Top Swims You Might Have Missed at 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series

From Ledecky's dominance to rising stars, the first day of the meet featured several standout performances.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 9:42am

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A fractured, geometric painting in shades of blue, green, and red, capturing the overlapping movements and perspectives of a swimming competition in an abstract, cubist style.A cubist interpretation of the dynamic energy and competitive spirit on display at the 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series.Austin Today

The 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series kicked off with a bang, but some incredible swims might have slipped under the radar. Katie Ledecky's record-breaking 1500m freestyle performance was the highlight, but the meet also featured breakout swims from Skyler Smith, Benjamin Jaggers, the Erisman siblings, Anna Peplowski, Becca Mann, Luc Dionne, and comeback stories from Mitch Mason and Van Mathias.

Why it matters

The Austin Pro Swim Series is a key tune-up meet ahead of major international competitions like the Pan Pacific Championships. These early season performances provide a glimpse into which swimmers are primed for big summers and could foreshadow future Olympic and world championship teams.

The details

Skyler Smith took second in the women's 100m breaststroke, just missing her personal best time. Benjamin Jaggers, a rising star, made a strong long course debut, finishing just 0.17 seconds off his best time in the men's events. Siblings Ryan and Rylee Erisman both set new personal bests, with Ryan dropping 14 seconds in the 1500m freestyle and Rylee closing in on Missy Franklin's backstroke rankings. Anna Peplowski tackled the 50m free/100m back double, qualifying fourth in the 50 free and setting a new PB in the 100 back. Becca Mann, an open water standout, made a splash in the pool with a third-place finish in the 1500m free that was over 8 seconds faster than her previous best. Luc Dionne, a Virginia commit, shaved time in the men's 100m breaststroke to move up the 15-16 rankings. Former NCAA stars Mitch Mason and Van Mathias made impressive comebacks in the 100m breaststroke, with Mathias matching the pool record and improving his personal best by half a second.

  • The 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series kicked off on April 10, 2026.

The players

Katie Ledecky

An American competitive swimmer who is considered one of the greatest female swimmers of all time, holding multiple world records and Olympic gold medals.

Skyler Smith

A rising young swimmer who took second in the women's 100m breaststroke at the 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series.

Benjamin Jaggers

A swimmer who made a strong long course debut at the 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series, finishing just 0.17 seconds off his best time.

Ryan Erisman

A freshman swimmer at Cal who dropped 14 seconds in the men's 1500m freestyle at the 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series.

Rylee Erisman

The sister of Ryan Erisman, who set a new personal best time in the 100m backstroke at the 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series.

Anna Peplowski

A swimmer who tackled the 50m free/100m back double at the 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series, qualifying fourth in the 50 free and setting a new PB in the 100 back.

Becca Mann

An open water swimming standout who made a splash in the pool at the 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series, placing third in the women's 1500m freestyle with a time over 8 seconds faster than her previous best.

Luc Dionne

A Virginia commit who shaved time in the men's 100m breaststroke at the 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series, moving up the 15-16 rankings.

Mitch Mason

A former NCAA standout who made a comeback in the 100m breaststroke at the 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series, coming close to his best time.

Van Mathias

A former NCAA standout who made a comeback in the 100m breaststroke at the 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series, matching the pool record and improving his personal best by half a second.

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What’s next

The 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series will continue through the week, with more exciting swims and stories to come.

The takeaway

The first day of the 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series featured a mix of dominant performances from established stars like Katie Ledecky and breakout swims from rising talents and comeback stories. These early season results will be closely watched as swimmers gear up for major international competitions later in the year.