The 2026 Longhorn Elite Invite: Day 3 Finals was a spectacle of swimming prowess, with several standout performances and record-breaking attempts. The event, held at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center in Austin, Texas, showcased the talent and determination of the athletes. Here's a recap of the key moments and highlights from the final day of competition.
Women's 200 Fly: Summer McIntosh's Dominance
In the women's 200 fly final, Summer McIntosh of Texas LA (TXLA) showcased her dominance, touching the wall in 2:04.06 to claim the gold medal. This was her second-fastest 200 fly time of the season, and it marked a significant improvement over her previous best of 2:02.62 from the U.S. Open in December. McIntosh's performance was a testament to her consistency and her ability to perform under pressure.
McIntosh's victory was not without challenge, as she and Regan Smith of TXLA traded the lead several times during the race. Smith, who finished in 2:04.73, set a new season best time, touching in 2:04.73. This swim was three tenths faster than her previous best of 2:05.00 from the Fort Lauderdale Open and marked her third-fastest 200 butterfly performance. Smith's performance solidified her position as the second-fastest woman in the world this year.
Lindsay Looney of TXLA finished in third place with a time of 2:09.36, about a second and a half off her season best of 2:07.93. Despite not reaching her personal best, Looney's performance was still impressive, and she maintained her position as one of the top swimmers in the event.
Men's 200 Fly: Hubert Kos's New Lifetime Best
In the men's 200 fly final, Hubert Kos of TXLA set a new lifetime best of 1:55.11, stopping the clock more than three seconds ahead of second-place finisher Cooper Lucas. Kos's previous best stood at 1:56.01 from the U.S. Open Championships in December, and his performance in Austin was a clear indication of his progress and potential.
Kos's victory was not without challenge, as he led the race from start to finish, opening with a time of 24.96 and extending his lead with splits of 29.27, 30.13, and 30.75 on the remaining three 50s. His performance moved him up to 15th in the world this year in the event.
Lucas, who finished in second place with a time of 1:58.52, split 26.32, 30.02, 30.84, and 31.34 to finish just two hundredths ahead of Tyler Ray, who stopped the clock in 1:58.54. Lucas's swim was about a second off his best of 1:57.53 from the U.S. Open in December, while Ray was two tenths off his best of 1:58.36 from July of 2024.
Women's 50 Free: Simone Manuel's Victory
In the women's 50 freestyle final, Simone Manuel of TXLA emerged victorious with a time of 24.82, becoming the only swimmer under 25 seconds in the event. Manuel's season best stands at 24.42 from the U.S. Open in December, and her lifetime best is 23.97 from July of 2017.
Erim Gemmell of TXLA took second place with a time of 25.59, a little more than a tenth ahead of teammate Alex Fulton's 25.71. Gemmell's lifetime best is 25.00 from June of 2024, but this swim marked a new season best for her, taking four tenths off the 25.99 she swam at the U.S. Open.
Men's 50 Free: Chris Guiliano's Half-Second Victory
In the men's 50 free final, Chris Guiliano of TXLA won with a time of 22.39, beating Rafael Fente-Damers by half a second. Guiliano's swim was about a second off his lifetime and season best mark of 21.43, which he swam at the Pro Swim series in Westmont in March.
Rafael Fente-Damers took second place with a time of 22.84, which was also a near second off the 21.98 he swam in June of 2025. Ben Scholl, from Texas A&M, took third place with a time of 23.02, about a second off his best of 22.11, which he set in June of 2025. He has a season best mark of 22.38 from the U.S. Open.
Women's 100 Back: Regan Smith's Record-Breaking Performance
In the women's 100 backstroke final, Regan Smith of TXLA broke the world record with a time of 58.01, becoming the only athlete in the women's field under 30 seconds on the opening 50. Smith's performance was a testament to her speed and consistency, and it marked a significant improvement over her previous best of 57.49 from the Fort Lauderdale Open.
Smith's victory was not without challenge, as she built a near two-second lead over Sara Rodrigues, who split 30.00 to sit in second place. Rodrigues stopped the clock in 1:02.30, about a second off the 1:01.26 mark she swam last July.
Karly Whitehead, who just finished her sophomore year of high school, finished in third place, splitting 30.08 and 32.70 to touch in 1:02.78, which was a two-second drop from the 1:04.97 she swam in April.
