Ryan Lochte, Melanie Margalis Thrill On Night 1 Of Athens Sectionals

Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott

With three and a half weeks to go before the start of pool swimming at the world championships, Melanie Margalis and Ryan Lochte gauged their training progress in the 200 individual medley in Athens, Ga., at the USA Swimming sectionals. Both also had buzzworthy swims in the 50 freestyle in tonight’s finals.

Margalis won the women’s 200 IM handily with a 2:10.26, just missing her lifetime best of 2:10.20 from last summer’s nationals. Margalis will represent the United States in the 200 IM in Russia next month, and posting a near lifetime best today bodes well for the 23-year-old.

Margalis’ splits
Butterfly: 28.54
Backstroke: 33.04
Breaststroke: 37.49
Freestyle: 31.19

Kirsty Coventry, making a return to competition as she prepares to represent Zimbabwe at worlds, was a distant second with a 2:14.97. Emily Cameron took third in 2:14.98, making a big push to nearly overtake Coventry on freestyle. That’s a one-second drop in Cameron’s lifetime best, which she did way back in 2010 at junior nationals.

Margalis came back to win the 50 free over NC State’s Riki Bonnema, 25.79-25.88. That’s a personal best for Margalis, who had never been under 26 seconds in the event. As for Bonnema, it’s four tenths slower than her lifetime best, which she swam earlier this year at the Canadian nationals.

As for Lochte, he is looking to make a run at an unprecedented fourth world title in the 200 IM. With main rival Kosuke Hagino withdrawing from worlds due to injury, Lochte’s path to world title No. 4 looks clearer. Today, he won the 200 IM in Athens with a 2:00.00, well off his third-ranked 1:57.20 from May, but enough to win. Lochte appeared to race aggressively through the backstroke leg before easing up a bit on breaststroke.

Lochte’s splits
Butterfly: 25.10
Backstroke: 29.15
Breaststroke: 35.87
Freestyle: 29.88

Connor Jaeger is going to worlds in the distance freestyle events, but showed off his stroke versatility with a second-place time of 2:02.28. Sam Stewart followed up in third place with a 2:02.43.

Almost immediately after his 200 IM, Lochte stepped up for the B final of the 50 free, and drew a disqualification by swimming the entire length underwater. Though it was a freestyle race, rules dictate that the swimmer must surface before the 15-meter mark after the start. Lochte clocked a quick 23.49 to finish fifth in the B heat.

Ryan Lochte just took a DQ in the 50 free B final and went 50m uw dolphin kick… And went 23.49… Faster than 23.55 he did in prelims

— Preston Parrish (@SCCoachP45) July 9, 2015

SwimMAC Carolina’s Michael Chadwick took the A final win in the 50 free with a 22.39, crushing his lifetime best of 22.90 from the Arena Pro Swim Series in Charlotte in May. At this point in the year, that makes Chadwick the fourth-fastest American in 2015. Miguel Ortiz of Club Wolverine took second with a 22.62, and Michael Trice of SwimAtlanta was third with a 22.63.

Cammile Adams, looking to stand on the medal podium in the 200 butterfly at the world championships, put up a respectable 2:08.06 to win the event in Georgia. She wasn’t far off from her 2:07.52 from the Sette Colli meet in Italy last month that ranks her seventh in the world. Adams was swimming in a league of her own, as Athens Bulldogs’ Megan Kingsley was six seconds back with a 2:14.02, and North Carolina’s Hellen Moffitt took third with a 2:14.96.

Dylan Bosch turned in a sizzling 1:57.28 to claim the win in the men’s 200 butterfly. Mick Litherland was the second-place finisher with a final time of 1:58.29. Michael Flach posted a time of 1:59.32 to finish third in the event.

2015 Speedo Sectionals Athens, Day One – Results

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Dani Lynn

8 years ago

Again, the Men’s 200 Fly info looks incorrect.

Dani Lynn

8 years ago

Reply to Dani Lynn

Thank you.

Nancy

8 years ago

Reply to Dani Lynn

Men’s 50 free looks wrong also…22.39 doesn’t crush 22.39