Katie Ledecky Posts World Leading 400 on Night 1 of Arena Pro Swim Series Mesa

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Photo Courtesy: Taylor Brien

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The first night of the 2017 Arena Pro Swim Series from Mesa, Arizona kicked off tonight from the Skyline Aquatic Center. Many Olympians were in action and some were making their first long course appearance since Rio. Other NCAA champions from a few short weeks ago made an appearance in their first long course competition of the season before the World Trials in June. Katie Ledecky swam the world’s number one time in the 400 free with a 4:01. Olympic medalists Simone Manuel, Nathan Adrian, Katie Meili and Josh Prenot also won their respective events tonight on the first night in Mesa.

Tonight’s Events:

Women’s 100 Free
Men’s 100 Free
Women’s 200 Breast
Men’s 200 Breast
Women’s 100 Fly
Men’s 100 Fly
Women’s 400 Free
Men’s 400 Free

Women’s 100 Free

Olympic champion Simone Manuel got her 2017 long course campaign started with a 53.66 100 free at the Arena Pro Swim Series at Mesa. Manuel is swimming in her first long course meet since Rio and posted the seventh fastest time in the world this year. Manuel is also coming off a very impressive outing at last month’s NCAA Championships where she broke the American Record in the 100 SCY free.

Mallory Comerford was second behind Manuel as she continues her momentum into the long course season. Comerford was second at 54.22 and Lia Neal was third at 54.38. Katie Ledecky (54.78), Kelsi Worrell (54.84), Louise Hansson (54.92), Amanda Weir (55.13) and Amanda Kendall (56.00) also swam in the A-final.

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Men’s 100 Free

Nathan Adrian continues to get it done in an in-season meet as he won the 100 free going away at the 2017 Arena Pro Swim Series at Mesa with the second fastest time in the world this year. Adrian went a 48.18 to swim the fastest time in the world other than Australia’s Cameron McEvoy and just ahead of the Olympic Champion Kyle Chalmers of Australia.

Adrian won way ahead of Joao de Lucca (49.67) and Cristian Quintero (49.89). Tom Shields (49.97), Jacob Pebley (50.04), Daniel Hunter (50.06), Matthew Stanley (50.39) and Marius Kusch (50.54) also swam in the A-final.

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Women’s 200 Breast

Olympian Katie Meili took the 200 breast out fast in the talented A-final in Mesa at the Arena Pro Swim Series. Meili held off hard charging Melanie Margalis and Madisyn Cox with a 2:25.67. Margalis was second at 2:25.71 and Cox was third at 2:25.89. Meili is now seventh in the world for 2017 after not making the semi-finals at last year’s Olympic Trials. Margalis is right behind Meili in eighth.

Olympian Molly Hannis was out of the picture in fourth at 2:28.20. Breeja Larson (2:28.71), Riley Scott (2:30.51), Andrea Cottrell (2:31.84) and Zoe Bartel (2:32.89) also competed in the A-final.

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Men’s 200 Breast

Olympic silver medalist Josh Prenot won the 200 breast at the Arena Pro Swim Series in Mesa with a solid 2:10.47. Prenot back halfed the race to beat out Olympic teammates Chase Kalisz and Kevin Cordes. Kalisz was second at 2:11.29 and Cordes was third at 2:11.50. Prenot has been faster already this year after he went 2:09.93 at the Arena Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis in the beginning of March.

Carlos Claverie (2:11.92), Daniel Roy (2:12.84), George Schroeder (2:14.28), Calvin Yang (2:17.48) and AJ Bornstein (2:17.68) also competed in the championship final.

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Women’s 100 Fly

Olympian Kelsi Worrell held off Swedish Olympian Louise Hansson in the 100 fly at the 2017 Arena Pro Swim Series in Mesa. Worrell took it out fast and held off a hard charging Hansson with a 58.60 to Hansson’s 58.80. Worrell still has the eighth fastest time in the world this year with a 58.10 from Indianapolis. Kendyl Stewart was third at 59.52.

Amanda Kendall (59.60), Lauren Case (59.80), Aliena Schmidtke, Mallory Comerford (1:00.18) and Daynara de Paula (1:00.75) also competed in the A-final.

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Men’s 100 Fly

Olympian Tom Shields got his summer started with a solid 100 butterfly win with a 52.42. Shields pulled away over the last 50 with a win over Tim Phillips (52.87) and Marius Kusch (53.43). Shields is the go-to butterflyer for the United States with the impending retirement of the greatest of all-time Michael Phelps and he is put in a worthy swim tonight.

Santiago Grassi (53.45), Long Gutierrez (53.55), Dylan Carter (53.61), Zach Harting (53.87) and Seth Stubblefield (54.49) also competed in the A-final.

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Women’s 400 Free

Coming off her freshman year at Stanford, Katie Ledecky had her first LCM race with Stanford and Greg Meehan in Mesa and posted the world’s fastest time in the 400 free after it had exchanged hands a couple of times over the last few days. Ledecky swam a 4:01.01 to win the race and lead the world rankings ahead of Australia’s Ariarne Titmus (4:04.82). Ledecky’s time would have won the silver medal at the Rio Olympics behind herself. Leah Smith was second in the race at 4:07.70 and Mary-Sophie Harvey finished in third at 4:11.48, after coming off her Canadian trials.

Sierra Schmidt (4:11.57), Vien Nguyen (4:13.34), Madisyn Cox (4:14.00), Haley Anderson (4:14.20) and Taylor Ault (4:14.46) also competed in the A-final.

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Men’s 400 Free

Louisville freshman Marcelo Acosta used a stellar back half to distance from the field to win the 400 free A-final in Mesa. Acosta, an El Salvador native won the race in 3:53.38 to hold off a late charge from Cal incoming freshman Sean Grieshop. Grieshop was second at 3:54.29 and Taylor Abbott was third at 3:55.11. Grieshop looks to be one of the stars of the future after the retirement of Connor Jaeger. Most of the players for the 400 free spots for Budapest are not present at this meet.

Marc Hinawi (3:55.99), Chris Yeager (3:59.87), Isaac Stump (4:00.47), Liam Bresette (4:00.96) and Christian Bayo (4:01.45) also swam in the A-final.

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2017 Arena Pro Swim Series at Mesa, Day One Finals – Results

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