Fab Five: The Athletes Who Captured World Titles in Singapore and Swept the World Cup Tour
by Elisabeth Grigoriadou, Swimming World Magazine
Fab Five: The Athletes Who Captured World Titles in Singapore and Swept the World Cup Tour
The 2025 season has given the world of swimming incredible races, times and duels from which a handful of swimmers managed to record undefeated runs between the World Championships last summer in Singapore, and the recent World Cup circuit in North America. Here are the five athletes who claimed a gold medal in an individual event at the World Champs, and then swept the discipline at all stops of the World Cup Tour.
Hubert Kos
The Hungarian star and reigning Olympic champion in the 200 backstroke is part of Bob Bowman’s elite training group at the University of Texas. After claiming the world title in the 200 backstroke again, after initially winning in 2023, Kos went undefeated in all three backstroke events at the World Cup, and set short-course world records in the 100 and 200 distances.
Mollie O’Callaghan
After winning the world title for the first time in Fukuoka in 2023, the Australian followed with an Olympic crown in the 200 freestyle and another world championship in Singapore. But the 21-year-old wasn’t quite sure how fast she could perform in the short-course pool. Well, she provided an impressive answer, as she set two world records during the World Cup and swept the event’s three stops
Gretchen Walsh
The 2025 season has gotten better and better for Walsh with each passing month. In long course, she broke two world records before the World Championships, and then she won her first ever world titles in the 50 and 100 butterfly in Singapore. Afterward, she turned her focus to her short-course excellence and the results were as everyone expected. Walsh was dominant at the World Cup, with sweeps arriving easily in both butterfly events.
Kaylee McKeown
The Australian superstar, who has won back-to-back Olympic crowns in both backstroke events, captured the 200 backstroke title at the Singapore World Champs. At the World Cup, the two stops featured spectacular duels with American Regan Smith, and McKeown staying unbeaten with world records at the last two legs.
Kate Douglass
The American backed up her Olympic gold medal in the 200 breaststroke with a world championship in the event in Singapore, and she blasted the competition at all three World Cup meets. While Douglass was unbeaten in the 200 breaststroke between the World Champs and World Cup, her world-record efforts in the 100 freestyle actually highlighted the North American racing she logged.
All Future Hall of Fames?!?
Dive into Purpose: A Roundtable on Strategic Philanthropy ~
Tuesday night, November 18, 2025, ISHOF Executive Committee member, Matt McKean of Fiduciary Trust International, hosted “Dive Into Purpose: A Roundtable on Strategic Philanthropy“, at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center, home to the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Featured Speakers included Matt McKean, Moderator and Wealth Director, Fiduciary Trust International; Abby Axelrod-Wunderman, CAP, Philanthropic Director, Family Office Services, Foundations & Endowments, Fiduciary Trust International; Lauren Ferguson, Executive Director, the Dan Marino Foundation; Nicklaus Children’s Hospital; Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, Ph.D., President & CEO, Community Foundation of Broward; Casey McGovern, Executive Director, Every Child A Swimmer; and Stacey Hoaglund, President, Autism Society Florida.
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The evening focused on meaningful conversations about community impact, strategic partnerships, and expanding access to life-saving resources for children and families. Hearing these organizations share their commitment to creating safer, healthier futures reminds us why all of these missions matter.
Thank you to the partners and fellow advocates for an inspiring night. A special thank you to Fiduciary Trust International and Mr. Matt McKean, who worked so hard to make this evening possible. Our goal at ECAS is to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn to swim safely.
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#ISHOF EveryChildASwimmer #WaterSafety #CommunityImpact #DrowningPrevention #StrategicPlanning #FiduciaryTrustInternational #DanMarinoFoundation #AutismSocietyFlorida #CommunityFoundationofBroward #NicklaudChildrensHospital #World Aquatics #CityofFortLauderdale
November is Child Safety Protection Month~ What better way to protect than “Every Child A Swimmer!”
With November being Child Safety Protection Month, one of the best ways to protect our children, is making sure they are water safe, and that means knowing how to swim! The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF)’s spiritual mission is “Every Child A Swimmer”, where we are fighting to ensure that every child has access to swim lessons, no matter their economic status.
“Imagine a world without drowning, by Raising Awareness for water safety, advocating for legislation for water safety, and providing financial resources for swimming lessons for families that cannot afford them.“
To learn more about Every Child A Swimmer Program, Click here: https://everychildaswimmer.org/about/
or if you would like to donate to ECAS Program, Click here: https://everychildaswimmer.org/donate/
Celebrating the birth of Honoree Mercedes Gleitze – 125 Years with the film, Vindication Swim!
