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Dressel Wins 100m Free; Moesch Sets American Record

7/29/2026

44 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Dressel Wins 100-free

Caeleb Dressel won the men’s 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. Nationals in Irvine, California, in 47.70 seconds.
He posted a 47.98-second prelim, his fastest 100-meter freestyle since the 2024 Olympic trials.
Anna Moesch broke the American women’s 100-meter freestyle record with 51.88 seconds, improving her May 25 mark of 51.94.
Dressel is entered in the 50-meter butterfly, 100-meter butterfly and 50-meter freestyle as the meet ends Saturday.

Summary

Moesch Excluded

Anna Moesch was excluded from the 2026 Pan Pacific team despite holding the American record because only the top five 2025 finishers qualified.
She posted a 51.88-second 100-meter freestyle, ranking her as the third-fastest ever and the world’s second-quickest in 2026.
Moesch underwent knee surgery in late 2022 to repair a torn medial patellofemoral ligament from a childhood bike fall.

History

Historical Context

In 1972 Munich, Mark Spitz won seven gold medals and set seven world records, a benchmark that stood until Michael Phelps matched the seven world-record performances at the 2008 Beijing Games. The lasting influence of those Olympic standards shapes today’s U.S. swimming qualification limits, affecting elite swimmers such as Caeleb Dressel and Leah Moesch at the 2026 Irvine Nationals.

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Dressel Wins 100-free

Caeleb Dressel won the men’s 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. Nationals in Irvine, California, in 47.70 seconds.
He posted a 47.98-second prelim, his fastest 100-meter freestyle since the 2024 Olympic trials.
Anna Moesch broke the American women’s 100-meter freestyle record with 51.88 seconds, improving her May 25 mark of 51.94.
Dressel is entered in the 50-meter butterfly, 100-meter butterfly and 50-meter freestyle as the meet ends Saturday.

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