Michael Phelps Report: Nearly Posts January 200 Free Career Best

Photo Courtesy: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

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For those who just want to know how the Greatest of All Time Michael Phelps did this morning at the 2016 Arena Pro Swim Series Austin – he continued to look amazing.

Phelps cruised into fourth in the men’s 200-meter free, and nearly posted his best January 200 free ever. There’s little doubt he will clear that time tonight during finals. The only question is whether he will pick up a victory.

Original 200 free report:

France went 1-2 in the men’s 200-meter free this morning with Jeremy Stravius clipping his compatriot Jordan Pothain for the top seed, 1:49.14 to 1:49.15.

The French duo will face a pretty strong field in the finale, but it is doubtful that they will challenge the top January swim of all time posted by Yannick Agnel with a 1:45.76 here in Austin in 2014.

Texas’ Townley Haas clocked in third with a 1:49.57 with NBAC’s Michael Phelps still looking strong here in Austin with a fourth-seeded 1:50.06.

Phelps, who set his own January personal best in the 100 fly last night, will likely post another best in the 200 free tonight. Phelps’ fastest January swim came back in 2011 here in Austin with a 1:49.90. He almost cleared that this morning while cruising.

Queens’ Dion Dreesens (1:50.14), Gator’s Dan Wallace (1:50.25), Long Gutierrez (1:50.28) and Badger’s Zane Grothe (1:50.60) picked up the rest of the A final spots.

                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Stravius, Jerem  27 France            1:47.10    1:49.14 qOLY   
             25.15        52.96 (27.81)
        1:21.60 (28.64)     1:49.14 (27.54)
  2 Pothain, Jordan  21 France            1:48.34    1:49.15 qOLY   
             25.98        53.58 (27.60)
        1:21.75 (28.17)     1:49.15 (27.40)
  3 Haas, Townley    19 Univ of Texas     1:47.55    1:49.57 qOLY   
             25.56        53.70 (28.14)
        1:22.08 (28.38)     1:49.57 (27.49)
  4 Phelps, Michael  30 North Baltimore   1:48.20    1:50.06 qOLY   
             26.17        54.41 (28.24)
        1:22.39 (27.98)     1:50.06 (27.67)
  5 Dreesens, Dion   22 Queens Universit  1:47.20    1:50.14 qOLY   
             25.93        53.88 (27.95)
        1:21.86 (27.98)     1:50.14 (28.28)
  6 Wallace, Dan     22 Gator Swim Club   1:47.04    1:50.25 qOLY   
             26.18        54.40 (28.22)
        1:22.31 (27.91)     1:50.25 (27.94)
  7 Gutierrez, Long  20 UN                1:48.87    1:50.28 qOLY   
             25.70        53.71 (28.01)
        1:22.05 (28.34)     1:50.28 (28.23)
  8 Grothe, Zane     23 Badger Swim Club  1:47.11    1:50.60 qOLY   
             26.43        54.56 (28.13)
        1:23.07 (28.51)     1:50.60 (27.53)

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