TYR Pro Swim Series Knoxville Day 2 Men’s Prelims: Justin Ress Leads Packed Field in 50 Backstroke

Justin Ress. Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

The first morning of the 2023 TYR Pro Swim Series in Knoxville kicked off with a star-studded prelims session.

The events of the day started with the 200 freestyle, followed by the 100 breaststroke, 50 backstroke, 100 butterfly and 400 IM.

Here is a look at the men’s prelims results:

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TYR Pro Swim Series: Men’s 200 Free

The morning session kicked off with the men’s 200 freestyle.

Seventeen-year-old Henry McFadden took the top seed in the event for tonight’s finals, getting to the wall in 1:48.81.

Ridgefield Aquatic’s Olympic medalist Kieran Smith took the second seed at 1:49.13.

Cal’s Gabriel Jett took the third spot in 1:49.59, followed by Robin Hanson (1:49.61) and Olympic medalist Jay Litherland (1:50.42).

Event 4  Men 200 LC Meter Freestyle
==================================================================
        World: W 1:42.00  7/28/2009 Paul Biedermann, GER
     American: A 1:42.96  8/12/2008 Michael Phelps, USA
    U.S. Open: O 1:44.10  7/1/2008  Michael Phelps, Club Wolverine
     Pro Swim: P 1:44.82  2016      Sun Yang
     Jr World: j 1:42.97  8/15/2022 David Popovici, ROM
   Oly Trials: T 1:49.99
    Name            Age Team                 Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Henry McFadden   17 JW-MA             1:48.27    1:48.81T    q  
    r:+0.67  26.06        53.66 (27.60)
        1:21.42 (27.76)     1:48.81 (27.39)
  2 Kieran Smith     22 Ridgefield Aq-CT  1:44.74    1:49.13T    q  
    r:+0.70  25.93        53.85 (27.92)
        1:21.92 (28.07)     1:49.13 (27.21)
  3 Gabriel Jett     20 Unattached-PC     1:47.44    1:49.59T    q  
    r:+0.66  25.88        54.06 (28.18)
        1:22.24 (28.18)     1:49.59 (27.35)
  4 Robin Hanson     21 Unattached-PC     1:46.50    1:49.61T    q  
    r:+0.66  25.38        52.85 (27.47)
        1:21.52 (28.67)     1:49.61 (28.09)
  5 Jay Litherland   27 SUN-AZ            1:50.12    1:50.42     q  
    r:+0.74  25.75        53.94 (28.19)
        1:21.71 (27.77)     1:50.42 (28.71)
  6 Jack Dahlgren    23 Missouri-MV       1:46.92    1:50.49     q  
    r:+0.66  25.85        54.01 (28.16)
        1:22.28 (28.27)     1:50.49 (28.21)
  7 Zane Grothe      30 BCH-CA            1:48.15    1:51.22     q  
    r:+0.70  26.31        54.92 (28.61)
        1:23.41 (28.49)     1:51.22 (27.81)
  8 Javier Acevedo   24 Canada            1:51.16    1:51.38     q  
    r:+0.66  25.25        53.07 (27.82)
        1:22.17 (29.10)     1:51.38 (29.21)
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
  9 Drew Kibler      22 CSC-IN            1:45.92    1:51.73     q  
    r:+0.63  25.86        54.30 (28.44)
        1:23.18 (28.88)     1:51.73 (28.55)
 10 Murilo Sartori   20 Louisville-KY     1:48.05    1:51.74     q  
    r:+0.72  26.65        55.31 (28.66)
        1:23.59 (28.28)     1:51.74 (28.15)
 11 Joaquin Vargas   20 Tennessee-SE      1:52.47    1:51.88     q  
    r:+0.70  26.31        54.80 (28.49)
        1:23.64 (28.84)     1:51.88 (28.24)
 11 Sean Grieshop       Unattached-PC     1:50.42    1:51.88     q  
    r:+0.70  26.67        54.63 (27.96)
        1:23.25 (28.62)     1:51.88 (28.63)
 13 *Jorge Iga       25 UN-VA             1:51.98    1:51.96     q  
    r:+0.67  26.13        54.45 (28.32)
        1:23.41 (28.96)     1:51.96 (28.55)
 14 Cesar Castro     23 Spain             1:47.13    1:51.98     q  
    r:+0.61  26.18        54.96 (28.78)
        1:23.40 (28.44)     1:51.98 (28.58)
 15 Brett Pinfold    27 SHAC-GU           1:49.38    1:52.25     q  
    r:+0.78  26.51        55.59 (29.08)
        1:24.65 (29.06)     1:52.25 (27.60)
 16 Ignacio Campos   18 Spain             1:50.18    1:52.95     q  
    r:+0.65  26.47        55.04 (28.57)
        1:24.04 (29.00)     1:52.95 (28.91)

