Larson, Grevers Return to Gold Medal Form at 2017 Arena Pro Series Austin

Breeja
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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Olympians continued to shine during day three of the 2017 Arena Pro Series Austin, claiming gold medals in seven of the ten events.

Japan’s Daiya Seto added two more gold medals to his collection with a complete sweep of both the IM and the fly events.

Americans Breeja Larson and Matt Grevers returned to gold-medal form with wins in their respective events, while Melanie Margalis continued to produce gold medal swims with a win in the women’s 200 IM and a silver in the 100 breast.

Events:

  • Women’s 200 Fly
  • Men’s 200 Fly
  • Women’s 100 Breast
  • Men’s 100 Breast
  • Women’s 100 Back
  • Men’s 100 Back
  • Women’s 200 IM
  • Men’s 200 IM
  • Women’s 800 Free
  • Men’s 1500 Free

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Women’s 200 Fly

Hali Flickinger of Athens Bulldogs controlled the ‘A’ final of the women’s 200 fly, holding a smooth stroke to power ahead of the competition. Flickinger pulled ahead of the competition at the 100-meter mark and never looked back, finishing first by over two seconds with a 2:08.77.

Schroeder YMCA’s Hannah Saiz grabbed the silver medal with a final time of 2:10.83, while Razorback Aquatics’ Taylor Pike finished close behind with a 2:10.91.

Great Britain’s Holly Hibbott took fourth overall with a 2:12.48, followed by Eva MErrell of the Aquazots. Merrell, age 16 years old, posted a personal best time of 2:13.80 that moves her into the top 100 rankings for the 15-16 age group.

Ashly Fiorilli of Texas Ford Aquatics grabbed sixth with a 2:15.29, just ahead of NC State’s Lydia Jones (2:16.14) and UBC Thunderbirds’ Jacomi Strydom (2:16.37).

Men’s 200 Fly

Daiya Seto of Japan completed a sweep of the fly events with a winning time of 1:57.73. Seto’s win did not come without challenge as Azura’s Marcos Lavado kept a tight race. Lavado, the surprise winner in the men’s 200 free, grabbed a close second with a 1:57.94.

Top seed going into finals, Jack LeVant of North Texas, finished third and under the two-minute mark for the first time in his career. LeVant stopped the clock at a 1:59.56 to move to 31st in the 17-18 All-Time Top 100 list.

David Dixon of NOVA took fourth overall with a 2:02.99, followed by Jared Graham and his time of 2:03.90.

Mission Viejo’s Daniel Kim (2:04.50), NC State’s Jame Bretscher (2:04.64), NC State’s Dan Erlenmeyer (2:05.77) rounded out the top eight.

Women’s 100 Breast

Olympians Breeja Larson and Melanie Margalis held a tight race for the first 5-meters, but after the turn Larson made her move and began pulling away. Larson stopped the clock at a 1:07.17 to claim her first gold of the meet.

Margalis settled for second and a final time of 1:07.88, while Great Britain’s Imogen Clark rounded out the medal podium with a 1:08.46 finish.

NC State’s Kayla Brumbaum picked up fourth with a time of 1:08.72, followed by Nashville Aquatics’ Alex Walsh and her time of 1:10.16.

Great Britain’s Katie Matts (1:10.41), UBC Thunderbirds’ Hillary Metcalfe (1:11.48), and Nashville Aquatics’ Ella Nelson (1:12.43) completed the top eight.

Men’s 100 Breast

Andrew Wilson, swimming unattached, held his own against a tight field of competition in finals of the men’s 100 breast. Wilson turned in a final time of 1:00.63 to earn his first gold of the meet.

Wilson was followed to the wall by a tie between California Aquatics’ Josh Prenot and Athens Bulldogs’ Nic Fink. The two stopped the clock simultaneously at the 1:01.03 mark.

Michael Andrew of Race Pace Club picked up fourth place with a time of 1:01.20, while Great Britain’s David Murphy was fifth with a 1:01.65.

HPC Ontario’s Richard Funk (1:01.68), WEST’s Nick Zito (1:03.43), and NC State’s Zack Warner (1:03.58) were sixth through eighth.

Women’s 100 Back

Lucie Nordmann of Magnolia Aquatics delivered a commanding performance in finals of the women’s 100 back. Nordmann, 16 years old, flirted with her own personal best time of 1:01.16, settling for a final time of 1:01.21.

Newmarket’s Danielle Hanus turned in a second place finish of 1:01.49, while HPCO’s Kayla Sanchez took third with a 1:01.77.

