Katharine Berkoff Ends Meet Early With 200 Back Final Scratch In Sacramento

By Will Baxley on SwimSwam

2026 Sacramento Pro Swim Series

• May 20-23, 2026
• Sacramento, CA
• LCM (50 meters)
• Psych Sheets
• Meet Central
• Live Results also Available on Meet Mobile
• Live Stream: USA Swimming Network
• Recaps:
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2  | Day 3

Day 4 Finals Heat Sheet

The final Pro Swim Series session of the calendar year is upon us. As many national teamers gun for the last round of cash prizes, there is one name notably missing: World Champion Katharine Berkoff.

The 25-year-old backstroke ace forfeited her spot in the 200 backstroke final. She was seeded third after the semi-finals where she posted a 2:10.87. Only her fellow national teamers, Phoebe Bacon and Rhyan White, turned in swifter times.

Many swim fans may be surprised by this scratch, as Berkoff already swam through two rounds of the event and cash prizes for the event are doubled. With #4 seed Kennedi Dobson trailing Berkoff by over two and a half seconds, a podium finish would seem like a safe bet.

Earlier in the meet, Berkoff delivered comfortable margins of victory in both the 50 and 100 back.

Beyond Berkoff, two other national team women headline the final session’s scratches: Caroline Bricker and Phoebe Bacon. Both of these women will forego a second swim in what is an off-event for them, the 100 breaststroke, in favor of focusing on more core events. As previously mentioned, Bacon will compete in the 200 back final, while Bricker is the heavy favorite to take the 200 fly. 

In other news, Levenia Sim opted to end her meet early after her sister announced her retirement yesterday. University of Georgia star Kennedi Dobson curbed an 800 free/200back/100 free triple by renouncing her name from the latter event.

Full Scratch List

Women’s 50 Fly Final

• No Scratches

Men’s 50 Fly Final

• #7 Brandon Ha (Dart Swimming)
• #12 Andres Brooks (Puerto Rico)
• #14 Yuri Kisil (Canada)
• #16 Caiden Bowers (Cal)

Women’s 100 Breast Final

• #7 Phoebe Bacon (Wisconsin)
• #8 Caroline Bricker (Alto Swim Club)
• #16 Melina Giraudeau (Maverick Aquatics)

Men’s 100 Breast Final

• No Scratches

Women’s 200 Back Final

• #3 Katharine Berkoff (Wolfpack Elite)
• #9 Levenia Sim (Alto Swim Club)
• #10 Emma Hussein (Canyons Aquatic Club)

Men’s 200 Back Final

• No Scratches

Women’s 100 Free Final

• #10 Kennedi Dobson (Eastern Express)

Men’s 100 Free Final

• No Scratches

Women’s 200 Fly Final

• No Scratches

Men’s 200 Fly Final

• No Scratches

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