TYR Pro Swim Series: Men’s 100 Breaststroke

Club Wolverine’s Thomas Cope claimed the top seed in the 100 breaststroke. He got to the wall in 1:01.66 to hold off Tennessee’s Lyubomir Epitropov (1:01.78).

Olympic gold medalist Chase Kalisz took the third seed in 1:02.04. , ahead of Brandon Fischer (1:02.57).

Event 6  Men 100 LC Meter Breaststroke
==================================================================
        World: W   56.88  7/21/2019 Adam Peaty, GBR
     American: A   58.14  6/13/2021 Michael Andrew, Race Pace Club-S
    U.S. Open: O   58.14  6/13/2021 Michael Andrew, Race Pace Club-S
     Pro Swim: P   58.86  2017      Adam Peaty
     Jr World: j   59.01  8/23/2017 Nicolo Martinenghi, ITA
   Oly Trials: T 1:02.19
    Name            Age Team                 Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Thomas Cope      25 CW-MI             1:00.25    1:01.66T    q  
    r:+0.61  29.05      1:01.66 (32.61)
  2 *Lyubomir Epitr  23 Tennessee-SE      1:01.14    1:01.78     q  
    r:+0.66  29.09      1:01.78 (32.69)
  3 Chase Kalisz     28 SUN-AZ            1:01.64    1:02.04T    q  
    r:+0.70  29.69      1:02.04 (32.35)
  4 Brandon Fischer  34 TRIV-PC           1:02.29    1:02.57     q  
    r:+0.71  29.29      1:02.57 (33.28)
  5 Finlay Knox      22 Canada            1:03.29    1:02.73     q  
    r:+0.68  29.28      1:02.73 (33.45)
  6 James Dergousof  26 Canada            1:00.86    1:02.77     q  
    r:+0.67  29.18      1:02.77 (33.59)
  7 *Michael Houlie  22 Tennessee-SE      1:01.90    1:02.91     q  
    r:+0.63  28.49      1:02.91 (34.42)
  8 Brayden Taivass  18 Canada            1:03.01    1:03.03     q  
    r:+0.61  29.75      1:03.03 (33.28)
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
  9 Justice Migneau  20 Canada            1:01.73    1:03.48     q  
    r:+0.67  29.41      1:03.48 (34.07)
 10 Jarel Dillard    22 Tennessee-SE      1:02.38    1:03.54     q  
    r:+0.63  29.46      1:03.54 (34.08)
 11 Youssef Elkamas  27 EGYPT             1:01.05    1:03.57     q  
    r:+0.71  29.95      1:03.57 (33.62)
 12 Said Reveles     30 Reveles           1:04.96    1:03.59     q  
    r:+0.68  29.61      1:03.59 (33.98)
 13 Will Scholtz     18 LAK-KY            1:02.62    1:03.83     q  
    r:+0.73  30.00      1:03.83 (33.83)
 14 Liyang Sun       19 Unattached-CA     1:03.06    1:04.09     q  
    r:+0.72  29.97      1:04.09 (34.12)
 15 Jason Hamilton   22 UNAT-GA             53.49Y   1:04.40     q  
    r:+0.70  30.30      1:04.40 (34.10)
 16 Jake Meyer       20 Unattached-OH     1:04.39    1:04.66     q  
    r:+0.72  29.99      1:04.66 (34.67)

TYR Pro Swim Series: Men’s 50 Backstroke

The men’s 50 backstroke final looks to be extremely fast and extremely competitive.