NC State duo Elise Haan and Mackenzie Glover posted fourth and fifth place finishes of 1:01.91 and 1:02.13 respectively. Teammate Alexia Zevnik tied for sixth place with Great Britain’s UBC Thunderbirds’ Ingrid Wilm. The two posted matching times of 1:02.50.

Kate Greenslade of Great Britain completed the top eight with a time of 1:03.26.

Men’s 100 Back

Matt Grevers, representing Tucson Ford Aquatics, posted a commanding performance in the finals of the men’s 100 back. Grevers maintained control over the race throughout the entire 100-meters, stopping the clock at a final time of 53.31.

Fellow Olympian Jacob Pebley took second overall with a time of 54.05, while NC State’s Hennessey Stuart grabbed third with a 55.82.

Markus Thormeyer of UBC Thunderbirds turned in a 56.00 for fourth overall, just barely ahead of Academy Bullets’ Sean Lehane and his time of 56.01.

Rob Hill, swimming unattached, took sixth with a 56.08, followed by NC State’s Coleman Stewart’s 56.69.

UBC Thunderbirds’ Carson Olafson was eighth with a 57.59.

Women’s 200 IM

Melanie Margalis of Saint Petersburg added a fourth gold medal to her collection with a commanding win in the women’s 200 IM. Margalis stopped the clock at a 2:11.06 to win by more than a second.

Neptune Natation’s Mary-Sophie Harvey, the winner of the women’s 400 IM, grabbed the silver medal with a time of 2:12.32, while UBC Thunderbirsd’ Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson finished third with a 2:12.70.

Emma Day of Great Britain took fourth overall with a 2:15.65, followed by teammate Candice Hall (2:16.55) and Katie Matts (2:16.89).

Nashville Aquatics’ Alex Walsh and NC State’s Alexia Zevnik were seventh and eighth with times of 2:16.96 and 2:17.83 respectively.

Men’s 200 IM

The men’s 200 IM final was highlighted by a tight battle between U.S. Olympian Josh Prenot and Japanese Olympian Daiya Seto. Both Olympians exchanged the lead as they flexed their stroke strengths. Seto originally pulled ahead with a strong back leg, but Prenot covered some distance in the breast leg to catch up and pull ahead.

The two dueled throughout the remaining 50-meters, but at the finish it was Seto stopping the clock at a 1:58.77 over Prenot’s 1:58.95.

Michael Andrew of Race Pace Club entered the finals session as the top seed, but slipped to third with a final time of 2:01.96. Andrew was followed to the wall by a tie between Great Britain’s Martyn Walton and NC State’s Soeren Dahl. The two delivered matching times of 2:02.84 for fourth.

Japan’s Yuki Kobori (2:05.54), Mason Manta Rays’ Jake Foster (2:06.53), and Chena Swim Club’s James Dergousoff (2:07.14) completed the finals heat.

Women’s 800 Free

Ashley Twichell commanded the pool throughout the entirety of the women’s 800 free. Twichell, representing North Carolina Aquatic Club, completed a sweep of the distance events with a gold medal finish of 8:30.19.

NC State’s Hannah Moore took second overall with a final time of 8:32.82, followed by Etobicoke’s Olivia Anderson and her time of 8:35.10.

Kristen Kobrich of Chile grabbed fourth overall with a finish of 8:36.95, while Great Britain’s Holly Hibbott was fifth with a final time of 8:41.65.

The sixth through eighth place finishes were all accomplished by teenagers beginning to make their mark on the sport. Kaitlyn Sims, 16, of Magnolia Aquatics was sixth with a final time of 8:48.64, just ahead of Nation’s Capital’s Chase Travis, 14, and her time of 8:49.51.

Madison Homovich of Marlins of Raleigh rounded out the top eight with a final time of 8:51.84.

Men’s 1500 Free

NC State’s Anton Ipsen added a second gold medal to his collection with a dominating swim in the men’s 1500 free. Ipson finished close to six seconds ahead of the competition with a final time of 15:13.45.

Japan’s Naito Ehara took second overall with a 15:19.36, also leaving a large gap between himself and the competition. The bronze medal went to NC State’s Adam Linker, who stopped the clock at a time of 15:30.14.

Michael Bringer of Mission Viejo turned in a final time of 15:38.89 for fourth overall, while Nation’s Capital’s Lane Stone finished fifth with a 15:43.54.

Island Swimming’s Josh Zakala (15:45.78), Baylor’s Trey Freeman (15:46.67), and NC State’s Jack McIntyre (15:47.85) completed the top eight.

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Julie Dow
Julie Dow
7 years ago

Breeja! Awesome!

Sharon
Sharon
7 years ago

This is a Pro meet right? Does that mean the 14-16 year olds have already turned professional? Is there any age requirement to turn pro?

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