Men's 100 Back: Hubert Kos's Dominance
In the men's 100 backstroke final, Hubert Kos of TXLA showcased his dominance, picking up his second win of the session with a time of 53.76. This swim made Kos the only swimmer in the event under 54 seconds, and it added about a second to his season best 52.63, which he swam at the U.S. Open in December.
Kos's performance was a clear indication of his speed and consistency, as he split 26.04 and 27.72 to be the fastest in the pool on both 50s. Joe Hayburn, last night's 50 backstroke champion, finished in second place with a time of 54.09, splitting 26.16 and 27.93.
Jack Wilkening finished in third place with a time of 54.62, splitting 26.46 and 28.16. Jack Aikins finished in fourth place with a time of 54.79, while Will Modglin took fifth place with a time of 55.25.
Women's 200 Breast: Anna Elendt's Victory
In the women's 200 breaststroke final, Anna Elendt of TXLA emerged victorious with a time of 2:25.76, beating Piper Enge by almost six seconds. Elendt's performance was a testament to her strength and consistency, as she split 33.47, 37.15, 37.21, and 37.93 to have the fastest split on all four 50s.
Enge, who finished in second place with a time of 2:31.66, split 34.31, 38.32, 39.64, and 39.39 to just miss her season best time of 2:31.55 from the U.S. Open Championships. Her lifetime best stands at 2:27.86 from June of 2023.
Hannah O'Leary took third place with a time of 2:32.94, splitting 34.99, 38.84, 39.14, and 39.97. Her performance was a four-second drop from the 2:36.31 she swam in April.
Men's 200 Breast: Campbell McKean's Victory
In the men's 200 breaststroke final, Campbell McKean of TXLA emerged victorious with a time of 2:13.14, beating Nate Germonprez by more than three seconds. McKean's performance was a testament to his strength and consistency, as he split 29.86, 30.98, 31.68, and 30.62 to touch the wall first.
Germonprez, who finished in second place with a time of 2:14.92, split 30.02, 31.54, 32.28, and 31.08 to finish just behind McKean. Baylor Nelson of TXLA took third place with a time of 2:16.68, splitting 30.67, 31.75, 33.67, and 30.59.
Women's 50 Fly: Simone Manuel's Victory
In the women's 50 fly final, Simone Manuel of TXLA emerged victorious with a time of 26.85, becoming the only swimmer under 27 seconds in the event. Manuel's performance was a testament to her speed and consistency, and it marked a significant improvement over her previous best of 27.32 from the prelims.
Hanne Peeters of NTRO took second place with a time of 27.48, while Erin Gemmell of TXLA finished in third place with a time of 27.74. Gemmell's performance was a new season best for her, taking four tenths off the 25.99 she swam at the U.S. Open.
Men's 50 Fly: Shaine Casas's Victory
In the men's 50 fly final, Shaine Casas of TXLA emerged victorious with a time of 23.37, becoming the only swimmer under 24 seconds in the event. Casas's performance was a testament to his speed and consistency, and it marked a significant improvement over his previous best of 24.14 from the prelims.
Garrett Gould of TXLA took second place with a time of 24.14, while Logan Walker of TXLA finished in third place with a time of 24.22.
Women's 400 Free: Summer McIntosh's Record-Breaking Performance
In the women's 400 freestyle final, Summer McIntosh of TXLA broke the world record with a time of 4:01.13, becoming the first swimmer to break the 4:02 barrier in the event. McIntosh's performance was a testament to her speed and consistency, and it marked a significant improvement over her previous best of 4:02.62 from the prelims.
Jillian Cox of TXLA took second place with a time of 4:13.10, while Lillie Nesty of TXLA finished in third place with a time of 4:13.69. McIntosh's victory was a clear indication of her dominance in the event, and it marked a significant achievement in her swimming career.
In conclusion, the 2026 Longhorn Elite Invite: Day 3 Finals was a spectacle of swimming prowess, with several standout performances and record-breaking attempts. The event showcased the talent and determination of the athletes, and it marked a significant achievement in the history of swimming. The performances of the athletes were a testament to their hard work and dedication, and they will undoubtedly inspire future generations of swimmers to strive for excellence.
