Van Mathias Lowers 50 Breaststroke American Record at Bergen Swim Festival
The strong breaststroke results for American Van Mathias continued Sunday as the Bergen Swim Festival concluded. After becoming the fifth-fastest man ever in the 100 breast, Mathias he captured another win over 50 meters, setting a national record in the process.
Mathias went 26.39 in the 50 breast prelims to crack the previous American record belonging to Nic Fink at 26.45. He became the eighth-fastest performer ever in the process and easily cleared the winning time posted by Italy’s Simone Cerasuolo at last year’s World Championships.
At night, Mathias dominated the field while going only hundredths slower at 26.46. A group of his fellow Indiana-trained breaststrokers completed the podium, with Finn Brooks second (27.48), Brian Benzing third (27.76) and Josh Matheny (27.81) just behind. Brooks was the victor in the 50 backstroke later in the session, going 25.15.
A meet record was established by Dare Rose in the men’s 100 butterfly, as the American touched in 50.70 to erase the 51.13 set last year by Nyls Korstanje. Going out in 23.89, Rose built an early lead and added to his margin over the second length, which he covered in 26.81. Germany’s Josha Salchow was the runnerup in 52.74, with Korstanje going 53.00 for third.
The men’s 50 freestyle saw another Indiana swimmer pick up a win. Matt King topped the field in 21.72, lowering the meet record of 21.78 set by Kyle Chalmers last year. Mikkel Lee, a Singapore native who trains with the Hoosiers, got second in 21.95 with Czechia’s Jan Foltyn third (22.24). King was just shy of his personal best of 21.70, set at the 2024 United States Olympic Trials.
On the women’s side, there was no separating the Netherlands’ Marrit Steenbergen and Czechia’s Barbora Janickova, as each woman checked in with a time of 24.81. Steenbergen followed up on Saturday’s showing, where she won the 100 freestyle and 200 individual medley.
Reigning Olympic champion and world-record holder Lukas Märtens of Germany was easily the winner of the 400 freestyle, as he produced a swim of 3:44.29. The only man in history to break the 3:40 barrier in the event, Märtens won by nearly nine seconds as he looks ahead to this summer’s European Championships in Paris.
Sweden’s Olivia Klint Ipsa dominated the women’s 100 breast in 1:08.08, followed by France’s Anastasia Urbana (1:10.47) and Sweden’s Hanna Bergman (1:10.52). In the 400 free, American Anna Peplowski continued her strong meet with a time of 4:10.82 to beat Norway’s Bea Hovda (4:12.74) and Sweden’s Elvira Morstrand (4:18.88). About 15 minutes later, Peplowski was back on the blocks for the 100 backstroke, which she won in 1:00.04, a major positive considering she received minimal rest after the 400 free.
The men’s 200 IM went to American Luke Barr in dominant fashion. Barr led by more than a second after butterfly and never gave back any ground. He clocked 1:58.93 to defeat Czechian swimmers Jakub Bursa (2:03.54) and Michal Judickij (2:04.20).
