2016 Arena Pro Swim Series Austin: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

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Women’s 200 free

NCAP’s Katie Ledecky, a day after an amazing 400 free and personal best in the 100 free, nearly posted her best January 200 free ever.

Ledecky clocked a 1:56.54 to lead prelims. That’s just off her top January time of 1:56.16 set here in Austin a year ago.

She will be vying to post the top January 200 free of all time tonight, currently held by Allison Schmitt with a 1:55.83 from this meet back in 2012 before she went on to claim three golds in London.

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, a day after posting a pair of U.S. Open records, cruised into second with a time of 1:58.07. Expect her to turn on the afterburners tonight to challenge Ledecky.

Virginia’s Leah Smith, who had a strong 400 free overshadowed by Ledecky’s exploits last night, qualified third in the 200 with a 1:59.11.

Saint Petersburg’s Melanie Margalis (1:59.42) and Colorado Stars’ Missy Franklin (1:59.65) also cleared 2:00 to make the finale.

Aggie’s Sarah Henry (2:00.39), Athens Bulldogs’ Shannon Vreeland (2:00.40) and Texas’ Madisyn Cox (2:00.46) also made the top eight.

  1 Ledecky, Katie   18 Nation's Capital  1:55.16    1:56.54 qOLY   
             27.67        57.24 (29.57)
        1:26.89 (29.65)     1:56.54 (29.65)
  2 Sjostrom, Sarah  22 Sweden            1:54.31    1:58.07 qOLY   
             27.78        57.98 (30.20)
        1:28.31 (30.33)     1:58.07 (29.76)
  3 Smith, Leah      20 UN                1:57.52    1:59.11 qOLY   
             28.19        58.44 (30.25)
        1:28.81 (30.37)     1:59.11 (30.30)
  4 Margalis, Melan  24 Saint Petersburg  1:57.91    1:59.42 qOLY   
             29.15        59.49 (30.34)
        1:29.69 (30.20)     1:59.42 (29.73)
  5 Franklin, Missy  20 Colorado Stars    1:55.49    1:59.65 qOLY   
             27.93        57.96 (30.03)
        1:28.91 (30.95)     1:59.65 (30.74)
  6 Henry, Sarah     24 Aggie Swim Club   1:58.72    2:00.39 qOLY   
             28.84        59.34 (30.50)
        1:30.04 (30.70)     2:00.39 (30.35)
  7 Vreeland, Shann  24 Athens Bulldog S  1:57.38    2:00.40 qOLY   
             28.71        59.37 (30.66)
        1:30.25 (30.88)     2:00.40 (30.15)
  8 Cox, Madisyn     20 Univ of Texas     1:59.22    2:00.46 qOLY   
             28.43        58.60 (30.17)
        1:29.37 (30.77)     2:00.46 (31.09)

Men’s 200 free

France went 1-2 in the men’s 200-meter free this morning with Jeremy Stravius clipping his compatriot Jordan Pothain for the top seed, 1:49.14 to 1:49.15.

The French duo will face a pretty strong field in the finale, but it is doubtful that they will challenge the top January swim of all time posted by Yannick Agnel with a 1:45.76 here in Austin in 2014.

Texas’ Townley Haas clocked in third with a 1:49.57 with NBAC’s Michael Phelps still looking strong here in Austin with a fourth-seeded 1:50.06.

Phelps, who set his own January personal best in the 100 fly last night, will likely post another best in the 200 free tonight. Phelps’ fastest January swim came back in 2011 here in Austin with a 1:49.90. He almost cleared that this morning while cruising.

Queens’ Dion Dreesens (1:50.14), Gator’s Dan Wallace (1:50.25), Long Gutierrez (1:50.28) and Badger’s Zane Grothe (1:50.60) picked up the rest of the A final spots.

