Get ready for an exciting swim meet! The Eddie Reese Showdown, held in Austin, Texas, promises an action-packed weekend. This event, scheduled for January 23-24, 2026, at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, will showcase some of the best swimmers in the state.
Last night, the Texas pro swimmers put on a thrilling display during the medley relays. The women's team, consisting of Regan Smith, Anna Elendt, Summer McIntosh, and Simone Manuel, clocked an impressive 3:23.47. Meanwhile, the men's relay, featuring Shaine Casas, Jack Kelly, Leon Marchand, and Chris Guiliano, finished with a time of 2:59.88. But here's where it gets controversial...
The relays were a real crowd-pleaser, with swimmers like Shaine Casas and Regan Smith kicking off the action with their backstroke legs. Although the heat combined men's and women's teams, the times won't officially count as they would in a regular backstroke event. Casas swam a solid 44.59, just shy of his personal best, while Smith touched in at 49.32, an unusual position for her in the leadoff leg.
The breaststroke legs saw Jack Kelly and Anna Elendt take center stage. Kelly split an impressive 50.91 for the men, while Elendt responded with a 57.26 split for the women, further extending the men's lead.
Next up, we had a battle of the butterflies! Leon Marchand and Summer McIntosh lined up against each other, with Marchand splitting an astonishing 43.68*, almost a second faster than his lifetime best. McIntosh, not to be outdone, clocked a 50.68, just under half a second faster than her personal best.
The relays concluded with the freestyle legs, where Chris Guiliano anchored the men's team to a final time of 2:59.88 with a 40.70 split. Simone Manuel, on the other hand, split 46.21 on the women's relay, securing their final time of 3:23.47.
But wait, there's more! After the relays, the announcers revealed that Marchand had committed a false start, which reportedly was quite obvious. This resulted in the men's team being disqualified, making the women the official winners.
The action continued on Saturday morning with the final session of the meet, featuring Texas, Ohio State, and Louisville.
So, who do you think will take home the glory at the Eddie Reese Showdown? Will it be the Texas pros, or will another team surprise us all? Let us know your predictions in the comments below!
*Note: All times and splits are courtesy of SwimSwam commenter "newbie".
