2026 Pan Pacific Championships: United States women set American Record in 4x100 Freestyle Relay to close out Day 3

TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 25: Kate Douglass of the United States wins the Women's 100m Freestyle final and sets a new world record during day three of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup - Toronto 2025 at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on October 25, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images) Chris Tanouye via Getty Images

The United States women closed Day 3 of the Pan Pacific Championships with the fastest 4×100 freestyle relay in American history.

Kate Douglass set the tone from the lead-off spot, kicking off the relay in 51.69, the second-fastest time in the 100 freestyle in history. Douglass’ split was just one-hundredth off Marrit Steenbergen’s world record set in June of this year.

KATE DOUGLASS 51.69 100 FREESTYLE!!!! 0.01 OFF THE WORLD RECORD!!!! pic.twitter.com/VENavjGkeS

— Kyle Sockwell (@kylesockwell) August 15, 2026

Gretchen Walsh extended the American lead on the second leg, and Torri Huske did the same on the third. Veteran Simone Manuel , the 2016 Olympic gold medalist in the 100 freestyle, slammed the door shut on Australia on the anchor leg to secure the win.

This foursome, that raced together at the 2024 Paris Olympics, delivered a dominant gold medal performance in a new championship record, stopping the clock at 3:29.32. Australia took silver in 3:31.11, with Canada claiming bronze in 3:36.44.

In the men's race, Australia tried to close the gap on each of their legs, but the United States held on every time a new swimmer entered the water. The U.S. secured the win in a new championship record, 3:09.01, within a second of the legendary 2008 world record set at the Beijing Olympics. Australia took silver in 3:09.57, with Japan third in 3:13.53.

Although the American’s ended the night on top, sweeping through the 4×100 freestyle relays, Australia's individual events were excellent throughout the session. The Aussies swept the 400 freestyles in dominant fashion and added wins in the men's 100 butterfly and men's 50 breaststroke.

Here are the highlights from Day 3 of 4 from Irvine:

Lani Pallister upsets Katie Ledecky in women's 400 freestyle

Lani Pallister upset Katie Ledecky in the women’s 400 freestyle , winning her second gold of the meet in 3:58.42 to Ledecky's 4:00.15.

Pallister led from the start, extending a lead from the very first stroke and never looking back. Her win sets up a rubber match in the 800 freestyle to close out the meet, with Ledecky's 1500 win and Pallister's 400 win squaring the series 1-1. Summer McIntosh, who missed the final entirely in prelims, won the B-final in 4:00.58, a time that would have factored into tonight's race.

Sam Short wins big in 400 freestyle

Sam Short crushed the field in the men’s 400 freestyle, breaking both the championship and U.S. Open record with a 3:40.52. Short was just over half a second off Lukas Märtens’s world record of 3:39.96, backing up his championship-record win in the 800 free.

China's Zhang Zhanshuo took second in 3:42.42, with American Aaron Shackell third in 3:43.44. Short's win, paired with Lani Pallister's gold, gives Australia a sweep of the men's and women's 400 freestyle titles.

Gretchen Walsh wins second butterfly title

Gretchen Walsh completed the sprint butterfly sweep with her win in the women’s 100 butterfly.

It was all Walsh for all 100 meters of the race. She broke the championship record for the second time today, winning in 55.15 after already setting the mark in this morning's prelims. Between the two swims, she threw down two top-12 times times in history in the event.

Canada's Taylor Ruck took second in 56.71, edging Australia's Alexandria Perkins for silver. Defending Olympic gold medalist Torri Huske was fourth for the U.S. in 56.93.

Australia finishes 1-2 in men’s 100 butterfly

Australia swept the top two spots in the men’s 100 butterfly, with Matthew Temple breaking the championship record in 50.39 and 50 butterfly championship Ben Armbruster right behind in 50.59.

American Luca Urlando, who'd broken the championship record in the 200 butterfly , had to settle for bronze this time, finishing third in 50.99.

Regan Smith breaks through for gold in 200 backstroke

Regan Smith had a rocky start to her week, placing second to American teammate Karathrine Berkoff in both the 50 and 100 backstroke. Smith got her swagger back in the women’s 200 backstroke, scoring her first win of the meet.

Alongside fellow American Claire Curzan, the two owned the field from the start, establishing more than a body length lead by the halfway mark, with Smith under world-record pace at the 100.

Racing backstroke outdoors is no easy task, but Smith looked like the seasoned pro she is throghout the 200 meters, swimming straight as an arrow all the way to gold in 2:05.57.

Curzan took silver in 2:06.44, giving the U.S. the top two spots in backstroke for the third time. China's Peng Xuwei rounded out the podium in third at 2:07.45.

Japan’s Yumeki Kojima wins 200 backstroke

Japan's Yumeki Kojima took off on the back half of the men’s 200 backstroke to run away with the win, touching in 1:55.38.

Canada's Blake Tierney, who won the 100 back earlier in the meet, took second in 1:56.29, with fellow Canadian Ethan Ekk third in 1:56.85. Keaton Jones was the top American, finishing fourth in 1:58.00.

Tang Qianting out-touches McKenzie Siroky for 50 breaststroke win

In the women’s 50 breaststroke, China’s Tang Qianting always had the edge. The World silver medalist was surrounded by two U.S. challengers, but she held on for the win, securing gold for China in 29.67, building on her U.S. Open record from this morning.

McKenzie Siroky was right behind in 29.70, adding another medal to a strong week, with Skyler Smith taking bronze in 29.90, her first international medal. All three swimmers on the podium broke 30 seconds in the race, showcasing the impressive depth of the fie...

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