Anastasia Gorbenko Shatters Louisville School Record in 200 IM at the 2026 Louisville Invitational First Chance Meet
The 2026 Louisville Invitational First Chance Meet, held at the Ralph Wright Natatorium in Louisville, Kentucky, on February 5-6, 2026, was a platform for swimmers to secure their spot on the post-season roster or conclude their season with a flourish in a prelims/finals format. Among the participants, star swimmer Anastasia Gorbenko made her mark, breaking the Louisville School Record in the 200 IM with a time of 1:53.46. This achievement shaved 0.07 seconds off her previous record of 1:53.53, set at the Texas Showdown in Austin just two weeks prior. Gorbenko now ranks third in the NCAA for the season in this event, and the top three swimmers, including Gorbenko, will compete at the ACC Championships in just two weeks. Moreover, five out of the top six swimmers will also participate in the ACC Championships.
The 2025-2026 NCAA Season Women's 200 IM rankings are as follows:
1. Lucy Bell (Stanford) - 1:52.50
2. Teagan O'Dell (Cal) - 1:53.19
3. Anastasia Gorbenko (Louisville) - 1:53.46
4. Campbell Chase (Texas) - 1:53.48
5. Aimee Canny (Virginia) - 1:54.05
Anastasia Gorbenko, an Israeli national, joined the Cardinals for the spring semester at the age of 22, bringing a wealth of international experience. While listed as a freshman by Louisville, the official NCAA database managed by USA Swimming recognizes her as a sophomore. Gorbenko's accolades include a silver medal at the 2024 World Championships in the 400 IM, despite the event being held at a less-attended edition. She also claimed the 2021 World Short Course Championship titles in both the 50 breast and 100 IM. Renowned as Israel's best-ever swimmer, Gorbenko has secured seven European titles and a 2018 Youth Olympic Games gold medal in the 200 IM.
Her arrival at Louisville caused a significant upset, as the Cardinals defeated the #3-ranked Texas Longhorns in Austin during a two-day meet, winning by a single point. Gorbenko's record-breaking swim was part of a mid-day time trial, and while no official results for that session have been published yet, her performance has undoubtedly solidified her status as a rising star in the swimming world.
