Westmont, Ill. – In front of a packed crowd at the 2026 USA Swimming Short‑Course World Championship Trials, Team USA’s rising star Jack Alexy swam a blistering 44.64 seconds to shatter the men’s 100‑meter freestyle world record. The record, previously 44.84 seconds, fell as Alexy touched the wall, earning him a place in the record books and a new benchmark for American swimming.
Record‑breaking performance
Alexy, who represented the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered the final with a clear goal: qualify for the 50‑meter and 100‑meter individual events. He delivered, racing for the California Golden Bears and posting a time that not only secured his spot on the national team but also eclipsed the world‑record mark.
Behind him, fellow Olympian Chris Guiliano of the University of Notre Dame finished second in 45.22 seconds, while veteran sprinter Caeleb Dressel took third in 45.65 seconds. The depth of the field underscored the strength of U.S. sprint freestyle swimming.
Alexy’s rise
Alexy’s journey to this moment has been steady. He earned his first individual gold in the 100‑meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest in December 2024 with a time of 45.38 seconds. At the Paris Games, he contributed to the U.S. 4×100‑meter freestyle relay, helping the squad capture gold. Later that year, he set an American and world‑championship record with a 45.05‑second lead‑off leg in Hungary.
His latest achievement follows a recent short‑course world‑record tie by Russia’s Egor Kornev, highlighting a competitive era for the sprint distance.
Looking ahead
After the race, Alexy told Swimming World Magazine, “That felt pretty good. The goal was to qualify for the 50 and 100 individually. I was confident I could get that done after this morning.” He added, “I tried to ride the adrenaline of the crowd. Racing against a U.S. field at a selection meet is nerve‑wracking, but that pressure is a good thing – it’s what we’ll face on the world stage.”
Alexy is already setting his sights on the upcoming World Aquatics Championships in Beijing, scheduled for Dec. 1‑6, where he hopes to lower his time even further and contend for additional titles.
Impact on U.S. swimming
The new record reinforces the United States’ dominance in sprint freestyle events and provides a morale boost ahead of the 2027 World Championships and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Coaches and analysts note that Alexy’s performance demonstrates the effectiveness of the nation’s training programs and the depth of talent emerging from collegiate programs.
For local fans in Illinois, the event showcased world‑class competition right at home, drawing attention to Westmont’s facilities and the broader Midwest swimming community.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
