Sometimes, even in defeat, there's a glimmer of hope. That's exactly what happened when Michal Chmielewski shattered a USC record, even as the Cal Golden Bears dominated the pool. But did this individual achievement truly 'soften the blow' of Cal's overall victory? Let's dive into the details of this thrilling USC vs. Cal meet!
USC Trojans vs. Cal Golden Bears – A Clash of Titans
- Date: January 16, 2026
- Location: Uytengsu Aquatics Center, Los Angeles, California
- Format: Long Course Meters (50 meters)
- Full Meet Results: Link to Results
- The Final Scoreboard:
- Cal Women defeated USC Women: 156-144
- Cal Men dominated USC Men: 178-122
While the team scores tell a story of Cal's dominance, Michal Chmielewski's record-breaking swim for USC injected a surge of excitement into the competition. The Cal men secured a resounding 178-122 victory, but Chmielewski's performance, along with a controversial DQ for a USC women's relay, became major talking points. The DQ, by the way, only amounted to a 6-point swing, but it put USC in a 15-2 hole early, which is a tough spot to recover from.
Men's Meet: Chmielewski's Shining Moment
The Cal Golden Bears men's team showcased their strength, claiming victory in 11 out of 16 events. However, the spotlight undeniably belonged to USC junior Michal Chmielewski, a Polish-born swimmer who delivered an individual performance for the ages.
Chmielewski not only won both of his individual events but also etched his name in USC history. His blistering time of 45.08 in the 100-meter butterfly wasn't just a personal best; it shattered the previous school record of 45.12, set in 2018 by Santo Condorelli, a Canadian and Italian Olympian. This swim catapulted Chmielewski from his previous #2 spot in school history (45.15 at the Texas Hall of Fame Invitational) to the top of the list.
And this is the part most people miss...Chmielewski is traditionally a 200 butterfly specialist! This 100 fly performance not only highlights his versatility but also propels him to 14th in the NCAA this season and 4th in the Big Ten.
But here's where it gets controversial... While this is a fantastic achievement, some USC fans might worry. In past seasons, USC has struggled with peaking during regular-season meets, leading to less impressive performances at national championships. Could this record-breaking swim be a sign of history repeating itself? What do you think?
Beyond his record-breaking swim, Chmielewski also triumphed in the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 1:41.77. He further showcased his abilities by splitting 44.49 on the butterfly leg of the team's victorious 400-meter medley relay (3:04.04), another season-best time for the Trojans. Interestingly, USC recorded the fastest split on three of the four legs in that relay, surpassing a Cal team that, relatively speaking, is having a down year. The exception was Yamato Okadome, the Japanese-born breaststroke leg for Cal, whose split of 50.39 kept the Golden Bears in contention. Okadome also secured individual victories in the 100-meter breaststroke (51.70) and the 200-meter breaststroke (1:50.77), dominating the latter by over five seconds.
While USC displayed flashes of brilliance, including numerous season-best performances, the Cal men's team maintained a dominant presence throughout the meet. Irishman Nathaniel Wiffen clinched the victory in the 1000-meter freestyle with a lifetime best of 8:50.30, shaving off 1.2 seconds from his split during a 1650 freestyle at the mid-season Minnesota Invite. Krzysztof Chmielewski, Michal's twin brother, secured second place in 8:56.33, marking a season-best for him.
An interesting observation: out of the 12 individual swimming events for the men, only three were won by U.S.-born athletes. Cal's Keaton Jones claimed victories in the 200-meter freestyle (1:34.17) and the 200-meter backstroke (1:40.90), while Cal's Freddy Klein triumphed in the 400-meter individual medley (3:47.43).
The Cal men concluded the meet in emphatic fashion, securing a 1-2 finish in the 400-meter freestyle relay. The "A" team finished in 2:50.53, followed by the "B" team in 2:51.98, while USC's best effort landed them in third place with a time of 2:53.70. Jones' impressive 42.16 anchor split for Cal led the field. The teams split the diving events, highlighting the well-rounded nature of both programs.
Notable Performances Beyond the Winners' Circle:
- USC's Thomas Olsen achieved a new lifetime best of 9:08.69 in the 1000-meter freestyle, finishing sixth. As a junior, he has improved his time by 7.3 seconds this season and surpassed his high school best for the first time.
- Diego Balbi of USC swam a personal best of 1:43.82 to finish 3rd in the 200 fly. Historically a much better sprint butterflier, that shows huge progress in the 200 even since the mid-season invite where he swam 1:46.73.
Women's Meet: A Nail-Biting Affair
The women's meet presented a stark contrast to the men's, characterized by intense back-and-forth racing and a series of closely contested finishes. The Trojan women faced an early setback when their second-place finish in the 400-meter medley relay was disqualified, resulting in a 6-point swing and placing them in a 15-2 deficit.
The teams traded victories in the initial individual races. Cal freshman Ella Cosgrove narrowly edged out USC's Claire Tuggle in the 1000-meter freestyle, finishing in 9:40.58 compared to Tuggle's 9:41.02. Tuggle closed the gap significantly, gaining 1.7 seconds over the last 50 meters. The top five finishers were all within a mere three seconds of each other. USC's Mina Abraham retaliated by winning a tight battle in the 200-meter freestyle against Cal's Mia West, with a time of 1:41.69 versus 1:41.74.
Cal responded in the women's 100-meter backstroke, securing a 1-2 finish courtesy of Mary-Ambre Moluh (51.24) and Jessica Davis (53.55, PB), significantly boosting their score. While USC freshman Bella Brito won the subsequent race, the 100-meter breaststroke, in 59.85, Cal's 2-3-4-5 finish allowed them to maintain their scoring advantage.
However, USC wasn't ready to concede. They launched a comeback in the middle of the meet, with Justina Kozan winning the 200-meter butterfly (1:54.90) and Abraham securing another victory in the 50-meter freestyle (22.06), a new personal best that elevated her to 7th place in the Big Ten. Cal's Ariana Drake interrupted USC's streak by winning the women's 1-meter diving event, reversing the historical trend of USC's diving dominance. Cal then fought back with Mia West, handing Abraham her only loss of the day, winning the 100 free 47.51 to 47.55. Another nail-biter came in the next race, the women's 200 back, which Moluh won over Dora Molnar 1:53.48-1:53.49. Six of the women’s individual events came down to the touch on Friday.
The momentum shifted again in favor of USC, with Bella Brito (2:10.22, 200 breaststroke), Justina Kozan (4:41.02, 500 free), diver Katie Miller (307.43, 3-meter), and Kozan again in her third individual win of the day (4:07.46, 400 IM) winning four of the last five events on the day. Only Annie Jia broke up that furious finish of USC, winning the 100 fly for Cal in 51.37.
That left the meet still in the balance going into the final relay, with Cal holding just a three point lead after the conclusion of the individual competitions. USC needed a 400 free relay win to take the day, and while the team’s matched up pretty well in different spots, Cal was just a bit deeper. The relay of Moluh (48.10), Lilou Ressencourt (48.71), Jia (48.01), and West (46.87) finished in 3:11.69. USC was about a second back in 3:12.66, including a 46.50 anchor from Abraham, to finish 2nd.
While not an event winner, one other notable result was USC’s Sage Miller, who finished 3rd in both the 100 fly (52.70) and 200 fly (1:56.30). Those are both lifetime bests for the freshman from Hawaii.
So, what are your thoughts on this meet? Did Chmielewski's record-breaking swim truly soften the blow of USC's defeat? And how do you think USC's women can close the gap with Cal in future competitions? Share your opinions in the comments below!
