United States Win Three Gold Medals On Third Night at Pan Pacific Swimming Championships

by Andy Ross

11 August 2018, 05:15am

The third night of finals from the 2018 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships from Tokyo saw five meet records fall as the competition is heating up with one more day to go. The United States were the big winners again on night three with four gold medals from Katie Ledecky, Caeleb Dressel and Chase Kalisz.

The men’s 4×100 free relay for the Americans originally won the gold medal but were disqualified for swimming in the wrong order. Brazil’s team ended up winning the gold medal after the disqualification was made public.

Japan had a great night in the pool with Rikako Ikee and Yui Ohashi winning gold medals for the home country. Australia also had two gold medal winners with Jack McLoughlin and the women’s 4×100 free relay team taking home golds.

LIVE RESULTS

Women’s 400 Free

American superstar and world record holder Katie Ledecky went out under her own world record pace on Saturday night in Tokyo in the 400 free at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. Ledecky was challenged early in the race by Australia’s rising distance star Ariarne Titmus but Ledecky was able to hold her off over the last 100 even when she was falling off her own world record pace.

Ledecky finished just off her 2014 meet record of 3:58.50. Ledecky has been faster this season, swimming a 3:57.27 at the Indianapolis Pro Swim Series.

It is very rare to see someone challenge Ledecky like Titmus did in the final. Titmus was less than two seconds behind for the majority of the race and joined Ledecky and Italian Federica Pellegrini in the sub-four minute club. She is now third all-time in the event.

Titmus is easily now the second fastest in the 2018 world rankings, breaking four minutes for the first time in her young career.

It is quite refreshing for Ledecky to finally be seriously challenged in the distance races. The 17-year-old Titmus will not be going away it seems either.

American Leah Smith was well off the hot pace by the leaders, finishing in third place at 4:04.23.

Those three were well in front of the rest of the field as Australia’s Madeline Gough (4:08.42) and Canada’s Emily Overholt (4:08.81) finished in fifth and sixth with solid times for themselves.

Japan’s Waka Kobori (4:09.04), Chihiro Igarashi (4:11.96) and Canada’s Kennedy Goss (4:13.25) also competed in the final.

2018 World Rankings:

1. Katie Ledecky, USA, 3:57.94
2. Ariarne Titmus, AUS, 3:59.66
3. Leah Smith, USA, 4:02.21
4. Wang Jianjiahe, CHN, 4:03.14
5. Simona Quadarella, ITA, 4:03.35
6. Ajna Kesely, HUN, 4:03.57
7. Holly Hibbott, GBR, 4:05.01
8. Li Bingjie, CHN, 4:05.37

All-Time Rankings:

1. Katie Ledecky, USA, 3:56.46 (2016)
2. Federica Pellegrini, ITA, 3:59.15 (2009)
3. Ariarne Titmus, AUS, 3:59.66 (2018)
4. Joanne Jackson, GBR, 4:00.60 (2009)
5. Leah Smith, USA, 4:00.65 (2016)
6. Rebecca Adlington, GBR, 4:00.79 (2009)
7. Camille Muffat, FRA, 4:01.13 (2012)
8. Jazz Carlin, GBR, 4:01.23 (2016)

Photo Courtesy:

Men’s 400 Free

Australia continued its strong meet at the 2018 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo with a 1-2 finish in one of its best events historically. Jack McLoughlin took the race out hard in the final and was able to successfully hold off the 2016 Olympic Champion Mack Horton.

McLoughlin won the 400 free final with a 3:44.20, holding off a charging Horton at 3:44.31. McLoughlin is now second in the world this year with that swim, sitting only behind Horton with his time from the Commonwealth Games in April.

Australia has a rich history in the men’s 400 free with guys like Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett and Kieren Perkins dominating this event in past years. Despite their historical dominance, this is Australia’s first gold medal in this event at the Pan Pacs since 2002 when Thorpe won it. South Korea’s Park Tae Hwan has won the last three titles in this event.

American Zane Grothe finished with the bronze medal at 3:45.37, his second medal of the meet. Grothe was slightly off his best time of 3:44.44 from last summer’s Nationals.

The other American in the final was Grant Shoults, who finished in fourth place at 3:48.27. Grothe and Shoults will represent the United States in Gwangju next summer in that event. Shoults held off a good challenge from veteran Conor Dwyer, who won the B-Final at 3:48.45.