Today we honor the pioneering swimmer who, in 1927, became the first British woman to conquer the English Channel. When another swimmer’s fraudulent crossing cast doubt on her achievement, Mercedes returned for a perilous “vindication swim” to reclaim her legacy.
Her courage didn’t stop there. She went on to swim oceans, lakes, and rivers around the world, becoming the first person to accomplish many historic feats. From the Strait of Gibraltar to the treacherous stretch between Robben Island and Cape Town. In recognition of her extraordinary achievements, Mercedes was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2014 as an Honor Pioneer Open Water Swimmer.
A true story of endurance, determination, and grit, her life is brought to the screen in the acclaimed film Vindication Swim, releasing today on digital and DVD across North America. Written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Elliott Hasler, the film was shot in the English Channel itself over three years, with lead actress Kirsten Callaghan performing all the swimming, capturing the very spirit that made Mercedes a legend.
Dive into history with Vindication Swim and celebrate a true icon of the sport!
Fort Lauderdale Open Returns in 2026 With Star-Studded Lineup of Elite Teams
Article reshared Courtesy of SwimSwam
With the Pro Swim Series not heading to Fort Lauderdale next year, the city returns the Fort Lauderdale Open in 2026 with a loaded field committed to race. Current photo via Swim Fort Lauderdale.
by SwimSwam
November 12th, 2025
Editor Update: University of Texas and pros will race at this meet.
The Fort Lauderdale Open is set to return in 2026 with one of the most loaded fields in meet history. The event will run April 29 through May 2 at the iconic Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center, hosted by Swim Fort Lauderdale, the City of Fort Lauderdale, and Visit Lauderdale.
Last year’s edition of the meet delivered fireworks — two world records fell in one day. Katie Ledecky shattered the women’s 800-meter freestyle world record, and Gretchen Walsh broke the women’s 100-meter butterfly world record twice in a single day, first in prelims and then again in finals. With that kind of precedent, expectations for 2026 are sky-high.
The field reflects it. Some of the most powerful collegiate and club programs in the country have committed to compete, including:
University of Florida
University of Virginia
University of Texas & Pros
NC State University
Ohio State University
Auburn University
Princeton University
Arizona State University
Bolles School Sharks
SwimMAC Carolina
Nashville Aquatic Club
Sarasota Sharks
Meet Schedule
Wednesday, April 29: 1500 freestyle (timed finals)
Thursday, April 30: Prelims & Finals
Friday, May 1: Prelims & Finals
Saturday, May 2: Prelims & Finals + 800 freestyle timed finals
Meet Entries
January 27, 2026: Online Meet Entries Open
The Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center continues to establish itself as a cornerstone of elite-level racing in the U.S., a venue that blends its rich swimming history with a world-class renovation and fast, reliable water.
With this kind of lineup and a proven record of producing historic performances, the 2026 Fort Lauderdale Open promises to be one of the premier meets of the year.
Courtesy of the Fort Lauderdale Open
LA2028 Reveals 2028 Olympic Schedule, with Swimming from July 22-30
Photo Courtesy: LA 2028
by Matthew De George – Senior Writer
12 November 2025
LA2028 Reveals 2028 Olympic Schedule, with Swimming from July 22-30
The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Committee released the official schedule for the LA2028 Olympics Wednesday. It includes the comprehensive session-by-session schedule for all swimming events.
Swimming will be a nine-day meet at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, officially labeled 2028 Stadium for IOC nomenclature purposes. The first eight days will feature prelims, with a single finals session on the final day. Swimming has been moved to the final week of the competition at these Olympics.
READ: 2028 Olympics to Feature Direct Qualification in 50s, 12 Qualified Relays
“With Olympic ticket registration opening in January of 2026, now is the time to start planning what events you want to attend, which sports are coming to your neighborhood and the moments of history you don’t want to miss,” LA28 Chief Executive Officer Reynold Hoover said in a press release. “Athletes and fans from around the world now have what they need to plan an unforgettable Olympic experience.”
Prelims sessions will start at 9:30 a.m. local time, with finals at 6 p.m. The exception is the final Sunday, when the finals session begins at 3 p.m. The medley relays will be the last medals of the entire Olympics.
The Closing Ceremony is at 6 p.m. at LA Memorial Coliseum.