                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Stravius, Jerem  27 France            1:47.10    1:49.14 qOLY   
             25.15        52.96 (27.81)
        1:21.60 (28.64)     1:49.14 (27.54)
  2 Pothain, Jordan  21 France            1:48.34    1:49.15 qOLY   
             25.98        53.58 (27.60)
        1:21.75 (28.17)     1:49.15 (27.40)
  3 Haas, Townley    19 Univ of Texas     1:47.55    1:49.57 qOLY   
             25.56        53.70 (28.14)
        1:22.08 (28.38)     1:49.57 (27.49)
  4 Phelps, Michael  30 North Baltimore   1:48.20    1:50.06 qOLY   
             26.17        54.41 (28.24)
        1:22.39 (27.98)     1:50.06 (27.67)
  5 Dreesens, Dion   22 Queens Universit  1:47.20    1:50.14 qOLY   
             25.93        53.88 (27.95)
        1:21.86 (27.98)     1:50.14 (28.28)
  6 Wallace, Dan     22 Gator Swim Club   1:47.04    1:50.25 qOLY   
             26.18        54.40 (28.22)
        1:22.31 (27.91)     1:50.25 (27.94)
  7 Gutierrez, Long  20 UN                1:48.87    1:50.28 qOLY   
             25.70        53.71 (28.01)
        1:22.05 (28.34)     1:50.28 (28.23)
  8 Grothe, Zane     23 Badger Swim Club  1:47.11    1:50.60 qOLY   
             26.43        54.56 (28.13)
        1:23.07 (28.51)     1:50.60 (27.53)

Women’s 200 back

After taking a beating last night with what might be her first night at a pro meet without making any money, Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu found a bit of speed this morning in the 200 back.

Hosszu clocked a 2:08.32 to lead prelims this morning. Depending on how she feels tonight, she might have a shot at lowering the best January 200 back ever of 2:07.31 clocked by Missy Franklin here in Austin in 2013.

California’s Kathleen Baker, a star in the making, qualified second in 2:10.09 and should challenge Hosszu this evening.

The third and fourth qualified swimmers certainly have the credentials to make a run at dethroning Hosszu tonight. Franklin posted a 2:10.25 while SwimMAC’s Kirsty Coventry turned in a 2:10.31.

Oakville’s Dominique Bouchard (2:10.48), Stanford’s Maya DiRado (2:10.61), Texas’ Quinn Carrozza (2:12.79) and BlueFish’s Elizabeth Beisel (2:12.80) also made the championship heat.

                     === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Hosszu, Katinka  26 HUN               2:06.18    2:08.32 qOLY   
             30.02      1:02.11 (32.09)
        1:35.21 (33.10)     2:08.32 (33.11)
  2 Baker, Kathleen  18 Univ California,  2:10.42    2:10.09 qOLY   
             30.52      1:03.55 (33.03)
        1:36.75 (33.20)     2:10.09 (33.34)
  3 Franklin, Missy  20 Colorado Stars    2:06.34    2:10.25 qOLY   
             30.82      1:03.63 (32.81)
        1:37.14 (33.51)     2:10.25 (33.11)
  4 Coventry, Kirst  32 SwimMAC Carolina  2:10.01    2:10.31 qOLY   
             31.00      1:04.04 (33.04)
        1:37.33 (33.29)     2:10.31 (32.98)
  5 Bouchard, Domin  24 Oakville          2:08.16    2:10.48 qOLY   
             32.04      1:04.45 (32.41)
        1:37.17 (32.72)     2:10.48 (33.31)
  6 DiRado, Maya     22 Stanford Swimmin  2:08.28    2:10.61 qOLY   
             31.36      1:03.99 (32.63)
        1:37.35 (33.36)     2:10.61 (33.26)
  7 Carrozza, Quinn  19 Univ of Texas     2:13.60    2:12.79 qOLY   
             31.52      1:04.73 (33.21)
        1:38.62 (33.89)     2:12.79 (34.17)
  8 Beisel, Elizabe  23 Bluefish Swim Cl  2:08.33    2:12.80 qOLY   
             31.81      1:05.40 (33.59)
        1:39.21 (33.81)     2:12.80 (33.59)

Men’s 200 back

Ryan Murphy turned in the top time of the preliminary heats with a 1:56.37. He will have some time to drop to challenge his fifth-ranked season best from last year of 1:55.00.

Ryosuke Irie’s record for the fastest time ever in January with a 1:54.02 from the 2012 Western States meet in Australia is likely safe this evening.

Jacob Pebley qualified second in a time of 1:57.83 with SwimMAC’s Tyler Clary putting up a 1:58.67 as the only other sub-2:00 swimmer this morning.

NCS’s Hennessey Stuart qualified fourth in 2:00.18 with Tucson Ford’s Matt Grevers taking fifth in 2:00.19.

NYAC’s Arkady Vyatchanin (2:00.84), NBAC’s Austin Surhoff (2:01.49) and Great Britain’s Jay Lelliot (2:02.37) all made the finale as well.

