INDIANAPOLIS -- Jenny Thompson won her 26th national title with a victory in the 50-meter freestyle at Saturday's U.S. Spring National Swimming Championships.

Thompson, 30, set a personal record of 25.02 seconds in winning her only event of the meet. Thompson, who has won a total of 10 gold medals in three Olympics, has the most national titles among active U.S. female swimmers.

"I've been in competitive swimming for so long that it's pretty automatic at this point," Thompson said. "But to go my fastest, I guess I have to throw all that body science stuff out the window.

"After the Olympics, I thought by now, I would be a mom, married, working, doing something -- but not swimming. But I know 2004 will be it. I want to get my medical career going."

Tom Wilkens, 27, won his 17th men's national crown by taking the 200-yard individual medley in 2 minutes, 1.43 seconds.

Wilkens, who won the 400-meter individual medley Thursday, moved one championship ahead of Chad Carvin for the lead among active U.S. male swimmers. Carvin did not compete Saturday.

Wilkens, who will be married in September following the Pan Am Games, credited his training habits.

"You try to take age out of the equation," Wilkens said. "I still feel really competitive."

He also has an improved attitude.

"Before, I put a lot of pressure on myself," Wilkens said. "Now, I try to just race to have fun, to race for racing's sake. But winning the 17th national is still pretty special."

In the 1,500-meter freestyle, Chris Thompson of Club Wolverine finished in 15:15.00 to edge Ricardo Monasterio of Florida, who finished in 15:15.05.