Zane Grothe’s American Record Highlights Fourth Night of 2017 AT&T Winter Nationals

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Zane Grothe continued to flex his distance dominance by demolishing the American Record in the 1,650 free on the fourth and final night of the 2017 USA Swimming AT&T Winter Nationals. Grothe’s time lowered the American Record by over four seconds.

In addition to Grothe’s American Record, new Championship records were posted by Cody Miller, Mallory Comerford, and Nathan Adrian, while Reece Whitley lowered the 17-18 NAG record in the 200 yard breast.

Read the full report below!

Schedule of Events:

Women’s 1650 Free (Fastest heat)
Men’s 1650 Free (Fastest heat)
Women’s 200 Back
Men’s 200 Back
Women’s 100 Free
Men’s 100 Free
Women’s 200 Breast
Men’s 200 Breast
Women’s 200 Fly
Men’s 200 Fly
Women’s 400 Free Relay
Men’s 400 Free Relay

Women’s 1650 Free

It was a battle till the very finish in the finals of the women’s 1650 freestyle. 17-year-old Erica Sullivan jumped to an early lead, holding off a charging Ashley Neidigh for much of the race, however Neidigh stormed past Sullivan in the final 200 yards to claim victory with a time of 15:38.35. Sullivan settled for second with a 15:40.42.

Neidigh’s time moves her to ninth all-time in the event, while Sullivan’s time earns her the sixth all-time ranking in the 17-18 age group behind Katie Ledecky, Katie Hoff, Kate Ziegler, Janet Evans, and Cierra Runge.

Picking up the bronze medal was Madelyn Donohoe with a time of 16:01.60. Her time ranks her as 13th all-time in USA Swimming’s rankings for the 15-16 age group.

Fourth place went to Sophie Cattermole and her time of 16:02.36, while Ohio State’s Molly Kowal took fifth with a 16:06.05.

Liberty Williams (16:28.16), Natalia Jaspeado (16:28.98), and Bryn Handley (16:32.00) finished sixth through eighth respectively.

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Men’s 1650 Free

Another distance event, another American Record for 25-year-old Zane Grothe. Two nights after posting the first sub 4:08 swim in the 500 free, Grothe was back and performing his best Ledecky impression in the 1650 free. Grothe jumped to an early start and never looked back, continuing to propel himself forward away from the competition and past the existing American Record of 14:22.41. At one point in the race, Grothe was an astonishing full six seconds beneath the American Record mark. He went on to finish the race with a time of 14:18.25, establishing new American, U.S. Open, and Championship records in the process.

Holding steady at second throughout the race was Mitch D’Arrigo. D’Arrigo, a constant in the distance scene, grabbed the silver medal with a time of 14:43.87. Rounding out the podium was Marcelo Acosta with a time of 14:54.95.

Christopher Bready finished fourth overall with a time of 14:56.62, followed by Jack Collins and his time of 14:56.95.

Theodore Smith (15:02.21), Graham Barrett (15:06.16), and Nick Hogsed (15:06.35) were sixth through eighth.

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Women’s 200 Back

The race for first in the women’s 200 back was a contentious one as Ali Galyer and Bridgette Alexander kept pace with one another. Galyer led throughout the entirety of the race, but Alexander was never far behind. Splitting no more than .60 seconds throughout all four 50s. Galyer touched the wall with a final time of 1:51.15 to become the National Champion in the women’s 200 back.

Alexander settled for second overall with a time of 1:51.92, while Kristen Romano collected the bronze medal with a time of 1:52.86.

Fourth place went to Alexa Kutch and her time of 1:54.56, followed by Melanie Margalis’ time of 1:55.01.

Alina Kendzior (1:55.05), Emma Muzzy (1:55.54), and Ashlyn Schoof (1:56.12) completed the top eight.

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Men’s 200 Back

Cal Bears Ryan Murphy and Jacob Pebley continued their 1-2 walk through the 200 backstroke, with a top showing in the final of the men’s 200 back. In this morning’s prelims Pebley led the way, but in finals it was Murphy who claimed the National Championship final. Murphy touched in a time of 1:38.32 over Pebley’s 1:38.66.

Grigory Tarasevich maintained his spot at third with a time of 1:40.62, while Corey Main picked up fourth overall with a time of 1:42.45.

Fifth place went to Chase Kalisz and his time of 1:42.76, followed by Nikolaos Sofianidis’ time of 1:43.50.

Nicolas Albiero and Bryce Bohman took seventh and eighth with times of 1:43.57 and 1:45.53.

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Women’s 100 Free

Mallory Comerford backed up her victory in the 200 free with a solid win in the women’s 100 free. Comerford went up against a field of all-star sprinters in Columbus, including former collegiate teammate Kelsi Worrell, Olivia Smoliga, and former Arizona Wildcat Margo Geer. Comerford posted the only sub-47 second swim, stopping the clock at a time of 46.70. Her time downs the decade-old championship record of 46.85, set by Natalie Coughlin in 2007.

