TORONTO, CANADA – OCTOBER 25: Kate Douglass of the United States and Hubert Kos of Hungary pose for a photo with the Swimming World Cup Trophy after being named champions during day three of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup – Toronto 2025 at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on October 25, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)
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Hubert Kós and Kate Douglass captured the overall titles at the 2025 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup, each earning more than $180,000 across the three-stop series. The competition ran from October 10 to October 25 with stops in Carmel, Indiana, Westmont, Illinois and Toronto, Canada. All races were held in short course meters, and the meet electrified the swimming community as multiple world records fell.
In total, across all three stops, thirteen world records were broken, up from eight in 2024. In addition to overall champions Kós and Douglass, several swimmers set new world records. Gretchen Walsh shattered the women’s 50 butterfly record with a time of 23.72, lowering her previous record of 23.94. Mollie O’Callaghan broke the women’s 200 freestyle record twice, first to 1:49.77 and then to 1:49.36.
Regan Smith tied her own world record in the women’s 100 backstroke at 54.02 while Kaylee McKeown reset the women’s 200 backstroke record twice, clocking 1:57.87 and later 1:57.33. Lani Pallister also made history in the women’s 800 freestyle with a time of 7:54.00, surpassing the previous record of 7:57.42 held by Katie Ledecky, the most decorated American woman in Olympic history.
On the men’s side, Josh Liendo broke the 100 butterfly record with a time of 47.68 and Caspar Corbeau set a new mark in the 200 breaststroke at 1:59.52.
Top Male Earner
TORONTO, CANADA – OCTOBER 23: Hubert Kos of Hungary celebrates after winning and setting a new world record in the Men’s 200m Backstroke finals during day one of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup – Toronto 2025 at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on October 23, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)
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Kós is a Hungarian swimmer and a member of the University of Texas swim team. He most recently helped the team win the 2025 Men’s NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships and was the Olympic champion in the 200 backstroke at the 2024 Paris Games.
At the World Cup, Kós scored 175.8 points to win the overall men’s title and earned a total of $184,000. His earnings included $12,000 from stop one, $10,000 from stop two and $12,000 from stop three, plus $30,000 in Triple Crown bonuses, $20,000 for world records and $100,000 for topping the overall standings.
Kós swept the backstroke events, claiming Triple Crowns in the 50, 100 and 200 back. He broke two world records in Toronto, setting new marks in the men’s 200 backstroke (1:45.12) and 100 backstroke (48.16).
Top Female Earner
TORONTO, CANADA – OCTOBER 25: Kate Douglass of the United States celebrates after winning the Women’s 100m Freestyle final and sets a new world record during day three of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup – Toronto 2025 at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on October 25, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)
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During her NCAA career at the University of Virginia from 2019 to 2023, Douglass helped lead the Cavaliers to three NCAA Division I Championships (2021, 2022 and 2023).
Douglass, an American swimmer and five-time Olympic medalist with two golds, won her 2024 Olympic titles in the 200 breaststroke and 4×100 medley relay. She also earned silver medals in the 200 individual medley and 4×100 freestyle relay in Paris. Additionally, she captured bronze in the 200 IM in Tokyo.
Douglass successfully defended her title at the World Cup after topping the earnings list in 2024, totaling 177.5 points to secure the overall women’s crown and earning $182,000. Her breakdown included $10,000 from the first stop, $12,000 from the second, $10,000 from the third, $30,000 in Triple Crown bonuses, $20,000 for world records and $100,000 for overall standings.
Douglass swept the 100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke events to earn three Triple Crowns. In Toronto, she made history in the women’s 100 freestyle with a 49.93 swim, becoming the first woman ever under 50 seconds and lowering her own world record set earlier in Westmont.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/caseymurphy/2025/10/31/ks-and-douglass-dominate-2025-world-aquatics-swimming-world-cup/