Japan’s Naito Ehara (3:48.80), Brazil’s Fernando Scheffer (3:50.55), Cook Islands’ Wesley Roberts (3:54.73) and Japan’s Shogo Takeda (3:55.30) also competed in the championship final.

2018 World Rankings:

1. Mack Horton, AUS, 3:43.76
2. Jack McLoughlin, AUS, 3:44.20
3. Sun Yang, CHN, 3:44.29
4. Mykhailo Romanchuk, UKR, 3:45.18
5. James Guy, GBR, 3:45.32
6. Zane Grothe, USA, 3:45.32
7. Aleksandr Krasnykh, RUS, 3:45.84
8. Elijah Winnington, AUS, 3:45.98

Photo Courtesy:

Women’s 100 Fly

Japan’s Rikako Ikee won her first gold medal at the 2018 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships on Saturday night in Tokyo. Ikee also won the first gold medal for Japan on the women’s side and almost became the third woman to break 56 seconds in the 100 fly. Ikee lowered her meet and Japanese record with a 56.08, just missing that 56 second barrier.

Ikee now sits on top of the world rankings after she was tied with Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom. She is now fourth all-time in the 100 fly.

Ikee had a good push from the two around her in American Kelsi Dahlia (56.44) and Australian Emma McKeon (56.54). Both Dahlia and McKeon lowered their 2018 bests, but both have been faster in their careers.

Those three were the only swimmers to break 58 seconds in the final as they were head and shoulders ahead of everyone else.

Canada’s Rebecca Smith was fourth at 58.19 and Mallory Comerford of the United States was fifth at 58.25. This means that Dahlia and Katie McLaughlin will swim this event at the World Championships next year thanks to McLaughlin’s 57.51 from Nationals. McLaughlin won the B-Final with a 57.80.

Australia’s Brianna Throssell (58.80), Japan’s Ai Soma (58.87) and Canada’s Danielle Hanus (59.19) also swam in the championship final.

2018 World Rankings:

1. Rikako Ikee, JPN, 56.08
2. Sarah Sjostrom, SWE, 56.23
3. Kelsi Dahlia, USA, 56.44
4. Emma McKeon, AUS, 56.54
5. Maddie Groves, AUS, 57.19
6. Svetlana Chimrova, RUS, 57.23
7. Brianna Throssell, AUS, 57.30
8. Elena Di Liddo, ITA, 57.38

All-Time Rankings:

1. Sarah Sjostrom, SWE, 55.48 (2016)
2. Dana Vollmer, USA, 55.98 (2012)
3. Liu Zige, CHN, 56.07 (2009)
4. Rikako Ikee, JPN, 56.08 (2018)
5. Emma McKeon, AUS, 56.18 (2017)
6. Jessicah Schipper, AUS, 56.23 (2009)
7. Kelsi Dahlia, USA, 56.37 (2017)
8. Penny Oleksiak, CAN, 56.46 (2016)

Photo Courtesy:

Men’s 100 Fly

The United States fired back with another 1-2 finish of their own in the men’s 100 fly after Australia did it in the 400 free earlier in the night. Caeleb Dressel swam a 50.75 for a new meet record on Saturday night in Tokyo at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.

Dressel keeps the title in the United States as they have not lost this race at this meet since 2002 when Australian Michael Klim won the title. Fellow American Jack Conger (51.32) finished in second with the silver medal.

Dressel took down Michael Phelps’s meet record of 50.86 from 2010. Dressel has been faster already this year with his 50.50 from US Nationals a few weeks ago. Conger also was quicker at Nationals with his 51.11. Both those guys will compete again at Worlds next summer in Gwangju as Michael Andrew won the B-Final at 51.53.

Brazil’s Vini Lanza won the bronze medal with a 51.44, not far off of the Brazilian Record of 51.02 by Gabriel Mangabeira. This is Lanza’s first major international medal in his career, even though he was just a fraction faster earlier this summer.

Australia’s Grant Irvine (51.65) and David Morgan (51.80) finished in fourth and fifth in the final.

With the 4×100 medley relay on the last night, this is Australia’s major weakness compared to the Americans. The other three legs are pretty evenly matched between the Americans and their down under competitors. Dressel will need to play to his strengths if the US are to beat Australia in this relay on Sunday night because butterfly could be the deciding factor.

Japan’s Yuki Kobori (51.82), Brazil’s Iago Moussalem (52.17) and Japan’s Yuya Yajima (52.70) also competed in the A-Final.

