2015 USA Swimming Summer Nationals: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap

Photo Courtesy: USA Swimming

Women’s 100-meter Fly

Kelsi Worrell, the short course US Open Record holder in the 100-yard fly, scorched through Summer Nationals prelims in the women’s 100-meter fly in 57.53. Worrell capitalized on a strong second split (30.06) to earn a comfortable 1.65-second lead heading into finals this evening. Worrell’s victory should come as no surprise as she was seeded first in the event by nearly two seconds entering the meet. She’s within striking distance of the US Open record of 56.42.

American Record holder Dana Vollmer vaulted to second-place with a 59.18 in prelims after being seeded 30^th in the psych sheet. Cassidy Bayer tied with Vollmer for second place.

Felicia Lee (59.34), Hali Flickinger (59.40), Christina Bechtel (59.43), Amanda Kendall (59.51), and Kara Kopsco (59.54) rounded out the top eight.

Returning for finals in the consolation final is Amber Carter (59.57), Sarah Gibson (59.68), Lauren Case (59.70), Allena Schmidtke (59.72), Katherine Mills (59.81), Hellen Moffitt (59.82), Kelly Naze (59.82), and Andrea Ward (59.85).

Men’s 400-meter Free

Zane Grothe exhibited his distance pedigree this morning in winning the 400-meter free prelims at Summer Nationals. The Auburn Record-holder and former SEC Champion posted a 3:48.93 in the morning session to lead the pack heading into finals. Clark Smith finished right behind Grothe with a 3:49.05. Smith actually held a slight advantage on Grothe at the 200-meter mark, but Grothe managed a faster second half than Smith.

NOVA phenom Townley Haas made it a tight top three with his 3:49.38. Haas dropped nearly three seconds from his seed time and jumped six spots to land in the top three. Nicholas Sweetser (3:49.57) and Matthew Hutchins (3:50.97) followed Haas to take fourth and fifth, respectively. Jonathan Roberts (3:51.23), Bobby Hurley (3:51.88), and Frank Dyer (3:52.58) all qualified for the final heat this evening.

Chris Wieser finished just outside the top eight to qualify first in the consolation final with a 3:52.65. He holds nearly a two-second cushion over tenth-place finisher Matthew Hirschberger, a 16-year old from Nation’s Capital who clocked a 3:54.23. Danny Thomson (3:54.28) and CJ Smith (2:54.28) took 11^th and 12^th, respectively. Liam Egan posted a 3:54.37 to get 13^th. The event’s top seed heading into the meet, Ryan Feeley, fell all the way to 14^th with a 3:54.77, a near five-second add. Ty Fowler (3:55.19) and Isaac Jones (3:55.23) rounded out the top 16.

Women’s 200-meter IM

Madisyn Cox (2:11.61) edged Caitlin Leverenz (2:11.71) in the final heat of the women’s 200-meter IM to take the top spot heading into finals. When analyzing the splits, it’s evident Cox had the upper hand on the back and free legs of the race.

Cox: 28.81/34.09/37.84/30.87

Leverenz: 28.56/34.50/37.01/31.64

Sarah Henry rounded out the top three with a 2:12.36 and was propelled by a strong 34.02 backstroke split, which was the second-fastest in the field this morning. Hali Flickinger took fourth in 2:12.88, but was hampered by a 40.63 breast split.

Bethany Galat, (2:12.96), Meaghan Raab (2:13.35), Karlee Bispo (2:13.79), and Emily Cameron (2:13.96) all qualified for the top heat this evening.

The consolation final will feature Justine Bowker (2:14.02), Meghan Small (2:14.27), Laura Sogar (2:14.91), Sonia Wang (2:15.09), Tanja Kylliainen (2:15.15), Catalina Corro Lorente (2:15.22), Katie Drabot (2:15.22), and Tatum Wade (2:15.23).

