2017 Arena Pro Series Austin: Day One Finals Recap

Jan 16, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Amanda Weir before competing in the women's 200 meter free final during the 2016 Arena Pro Swim Series at Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Photo Courtesy: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

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The 2017 Arena Pro Series kicked off today in Austin, Texas with 2016 Olympic gold medalists highlighting the field. Finals begin at 6 p.m. CST and will be live streamed by both USA Swimming and NBCSN.

2016 Olympians Amanda Weir, Melanie Margalis, and Josh Prenot each collected a gold medal in their first night of the three day meet. Additionally, open water/distance star Ashley Twichell posted a personal best time in the women’s 400 free.

USA Swimming Live Stream

Live Results

Events:

  • Women’s 100 Free
  • Men’s 100 Free
  • Women’s 200 Breast
  • Men’s 200 Breast
  • Women’s 100 Fly
  • Men’s 100 Fly
  • Women’s 400 Free
  • Men’s 400 Free

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Women’s 100 Free

Amanda Weir of SwimAtlanta continued to hold off the competition in finals of the women’s 100 free. The 30-year-old veteran delivered a smooth stroke to hold off a charging field with a 54.60.

HPCO’s Kayla Sanchez, one of five Canadians in the field, picked up the silver with a final time of 55.19, followed closely by NC State’s Alexia Zevnik and her time of 55.21.

Michelle Williams, also of HPCO, grabbed fourth with a 55.31, while 16-year-old Taylor Ruck of Scottsdale Aquatics was fifth with a 55.43.

HPCO’S Rebecca Smith (55.82), Great Britain’s Kathryn Greenslade (55.86), and Texas A&M’s Beryl Gastaldello (56.96) rounded out the top eight finishers.

Men’s 100 Free

It was a battle to the finish in finals of the men’s 100 free as Japan’s Shinri Shioura and NC State’s Ryan Held battled to the very finish. The determining factor was in the last few meters as Shioura powered past Held to finish first with a 49.16 over Held’s 49.32.

Yuri Kisil of the UBC Thunderbirds picked up the bronze medal with a time of 49.51, followed by McFarland Sparta’s Daniel Krueger and his time of 49.89.

California Aquatics’ Jacob Pebley grabbed fifth overall with a final time of 50.33, just ahead of UBC Thunderbirds’ Markus Thormeyer’s 50.37.

NC State’s Soeren Dahl and Race Pace’s Michael Andrew finished seventh and eighth respectively with times of 50.53 and 50.73.

Women’s 200 Breast

New York Athletic Club’s Breeja Larson led the competition in finals of the women’s 200 breast throughout the majority of the race, but was unable to hold off a charging Melanie Margalis in the final 25-meters of the race. Margalis, who represents Saint Petersburg, touched more than a second ahead of the competition in with a time of 2:26.14.

Larson settled for second and a final time of 2:27.37, while Texas A&M’s Sydney Pickrem grabbed third overall with a time of 2:27.42.

Katie Matts of Great Britain picked up the fourth place finish with a 2:27.94, followed by UBC Thunderbirds’ Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson’s 2:28.39.

Texas A&M teammates Ashley McGregor and Esther Gonzalez Medina were sixth and seventh respectively with times of 2:29.03 and 2:30.62.

Emma Day of Great Britain was eighth with a 2:30.95.

Men’s 200 Breast

The men’s 200 breast final was highlighted by a trio of stars leading the pack. Emory’s Andrew Wilson, California Aquatics’ Josh Prenot, and Athens’ Nic Fink quickly jumped to the front of the pack, with Prenot and Fink battling to the finish in the final 25 meters. Prenot was able to hold off a charging Fink to finish first with a 2:11.15 over Fink’s 2:11.40.

Wilson settled for the bronze medal and a final time of 2:13.12.

HPC Onatario’s Richard Funk finished fourth overall with a 2:15.76, followed by West Swim Club’s Nick Zito and his time of 2:17.85.

Chena Swim Club’s James Dergousoff (2:18.40), Mason Manta Ray’s Jake Foster (2:18.45), and NC State’s Patrik Schwarzenbach (2:18.68) completed the top eight.

Women’s 100 Fly

Despite what looked to be a solid win for Texas A&M’s Sarah Gibson, she and Canada’s Rebecca Smith turned in matching times in the finals of the women’s 100 fly. The two both stopped the clock at a final time of 59.24 to be two of only three swimmers beneath the one minute mark.

16-year-old Eva Merrell faded from her first place seed to third with a final time of 59.57, adding slightly to her prelims time of 59.34.

Hannah Saiz of Schroeder YMCA picked up fourth with a time of 1:00.25, while Razorback Aquatics’ Taylor Pike was fifth with a 1:00.67.

Magnolia Aquatics’ Lillie Nordmann (1:00.96), Nation’s Capital’s Isabella Gati (1:01.22), and NC State’s Krista Duffield (1:01.41) finished sixth through eighth respectively.

Men’s 100 Fly

17-year-old Michael Andrew jumped to an early lead in finals of the men’s 100 fly, but a quick turn and an increase of speed propelled Japan’s Daiya Seto to the front of the pack. Seto turned in a 52.67 to earn gold, while Andrew settled for the silver and a 53.32.

Azura Florida’s Marcos Lavado grabbed the bronze medal with a final time of 53.85, while North Texas’ Jack Levant finished fourth with a 54.10.

Soeren Dahl of NC State was fifth overall with a time of 54.59, while Mission Viejo’s Daniel Kim took sixth with a 54.75.

Japan’s Yuki Kobori and NC State’s Ryan Held were seventh and eighth with times of 54.96 and 55.15 respectively.

Women’s 400 Free

Ashley Twichell of North Carolina Aquatic Club delivered an aggressive and commanding race in finals of the women’s 400 free. Twichell, 27, posted a best time of 4:08.99 to win the gold.

Neptune Natation’s Mary-Sophie Harvey picked up the silver with a final time of 4:09.69, while Saint Petersburg’s Melanie Margalis added a bronze medal to her collection with a 4:10.54 finish.

Holly Hibbott of Great Britain faded to fourth and a time of 4:10.56, followed by NC State’s Hannah Moore and her time of 4:11.46.

Etobicoke’s Olivia Anderson (4:15.45), Chile’s Kristel Kobrich (4:17.01), and Great Tampa’s Morgan Tankersley (4:20.51) concluded the ‘A’ final.

Men’s 400 Free

Anton Ipsen of NC State powered to a dominant win in the men’s 400 free, winning by close to five seconds. Ipsen, a member of the rising Wolfpack, stopped the clock at a 3:49.59.

Japan’s Naito Ehara moved up from his third place seed to finish second with a time of 3:54.31, leading a much closer field. NC State’s Adam Linker picked up the bronze with a close finish of 3:54.36.

16-year-old Trey Freeman of Baylor Swim Club took fourth overall with a 3:54.59, followed by Island Swimming’s Jeremy Bagshaw’s 3:55.17.

Nation’s Capital’s Lane Stone (3:56.11), Japan’s Tsubasa Amai (3:56.22), and Nitro’s Chris Yeager (3:59.84) rounded out the top eight swimmers.

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