                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Murphy, Ryan     20 UN                1:55.00    1:56.37 qOLY   
             28.47        57.97 (29.50)
        1:27.31 (29.34)     1:56.37 (29.06)
  2 Pebley, Jacob    22 UN                1:56.29    1:57.83 qOLY   
             28.19        57.43 (29.24)
        1:27.71 (30.28)     1:57.83 (30.12)
  3 Clary, Tyler     26 SwimMAC Carolina  1:54.73    1:58.67 qOLY   
             28.04        57.86 (29.82)
        1:28.13 (30.27)     1:58.67 (30.54)
  4 Stuart, Henness  20 NCS               1:59.27    2:00.18 qOLY   
             27.90        58.18 (30.28)
        1:29.02 (30.84)     2:00.18 (31.16)
  5 Grevers, Matt    30 Tucson Ford Deal  1:57.43    2:00.19 qOLY   
             28.52        59.35 (30.83)
        1:29.57 (30.22)     2:00.19 (30.62)
  6 Vyatchanin, Ark  31 New York Athleti  1:55.30    2:00.84 qOLY   
             28.68        58.90 (30.22)
        1:29.79 (30.89)     2:00.84 (31.05)
  7 Surhoff, Austin  25 North Baltimore   1:59.37    2:01.49 qOLY   
             28.61        59.64 (31.03)
        1:30.49 (30.85)     2:01.49 (31.00)
  8 Lelliott, Jay    20 Great Britain     2:03.17    2:02.37 qOLY   
             29.43      1:00.10 (30.67)
        1:31.44 (31.34)     2:02.37 (30.93)

Women’s 50 free

SwimMAC’s Madison Kennedy and Canyons’ Abbey Weitzeil crushed prelims in the women’s 50-meter free.

Kennedy led the way with a 25.03, while Weitzeil clocked a second-seeded 25.06. Both times are just a second of the world best from last year of 24.03 set by Cate Campbell at the BHP Super Series in Perth. That time also is the fastest time ever swum in January.

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, who ranked third last year with a 24.20 at Swedish Nationals, turned in a third-seeded 25.14 this morning.

SwimMAC’s Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace clocked a fourth-seeded 25.15, while California’s Farida Osman posted a 25.18 for the fifth seed.

France’s Anna Santamans (25.20), HPCO’s Chantal van Landeghem (25.26) and HPCO’s Sandrine Mainville (25.38) also made the top eight.

The B final is loaded as well with Sweden’s Therese Alshammar (25.42), California’s Dana Vollmer (25.62) and California’s Natalie Coughlin (25.67) all among the swimmers who made the consolation heat.

                     === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Kennedy, Madiso  28 SwimMAC Carolina    24.71      25.03 qOLY   
  2 Weitzeil, Abby   19 Canyons Aquatic     24.80      25.06 qOLY   
  3 Sjostrom, Sarah  22 Sweden              23.98      25.14 qOLY   
  4 Vanderpool-Wall  25 SwimMAC Carolina    24.31      25.15 qOLY   
  5 Osman, Farida    20 Univ California,    24.92      25.18 qOLY   
  6 Santamans, Anna  22 France              24.76      25.20 qOLY   
  7 Van Landeghem,   21 Hpc-Ontario         24.39      25.26 qOLY   
  8 Mainville, Sand  23 Hpc-Ontario         25.12      25.38 qOLY   
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
  9 Alshammar, Ther  38 Sweden              24.99      25.42 qOLY   
 10 Martin, Ivy      22 Wisconsin Aquati    24.62      25.46 qOLY   
 11 Meili, Katie     24 SwimMAC Carolina    25.30      25.51 qOLY   
 12 Vollmer, Dana    28 Una Cal             26.00      25.62 qOLY   
 12 Gastaldello, Be  20 Texas A & M Univ    25.41      25.62 qOLY   
 14 Williams, Miche  25 Hpc-Ontario         24.84      25.66 qOLY   
 15 Coughlin, Natal  33 California Aquat    24.66      25.67 qOLY   
 16 Geer, Margo      23 Tucson Ford Deal    24.95      25.78 qOLY

Men’s 50 free

NC State’s Simonas Bilis earned the top seed of the day in the men’s splash-and-dash with a 22.36.

If he can drop another half-a-second, he might challenge the January record of 21.70 posted by Nathan Adrian here in Austin back in 2013.

Brazil’s Bruno Fratus, who ranked second in the world with a 21.37 last year, qualified second today in 22.44.

NYAC’s Jimmy Feigen posted a third-seeded 22.51, while Adrian cruised into fourth with a 22.60.

Indie’s Michael Andrew qualified fifth in 22.73 and will be chasing his 15-16 U.S. National Age Group record of 22.34 set last year.