Men’s 100-meter Breast

Andrew Wilson of Emory University was the lone swimmer to break the one-minute barrier in prelims of the men’s 100-meter breast at USA Nationals. After taking out the race in a swift 27.99, Wilson came home in a 31.69 to finish in 59.68. Craig Benson followed Wilson with a 1:00.28. With a faster first 50 split, Benson could nab the top spot from Wilson at finals. Benson swam a 28.74 and 31.54 this morning. Cal’s Chuck Katis wound up third in 1:00.79.

Nicholas Schaffer clocked a 1:00.84 to place fourth in the race, despite taking the race out faster than Benson (28.51). Marcus Titus (1:01.02) edged Michael Jamieson (1:01.05) for fifth place. Brad Craig (1:01.09) and Samuel Tierney (1:01.23) managed to place in the top eight as well.

Will Licon is on the outside looking in as he placed ninth with a 1:01.24. His second 50 split, a 32.36, allowed Tierney to pull ahead and take the final spot in the top heat. Michael Duderstadt (1:01.26) and Michael Andrew (1:01.26) finished after Licon to take 10^th and 11^th, respectively.

Reece Whitley (1:01.34), Gage Crosby (1:01.40), Peter Krobb (1:01.44), Connor Hoppe (1:01.67), and Josh Prenot (1:01.68) rounded out the consolation final heat.

Women’s 400-meter Free

Allison Schmitt led a very tight top three in prelims of the women’s 400-meter free at USA Nationals. Schmitt’s 4:09.14 was a three second drop from her entry time. Based on the splits, it looks as if Schmitt backed off on the second half of the race:

Schmitt: 58.90/1:01.84/1:03.56/1:04.84

It’s likely she’ll end the race stronger tonight with a gold medal on the line. Stephanie Peacock (4:09.24) and Hali Flickinger (4:09.64), however, are breathing right down Schmitt’s neck. Peacock and Flickinger seemed to put forth more effort on their final 200 splits than Schmitt needed to.

Peackock: 1:00.41/1:03.30/1:03.22/1:02.31

Flickinger: 1:00.87/1:02.89/1:03.42/1:02.46

Sierra Schmidt (4:11.40), Courtney Harnish (4:11.51), and Yawen Hou (4:11.82) followed in the 4:11.00 range. Lindsay Vrooman posted a 4:12.09 and Hannah Cox swam a 4:12.40 to close out the top eight.

Melanie Klaren just missed qualifying for the top heat with a 4:12.49. She leads the consolation finals ahead of nearby Haley Lips (4:12.50), Sarah Gibson (4:12.67), and Alexa Davis (4:12.97). Chenoa Devine (4:13.58), Karling Hemstreet (4:13.74), Paige Madden (4:13.81), and Alex Norris (4:14.00) also qualified in the consolation finals.

Men’s 400-meter IM

Joseph Bentz of Dynamo and Sean Grieshop tied atop the men’s 400-meter IM prelim at USA Nationals with a 4:17.34. Bentz nabbed a share of first despite adding two seconds from his entry time. He took the race out in a 57.96, and followed that with a 1:06.75, 1:12.81, and 59.82. Grieshop’s splits showed his strength in the back and free legs of the race:

Grieshop: 59.05/1:05.47/1:13.92/58.90

Travis Mahoney touched just over a tenth behind them at 4:17.45. Stanford’s Max Williamson overcame a 1:00.07 start on the fly to take fourth. Williamson clocked a solid second half with a 1:11.53 breast and 59.44 free split. Andrew Seliskar took fifth in 4:18.92, while Curtis Ogren (4:19.41), John Martens (4:19.55), and Corey Okubo (4:19.68) rounded out the top eight finishers.

Daniel Graviss is the top seed entering tonight’s consolation final at 4:20.62. Will Licon is determined to climb to the ninth spot. He currently sits tenth at 4:20.70.

The consolation final will also feature Adam Hinshaw (4:21.37), Max Litchfield (4:21.38), Michael Meyer (4:21.50), Brandon Flynn (4:21.58), Charles Swanson (4:22.11), and Andrew Gemmell (4:22.37).

2015 USA Swimming Long Course Summer Nationals: Live Results – Results

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