Five swimming finals will be contested on Saturday, July 29, Day 15 of the Games and what the organizers are dubbing Super Saturday. It’s the most finals in a single day in Olympic history, with 26 in 23 sports. Among the competitions are 15 gold- and bronze-medal matches in team sports.
In terms of notable non-swimming events:
The first medals will be handed out in women’s triathlon, for the first time ever.
Track and field (Athletics, in the IOC nomenclature), moved to the first week, will be begin with the women’s 100 meter finals on Day 1 and the men’s on Day 2.
The marathon is in its customary place, on Days 15 and 16 of the competition, the final weekend.
Baseball, making its return to the Olympics, will begin the day before the Opening Ceremony, which is slated for July 14 or Day 0. (Making Baseball’s debut on Day -1 or July 13.) Baseball’s gold medal game will be on Day 5, softball on Day 15.
The women’s final in cricket will be Day 6, the men’s on Day 15.
Lacrosse will decide team champions on Super Saturday, Day 15.
Flag Football will crown its team champions on Days 7 and 7.
Fellow new sports squash will award medals on Day 9 and 10 for women’s and men’s, respectively.
The first events will be held July 12, or Day -2. That includes soccer group stage games and cricket matches.
The full schedule of all events is available here.
2028 Olympic Schedule, Swimming
Saturday, July 22
Prelims
Women’s 100m Butterfly Heats
Men’s 400m Freestyle Heats
Men’s 50m Butterfly Heats
Women’s 50m Backstroke Heats
Men’s 100m Breaststroke Heats
Women’s 400m Freestyle Heats
Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Heats
Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Heats
Finals
Men’s 400m Freestyle Final
Women’s 100m Butterfly Semifinal
Men’s 50m Butterfly Semifinal
Women’s 400m Freestyle Final
Men’s 100m Breaststroke Semifinal
Women’s 50m Backstroke Semifinal
Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final
Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final
Sunday, July 23
Prelims
Women’s 100m Breaststroke Heats
Men’s 100m Backstroke Heats
Women’s 100m Freestyle Heats
Men’s 400m Individual Medley Heats
Finals
Women’s 100m Butterfly Final
Men’s 50m Butterfly Final
Women’s 100m Breaststroke Semifinal
Men’s 400m Individual Medley Final
Women’s 50m Backstroke Final
Men’s 100m Backstroke Semifinal
Women’s 100m Freestyle Semifinal
Men’s 100m Breaststroke Final
Monday, July 24
Prelims
Women’s 400m Individual Medley Heats
Men’s 200m Freestyle Heats
Women’s 100m Backstroke Heats
Men’s 50m Breaststroke Heats
Men’s 200m Butterfly Heats
Men’s 1500m Freestyle Heats
Finals
Women’s 100m Freestyle Final
Men’s 200m Freestyle Semifinal
Women’s 100m Backstroke Semifinal
Men’s 100m Backstroke Final
Women’s 100m Breaststroke Final
Men’s 50m Breaststroke Semifinal
Men’s 200m Butterfly Semifinal
Women’s 400m Individual Medley Final
Tuesday, July 25
Prelims
Women’s 200m Freestyle Heats
Men’s 50m Freestyle Heats
Women’s 200m Breaststroke Heats
Women’s 1500m Freestyle Heats
Finals
Men’s 200m Freestyle Final
Women’s 200m Breaststroke Semifinal
Men’s 50m Breaststroke Final
Men’s 1500m Freestyle Final
Women’s 200m Freestyle Semifinal
Men’s 200m Butterfly Final
Men’s 50m Freestyle Semifinal
Women’s 100m Backstroke Final
Wednesday, July 26
Prelims
Men’s 200m Individual Medley Heats
Women’s 50m Butterfly Heats
Men’s 200m Backstroke Heats
Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Heats
Finals
Men’s 50m Freestyle Final
Women’s 200m Freestyle Final
Men’s 200m Backstroke Semifinal
Women’s 50m Butterfly Semifinal
Women’s 1500m Freestyle Final
Women’s 200m Breaststroke Semifinal
Men’s 200m Individual Medley Semifinal
Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final
Thursday, July 27
Prelims
Women’s 200m Individual Medley Heats
Men’s 200m Breaststroke Heats
Men’s 100m Freestyle Heats
Women’s 200m Backstroke Heats
Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Heat
Finals
Men’s 200m Backstroke Final
Women’s 200m Individual Medley Semifinal
Men’s 200m Breaststroke Semifinal
Women’s 50m Butterfly Final
Men’s 100m Freestyle Semifinal
Women’s 200m Backstroke Semifinal
