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 some of the world's best swimmers. Here's a recap of the day's highlights, with a focus on the women's 200 fly, men's 200 fly, women's 50 free, men's 50 free, women's 100 back, men's 100 back, women's 200 breast, men's 200 breast, women's 50 fly, men's 50 fly, women's 400 free, and men's 400 free.
Women's 200 Fly
The women's 200 fly final was a thrilling race, with Summer McIntosh and Regan Smith trading leads throughout. McIntosh, swimming for Texas LA, emerged victorious with a time of 2:04.06, just seven-tenths of a second ahead of Smith, who finished in 2:04.73. This was McIntosh's second-fastest 200 fly of the season, while Smith set a new season best. The race was close, with the two swimmers splitting the lead several times, but McIntosh's blistering closing speed secured her the win. This event also saw the rise of Lindsay Looney, who finished third in 2:09.36, just a second-and-a-half off her season best.
Men's 200 Fly
Hubert Kos dominated the men's 200 fly final, setting a new lifetime best of 1:55.11. Kos, swimming for Texas LA, led the race from start to finish, opening with a 24.96 and extending his lead with splits of 29.27, 30.13, and 30.75. This swim moves Kos up to 15th in the world this year in the event. Cooper Lucas finished second in 1:58.52, just two hundredths ahead of Tyler Ray, who split 25.71/30.00/31.37/31.46 to stop the clock in 1:58.54. Lucas' swim was about a second off his best, while Ray was two tenths off his best.
Women's 50 Free
Simone Manuel, swimming for Texas LA, claimed the gold in the women's 50 free with a time of 24.82, the only swimmer under 25 seconds. Manuel's season best stands at 24.42, and her lifetime best is 23.97. Erin Gemmell took second in 25.59, a little more than a tenth ahead of teammate Alex Fulton's 25.71. Gemmell's lifetime best is 25.00, and this swim marks a new season best for her, taking four tenths off her previous best of 25.99.
Men's 50 Free
Chris Guiliano, swimming for Texas LA, won the men's 50 free in 22.39, half a second ahead of Rafael Fente-Damers, who took second in 22.84. Guiliano's swim was about a second off his lifetime and season best mark of 21.43. Ben Scholl, from Texas A&M, took third in 23.02, also about a second off his best of 22.11. This event saw the rise of young talent, with Guiliano's coach, Bob Bowman, credited with his influence on the event.
Women's 100 Back
Regan Smith, swimming for Texas LA, won the women's 100 backstroke by more than four seconds, touching in 58.01. Smith was the only athlete in the women's field under 30 seconds on the opening 50, splitting 28.19 to build a near two-second lead. She continued to extend her lead, splitting 29.82 on the second 50, more than two seconds faster than second-place finisher Sara Rodrigues, who split 30.00. Smith's final time is a little off her season best of 57.49, but is faster than anyone in the world except her and Isabelle Stadden this season.
Men's 100 Back
Hubert Kos, swimming for Texas LA, picked up his second win of the session with his 53.76 in the men's 100 backstroke. This swim made Kos the only swimmer in the event under 54 seconds, adding about a second to his season best 52.63. Joe Hayburn, last night's 50 backstroke champion, finished second in 54.09, just two hundredths off his lifetime best of 54.07. Jack Wilkening finished third in 54.62, adding about a second to his best of 53.37.
Women's 200 Breast
Anna Elendt, swimming for Texas LA, won the women's 200 breaststroke by almost six seconds over second-place finisher Piper Enge. Elendt split 33.47/37.15/37.21/37.93 to have the fastest split on all four 50s, touching in 2:25.76. This swim was about a second off her 2:24.77 from the German National Championships. Enge touched in 2:31.66, just missing her season best time of 2:31.55. Hannah O'Leary took third in 2:32.94, a four-second drop from her April swim.
Men's 200 Breast
Campbell McKean, swimming for Texas LA, won the men's 200 breaststroke in 2:13.14, more than three seconds ahead of Nate Germonprez, who finished second in 2:14.92. McKean's swim was about a second off his best of 2:12.78 from the U.S. Open in December. Baylor Nelson finished third in 2:16.68.
Women's 50 Fly
Simone Manuel, swimming for Texas LA, claimed the gold in the women's 50 fly with a time of 26.85, the only swimmer under 27 seconds. Manuel's season best stands at 24.42, and her lifetime best is 23.97. Hanne Peeters took second in 27.48, while Erin Gemmell finished third in 27.74, a new season best for her.
Men's 50 Fly
Shaine Casas, swimming for Texas LA, won the men's 50 fly in 23.37, the only swimmer under 24 seconds. Garrett Gould took second in 24.14, while Logan Walker finished third in 24.22. This event showcased the depth of talent in the men's field, with several swimmers close to their personal bests.
Women's 400 Free
Summer McIntosh, swimming for Texas LA, won the women's 400 free in 4:01.13, more than three seconds ahead of Jillian Cox, who finished second in 4:13.10. McIntosh's win was a testament to her versatility and speed, as she also won the 200 fly earlier in the day. Lillie Nesty took third in 4:13.69, showcasing the depth of talent in the women's field.
Men's 400 Free
Summer McIntosh, swimming for Texas LA, also dominated the men's 400 free, winning in 3:50.13, more than three seconds ahead of second-place finisher Jillian Cox. This swim was a testament to McIntosh's versatility and speed, as he also won the 200 fly and 400 free earlier in the day. Rex Maurer finished third in 3:56.78, just missing his season best time of 3:55.37. This event saw the rise of young talent, with several swimmers close to their personal bests.
In conclusion, the 2026 Longhorn Elite Invite: Day 3 Finals was a showcase of swimming excellence, with several record-breaking attempts and standout performances. The event highlighted the depth of talent in the sport, with several swimmers close to their personal bests. The day's highlights included the women's 200 fly, men's 200 fly, women's 50 free, men's 50 free, women's 100 back, men's 100 back, women's 200 breast, men's 200 breast, women's 50 fly, men's 50 fly, women's 400 free, and men's 400 free. The event was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the swimmers, and it will be interesting to see how they perform in the future.
