2025 Ice Swimming World Championships: Keaton Jones Breaks Records, Making Waves in the Sport!

Keaton Jones, a talented swimmer from the U.S., recently made waves at the Ice Swimming World Championships in Molveno, Italy. The water there was a freezing 35 degrees Fahrenheit! At just 19 years old, this sophomore from the University of California, Berkeley, is already a standout in the ice swimming world, having set five new world records at this event.

To qualify as ice swimming, the International Ice Swimming Association (IISA) mandates that water temperatures must be 41 degrees Fahrenheit or colder, and swimmers compete without wetsuits or any support. This year’s championships attracted hundreds of athletes from around the globe, highlighting the sport’s rapid growth and rising competition level.

The IISA started in 2009, created by Ram Barkai from Cape Town, South Africa. Barkai took up swimming later in life and has completed some extraordinary cold swims, even in Antarctica. Today, he continues to push the limits of ice swimming, proving that age is just a number.

Jones’s achievements in ice swimming are significant. This year’s World Championships were the largest yet, and with athletes qualifying for events like the European Ice Swimming Championships, the idea of ice swimming being included in the Olympics seems possible.

At the championships, Jones excelled in different backstroke events, clocking in at 59.01 seconds for the 100 meters and 27.21 seconds for the 50 meters. These times are impressive, especially considering there are no flip turns in ice swimming, which can affect overall speed. His past records were 1:00.27 in the 100 and 27.93 in the 50, both set at the 2023 Championships in France.

To give you perspective, Jones’s best times in a regular pool are 54.31 for the 100 meters and 25.70 for the 50 meters, showing just how different ice swimming can be. The cold water changes how athletes breathe and strategize during races. This unique environment requires swimmers to adapt their techniques, often resulting in more frequent breaths.

Despite the challenges, Jones also broke records in the 50 freestyle (24.67 seconds), 100 freestyle (53.71 seconds), and 100 butterfly (57.18 seconds). His previous records in these events showed steady improvement, displaying his growth as a swimmer. While he didn’t win all his races—he placed second in the 50 butterfly—his performances were still remarkable considering he was in the middle of his college season.

Jones’s future in ice swimming looks promising. As he continues to compete and inspire, we can expect to see him tackle longer distances and further promote the sport. The icy waters may be tough, but for Jones, they’re just an exciting new challenge.