Five World Records Light Up Final Night of World Cup

World Cup Toronto – Day Three Finals: Five World Records Light Up Final Night (Live Recap)

Who will capture the overall titles? Will additional world records go down? Which Triple Crown chases will be busted? These are just a few questions requiring answers as the 2025 edition of the World Aquatics World Cup heads into its final night of competition in Toronto.

Typically held in Europe and Asia, the World Cup’s presence in North America has been a success, with United States stops in Carmel (Ind.) and Westmont (Ill.) kicking off the series, before the tour moved to Canada for its conclusion. Hungarian Hubert Kos has been superb over the past few weeks and needs only a victory in the 100-meter backstroke to complete a 9-for-9 sweep of the backstroke disciplines. Kos is storming toward the World Cup men’s title.

On the women’s side, the final session will determine who captures the female crown, with training partners Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass battling for the honor. Walsh will race the 100 butterfly on Saturday while Walsh is scheduled to compete in the 100 freestyle.

The last session will also feature the latest backstroke duel between Australian Kaylee McKeown and American Regan Smith. Last week, McKeown set a world record in the 200 backstroke, as her time of 1:57.87 was just ahead of the 1:57.91 posted by Smith. The American star was also under the former world record, with her new time good for an American standard.

Here is an event-by-event recap of the Saturday finals from Toronto:

Men’s 400 Individual Medley

The United States’ Shaine Casas attacked the front half of the race and remained strong through the finish to prevail in a World Cup record of 3:56.13, making him the No. 3 performer in history. Casas didn’t finish far off the American record of 3:55.50, set in 2010 by Ryan Lochte. Casas finished comfortably ahead of countryman Carson Foster, who checked in with a time of 3:59.98. Italian Alberto Razzetti was third in 4:01.33.

Women’s 800 Freestyle

Backing up her distance triumphs during the first two stops of the circuit, Lani Pallister unleashed a spectacular performance in the 800 freestyle on Saturday night, setting a world record of 7:54.00. Not only was the effort a massive improvement over her previous best of 8:01.95, Pallister destroyed the world record of Katie Ledecky, who went 7:57.42 during the 2022 season.

Pallister was clearly going for the record from the start, as she surged through the 200-meter mark in 1:55.18 and split 3:54.16 at the midway point of the race. Pallister continually moved ahead of Ledecky’s world-record pace during her swim, with the only question being how much she would cut off the prior standard.

Women’s 100 Butterfly

The United States’ Gretchen Walsh capped her Triple Crown in the 100 butterfly with the third-fastest performance in history. Walsh popped a mark of 53.10, which was good for a World Cup record and trailed only the 52.71 and 52.87 efforts she produced during the 2024 campaign. Walsh claimed victory by more than two seconds, with Australian Alexandria Perkins finishing second in 55.11.

Men’s 50 Butterfly

By the slimmest of margins, Canadian Ilya Kharun secured the Triple Crown in the 50 butterfly, matching his World Cup sweep in the 200 fly. Kharun, a standout for Arizona State University, turned in a time of 21.80, which was a hundredth quicker than the 21.81 by Switzerland’s Noe Ponti. Canada’s Josh Liendo was third in 21.91 while an Asian record was set at 21.93 by Singapore’s Tzen Wei Teong.

Women’s 200 Backstroke

For the second straight week, Kaylee McKeown and Regan Smith both raced under the world-record in the 200 backstroke, with McKeown getting credit for the global standard and Smith setting an American record. McKeown fired down the last length of the eight-lap race and touched the wall in 1:57.33, which was faster than the 1:57.87 she delivered last week in Westmont.

McKeown was behind Smith at the 50-meter turn and at the midway point of the race, but she pulled ahead at the 150-meter turn and pulled away over the final two laps. As for Smith, she registered a time of 1:57.86, which was .05 quicker than her American record from Westmont and .01 swifter than McKeown’s prior world record.

Men’s 100 Backstroke

Two days after he ripped a world record in the 200 backstroke, Hungary’s Hubert Kos blasted a global standard in the 100 backstroke on Saturday night. Completing a 9-for-9 run through the backstroke events during World Cup competition, Kos touched the wall in 48.16 for the 100 back, an outing that bettered the 2021 record of American Coleman Stewart (48.33).

A star at the University of Texas and the reigning Olympic champion in the 200 backstroke, Kos was in command from the start and was all over the world record throughout the four laps. Kos split 11.18 for the opening 25 meters and made the 100-meter turn in 23.07 before pushing off the 75-meter wall in 35.58. Kos finished off his world-record performance with a closing split of 12.58.

Women’s 50 Breaststroke

After earning the top seed during prelims, Belgium’s Florine Gaspard backed up her top billing by edging Mona McSharry of Ireland. Gaspard raced to a 29.48 showing, which was .10 ahead of the 29.58 by McSharry. Also dipping under the 30-second barrier was Japanese veteran Satoni Suzuki, who finished third in 29.90.

Men’s 200 Breaststroke

The world-record barrage continued in the 200 breaststroke as Dutchman Caspar Corbeau became the first athlete to break the two-minute barrier in the event. Corbeau was under world-record pace throughout his race and registered a time of 1:59.52, which cut .64 off the previous world record of 2:00.16, set in 2018 by Kirill Prigoda.

Corbeau swept the breaststroke events in Toronto and his win in the 200 breaststroke completed his Triple Crown during the World Cup tour. Corbeau opened with a 26.66 split and was timed in 56.80 at the halway mark. A 1:27.84 flashed on the clock at the 150-meter mark and Corbeau came home strong to send Prigoda’s record into history.

In second place was Japan’s Shin Ohashi, who established a world junior record of 2:02.03.

Women’s 100 Freestyle

Make it five world records on the night and two straight barrier-breaking performances, thanks to the United States’ Kate Douglass. Coming off a world record in the 100 freestyle last week in Westmont, Douglass was even better in Toronto, posting a time of 49.93 to become the first woman to crack the 50-second barrier in the event. Douglass’ previous world record was 50.19.

Douglass was out in 23.93 at the 50-meter turn, but she had more power coming home than was the case in Westmont. Douglass split 26.00 for the back half of her race and finished nearly a second ahead of Australian Mollie O’Callaghan, who recorded an impressive swim of 50.82. The Netherlands’ Marrit Steenbergen was third in 51.10.

Men’s 200 Freestyle

Reigning world champion and world-record holder Luke Hobson of the United States put together a strong finish to complete his Triple Crown in the 200 freestyle and grab a $10,000 bonus. Hobson was just behind countryman Chris Guiliano at the 125-meter turn, but Hobson pulled away slightly down the stretch to win in 1:39.94. Guiliano was the second-place finisher in 1:40.39.

Women’s 200 Individual Medley

The World Cup came to a close with American Alex Walsh grabbing victory in the 200 individual medley, as her time of 2:04.01 bettered the 2:04.75 of Ellen Walshe of Ireland. The United States’ Walsh took the lead at the 75-meter mark and never looked back. Great Britain’s Abbie Wood was the third-place finisher in 2:05.33.

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