SwimMAC’s Cullen Jones (22.74) and Club Wolverine’s Miguel Ortiz (22.81) qualified sixth and seventh.

Club Wolverine’s Junya Koga and Trojan’s Anthony Ervin set up a swimoff for eighth with matching 22.82s.

                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Bilis, Simonas   22 NCS                 22.31      22.36 qOLY   
  2 Fratus, Bruno    26 Brazil              21.41      22.44 qOLY   
  3 Feigen, Jimmy    26 New York Athleti    22.29      22.51 qOLY   
  4 Adrian, Nathan   27 California Aquat    21.37      22.60 qOLY   
  5 Andrew, Michael  16 Indie Swimming      22.34      22.73 qOLY   
  6 Jones, Cullen    31 SwimMAC Carolina    21.83      22.74 qOLY   
  7 Ortiz, Miguel L  24 Club Wolverine      22.36      22.81 qOLY   
  8 Koga, Junya      28 Club Wolverine      22.71      22.82 qOLY   
  8 Ervin, Anthony   34 Trojan Swim Club    21.55      22.82 qOLY   
 Swim-Off Required ----------------------------------------------
 10 Risolvato, Erik  22 Phoenix Swim Clu    22.22      22.89 qOLY   
 11 Condorelli, San  20 Canyons Aquatic     22.04      22.92 qOLY   
 11 Chadwick, Micha  20 U. of Missouri      22.03      22.92 qOLY   
 11 Cheah, Geoff     25 Club Wolverine      22.39      22.92 qOLY   
 14 Ramirez, Daniel  23 Una Obu             23.32      22.95 qOLY   
 15 Stravius, Jerem  27 France              22.58      22.96 qOLY   
 16 Stubblefield, S  22 California Aquat    22.15      23.02 qOLY

Women’s 400 IM

Although Katinka Hosszu definitely has some challengers in the 200 back earlier in the evening, she’s likely to walk away with the 400 IM title as she clocked a 4:37.50 this morning.

She won’t take a run at her surprising top-ranked time of 4:30.39 from last year, but she might post the fastest January 400 IM ever. That record is currently owned by Aimee Willmott with a 4:33.64 at the 2014 Speedo Cup.

NBAC’s Becca Mann qualified second in 4:42.50 with BlueFish’s Elizabeth Beisel taking third in 4:43.82.

Aggie’s Sarah Henry (4:43.89), SwimMAC’s Cammile Adams (4:45.98), Texas A&M’s Sydney Pickrem (4:46.01), Texas’ Madisyn Cox (4:46.06) and California’s Caitlin Leverenz (4:48.32) also made the A final.

                     === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Hosszu, Katinka  26 HUN               4:30.39    4:37.50 qOLY   
             29.55      1:03.57 (34.02)
        1:39.19 (35.62)     2:14.20 (35.01)
        2:54.13 (39.93)     3:35.15 (41.02)
        4:06.66 (31.51)     4:37.50 (30.84)
  2 Mann, Becca      18 North Baltimore   4:37.04    4:42.50 qOLY   
             30.63      1:04.39 (33.76)
        1:41.41 (37.02)     2:16.66 (35.25)
        2:58.11 (41.45)     3:39.36 (41.25)
        4:11.44 (32.08)     4:42.50 (31.06)
  3 Beisel, Elizabe  23 Bluefish Swim Cl  4:36.71    4:43.82 qOLY   
             31.11      1:05.99 (34.88)
        1:42.50 (36.51)     2:17.73 (35.23)
        2:57.74 (40.01)     3:38.54 (40.80)
        4:11.65 (33.11)     4:43.82 (32.17)
  4 Henry, Sarah     24 Aggie Swim Club   4:38.88    4:43.89 qOLY   
             31.32      1:05.30 (33.98)
        1:43.34 (38.04)     2:20.46 (37.12)
        3:00.14 (39.68)     3:40.30 (40.16)
        4:12.62 (32.32)     4:43.89 (31.27)
  5 Adams, Cammile   24 SwimMAC Carolina  4:40.41    4:45.98 qOLY   
             30.18      1:03.92 (33.74)
        1:41.35 (37.43)     2:17.39 (36.04)
        2:59.24 (41.85)     3:41.50 (42.26)
        4:14.75 (33.25)     4:45.98 (31.23)
  6 Pickrem, Sydney  18 Texas A & M Univ  4:38.03    4:46.01 qOLY   
             31.25      1:07.28 (36.03)
        1:44.52 (37.24)     2:20.84 (36.32)
        3:01.64 (40.80)     3:42.03 (40.39)
        4:15.01 (32.98)     4:46.01 (31.00)
  7 Cox, Madisyn     20 Univ of Texas     4:41.75    4:46.06 qOLY   
             30.11      1:05.01 (34.90)
        1:42.27 (37.26)     2:18.79 (36.52)
        2:59.21 (40.42)     3:40.68 (41.47)
        4:13.73 (33.05)     4:46.06 (32.33)
  8 Leverenz, Caitl  24 California Aquat  4:35.46    4:48.32 qOLY   
                              15.79 ( )
      1:42.00 (1:26.21)     2:19.62 (37.62)
        2:59.56 (39.94)     3:41.23 (41.67)
        4:15.05 (33.82)     4:48.32 (33.27)

