Australian Kaylee McKeown clocked a sizzling 25.42sec to win the women's 50m backstroke at the World Cup short course meeting in Carmel, Indiana, on Friday.
McKeown, a five-time Olympic gold medallist who claimed a backstroke double at this year's World Championships in Singapore, led an Aussie one-two ahead of Mollie O'Callaghan.
World record-holder Regan Smith opted out of a clash with rival McKeown in the 50m back and instead delivered a stellar performance in the 200m butterfly, winning in an American record of 2:00.28.
The first finals at the #Swimming World Cup started strong to secure those first point for the rankigns🤩
— World Aquatics (@WorldAquatics) October 10, 2025
Women's 50m Back - Kaylee McKeown
Men's 100m Fly - Noe Ponti
Women's 200m Back - Regan Smith
Men's 200m Back - Hubert Kos
Women's 400m Free - Lani Pallister
Men's 400m… pic.twitter.com/b4ye2OzJnH
Hungarian Olympic gold medallist Hubert Kos fended off French superstar Leon Marchand to win the men's 200m backstroke in 1:46.84.
Marchand, who trains with Kos under coach Bob Bowman in Texas, led early but settled for second in 1:47.68 ahead of American training partner Shaine Casas (1:49.81).
Marchand, who lit up the 2024 Paris Olympics with four gold medals, is coming off an impressive two-gold campaign at the World Championships.
He opted out of the 100m individual medley on Friday and went for the 400m freestyle. Swimming in the penultimate heat of the timed final he clocked 3:38.25, which held up for third place in a race won by American Carson Foster in 3:37.80.
Canadian star Summer McIntosh, who won four gold medals and a bronze at the World Championships, withdrew from the meeting because of illness.