Men’s 200m Individual Medley Final
Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final
Friday, July 28
Prelims
Men’s 100m Butterfly Heats
Men’s 50m Backstroke Heats
Women’s 50m Breaststroke Heats
Men’s 800m Freestyle Heats
4x100m Mixed Medley Relay Heats
Finals
Men’s 100m Freestyle Final
Women’s 200m Backstroke Final
Men’s 200m Breaststroke Final
Men’s 50m Backstroke Semifinal
Women’s 50m Breaststroke Semifinal
Men’s 100m Butterfly Semifinal
Women’s 200m Individual Medley Final
Saturday, July 29
Prelims
Women’s 50m Freestyle Heats
Women’s 200m Butterfly Heats
Women’s 800m Freestyle Heats
Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay Heats
Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay Heats
Finals
Men’s 100m Butterfly Final
Women’s 50m Freestyle Semifinal
Men’s 50m Backstroke Final
Women’s 50m Breaststroke Final
Men’s 800m Freestyle Final
Women’s 200m Butterfly Semifinal
4x100m Mixed Medley Relay Final
Sunday, July 30
Finals
Women’s 50m Freestyle Final
Women’s 200m Butterfly Final
Women’s 800m Freestyle Final
Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay Final
Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay Final
Backstrokers ~ Who’s the Best? Play along in our “Name your favorite “Backstroker” CONTEST and WIN a PRIZE !!
Missy Franklin, Backstroker
Since its inception in 1965, the International Swimming Hall of Fame has inducted 338 Swimmers from 28 different nations from around the globe. They all had their own specialized stroke. Some had more than one. Today, we are going to focus on the BACKSTROKE swimmers.
Kirsty Coventry
Lenny Krayzelburg
Aaron Peirsol2008 US Olympic Trials: USA Swimming-Day 6Men 200 Meter Backstroke finalQwest Center/Omaha, NE04-JUL-2008X80569 TK7CREDIT: Heinz Kluetmeier
Al Vande Weghe
John Naber
Roland Matthes
From the early days of the backstroke with names like John Naber, Roland Matthes, Kiki Caron, Brad Cooper Tom Stock, Al Vande Weghe to newer names like, Kirsty Coventry, Lenny Krayzelburg, Aaron Peirsol, and Missy Franklin.
Who is your favorite Backstroker? Name your FAVORITE BACKSTROKE SWIMMER IN THE COMMENTS SECTION ALONG WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS for a chance to win a prize from ISHOF.
Share it onto your social media page and you get two chances to win!
Our last contest winner choosing the greatest Butterflier was Megan Chayer of Annapolis, MD who choose Mary T. Meagher. Congratulations!
Which Honoree would you like to hear about ~”What are they doing now?” Tell us in the comment section!
As we told you last month, ISHOF will be beginning several new sections in the newsletter in January 2026. The most exciting and prominent feature is “Where are they Now” ~ where we visit with an Honoree that has been inducted into ISHOF. We began inducting Honorees in 1965, and now, 60 years later, we have over 800 Honorees.
Who is your favorite???? Here a just a few…….
Michael Gross (GER) Swimmer, 1995; Mary T Meagher (USA) Swimmer, 1993; Greg Louganis (USA) Diver, 1993; Tamas Farago (HUN) Water Polo Player, 1993; Anastasia Davydova (RUS) Artistic Swimmer, 2017; Michael Phelps (USA) Swimmer, 2023, Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) Swimmer, 2023; Klaus DiBiasi (ITA) Diver, 1981; Missy Franklin (USA) Swimmer, 2023; Bob Bowman (USA) Coach 2023; Ous Mellouli (TUN) Open Water 2025; Guo Jingjing (CHN) Diver 2016; Daniel Gyurta (HUN) Swimmer 2024; Trischa Zorn (USA) Paralympian 2023; Sandro Campagna (ITA) Water Polo 2019; Maarten van der Weijden (NED) Open Water Swimmer, 2017; Maureen O’Toole (USA) Water Polo, 2010; Alex Popov (RUS) Swimmer, 2009; Penny Heyns (RSA) Swimmer, 2007; Cesare Rubini (ITA) Water Polo, 2000; Duncan Armstrong (AUS) Swimmer, 1996; Laurie Lawrence (AUS) Coach, 1996; Tracie Ruiz (USA) Artistic Swimming, 1993;
We have so many amazing athletes, coaches and contributors from around the globe to choose from it will be hard to know where to start. If it were up to you, who would you want us to interview to find out “what they are doing today”, how they are living their life away from the pool, or maybe they are still involved in aquatics.
