Michael Andrew Blasts 1:57.9 200 IM in Mission Viejo; Cox Puts Up 2:10.0

Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

Michael Andrew blasted the front half of the 200 IM turning at 53.85 as he was less than a second off world record pace, but did not have the back half speed, swimming a 1:57.98, which is the fastest an American has been in 2021. Andrew was a 1:27.5 at the 150 and was well in front of the rest of the field, but the piano came falling down on the freestyle leg, although his lead was big enough that he wasn’t caught by Andrew Seliskar (2:00.16) or Jay Litherland (2:00.20).

2019 Worlds finalist Abrahm DeVine finished in fourth at 2:00.74.

Andrew has one of the best first 150s in the world but will have a lot of people trying to chase him down on the final 50 as the 200 IM could be an event he could swim at his first Olympics if he is to qualify out of Trials.

Madisyn Cox swam a season best time in winning the 200 IM on Sunday morning at the TYR Pro Swim Series in April with a 2:10.00, just missing that barrier, but was under her 2021 best of 2:10.8 from March. Cox used a 37.4 breast split to pass Kathleen Baker on the third 50 and win at the finish as Baker was also passed by Melanie Margalis on the back half as Margalis was the runner-up at 2:11.03. Baker was third at 2:11.95 as she had the fastest time in the nation this year with a 2:10.3 in January.

Baker was out first at the 100 at 1:00.25, but could not hold on, splitting a 39.1 on breast and 32.5 on freestyle.

Meghan Small, who is in her first year of postgrad swimming at Tennessee, was fourth at 2:13.42 ahead of solid distance swimmers Brooke Forde (2:14.07) and Leah Smith (2:14.10).

 Event 23  Women 200 LC Meter IM
=========================================================================
        World: W 2:06.12  8/3/2015  Katinka Hosszu, HUN
     American: A 2:06.15  7/27/2009 Ariana Kukors, USA
    U.S. Open: O 2:08.32  7/29/2018 Kathleen Baker, Team Elite-NC
     Jr World: J 2:09.98  1/29/2017 Rikako Ikee, JPN
     Pro Swim: P 2:08.66  2015      Katinka  Hosszu
                 2:15.26  W-II Oly Trials Wave II
                 2:17.39  W-I Oly Trials Wave I
    Name            Age Team              Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Madisyn Cox      25 Longhorn Aquatic  2:11.33    2:10.00        
    r:+0.69  28.19      1:01.28 (33.09)
        1:38.68 (37.40)     2:10.00 (31.32)
  2 Melanie Margali  29 Saint Petersburg  2:11.86    2:11.03        
    r:+0.68  29.00      1:02.28 (33.28)
        1:40.01 (37.73)     2:11.03 (31.02)
  3 Kathleen Baker   24 Team Elite-NC/NY  2:11.56    2:11.95        
    r:+0.68  27.84      1:00.25 (32.41)
        1:39.38 (39.13)     2:11.95 (32.57)
  4 Meghan Small     22 Tennessee Aquati  2:13.25    2:13.42        
    r:+0.71  28.68      1:04.25 (35.57)
        1:41.67 (37.42)     2:13.42 (31.75)
  5 Brooke Forde     22 Alto Swim Club-P  2:12.91    2:14.07        
    r:+0.70  29.15      1:04.58 (35.43)
        1:42.66 (38.08)     2:14.07 (31.41)
  6 Leah Smith       25 Unattached-AZ     2:13.19    2:14.10        
    r:+0.65  28.66      1:03.27 (34.61)
        1:42.99 (39.72)     2:14.10 (31.11)
  7 Katie Drabot     23 Alto Swim Club-P  2:14.78    2:16.35        
    r:+0.74  28.73      1:03.44 (34.71)
        1:44.40 (40.96)     2:16.35 (31.95)
  8 *Robin Neumann   23 Unattached-PC     2:15.49    2:17.01        
    r:+0.63  28.59      1:02.89 (34.30)
        1:45.41 (42.52)     2:17.01 (31.60)

 Event 24  Men 200 LC Meter IM
=========================================================================
        World: W 1:54.00  7/28/2011 Ryan Lochte, USA
     American: A 1:54.00  7/28/2011 Ryan Lochte, USA
    U.S. Open: O 1:54.56  7/10/2009 Ryan Lochte, Daytona Beach
     Jr World: J 1:57.06  7/27/2017 Qin Haiyang, CHN
     Pro Swim: P 1:56.32  2012      Michael Phelps
                 2:03.02  W-II Oly Trials Wave II
                 2:04.09  W-I Oly Trials Wave I
    Name            Age Team              Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Michael Andrew   21 Race Pace Club-S  1:58.23    1:57.98        
    r:+0.66  24.07        53.85 (29.78)
        1:27.57 (33.72)     1:57.98 (30.41)
  2 Andrew Seliskar  24 California Aquat  2:01.33    2:00.16        
    r:+0.62  25.74        57.19 (31.45)
        1:31.88 (34.69)     2:00.16 (28.28)
  3 Jay Litherland   25 Dynamo Swim Club  2:01.44    2:00.20        
    r:+0.70  25.69        55.67 (29.98)
        1:31.30 (35.63)     2:00.20 (28.90)
  4 Abrahm DeVine    24 Team Elite-NC     2:02.94    2:00.74        
    r:+0.71  25.99        56.53 (30.54)
        1:31.78 (35.25)     2:00.74 (28.96)
  5 *Tom Peribonio   25 Gator Swim Club-  2:01.59    2:01.55        
    r:+0.62  25.81        57.28 (31.47)
        1:32.43 (35.15)     2:01.55 (29.12)
  6 Sean Grieshop    22 Unattached-PC     2:01.76    2:02.55        
    r:+0.66  26.42        56.90 (30.48)
        1:33.44 (36.54)     2:02.55 (29.11)
  7 Tommy Cope       23 Club Wolverine-M  2:02.55    2:02.83        
    r:+0.68  26.01        58.84 (32.83)
        1:32.84 (34.00)     2:02.83 (29.99)
  8 Grant Sanders    23 Gator Swim Club-  2:03.28    2:04.59        
    r:+0.69  26.13        57.69 (31.56)
        1:33.98 (36.29)     2:04.59 (30.61)

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