2016 USA Swimming Trials: Day 5 Finals Live Recap

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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Everything you need to follow along live with day five finals of the 2016 USA Swimming Trials. Hit refresh for the latest coverage.

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Schedule of Events:

Men’s 200 Breast FINAL
Women’s 100 Free Semi-Final
Men’s 200 Back Semi-Final
Women’s 200 Fly FINAL
Men’s 100 Free FINAL
Women’s 200 Breast Semi-Final
Men’s 200 IM Semi-Final

Men’s 200 Breast Final:

The men’s 200-meter breaststroke continued to battle the world record in finals as Kevin Cordes led throughout the 150-meter mark. Cordes, who earlier in the meet won the 100-meter breaststroke, jumped to an early lead quickly bringing the crowd to their feet. Not far behind, however, was a pair of college standouts: Will Licon and Josh Prenot.

Licon hung close to Cordes’ waist throughout the first 125-yards before Prenot charged ahead to overtake everyone. A quick stroke rate propelled Prenot to the win and a new American Record of 2:07.17. His dynamic swim sits as the second fastest time in the 200-meter breaststroke…ever. Right behind World Record holder’s Akihiro Yamaguchi’s 2:07.01.

Cordes settled for second and an additional Olympic event with a time of 2:08.00, while Licon picked up third and a 2:08.14.

Fourth was grabbed by Andrew Wilson who posted a final time of 2:09.15 and fifth went to Cody Miller and his time of 2:10.22.

B.J. Johnson (2:10.70), Nic Fink (2:11.55), and Brendan McHugh (2:14.88) rounded out the final heat.

Photo Courtesy: Omega Timing

Women’s 100 Freestyle Semifinals

This morning short course American record holder Abbey Weitzeil was the top qualifier with a 53.58. That swim moved her up to ninth in the world this year. Tonight she swam a 53.57, .01 faster.

Coming off her redshirt year at Stanford, Simone Manuel won the first semifinal in 53.64, moving her to 11th in the world this year.

American record holder Amanda Weir swam a second seeded 53.76 this morning. That was her fastest time swum in seven years. Tonight the 30 year old swam a 53.72. She’ll be the third seed for finals.

Dana Vollmer appears on track to earn a second swim in Rio. She touched fourth tonight in 53.74.

2012 Olympian Lia Neal was a 53.87 for the fifth spot. After winning the 100 butterfly, Kelsi Worrell posted a 54.00 to return to tomorrow night’s finals.

After securing 200 freestyle individual swims, Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky brought the distance down and the speed up. For Ledecky, it worked out as she’ll be the seventh seed with a 54.04. Franklin wound up 11th and out of the final in an event in which she had an individual berth in 2012.

Allison Schmitt was the last swimmer into tomorrow night with a 54.07.

Madison Kennedy will now put it all on the line in the 50 freestyle after touching in 54.18 for ninth tonight.

Olivia Smoliga qualified for Rio Tuesday night in the 100 backstroke. Tonight she came up short of a second swim with a 54.21.

Mallory Comerford (54.61), Shannon Vreeland (54.83), Natalie Coughlin (54.87), Margo Geer (54.91), and Kirsten Vose (55.18) also failed to advance.

Photo Courtesy: Omega Timing

Men’s 200 Backstroke Semifinal

Cal’s Ryan Murphy and Jacob Pebley were out fast in the second semifinal. Murphy charged home on the final 50 to pass his teammate and touch first in 1:55.04. That is the fifth best time in the world this year, just off his season’s best 1:54.94. Pebley touched in 1:55.18 for the second spot.

After the first few days of Trials did not go how he likely envisioned, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist Tyler Clary won the first semifinal in 1:55.92. That makes him third for tomorrow’s final.

PanAmerican gold medalist Sean Lehane clocked a 1:56.43 for the fourth seed overall.

Seventeen year old Michael Taylor hung with Clary for most of that race and finished third in his heat with a 1:56.78. He was also just .01 faster than the Junior World Record. Li Guangyuan swam a 1:56.79 in August. That time earns Taylor a lane in tomorrow’s final as well.

Austin Katz swam a 1:57.72 to earn the sixth seed. Robert Owen (1:57.79) and Hennessey Stuart (1:58.20) complete tomorrow night’s final.

Patrick Mulcare (1:58.74), Jake Taylor (1:59.83), Joey Reilman (2:00.04), Tristan Sanders (2:00.68), Drew Cosgarea (2:00.96) and Cole Bateman (2:01.14) also swam tonight. Justin Ress of the Marlins of Raleigh was disqualified.

