Olympians Highlight Final Prelims Session at 2017 Arena Pro Series Austin

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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Prelims for the third and final day of the 2017 Arena Pro Series Austin featured Olympians snagging the top spots and the set up of many tight races.

Olympians Hali Flickinger, Melanie Margalis, Breeja Larson, Matt Grevers, Jacob Pebley, and Daiya Seto highlight many of the returning top seeds in their respective events. Margalis and Larson have set themselves up for an exciting race in finals of the women’s 100 breast as the two enter just .01 seconds apart, while Grevers and Pebley will have a show-down in the 100 back.

Seto will look to add an additional two medals to his collection as he returns for both the 200 fly and 200 IM.

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

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Women’s 200 Fly

Hali Flickinger maintained her spot atop the leaderboard with a top showing in prelims of the women’s 200 fly. Flickinger, representing Athens Bulldogs, turned in a 2:10.32 to return as the top seed for tonight’s finals.

Schroeder YMCA’s Hannah Saiz claimed the second place seed in prelims with a time of 2:12.58, while Razorback Aquatics’ Taylor Pike was third with a 2:13.11.

Holly Hibbott of Great Britain grabbed the fourth place seed with a 2:14.11, followed by Texas Ford Aquatics’ Ashlyn Fiorilli’s 2:14.93.

Aquazots’ Eva Merrell (2:15.21), NC State’s Lydia Jones (2:16.44), and UBC Thunderbirds’ Jacomie Strydom (2:16.53) completed the top eight.

Men’s 200 Fly

North Texas’ Jack Levant grabbed the top seed in prelims of the men’s 200 fly with a qualifying time of 2:01.41.

Daiya Seto of Japan posted the second fastest time of the morning at a 2:02.02. Seto, who claimed gold in both the 100 fly and 400 IM, will look to add a third gold medal to his collection tonight.

NOVA’s David Dixon finished third overall in prelims with a time of 2:03.79, just ahead of Mission Viejo’s Daniel Kim and his time of 2:03.81.

Marcos Lavado of Azura Florida Aquatics picked up the fifth place seed with a 2:03.93, while Rob Hill, swimming unattached, took sixth with a 2:04.27.

NC State’s James Bretscher and Penguin Aquatics’ Jared Graham return as seventh and eighth with times of 2:04.45 and 2:04.59 respectively.

Women’s 100 Breast

Melanie Margalis of Saint Petersburg and Breeja Larson of New York Athletic Club have set themselves up for an exciting race in tonight’s final of the women’s 100 breast. Margalis and Larson posted times a shy .01 seconds apart to return as the top two seeds. Margalis posted a 1:08.78 for the first place seed, while Larson picked up the second place seed with a 1:08.79.

Great Britain’s Imogen Clark grabbed the third place seed with a 1:08.84, followed by NC State’s Kayla Brumbaum’s 1:09.10.

15-year-old Alex Walsh earned the fifth place seed with a 1:10.23, just ahead of Nation’s Capital’s Anna Belousova and her time of 1:10.59.

Great Britain’s Katie Matts and UBC Thunderbirds’ Hillary Metcalfe picked up the seventh and eighth place seeds with times of 1:10.77 and 1:12.80.

Men’s 100 Breast

Andrew Wilson, swimming unattached, turned in the fastest time of the morning in the men’s 100 breast prelims, stopping the clock at a 1:00.95.

Race Pace Club’s Michael Andrew grabbed a close second place seed with a time of 1:01.05, while Athens Bulldogs’ Nicolas Fink took third with a 1:01.99.

Josh Prenot of California Aquatics posted a 1:02.05 for the fourth place seed, followed by HPC-Ontario’s Richard Funk and his time of 1:02.25.

Great Britain’s David Murphy (1:02.91), NC State’s Zack Warner (1:03.23), and WEST’s Nick Zito (1:03.59) return as sixth through eighth.

Women’s 100 Back

Young gun Lucie Nordmann of Magnolia Aquatics stole the show in prelims of the women’s 100 back. Nordmann posted the fastest time by over half a second at a 1:01.54 to return as the top seed for tonight’s finals.

Island Swimming’s Hilary Caldwell, who was last night’s 200 back winner, posted the second fastest time of the morning at a 1:02.17, while Newmarket’s Danielle Hanus took third with a 1:02.21.

The NC State duo of Elise Haan and Alexia Zevnik posted close to matching times of 1:02.40 and 1:02.41 to return as fourth and fifth respectively.

Scottsdale Aquatics’ Taylor Ruck (1:02.86), HPCO’s Kayla Sanchez (1:02.99), and NC State’s Mackenzie Glover (1:03.01) rounded out the top eight qualifiers.

Men’s 100 Back

Olympians Jacob Pebley and Matt Grevers lead the qualifiers for tonight’s finals of the men’s 100 back. Pebley, representing California Aquatics, posted the top time of the morning at a 54.60, followed by Grevers’ 55.08.

Academy Bullets’ Sean Lehane picked up the third place seed with a 55.66, just ahead of NC State’s Hennessy Stuart and his time of 55.71.

Rob Hill, swimming unattached, grabbed the fifth place seed with a 56.37, while UBC Thunderbirds’ Markus Thormeyer took sixth with a 56.76.

NC State’s Coleman Stewart and UBC Thunderbirds’ Carson Olafson were seventh and eighth in prelims with times of 56.83 and 57.45.

Women’s 200 IM

Mary-Sophie Harvey of Neptune Natation set herself up for a second IM gold with a top showing in prelims of the women’s 200 IM. Harvey posted a 2:14.22 to grab the top seed in tonight’s finals.

Saint Petersburg’s Melanie Margalis took a close second in prelims with a time of 2:14.74, while UBC Thunderbirds’ Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson grabbed the third place seed with a 2:15.19.

Emma Day of Great Britain was fourth in prelims with a 2:15.53, followed by Nashville Aquatics’ Alex Walsh and her time of 2:16.80.

HBCO’s Kayla Sanchez (2:17.39), Great Britain’s Katie Matts (2:17.88), and Great Britain’s Candice Hall (2:17.92) return as sixth through eighth respectively.

Men’s 200 IM

Race Pace Club’s Michael Andrew and Japan’s Daiya Seto highlight the finals of the men’s 200 IM. Andrew returns as the top seed with a prelims time of 2:01.63, while Seto picked up the second place seed with a 2:02.47.

Martyn Walton of Great Britain posted a 2:04.61 for third, followed closely by NC State’s Soeren Dahl and his time of 2:04.73.

California Aquatics’ Josh Prenot grabbed the fifth place seed with a 2:05.15, just ahead of Chena Swim Club’s James Dergousofqf’s 2:05.37.

Yuki Kobori of Japan and Jake Foster of the Mason Manta Rays complete the top eight qualifiers with times of 2:05.47 and 2:06.19.

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