Justin Ress claimed the top seed with a prelim swim of 24.88.

Meanwhile, Olympian Hunter Armstrong is just behind at 25.03, followed by another Olympian Ryan Held (24.59).

Teen upstart Daniel Diehl took the fourth seed at 25.51, followed by Cal sprinter Bjorn Seeliger (25.59), setting up a loaded final.

Event 8  Men 50 LC Meter Backstroke
==================================================================
        World: W 23.71  4/28/2022 Hunter Armstrong, USA
     American: A 24.24  7/27/2018 Ryan Murphy, Cal
    U.S. Open: O 23.71  4/28/2022 Hunter Armstrong, Ohio State Unive
     Pro Swim: P 24.66  4/11/2019 Michael Andrew, Race Pace Club
    Name            Age Team                 Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Justin Ress      25 MVN-CA              52.73      24.88     q  
         r:+0.61                       
  2 Hunter Armstron  21 California Aq.-P    51.98      25.03     q  
         r:+0.71                       
  3 Ryan Held        27 NYAC-MR             57.48      25.49     q  
         r:+0.53                       
  4 Daniel Diehl     17 CUY-MD              53.07      25.51     q  
         r:+0.58                       
  5 Bjorn Seeliger   23 Unattached-PC       59.20      25.59     q  
  6 Manuel Martos    22 Spain               54.69      25.75     q  
         r:+0.79                       
  7 Hunter Tapp      21 NC State-NC         53.45      25.77     q  
         r:+0.74                       
  8 Destin Lasco     21 Unattached-PC       54.08      25.82     q  
         r:+0.54                       
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
  9 Joseph Hayburn   18 ASC-MD              55.58      25.96     q  
         r:+0.59                       
 10 *Bjoern Kammann  21 Tennessee-SE        57.77      26.00     q  
         r:+0.74                       
 11 Javier Acevedo   24 Canada              54.37      26.02     q  
         r:+0.58                       
 12 Jack Alexy       19 Unattached-PC       56.30      26.03     q  
         r:+0.59                       
 12 Sebastian Somer  21 Unattached-PC       55.16      26.03     q  
         r:+0.78                       
 14 Joshua Fisher    17 PSDN-VA             58.01      26.35     q  
         r:+0.69                       
 14 Grant Bochenski  19 Missouri-MV         55.29      26.35     q  
         r:+0.57                       
 16 Zach Harting     25 CARD-KY             47.23Y     26.48     q  
         r:+0.81

TYR Pro Swim Series: Men’s 100 Butterfly

Sandpiper’s Ilya Kharun claimed the top spot in the 100 butterfly, getting to the wall in 53.00.

Missouri’s Clement Secchi took the second seed in 53.04, just ahead of Zach Harting (53.05), doing a double, and Cardinals’ Nicolas Albiero (53.06), and Luke Miller (53.08) setting up an intriguing final.

Trenton Julian (53.16) and Ryan Murphy (53.20) also made the final.

