Pan Pacific Championships: United States Could Consider Unconventional Lineup for Mixed Medley Relay
Conventional thinking around the mixed 400 medley relay, an event part of the Olympic program for only the past two Games, suggests using a male breaststroker and female freestyler. Based on a team’s strengths, its coaches can choose a man or a woman for backstroke and butterfly. But at the upcoming Pan Pacific Championships, the United States might have to shake up its strategy given the roster composition.
The top U.S. men’s backstroker this year is veteran Ryan Murphy, who clocked 52.80 in late June as he attempts a comeback to the sport following a year away. As for butterfly, soon-to-be American Ilya Kharun clocked 50.05 in the 100-meter race at U.S. Nationals, with world-record holder Caeleb Dressel not far back at 50.45. Unfortunately for this year’s prospects, none of those men will compete at Pan Pacs, with a roster based on times recorded last year.
And in 2025, the U.S. men struggled across the board. Jack Alexy emerged as a freestyle star, clocking 46.71 in the 100 free to become the third-fastest man ever, but his teammates at the 2025 World Championships were unable to win medals in any other 100-meter stroke events. Accordingly, it took a near-miracle 45.95 anchor leg for Alexy to salvage American bronze in the men’s 400 medley relay.
The women, on the other hand, return a powerhouse squad of Regan Smith (backstroke), Kate Douglass (breaststroke), Gretchen Walsh (butterfly) and Torri Huske (freestyle). All won individual medals in their respective events at the 2025 Worlds, and Smith and Walsh both hold world records in their respective strokes. That group concluded the meet with a world-record-setting triumph in the women’s medley relay.
How did the team handle this conundrum for last year’s mixed relay? It didn’t, with the American team failing to advance to the final. Now, the mixed medley takes place at the conclusion of the first evening of Pan Pacs. The 100 back takes place that same day, but the other 100-meter races will not take place until later, so the American coaches must rely on data from the past two years to make their lineup decision.
Van Mathias — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
The emergence of Van Mathias makes the breaststroke leg much simpler. Mathias, making his senior international debut for the U.S. at Pan Pacs, has already set the American record in the event this year, his 58.01 in June making him the fourth-fastest performer all-time. With a best time seven seconds quicker than any female breaststroker on the team (Douglass at 1:05.27), expect to see Mathias handling breaststroke duties right off the bat.
Which other leg will feature a male swimmer? More tricky to answer. Here are the best times from U.S. team members in the 100 back, 100 fly and 100 free over the past two years. For freestyle, Douglass recently clocked 51.93 in a time trial at U.S. Nationals, although Huske remains an option for that leg after finishing with the top time in the world last year. Anna Moesch, on the other hand, is not on the Pan Pacs team despite breaking the American record in the 100 free on multiple occasion this year.
- Backstroke: Regan Smith 57.35; Will Modglin 52.54
- Butterfly: Gretchen Walsh 54.33; Shaine Casas 50.24
- Freestyle: Kate Douglass 51.93; Jack Alexy 46.71
That gives three legitimate possibilities for this relay, all listed below combined with Mathias’ breaststroke time:
- Regan Smith 57.35 + Van Mathias 58.01 + Gretchen Walsh 54.33 + Jack Alexy 46.71 = 3:36.40
- Will Modglin 52.54 + Van Mathias 58.01 + Gretchen Walsh 54.33 + Kate Douglass 51.93 = 3:36.81
- Regan Smith 57.35 + Van Mathias 58.01 + Shaine Casas 50.24 + Kate Douglass 51.93 = 3:37.53
Lo and behold, the fastest potential combination has the Americans utilizing the much-maligned strategy of a male anchor swimmer. Not using Walsh on butterfly is borderline unthinkable given that she has achieved a world record of 54.33, ranking more than a second faster than any swimmer in history.
Based on composite times, the combination with Will Modglin on backstroke and Douglass anchoring is not far behind, but Modglin has not come close to his best form since last summer’s World University Games. His results in the 100 back individual event on day one will give the U.S. coaches an idea of what he is capable of. On the other hand, the option with Shaine Casas as the butterflyer is likely eliminated given the composite analysis.
The U.S. will try to out-duel a short-staffed Australian team for gold at Pan Pacs while also posting a time capable of keeping pace with the results at the simultaneously-occurring European Championships. The Russian team that won last year’s world title by more than two seconds will be competing at that meet. However, the quickest U.S. composite adds up to 1.5 seconds quicker than the 3:37.97 good enough for gold last year and even faster than the world record.
