Denis Petrashov Clocks 27.56 50 Breast On Final Day of Knoxville Futures
2026 Futures Championships – Knoxville
- Wednesday, July 29 – Saturday, August 1
- Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center, Knoxville, TN
- Long Course Meters (LCM)
- Live Results on MeetMobile: “2026 Futures Championship – Knoxville”
- SwimSwam Recaps
The final day of USA Swimming’s Futures Championships in Knoxville wrapped up last night with finals in the 200 IM, 50 freestyle, 50 breaststroke, and 200 backstroke for both men and women, in addition to the 800 free for men and 1500 free for women.
Kentucky Aquatics’ Hayden Penny swam a lifetime-best time of 2:17.78 to win the 200 IM by over three seconds, with Scarlet Aquatics’ McKenzie Vasquez (2:20.90) and Penny’s teammate Marie Belli (2:20.93) rounding out the top three.
Penny’s time sliced a couple of tenths off her previous PB of 2:18.07 from the 2024 YMCA National Long Course Championships.
In the 50 free, Tennessee Aquatics’ Alexis Schmidt eked out a narrow win over SwimMAC Carolina’s Erin Greathouse, 26.22 to 26.30, with Upper Valley Aquatic Club’s Kenzie Sellars (26.33) finishing third ahead of two other swimmers in a field that saw five go 26.40 or faster.
Schmidt’s 26.22 undercut her former career best of 26.44 from the SE TNAQ Invite in June 2025.
The 200 back saw Kentucky Aquatics’ Libby Grether dominate the field from start to finish, winning in a time of 2:15.67 with Michiana Marlins Swim Club’s Molly Barnes (2:18.27) and Isabella Budnik (2:18.29) finishing about three seconds back.
Grether boasts a lifetime best of 2:14.22 from the Southern Senior Zone Championships in July 2023.
In the 50 breast, Delaware Swim Team’s Payton Garnsey (32.15) led a field of four 32-lows and six total 32-point swims, slicing four one-hundredths off her career best of 32.21 from the Middle Atlantic Senior Championships last month. Sophia Sileo-Magliari (32.17) hit the wall second, with Alyssa Auwarter (32.26) finishing third overall.
Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics’ Milly Birch was in a class of her own in the 1500 free, notching a career best of 16:49.18 to clear Izzy Mundee (17:20.66) and McKenzie Vasquez (17:20.98) by over 30 seconds. Birch’s former lifetime best was the 16:49.78 she swam at the Metropolitan Senior Championships a few weeks ago.
On the men’s side of things, Highlander Aquatic Club’s Jacob Hamlin completed his sweep of the 100-1500 freestyle events with a win in the 800 to close out the meet; he hit the wall in a time of 8:12.67 to secure the victory ahead of Henry Schoemaker (8:17.12) and Lincoln Driesse (8:18.01), about five seconds off his PB of 8:07.37 from Futures in 2023.
SwimRise Aquatics’ Kevin Vargas (2:04.16) won the men’s 200 IM over Luke Sullivan (2:04.64) and Owen Ekk (2:04.93), with the trio the sole swimmers to crack 2:06.
Blazing Barracudas’ Josh Toothman threw down a big-time PB of 22.38 to win the 50m free over Lincoln Hofmann (22.91) and Samuel Brozek (23.19), with his time obliterating his former career best of 22.65 from Speedo Sectionals Columbus in July 2025.
Cardinal Aquatics’ Denis Petrashov, the reigning world championship bronze medalist in the 100 breast, clocked 27.56 to win the 50 breast, outtouching Matvei Namakonov (27.66) and Luke Vickers (28.05). Petrashov’s career record remains the 26.94 personal best he swam at the TYR Pro Swim Series – Fort Lauderdale in May 2025.
Lastly, West Virginia’s Kenneth McGlothen (2:03.56) snagged the win in the 200 back ahead of Andrew Chou (2:04.78) and Oskar Bauriedel (2:04.90). McGlothen had a breakthrough swim in prelims: he clocked 2:02.48 to smash his former best time of 2:05.66 from early July.