2018 World Rankings:

1. Caeleb Dressel, USA, 50.50
2. Piero Codia, ITA, 50.64
3. Chad Le Clos, RSA, 50.65
4. Jack Conger, USA, 51.00
5. Mehdy Metella, FRA, 51.24
6. James Guy, GBR, 51.31
7. Vini Lanza, BRA, 51.42
8. Jack Saunderson, USA, 51.48

Photo Courtesy:

Women’s 200 IM

Japan’s Yui Ohashi won the country’s second gold medal of the night, following in the act of the young superstar Rikako Ikee. Ohashi also swam the number one time in the world in her swim, the 200 IM on Saturday night at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo.

Japan got two on the podium with Ohashi (2:08.16) and Miho Teramura (2:09.86) representing the red and white. Ohashi now has the world’s number one time, moving past American Kathleen Baker from last month’s Nationals (2:08.32).

Ohashi also broke the meet record that Teramura set in the heats. Also under the meet record in the final was Canada’s Sydney Pickrem, who won the silver medal at 2:09.07 breaking her Canadian Record she set at Worlds last year at 2:09.17. Pickrem is now sitting fourth in the world rankings this year with her best time.

Ella Eastin (2:09.90) and Melanie Margalis (2:10.67) finished off the podium in fourth and fifth. If Baker still decides to swim the 200 IM at Worlds, it is likely Margalis will get the second spot in that event with her 2:09.43 from Nationals last month.

The 100 back semi-finals and 200 IM final are on the same day at Worlds, so Baker could elect to focus on the 100 back next year and give up her spot to Eastin. Katinka Hosszu has not attempted that double heats to finals in a World Championships in her career.

Canada’s Kelsey Wog (2:12.08), Peru’s McKenna DeBever (2:18.38) and the Philippine’s Chloe Isleta (2:18.63) also competed in the championship final.

2018 World Rankings:

1. Yui Ohashi, JPN, 2:08.16
2. Kathleen Baker, USA, 2:08.32
3. Kim Seoyeong, KOR, 2:08.61
4. Sydney Pickrem, CAN, 2:09.07
5. Melanie Margalis, USA, 2:09.43
6. Siobhan O’Connor, GBR, 2:09.80
7. Miho Teramura, JPN, 2:09.86
8. Ella Eastin, USA, 2:09.90

Photo Courtesy:

Men’s 200 IM

Chase Kalisz won his second gold medal of the meet on Saturday night at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo. Kalisz added to his 400 IM gold on Thursday with a gold in the 200 IM with a 1:55.40, the number one time in the world in 2018.

Kalisz took down his Japanese rival Kosuke Hagino (1:56.66) again as he settled for bronze. The big surprise of the race was Australia’s Mitch Larkin dropping over a full second off his Commonwealth Games time with a 1:56.21 for the silver medal. Larkin took down the Australian Record of 1:56.69 by Leith Brodie from 2009.

Larkin moved up to second in the world rankings with that swim.

This is a huge swim for Larkin, who is showing he is back on form after a lackluster 2017. Larkin was a 1:57.67 earlier in the year at the Commonwealth Games and dropped a world class time with that 1:56. Australia has not had a world class IM’er since the days of Matthew Dunn in the late 90’s. The 200 IM and 200 back usually clash at international meets so it is yet to be seen if Larkin will pursue an international career in the 200 IM, but for now a 1:56 is nothing to sneeze at.

Japan’s Daiya Seto (1:57.36) finished fourth ahead of American Abrahm DeVine (1:57.81), who will join Kalisz in Gwangju next year in that event.

Clyde Lewis (1:58.17), Leonardo Santos (1:58.83) and Lewis Clareburt (1:59.31) also competed in the A-Final.

2018 World Rankings:

1. Chase Kalisz, USA, 1:55.40
2. Mitch Larkin, AUS, 1:56.21
3. Kosuke Hagino, JPN, 1:56.37
4. Wang Shun, CHN, 1:56.57
5. Philip Heintz, GER, 1:56.67
6. Daiya Seto, JPN, 1:56.85
7. Jeremy Desplanches, SUI, 1:57.04
8. Abrahm DeVine, USA, 1:57.41

Women’s 4×100 Free Relay

Australia has had a very successful Pan Pacific Swimming Championships thus far in Tokyo. Cate Campbell has already won the gold medal in the 100 free, and swam the fastest split ever on the end of the mixed medley relay. So with Campbell on the end of Australia’s 4×100 free relay, it was very unlikely they would get beat on Saturday night in Tokyo.