Photo Courtesy: Omega Timing

Women’s 200 Butterfly Semifinal

Cammile Adams will return to the Olympic Games in the 200 butterfly after she touched first in 2:06.80. That time moves her up to seventh in the world this year.

Hali Flickinger led at the 100 meter mark. She added to the Georgia Bulldogs extraordinary success this week with a second place finish. She touched in 2:07.50.

Sixteen year old Cassidy Bayer of Nations Capital wound up third with a 2:08.68.

Ruby Martin finished fourth in 2:09.96. Christina Bechtel was fifth with a 2:10.54.

Katie McLaughlin came up short of an Olympic berth after recovering from a neck injury all spring. She was sixth in 2:10.87.

Kelsi Worrell finished seventh in 2:11.85.

Despite being in third at the 150 meter mark, Hannah Saiz touched eighth in 2:11.88.

Photo Courtesy: Omega Timing

Men’s 100 Freestyle Finals

2012 Olympic gold medalist Nathan Adrian was unbelievable on the final 50 to finish in 47.72. That was an improvement on his world’s second best time this year and the fastest of this final by over a half second.

Short course star Caeleb Dressel lunged into the finish to get second in 48.23 and earn an individual swim in Rio. That was just .03 ahead of Ryan Held. Held dropped nearly a second in prelims and has shown that swim was not a fluke. He posted a 48.26 to secure a relay berth.

Veteran Anthony Ervin led at the 50 meter mark and the field tracked him down, but he touched in fourth. That 48.54 was still good for a trip to Rio.

Jimmy Feigen should be taken on the relay after finishing fifth in 48.57. In sixth was Blake Pieroni in 48.78.

William Copeland (49.12) and Conor Dwyer, who is already heading to Rio with two swims, was eighth in 49.13.

Photo Courtesy: Omega Timing

Women’s 200 Breaststroke Semifinals

Short course American record holder Lilly King made winning the first semifinal look easy with a 2:24.03. Micah Lawrence led the second semifinal at the halfway mark and came home strong. She touched in 2:24.66 for the second seed.

Molly Hannis hung just behind Lawrence the whole way. She’ll return in third tomorrow night with a 2:24.91.

In fourth was Bethany Galat with a 2:25.25. With a strong final 50 meters Melanie Margalis finished in 2:26.53.

Sarah Henry is still taking aim at Rio with a 2:26.57 tonight. That time makes her sixth. Annie Lazor will also have a lane in tomorrow night’s finals after touching in 2:26.68. Emma Schoettmer swam a 2:26.75 to earn the final spot.

Emma Reaney (2:26.97) and Emily Escobedo (2:27.03) were ninth and tenth.

2012 Olympian Breeja Larson will not be attending a second Games after finishing 11th in 2:27.43 tonight.

Taylor Vargo (2:27.99), Zoe Bartel (2:28.17), Andee Cottrell (2:28.26), Laura Sogar (2:28.61), and Olivia Anderson (2:31.08) also competed in tonight’s semifinals.

Photo Courtesy: Omega Timing

Men’s 200 IM Semifinal

In the first semifinal of the 200 IM Michael Phelps went into the first wall with a lead and then just built on it. He was able to cruise into the finish and won the first semifinal in 1:57.61, the third best in the world this year.

World record holder Ryan Lochte then stepped up into the second semifinal. He put up the fastest time of the morning and then led his heat into the first turn as well. Lochte finished nearly a second ahead of Phelps, posting a 1:56.71, the second best time in the world this year, bumping Phelps to fourth.

Fellow NBAC swimmer David Nolan swam on Phelps’ heels with a 1:58.16 for the third seed overall.

Gunnar Bentz swam a 1:59.38 for fourth. Abrahm Devine (1:59.43) took fifth.

Michael Andrew tied the Junior World Record with a 1:59.44. He now shares the mark with Bentz who swam the mark in August 2013 when he was still eligible.

After already securing his spot in the 400 IM, Jay Litherland (1:59.53) took seventh.

Andrew Seliskar snuck into the final in 1:59.86.

Austin Surhoff (1:59.89) was the last swimmer under two minutes in ninth.

Kyle Whitaker (2:00.57), Michael Weiss (2:01.39), Max Williamson (2:01.77), Adam Hinshaw (2:01.81), Christian McCurdy (2:02.28), Nick Thorne (2:02.44), and Brandon Fiala (2:03.71) completed the final.

Photo Courtesy: Omega Timing

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