Connor Jaeger Holds Off Townley Haas To Win 500 Free At USA Swimming Nationals

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

GREENSBORO – Though the headline of the prelim session was the surprise top qualifying time by 17-year-old True Sweetser, the headliner in the championship final of the men’s 500 freestyle at the USA Swimming short course nationals was Connor Jaeger.

Racing in his first short course yards meet as a postgrad for Club Wolverine, Jaeger let the field set the pace early, as is his custom. Around the halfway mark, Jaeger turned on a different gear but was unable to hold off 17-year-old Townley Haas, last summer’s junior national champion looking for a win at senior nationals. Jaeger’s kick helped in the final 25 yards to get the win in 4:13.72 over Haas’ 4:14.19. Jaeger wasn’t able to approach his lifetime best of 4:10.84 from the 2013 NCAAs, but likely has long course aspirations on his mind. Haas, representing NOVA of Virginia, dropped three seconds off his lifetime best from this morning, and inches closer to Michael Phelps’ 17-18 national age group record of 4:12.33.

Badger Swim Club’s Ryan Feeley, another Michigan postgrad who focuses on open water swimming, was in the hunt for the win as well and hung on for third with a 4:15.45. That’s just two tenths off his lifetime best from the 2012 Big Ten championships and could set him up for a strong 1650 free on Saturday.

Sweetser wasn’t able to match his prelim time of 4:16.63 but celebrated fourth place with a time of 4:17.65 in his first championship final. Louisville’s Trevor Carroll (4:18.73), Santa Clara’s Aidan Burns (4:19.04), Indiana’s Jackson Miller (4:19.48) and Club Wolverine’s Michael Wynalda (4:19.65) took the rest of the championship final places.

Thomas Duvall, Dion Dreesens and Jeremy Bagshaw separated from the pack early in the B final of the 500 free, with all three enjoying the lead at one point. Bagshaw, who was a catalyst for California’s team win at last March’s NCAA championships, put in a strong kick at 350 yards to pull away from the pack and win with a 4:19.13. Thomas Duvall tried to catch Bagshaw in the final 25 yards but settled for second with a 4:19.50. Jorden Merrilees snuck into third with a 4:19.68.

Likely motivated by Nation’s Capital teammate Katie Ledecky’s swim just moments earlier, Matthew Hirschberger pulled away from the field at the halfway mark to win the C final with a 4:20.14. The 16-year-old shattered his lifetime best of 4:23.25 from last March’s NCSA junior nationals with the victory. Making a late charge was another 16-year-old, Pleasanton Seahawks’ Maxime Rooney, who was second with a 4:22.07, off his lifetime best of 4:20.60. PJ Ransford collected third with a 4:23.48.

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