Jack Alexy Breaks Dressel’s 100 Free American Record At 2025 Worlds

SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE – JULY 30: Jack Alexy of Team United States reacts after finishing first in the Men’s 100m Freestyle Semifinal on day 20 of the Singapore 2025 World Aquatics Championships at World Aquatics Championships Arena on July 30, 2025 in Singapore. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

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Jack Alexy has shattered Caeleb Dressel’s 100 freestyle American record at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore during the semifinals, a record that had stood since 2019. The 22-year-old ripped a 46.81 to break Dressel’s 46.96. That time also makes him the third-fastest performer in history in the event.

Dressel set the previous American record of 46.96 at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, Korea, where he won gold. He went on to win gold in the 100 freestyle at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and is considered one of the greatest sprinters in U.S. history. In total, he has nine Olympic gold medals and one silver. He earned one of his golds in the 400 freestyle relay alongside Alexy in Paris.

Alexy’s previous personal best of 46.99, set at the 2025 U.S. National Championships in June, was the U.S. Open Record. That swim made him only the sixth man ever to go sub-47 in the 100 freestyle.

Following close behind during the semifinals in Singapore was Romania’s David Popovici, who posted a 46.84. The two battled in the final, with Popovici capturing gold and recording the second-fastest performance in history and a new European record with his time of 46.51. Alexy secured the silver medal in 46.92. Kyle Chalmers of Australia won bronze with a time of 47.17.

The only person to go faster than Popovici’s 46.51 is world record holder Pan Zhanle of China, who posted a time of 46.40 at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games to win gold. In Singapore, Zhanle’s time of 47.81 in the semifinals was not enough to advance to the final.

Popovici also won the 200 freestyle at the championships with a time of 1:43.53, the same event he won at the Paris Games last year. He finished ahead of American swimmer Luke Hobson, who took silver in 1:43.84.

Who Is Jack Alexy?

Alexy is originally from Morristown, New Jersey. He attended Delbarton School, where he won state titles in the 50 and 100 freestyle events.

Alexy broke Caeleb Dressel’s National Age Group record (17-18) with a time of 48.69 at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, beating Dressel’s previous mark of 48.78 set in 2015 during the U.S. Summer Nationals.

He swam collegiately at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a senior for the 2024-2025 season. Alexy is a two-time NCAA champion, winning the 800 freestyle relay in both 2024 and 2025. He also helped Cal win back-to-back NCAA team titles in 2022 and 2023.

Alexy was also a three-time ACC champion in 2025, winning titles in the 100 freestyle, 200 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay. He was previously a four-time Pac-12 champion, capturing the 200 and 400 freestyle relay titles in both 2022 and 2023.

Alexy comes from a family of athletes. His grandfather, Bill Ebben, played in the NBA for the Detroit Pistons during the 1957–58 season. His mother, Lynn Ebben, was a guard for the Notre Dame women’s basketball team in the 1980s and helped the program win two conference titles. Alexy’s brother, Rob, also swam for Cal, and his sister, Kate, swam for Kenyon College.