Worrell collected the silver medal with a time of 47.48, just out-touching Geer and her time of 47.50. Smoliga rounded out the athletes under the 48-second mark with a time of 47.86.

Jackie Keire picked up fifth place with a time of 48.31, while Casey Fanz was sixth with a time of 48.49.

Seventh place went to Amanda Kendall with a time of 48.52 and eighth place went to Isabel Ivey and her time of 48.74.

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Men’s 100 Free

Nathan Adrian blitzed past the competition in the final of the men’s 100 free, winning the event for the fourth time in the last seven years. Adrian posted a time of 41.22 to lower the previous Championship Record of 41.31, which he set in 2014 in Greensboro, NC.

Michael Chadwick picked up the silver medal with a time of 42.30, while Joshua Fleagle collected the bronze medal with a time of 42.41.

Fourth place went to Matias Koski and his time of 42.97, followed by Michael Andrew’s time of 43.21.

Andrej Barna (43.54), Andrew Loy (43.57), and Jesse Novak (43.63) rounded out the top eight.

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Women’s 200 Breast

Breeja Larson maintained a steady grip on the lead of the ‘A’ final of the women’s 200 breast, holding off a charging Andrea Cottrell throughout the race. Larson concluded the race with a time of 2:07.48 over Cottrell’s time of 2:07.98.

Bailey Bonnett picked up the bronze medal with a time of 2:08.39, while Lina Rathsack finished fourth overall with a time of 2:09.11.

Fifth place went to Mariia Astashkina and her time of 2:09.48, followed by Morgan Friesen’s 2:11.00.

Lauren James and Anne Lazor turned in times of 2:11.12 and 2:11.75 for seventh and eighth respectively.

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Men’s 200 Breast

After tying with high school senior Reece Whitley for the first place seed, Cody Miller swam away with the title of National Champion in the men’s 200 breaststroke. Miller delivered a final time of 1:49.31 for first and a new Championship Record, lowering Kevin Cordes’ 2012 record of 1:50.73.

Whitley battled back from fifth place after the first turn to finish second overall, surging ahead of Nicolas Fink to finish with a 1:51.43 over Fink’s 1:51.56. Whitley’s time doubled as a National Age Group (NAG) record for the 17-18 age group, lowering Andrew Seliskar’s previous record of 1:51.57.

Josh Prenot picked up fourth overall with a final time of 1:52.07, while Carlos Claverie took fifth with a 1:53.10.

Michael Andrew was seventh with a 1:54.06, followed by Casey Storch’s 1:57.34

Nick Zito suffered a disqualification.

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Women’s 200 Fly

Kelsi Worrell added to her butterfly titles with a top showing in the women’s 200 fly. Worrell led the race from start-to-finish, posting a final time of 1:53.16 – more than a second ahead of the competition.

The silver medal was won by Grace Oglesby, who held steady at second throughout the race, with a time of 1:54.28, while bronze went to Meg Bailey and her time of 1:55.40.

Haley McInerny took fourth overall with a time of 1:56.91, followed by Isabella Gati’s 1:57.72.

Sixth place was earned by Hannah Saiz and her time of 1:58.12, just ahead of Madeline LaPorte (1:58.62) and Carley Lowe (1:59.44).

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Men’s 200 Fly

The race for the Championship title was tight between Noah Lense and Brendan Burns in the men’s 200 fly ‘A’ final. Lense was able to hold off a charging Burns and claim the win with a time of 1:42.22. Burns finished second overall with a time of 1:42.94, which doubles as the second fastest time in the history of the 15-16 age group. The only person to ever swim faster in the 15-16 age group? Michael Phelps and his 1:42.10 from 2002.

Louisville’s own Batman, Zach Harting, earned the bronze medal with a time of 1:44.51, while Michael Salazar was fourth with a 1:44.72.

Fifth place went to Jarrett Jones and his time of 1:44.99, followed by Henrique Painhas’ 1:45.43.

Philip Manoff (1:45.74) and Max Irwin (1:48.43) were seventh and eighth respectively.

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Women’s 400 Free Relay

The University of Louisville women lowered the Championship Record in finals of the 400 free relay. The team of Lainey Visscher (49.10), Mallory Comerford (46.50), Arina Openysheva (48.23), and Casey Fanz (48.32) posted a combined time of 3:12.15 for the championship title.

Ohio State took second overall with a time of 3:15.43, while the ‘B’ team from the University of Louisville was third with a 3:17.71.

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Men’s 400 Free Relay

Once again the University of Louisville claimed both the first and third place medals in the 400 free relay. On the men’s side, it was the team of Andrej Barna (43.66), Zach Harting (43.39), Nikolaos Sofianidis (43.75), and Nicolas Albiero (43.12) who won gold with a 2:53.92.

Ohio State grabbed the silver medal with a time of 2:54.59, followed by the University of Louisville ‘B’ team and their 2:59.95.

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Julie Dow

6 years ago

Breeja! Phoenix loves you!!!! Amazing!!!