Men’s 400 IM

SwimMAC’s Ryan Lochte broke out with a big morning swim as he led the way in the men’s 400-meter IM.

Lochte clocked a top time of 4:18.51 to put himself in position for the title tonight. The record for a January swim, however, is likely out of reach as Kosuke Hagino clocked a 4:09.82 at the 2014 BHP Aquatic Super Series meet just two years ago.

Josh Prenot, the 200 breast winner last night, took second this morning in 4:19.41. SwimMAC’s Tyler Clary powered his way to a third-seeded 4:19.42.

NBAC’s Chase Kalisz (4:20.08), Nitro’s Sean Grieshop (4:20.89), Gator’s Dan Wallace (4:23.17), Andrew Seliskar (4:23.86) and Ous Mellouli (4:24.46) also made their way into the top eight.

                     === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Lochte, Ryan     31 SwimMAC Carolina  4:18.68    4:18.51 qOLY   
             26.34        57.03 (30.69)
        1:30.51 (33.48)     2:02.25 (31.74)
        2:38.89 (36.64)     3:14.93 (36.04)
        3:46.83 (31.90)     4:18.51 (31.68)
  2 Prenot, Josh     22 UN                4:13.15    4:19.41 qOLY   
             27.82        59.11 (31.29)
        1:33.67 (34.56)     2:07.26 (33.59)
        2:42.41 (35.15)     3:17.30 (34.89)
        3:49.66 (32.36)     4:19.41 (29.75)
  3 Clary, Tyler     26 SwimMAC Carolina  4:09.03    4:19.42 qOLY   
             27.44        58.60 (31.16)
        1:31.22 (32.62)     2:03.00 (31.78)
        2:40.51 (37.51)     3:18.80 (38.29)
        3:49.86 (31.06)     4:19.42 (29.56)
  4 Kalisz, Chase    21 North Baltimore   4:09.62    4:20.08 qOLY   
             27.36        59.15 (31.79)
        1:33.39 (34.24)     2:07.66 (34.27)
        2:42.75 (35.09)     3:18.79 (36.04)
        3:49.92 (31.13)     4:20.08 (30.16)
  5 Grieshop, Sean   17 Nitro Swimming    4:15.67    4:20.89 qOLY   
             28.18      1:00.26 (32.08)
        1:33.81 (33.55)     2:06.44 (32.63)
        2:44.20 (37.76)     3:21.48 (37.28)
        3:52.04 (30.56)     4:20.89 (28.85)
  6 Wallace, Dan     22 Gator Swim Club   4:11.04    4:23.17 qOLY   
             27.74        59.77 (32.03)
        1:35.28 (35.51)     2:09.47 (34.19)
        2:46.23 (36.76)     3:23.02 (36.79)
        3:54.46 (31.44)     4:23.17 (28.71)
  7 Seliskar, Andre  19 UN                4:16.05    4:23.86 qOLY   
             27.95      1:00.35 (32.40)
        1:35.55 (35.20)     2:09.38 (33.83)
        2:46.27 (36.89)     3:23.69 (37.42)
        3:54.86 (31.17)     4:23.86 (29.00)
  8 Mellouli, Ous    31 UN/Unattached     4:17.69    4:24.46 qOLY   
             28.30      1:00.57 (32.27)
        1:35.47 (34.90)     2:09.04 (33.57)
        2:46.33 (37.29)     3:24.35 (38.02)
        3:55.29 (30.94)     4:24.46 (29.17)

SCHEDULED EVENTS

Women’s 200 free
Men’s 200 free
Women’s 200 back
Men’s 200 back
Women’s 50 free
Men’s 50 free
Women’s 400 IM
Men’s 400 IM

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