Get ready for an exciting swim meet! The 2026 Eddie Reese Showdown in Austin, Texas, is about to heat up. This event, taking place at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, promises an action-packed weekend.
On the evening of January 23rd, the Texas pro swimmers, featuring the likes of Leon Marchand and Summer McIntosh, kicked things off with a thrilling medley relay. The women's team, comprising Regan Smith, Anna Elendt, Summer McIntosh, and Simone Manuel, swam an impressive 3:23.47. Meanwhile, the men's relay, consisting of Shaine Casas, Jack Kelly, Leon Marchand, and Chris Guiliano, finished with a time of 2:59.88.
But here's where it gets interesting: the relays were combined, with men and women racing together. This format meant that the times wouldn't officially count as they would in a typical backstroke leg. Shaine Casas started the men's relay with a 44.59, a little off his personal best, while Regan Smith touched in second with a time of 49.32.
The breaststroke legs saw Jack Kelly and Anna Elendt extend the men's lead. Summer McIntosh and Leon Marchand then faced off in the butterfly, with Marchand splitting an incredible 43.68, almost a second faster than his previous best. McIntosh, not to be outdone, swam a 50.68, just under her personal record.
The relays concluded with the freestyle, where Chris Guiliano anchored the men's team to a final time of 2:59.88, and Simone Manuel split 46.21 on the women's relay, finishing with a time of 3:23.47.
And this is the part most people miss: after the relays, it was announced that Leon Marchand had false-started, leading to the men's disqualification. So, in a twist of events, the women's team emerged as the unofficial winners.
The action continued on Saturday morning with the final session, pitting Texas against Ohio State and Louisville.
So, who do you think had the edge in these relays? Was it the men's team, with their impressive times, or the women, who ultimately took the unofficial win? Let's discuss in the comments!
