{"id":619761,"date":"2025-08-02T07:08:30","date_gmt":"2025-08-02T14:08:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=619761"},"modified":"2025-08-02T07:57:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-02T14:57:17","slug":"world-championships-united-states-women-have-won-medals-in-all-16-events-through-day-seven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-united-states-women-have-won-medals-in-all-16-events-through-day-seven\/","title":{"rendered":"World Championships: U.S. Women Have Won Medals in All 16 Events Through Day Seven"},"content":{"rendered":"

World Championships: United States Women Have Won Medals in All 16 Events Through Day Seven<\/strong><\/p>\n

The American performance at the World Championships has fallen short of pre-meet expectations thanks to a stomach illness that has severely impacted the swimmers’ health, but that has not stopped the group from obtaining a significant medal haul. The team’s 26 total medals is nine more than any other country, and the Americans now lead the gold-medal count as well.<\/p>\n

The men have their highlights, including gold from Luca Urlando<\/strong> in the 200 butterfly plus impressive silver medals from\u00a0Luke Hobson<\/strong>,\u00a0Jack Alexy<\/strong> and\u00a0Shaine Casas<\/strong>, but the majority of the medal haul has come from the women’s team. This was expected with numerous established stars returning from prolific performances at past international competitions.<\/p>\n

Even when falling short of their best times or narrowly missing gold, the medals have been there for the women \u2014 in every single event. In the 16 women’s finals contested through the first seven days, at least one American has placed top-three in all of them.<\/p>\n

\"regan

Multi-medal-winning backstrokers Regan Smith and Katherine Berkoff — Photo Courtesy: Emily Cameron<\/p><\/div>\n

The highest total of individual medals belongs to Regan Smith<\/strong>, who has captured silver in all three backstroke events, plus the 200 fly. Katie Ledecky<\/strong> has three medals, including gold in the 1500 free and 800 free<\/a> while an up-and-down meet for Gretchen Walsh<\/strong> has still yielded gold in the 100 butterfly and 50 fly<\/a>. Kate Douglass<\/strong> has a gold and a silver,\u00a0Katharine Berkoff<\/strong> gold and bronze and further individual medals have come from\u00a0Alex Walsh<\/strong>,\u00a0Claire Weinstein<\/strong>, Torri Huske <\/strong>and Claire Curzan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The women also scored silver medals in both freestyle relays. The teams entered the competition with their best chances of taking down Australia in many years, and the tight finishes suggest that would have happened if not for the numerous Americans becoming ill.\u00a0Three women were part of the gold-medal-winning mixed 400 freestyle relay<\/a>, and it would be a surprise if any other nation possesses the depth to keep up with the U.S. women in the 400 medley relay on the final day of competition.<\/p>\n

Since the World Championships added 50-meter stroke events in 2001, no country’s women or men have ever medaled in every event. However, maintaining that run on the meet’s final day will be a challenge.<\/p>\n

Gretchen Walsh and Huske both have medal chances in the 50 free, as does Lilly King<\/strong> in the 50 breast, but those races are always tight and unpredictable. The U.S. women have been on a medal-winning run in the 400 IM, but continuing that will depend on the condition of Emma Weyant<\/strong> and\u00a0Katie Grimes<\/strong>, neither of whom have competed yet this week.<\/p>\n

It’s no surprise that the backstroke events have been fruitful for the American team. Berkoff and Smith achieved the team’s only 1-2 finish of the meet in the 50 back, and both were on the podium in the 100-meter race, as were Smith and Curzan in the 200. They became the first women’s team to win the maximum-possible six medals in a single stroke since 50s became World Championships events in 2001.<\/p>\n

Previously, the American men earned six backstroke honors in 2022 while the U.S. women just missed that standout achievement in breaststroke in 2017. At that meet, only King’s fourth-place finish in the 200 breast, 0.18 off the podium, prevented a six-for-six performance in terms of medals.<\/p>\n

At the conclusion of the meet, the American brass will have questions to answer as they look to turn the page from this meet and begin long-range preparations for a home Olympics in 2028. But there should be little concern about the status of the women’s team.<\/p>\n

King, the longest-tenured swimmer aside from Ledecky, is heading into retirement after this meet, but a\u00a0near-historic run of podium finishes this week in Singapore is a reminder that this experienced core of swimmers is poised to continue dominating women’s swimming throughout this quad.<\/p>\n