Chase Kalisz’s Impressive 400 IM Highlights Night Three in Atlanta

Photo Courtesy: Caroline Kosciusko

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During the third night of action in Atlanta during the fourth stop of the arena Pro Swim Series, Chase Kalisz put up a blistering swim in the men’s 400 IM to move to No. 1 in the world this year, while Katie Ledecky and Ryan Murphy each ascended through the world rankings.

Read below for a full recap of all eight races contested on the night.

Full results

Women’s 400 IM

Lakeside’s Brooke Forde pulled away from Vietnam’s Vien Nguyen over the freestyle leg of the women’s 400 IM and came away with the first victory of the night at the arena Pro Swim Series Atlanta.

Forde finished in 4:43.64 for her first victory at a Pro Series meet, while Nguyen finished second in 4:45.25. Texas A&M’s Bethany Galat, the third-place finisher at last year’s Olympic Trials, finished in that same third-place spot with her time of 4:48.33.

Long Island’s Maggie Aroesty (4:50.95) and Northwestern’s Valerie Gruest Slowing (4:51.33) finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Rounding out the field were Texas A&M’s Monika Gonzalez-Hermosillo (4:51.44), Brooke Zeiger (4:51.50) and Mabel Zavaros (4:51.74).

Men’s 400 IM

North Baltimore’s Chase Kalisz dominated his signature event, the 400 IM, at the arena Pro Swim Series meet in Atlanta, and he swam to a stellar time of 4:09.43. That crushed his season best of 4:11.01 from last month in Mesa, Ariz., and also was the top time in the world this year, beating David Verraszto’s 4:10.01.

Dynamo’s Jay Litherland, a teammate of Kalisz’ of Georgia, was 10 meters behind but still posted a strong time of 4:15.84 to take second, moving to 14th in the world this year.

Finishing well back in third was St. Petersburg’s Grant Sanders, who touched in 4:21.90. Sanders touched just ahead of Athens Bulldog’s Gunnar Bentz (4:21.95).

Also swimming in the final were Louisville’s Carlos Claverie (4:24.74), St. Petersburg’s Robert Finke (4:27.00) and Club Wolverine teammates Stephen Holmquist (4:27.29) and Charlie Swanson (4:28.71).

In the B-final, Lakeside’s Clayton Forde picked up the win in 4:26.30 — one heat after his younger sister Brooke won the women’s A-final.

Women’s 200 Free

Stanford’s Katie Ledecky was dominant in the shortest of her signature events, opening up a big lead from the start and pulling away to win the Atlanta 200 free in 1:56.26.

That time improved on her own season-best time of 1:56.31, but she remains ranked fourth in the world this year behind Michelle Coleman, Emma McKeon and Federica Pellegrini.

St. Petersburg’s Melanie Margalis finished second in 1:57.76, just a little bit short of her season best, 1:57.69. Margalis just held off Stanford’s Simone Manuel, who showed some impressive closing speed to finish third in 1:57.87.

Club Wolverine’s Siobhan Haughey took fourth in 1:58.21, and North Baltimore teenager swam an impressive 1:58.64 to take fourth. Also competing in the final were Louisville’s Mallory Comerford (2:00.46), Israel’s Andi Murez (2:00.58) and Stanford’s Katie Drabot (2:00.74).

Men’s 200 Free

South Korea’s Park Tae Hwan won his second event of the meet, adding the 200 free to his earlier win in the 400 free. Park was challenged for the first 150 meters by Louisville’s Joao De Lucca but finished in 27.00 on the last 50 to pull away.

Park touched in 1:46.71 for the win, moving ahead of Australia’s Mack Horton into the sixth spot in the world rankings, while De Lucca settled for second in 1:47.83. Club Wolverine’s Felix Auboeck finished third in 1:48.27, while Badger’s Zane Grothe also broke 1:49, finishing in 1:48.81.

AZFL’s Marcos Lavado took fifth in 1:49.11, and Tidewater’s Patrick Callan grabbed sixth in 1:49.51. Cal’s Tom Shields, making a rare appearance in an event that was once his best, took seventh in 1:49.96, while Texas’ Clark Smith, a U.S. Olympian in the 800 free relay, could not get anything going and ended up eighth in 1:50.17.

Meanwhile, Indiana’s Blake Pieroni bounced back from a ninth-place finish in prelims to win the B-final in 1:49.10. Pieroni’s time ended up as the fifth-fastest time of the night.

Women’s 200 Back

Athens Bulldog’s Hali Flickinger has been mostly known as a butterflyer and freestyler, but she posted a nice performance to win the 200 back in Atlanta, holding off Stanford’s Erin Voss on the last 50.

Flickinger finished in 2:10.56, her lifetime best, and Voss came in at 2:10.94. Northwestern’s Melissa Postoll finished strong to take fourth in 2:12.84.

Jen King took fourth in 2:13.21, and North Carolina Aquatic Club’s Hellen Moffitt was fifth in 2:13.91. Also in the final were Mabel Zavaros (2:14.76), York YMCA’s Courtney Harnish (2:15.29) and Waves Bloomington’s Grace Ariola (2:16.04).

Men’s 200 Back

Competing in his first long course 200 back final since he won Olympic gold in Rio, Cal’s Ryan Murphy pulled away from teammate Jacob Pebley to win the event in Atlanta. Murphy came in 1:55.82, moving to sixth in the world rankings, just behind Pebley’s 1:55.56.

Pebley took second in 1:56.43, and SwimMAC’s Ryosuke Irie grabbed third in 1:57.85, just off his own 11th-ranked time of 1:57.06. New York Athletic Club’s Arkady Vyatchanin was in contention with Murphy and Pebley for much of the race but faded to fourth in 1:58.33.

Academy Bullets’ Sean Lehane (1:59.57), Germany’s Christian Diener (1:59.98), Dynamo’s Jay Litherland (2:00.91) and Quest’s Clark Beach (2:01.54) also competed in the final.

Women’s 50 Free

Stanford’s Simone Manuel added the win in the 50 free to her earlier win in the 100 free, pulling away from the field down the final 25 meters and touching in 24.73, just off her seventh-ranked time of 24.66 from last month at the arena Pro Swim Series stop in Mesa, Ariz.

SwimMAC’s Madison Kennedy touched out Athens Bulldog’s Olivia Smoliga for second, 25.22 to 25.24, while HPC Ontario’s Michelle Toro was just behind in 25.33.

Waves Bloomington’s Grace Ariola (25.33), Louisville’s Mallory Comerford (25.40), HPC Ontario’s Sandrine Mainville (25.59) and Cardinal’s Kelsi Worrell (25.41) finished fifth through eighth, respectively.

Men’s 50 Free

Race Pace Club’s Michael Andrew held off Missouri’s Michael Chadwick down the stretch in the men’s splash-and-dash, touching the wall in 22.38. Chadwick was just behind in 22.43.

Taking third was New York Athletic Club’s Josh Schneider, who touched in 22.60. Marcus Schlesinger and Indiana’s Blake Pieroni tied for fourth in 22.70.

Dynamo’s Matias Koski (23.03), Andrew Chetcuti (23.07) and Auburn’s Santiago Grassi (23.10) also competed in the final.

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