U.S. Nationals, Night 3: Quintin McCarty Edges Shaine Casas for 50 Back Win
The long dominant American male backstroke program approaches the summer of 2025 without many of its biggest names. It will also do so with less recent dominance that at any time in the last two decades.
New faces need to step up. Enter Quintin McCarty.
McCarty won the men’s 50 backstroke in 24.34, edging Shaine Casas by a tenth of a second to deny Casas his second win of the night.
It’s a best time for the 21-year-old and fourth-fastest in the world this year, with Casas having one of the quicker ones. It completes an NC State sweep in the 50 backstroke events, with Katharine Berkoff having won the women’s race in an American record.
Casas won the 100 fly earlier in the night, with just over a half-hour between his swims. He went 24.44 in the final.
The meet is missing Ryan Murphy, who won bronze in the 100 back at the Paris Olympics, and mainstays like Hunter Armstrong and Justin Ress. Armstrong won silver in this event at the 2024 World Championships and gold in Fukuoka in 2023 with Ress in silver. That was a reverse of their placement at the 2022 World Championships.
All of which is to say, the U.S. needs someone new to step to the fore.
Jack Aikins did that in the 200 back, overcoming his disappointment from Trials in 2024 to win the 200 back ahead of Paris Olympian Keaton Jones. He’s also the only finalist from the 200 to successfully reach the top eight in the 50.
McCarthy got the early jump on the final and held off a charge by Casas, who was the quickest off the start. Casas had a tenth left to try to get back, and a fresher Casas might have had the burst in his legs.
Will Modglin finished third in 24.76. Jack Dolan was fourth in 24.84. Seven swimmers in the A final broke 25 seconds, Jack Wilkening and Aikins among them. Marcus Reyes-Gentry of Notre Dame won the B final in 24.99.
