previous lifetime best of 1:58.74 that she posted in Stanford’s dual meet against Washington State in late 2016. Manuel also raced to a mark of 47.29 in the 100 free, an event where she is the second-quickest woman ever behind\u00a0Gretchen Walsh<\/strong>. Her best time, which stood as the American and U.S. Open records for seven years, is 45.56.<\/p>\n

Foster raced the 200 butterfly and posted a time of 1:41.37 while\u00a0Anna Elendt<\/strong> swam marks of 2:07.45 in the 200 breaststroke and 57.75 in the 100-yard race.<\/p>\n

Eddie Reese Texas Showdown Links<\/h2>\n