Let us know in the comments WHO you would like us to interview and we will try to make it happen! We want to bring you the news and information you want to read about!
For a full list of ISHOF Honorees, visit: http://www.ishof.org/Honorees
Newsletter “News” for 2026
Since ISHOF is closed as we are under construction and the peninsula is under renovation, this year in our newsletter, we tried to bring ISHOF to you in whatever small ways we could. Each month we would highlight an Honoree and show you what memorabilia that Honoree gave or loaned to us to put on display in the ISHOF Museum. We hope you enjoyed getting to know these Honorees and seeing their treasures.
As a new year is almost upon us, we wanted to try something new for 2026. We actually have a couple of ideas. The first is that each month we will feature one of our Honorees from around the globe, reach out to them and find out what they are doing today. So monthly, we will post a new interview with an Honoree from a different country and discipline and find out what they’ve been up to. If there is someone you would like us to reach to and interview, let us know and we will try to make it happen.
Another area we are going to try and highlight in the newsletter each month is ISHOF’s amazing art collection. As often as possible, we will highlight one of ISHOF’s amazing pieces of sculpture or art that we have acquired of the years. We will give you the history behind it, why it was commissioned and by who, who has won it and so on.
Also in 2026, we are going to regularly bring you updates from ISHOF Project Developer, Mario Caprini, who will give us updates on the ISHOF renovation project and what’s happening with the construction process.
2026 looks to be a very exciting year for ISHOF and we will keep you informed of all the happenings every step of the way!
If there is something you’d like to see in our newsletter, please reach out to meg@ishof.org
Swimming loses an Icon in Carol “Penny Taylor at age 96
Carol “Penny” Taylor just completed 96 years of service, achieving significant milestones. She was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on May 11, 1929 and passed peacefully yesterday, November 4, 2025, in New Orleans, LA, where she had been living for some time.
Penny was a member of the 1948 Olympic Team, competing in the 200 meter breaststroke. She was a member of the Lafayette Swim Club in Indiana, swimming for Hall of Fame Coach Dick Papenguth while she attended Purdue University. Penny attended the first Pan Am Games in 1951, winning gold in the 3×100m medley relay and taking the bronze medal in the 200m breaststroke event. Taylor was a six-time National Champion and American record holder in the 100, 200 and 250m breaststroke for five years. She was also one of the ten finalists of the prestigious 1951 “A.A.U. Sullivan Award”.
Penny was a swim coach in the St. Louis area for over 35 years. Penny was the first woman to be elected to ASCA’s Board of Directors. Penny’s most famous athlete had to have been Tom Jager. About Jager, Penny once wrote: “I was Tom’s coach during his formative years and during summers when he came home. I suggested that he go to UCLA because I felt Ron Ballatore could best handle his sometimes impetuous personality. He missed one World Championships because he got married to his high school sweetheart. Tom did live in the shadow of Matt . But he was instrumental in the fight for swimmers to make money.”
Penny served in many positions for USA Swimming as a volunteer and administrator. At the 1984 and 1992 Olympic Games, she was team leader for the men’s and women’s teams. She served as Head Manager at the 1986 and the 1991 FINA World Championships. She was Manager for the United States Swimming National Teams in numerous international competitions and served as a volunteer deck marshal for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Penny was Chef de Mission for all aquatic sports for the 1994, 1998 and 2001 FINA World Championships. She continued in this capacity at the FINA World Championships in Barcelona 2003, Montreal 2005, Melbourne 2007, Rome 2009, Shanghai 2011 and in Barcelona again in 2013.
She was a member and secretary of the Olympic International Operations Committee of USA Swimming for 24 years; this body determines policy and procedures for all swimming competition of the National Team in international events.
Penny served as Central Zone Director of USA Swimming, was a member of the Board of Directors of USA Swimming, and was a member of the Convention Committee for the United States Aquatic Sports Annual Convention, which she attended regularly. In 1999, she was the recipient of the prestigious United States Swimming Award presented annually to one person for their contribution to USA Swimming. In 2005, she was inducted into the Purdue Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame, and in 2012, she receiveed the Paragon award from the ISHOF.
Penny was a pioneer, she blazed trails for women, and surely inspired many others. She will be missed