Simone Manuel Blasts 53.11 100 Freestyle at Longhorn Elite Invite
Many of the elite swimmers based at the University of Texas are competing this weekend in their home pool in one last tune-up for U.S. Nationals, the selection meet for this summer’s World Championships. In Thursday evening’s racing, five Olympic medalists put up strong winning efforts, with Simone Manuel providing the standout effort in the women’s 100 freestyle.
At the recent Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale, Manuel finished more than a second behind American standouts Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske, in the 100 free, but she had success earlier in the spring, and she was back on form here. She clocked 53.11, moving the 2016 Olympic co-champion into fifth in the world rankings this year, trailing her two fellow Americans plus the Netherlands’ Marrit Steenbergen and Italy’s Sara Curtis. Manuel was followed by 800 free relay Olympic silver medalist Erin Gemmell, who came in at 54.38.
On the men’s side, the best race came in the 400 free as Carson Foster held Rex Maurer at bay. Foster, the Olympic bronze medalist in the 400 IM, came in at 3:46.20, which slightly improved upon his standing as the top American thus far in 2025, while Maurer crushed his existing best time by two seconds while jumping into the world top-10 for the first time. Two seconds back was four-time Olympic champion Leon Marchand in 3:48.62 while David Johnston clocked 3:49.37.
Hubert Kos, the Olympic champion in the 200 backstroke, raced the 100 breaststroke and 200 butterfly in the session. Nate Germonprez got the better of Kos in the 100 breast, 1:01.08 to 1:01.53, while Kos swam a time of 1:56.07 to edge training partner Ryan Branon (1:56.45), with Cooper Lucas third (1:58.56).
In the men’s 100 free, Shaine Casas took the win in 48.88 after swimming a time of 48.64 in prelims. Luke Hobson, the short course world champion and world-record holder in the 200 free, was second in 49.34, followed by LSU’s Jere Hribar (49.48). Additionally, Wisconsin’s Michael Long swam a time trial of the 200 back and clocked 1:58.80.
In other women’s events, Regan Smith recorded a mark of 2:07.13 ahead of teammate Lindsay Looney (2:08.59). Smith currently owns the second-best time in the world at 2:05.38. Jillian Cox won the 400 free in 4:07.34, with teammate Kate Hurst second (4:10.70) while Piper Enge went 1:09.45 in the 100 breast.