Overview
- The 2026 Toyota USA Swimming National Championships began Tuesday, July 28, at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center in Irvine with heats around noon ET and nightly finals at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBC.
- Caeleb Dressel returned to nationals entered in his four sprint events — the 50m and 100m freestyles and butterflies — using the meet as a primary summer peak after skipping the 2025 nationals.
- Kate Douglass and Gretchen Walsh, who traded the women’s 50m freestyle world record in June, are slated to meet in that event on the final day, creating the meet’s marquee head-to-head.
- Several high-profile swimmers, including Katie Ledecky, Regan Smith and Bobby Finke, are absent as they focus on the Pan Pacific Championships, which take place in Irvine roughly 11 days after nationals conclude.
- A wave of rising talent and recent American records — led by Anna Moesch, Van Mathias and newly U.S.-eligible Ilya Kharun — has shifted sprint and stroke depth and could reshape Team USA lineups for Pan Pacs and the run-up to LA 2028.