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Day 2 of the USA Swimming Pro Swim Series in Austin delivered a showcase of elite talent, with world champions, Olympic medalists, and emerging stars producing statement performances in a packed finals session.
From dominant medley swims to thrilling sprint finishes, the evening highlighted why Austin remains a key stop on the international swimming calendar.
McIntosh and Marchand set the tone in 200 IM
The session opened with the 200 individual medley, where Summer McIntosh once again underlined her dominance.
The reigning Olympic and world champion controlled the race from the outset, building a commanding lead by the halfway mark and never looking threatened.
Her time of 2:08.48, while not near her historic best, was still comfortably ahead of the field.
In the men’s race, Leon Marchand bounced back emphatically after a rare Pro Series defeat last season. Using his trademark strength in butterfly and breaststroke, the French star secured victory in 1:57.65 ahead of Carson Foster and Kieran Smith, reaffirming his status as the standard-bearer in medley events.
Sprint fireworks in the freestyle events
The women’s 50 freestyle produced one of the tightest finishes of the night. Simone Manuel edged out her French challengers with a winning time of 24.79, adding another Pro Series victory to her resume. Beryl Gastadello and Marie Wattel completed a closely contested podium.
On the men’s side, the 50 free delivered drama as Serbia’s Andrej Barna surged late to deny Maxime Grousset. Barna touched first in 21.77, just five hundredths ahead of the Frenchman, with Jack Alexy close behind in third.
Rising stars shine in backstroke and breaststroke
Teenager Charlotte Crush continued her impressive rise in the women’s 200 backstroke, leading from start to finish to claim victory in 2:09.79.
In the men’s breaststroke semifinals, Van Mathias impressed again, posting a 26.62 that kept him firmly in contention for a record challenge in the final.
French backstroker Yohann Ndoye-Brouard also made a statement, dominating the men’s 200 back ahead of Marchand with a time of 1:56.68.
Ledecky and Grousset close out a memorable night
Katie Ledecky capped the session in the 400 freestyle, winning comfortably in 4:00.54 despite visible fatigue after her 1500 free heroics earlier in the meet.
The night also featured a marquee 100 butterfly showdown, where Maxime Grousset’s early speed proved decisive over Caeleb Dressel.
Day 2 in Austin delivered depth, drama, and early-season excellence, setting the stage for an intriguing remainder of the Pro Swim Series.
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