The team of Emily Seebohm (54.56), Shayna Jack (53.10), Emma McKeon (52.56) and Campbell (51.36) won the gold medal with a 3:31.58, beating their own meet record of 3:32.46 from the 2014 meet. They set the world record earlier this year at the Commonwealth Games in a 3:30.05. With the addition of Bronte Campbell next year at World Championships, they could go a 3:29.

The United States finished with the silver medal at 3:33.45. Mallory Comerford (53.48), Margo Geer (53.59), Kelsi Dahlia (53.59) and Simone Manuel (52.79) swam for the Americans as they had to run down Canada to do so.

The Canadians got off to a flying start thanks to Taylor Ruck leading off with a 52.85, not far off her 52.72 yesterday. Ruck left it up to Kayla Sanchez (53.11), Rebecca Smith (54.00) and Alexia Zevnik (54.11) to try and pull the upset but they did not have the depth to match the Australians and Americans. They were bronze medal winners with a 3:34.07, not far off their National record of 3:32.89 from the Olympics. Canada did swim faster though at the Commonwealth Games in April.

All three medalists were ahead of France’s winning time from Europeans last week.

Japan (3:36.93) and the Philippines (3:54.80) also swam in the championship final.

2018 World Rankings:

1. Australia, 3:30.05
2. United States, 3:33.45
3. Canada, 3:33.92
4. France, 3:34.65
5. Netherlands, 3:34.77
6. Japan, 3:36.93
7. Denmark, 3:37.03
8. Great Britain, 3:37.26

Photo Courtesy:

Men’s 4×100 Free Relay

It was originally reported that the United States won the gold medal in men’s 4×100 free relay on the third night at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo. After the race however, there were rumors that the United States would be disqualified for swimming Zach Apple and Blake Pieroni in the wrong order.

The disqualification was confirmed on the official results report.

Pieroni was listed to go second on the start list but swam the third leg after Apple went second. The commentator on the Olympic Channel pointed this out when he said Pieroni was in the water when it was clearly Apple swimming.

This will elevate Brazil to the gold medal, Australia to silver and Japan to bronze.

The United States will also lose their meet record they set and the 2010 team will live to survive through 2022.

2018 World Rankings:

1. Brazil, 3:12.02
2. Russia, 3:12.23
3. Australia, 3:12.53
4. Japan, 3:12.54
5. Italy, 3:12.90
6. Poland, 3:14.20
7. Canada, 3:14.50
8. Hungary, 3:14.51

Photo Courtesy:

ORIGINAL REPORT

The American men had some serious pressure in the 4×100 free relay final to close off night three at the 2018 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo. Caeleb Dressel (48.76), Zach Apple (47.92) and Blake Pieroni (47.72) set Nathan Adrian (47.27) up to bring it home but it was not easy.

Japan and Brazil were tough through 300 meters, but neither team had the depth to match the Americans as the United States has now had the fastest 4×100 free relay in the world for the third straight year. The Americans won the gold in Tokyo with a 3:11.67. The time is also a new meet record, breaking the 3:11.74 record from 2010.

They won the gold at the 2016 Olympics and 2017 World Championships, and would have won the European Championships with their time. Barring what happens at the Asian Games next week, the US will be number one in the world rankings at the end of the year.

Brazil won the silver with a 3:12.02 and Australia won the bronze with a 3:12.53, just ahead of Japan at 3:12.54. Brazil had a great anchor leg from Pedro Spajari who came home in a blistering 46.94, but it was not enough to catch Adrian. Gabriel Santos (48.93), Marcelo Chierighini (47.62), Antonio Ferreira (48.53) and Spajari won the silver medal for Brazil, who have had a good meet thus far in Japan.

Australia won the bronze medal with Jack Cartwright (48.56), Alexander Graham (48.50), James Roberts (47.97) and Kyle Chalmers (47.50). They just out-touched Japan, who broke their own National Record that was a 3:13.65 from the 2017 Worlds. Katsumi Nakamura (48.52), Shinri Shioura (48.19), Katsuhiro Matsumoto (47.61) and Juran Mizohata (48.22) were actually in the lead through 300 but did not have a 47 anchor left in them to stay on the podium.

Canada (3:14.50) and the Philippines (3:37.01) also competed in the final.

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