Shaine Casas Becomes Fifth-Fastest Ever in 400-Yard IM During Pro Exhibitions in Austin
Time trials featuring University of Texas-based professional swimmers were held during this weekend’s Eddie Reese Texas Showdown, and Shaine Casas took advantage of the rare short course yards racing opportunity to blast his best time in the 400 IM while scaring the American record. Olympic champions Regan Smith and Simone Manuel were among the others who competed.
Casas, who qualified for the U.S. Olympic team in the 200 IM and then won a short course world title in the 200 IM in December, clocked 3:34.09 in the 16-lap race Friday, coming within seven tenths of the American record. His time was a tenth faster than Texas training partner Rex Maurer swam in November, and Casas now ranks fifth all-time in the event behind Leon Marchand, Hugo Gonzalez, Chase Kalisz and Carson Foster. In addition to this medley success, Casas also swam a 50 freestyle time trial and clocked 19.13.
Smith, fresh off a sweep of the backstroke events at the Short Course World Championships to cap off an impressive 2024, swam both backstroke events and posted times of 49.87 in the 100 and 1:48.17 in the 200. Smith is the former American-record holder in both distances, with times of 49.16 and 1:47.16, respectively.
Manuel, racing for the first time since competing in her third Olympics earlier this year in Paris, made a rare appearance in the 200 IM and clocked 1:57.01, beating her previous lifetime best of 1:58.74 that she posted in Stanford’s dual meet against Washington State in late 2016. Manuel also raced to a mark of 47.29 in the 100 free, an event where she is the second-quickest woman ever behind Gretchen Walsh. Her best time, which stood as the American and U.S. Open records for seven years, is 45.56.
Foster raced the 200 butterfly and posted a time of 1:41.37 while Anna Elendt swam marks of 2:07.45 in the 200 breaststroke and 57.75 in the 100-yard race.
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