Event 10  Men 100 LC Meter Butterfly
==================================================================
        World: W 49.45  7/30/2021 Caeleb Dressel, USA
     American: A 49.45  7/30/2021 Caeleb Dressel, USA
    U.S. Open: O 49.76  6/18/2021 Caeleb Dressel, Gator Swim Club-
     Pro Swim: P 50.92  3/6/2020  Caeleb Dressel, Gator Swim Club-
     Jr World: j 50.62  6/30/2017 Kristof Milak, HUN
   Oly Trials: T 53.59
    Name            Age Team                 Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Ilya Kharun      17 SAND-CA             52.31      53.00T    q  
    r:+0.70  25.04        53.00 (27.96)
  2 *Clement Secchi  22 Missouri-MV         52.10      53.04     q  
    r:+0.62  24.89        53.04 (28.15)
  3 Zach Harting     25 CARD-KY             51.86      53.05T    q  
    r:+0.63  25.24        53.05 (27.81)
  4 Nicolas Albiero  23 CARD-KY             51.96      53.06T    q  
    r:+0.61  25.06        53.06 (28.00)
  5 Luke Miller      20 NC State-NC         52.06      53.08T    q  
    r:+0.62  25.12        53.08 (27.96)
  6 Trenton Julian   24 MVN-CA              51.70      53.16T    q  
    r:+0.63  25.58        53.16 (27.58)
  7 Ryan Murphy      27 California Aq.-P    52.08      53.20T    q  
    r:+0.60  25.04        53.20 (28.16)
  8 Dare Rose        20 Unattached-PC       51.40      53.28T    q  
    r:+0.62  25.09        53.28 (28.19)
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
  9 Gabriel Jett     20 Unattached-PC       52.17      53.66     q  
    r:+0.68  25.09        53.66 (28.57)
 10 Coleman Stewart  24 Wolfpak Elite-NC    51.54      53.96     q  
    r:+0.62  25.23        53.96 (28.73)
 11 Drew Kibler      22 CSC-IN              52.94      53.98     q  
    r:+0.64  25.07        53.98 (28.91)
 11 Finlay Knox      22 Canada              51.86      53.98     q  
    r:+0.67  25.31        53.98 (28.67)
 13 Jarod Hatch      24 MVN-CA              46.35Y     54.01     q  
    r:+0.65  25.23        54.01 (28.78)
 14 Chase Kalisz     28 SUN-AZ              53.52      54.02     q  
    r:+0.69  25.94        54.02 (28.08)
 15 *Jordan Crooks   20 Tennessee-SE        56.17      54.37     q  
    r:+0.64  25.46        54.37 (28.91)
 16 Jack Dahlgren    23 Missouri-MV         53.06      54.51     q  
    r:+0.62  25.61        54.51 (28.90)

TYR Pro Swim Series: Men’s 400 IM

The final event of the prelims session was a loaded 400 IM.

Olympic silver medalist Jay Litherland, making his return to elite competition, claimed the top seed in 4:22.26.

Fellow Olympic medalist Bobby Finke was right behind, taking the second seed in 4:22.33, ahead of Tennessee’s Landon Driggers (4:22.56).

Olympic medalist Kieran Smith took the fourth seed in 4:25.35), followed by former Cal stars Trenton Julian (4:26.89) and Sean Grieshop (4:27.70).

Kharun, who just took the top seed in the butterfly, also made the finals in the 400 IM.

Event 12  Men 400 LC Meter IM
==================================================================
        World: W 4:03.84  8/10/2008 Michael Phelps, USA
     American: A 4:03.84  8/10/2008 Michael Phelps, USA
    U.S. Open: O 4:05.25  6/29/2008 Michael Phelps, Club Wolverine
     Pro Swim: P 4:08.92  2018      Chase Kalisz
     Jr World: j 4:10.02  5/23/2021 Ilia Borodin, RUS
   Oly Trials: T 4:25.19
    Name            Age Team                 Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Jay Litherland   27 SUN-AZ            4:14.44    4:22.26T    q  
    r:+0.75  27.80        59.49 (31.69)
        1:33.92 (34.43)     2:06.32 (32.40)
        2:43.78 (37.46)     3:21.69 (37.91)
        3:52.85 (31.16)     4:22.26 (29.41)
  2 Bobby Finke      23 SPA-FL            4:10.57    4:22.33T    q  
    r:+0.74  28.18        59.88 (31.70)
        1:33.58 (33.70)     2:06.24 (32.66)
        2:44.04 (37.80)     3:22.20 (38.16)
        3:53.04 (30.84)     4:22.33 (29.29)
  3 Landon Driggers  21 Tennessee-SE      4:22.23    4:22.56T    q  
    r:+0.75  27.99        59.93 (31.94)
        1:32.51 (32.58)     2:04.20 (31.69)
        2:42.31 (38.11)     3:20.64 (38.33)
        3:52.52 (31.88)     4:22.56 (30.04)
  4 Kieran Smith     22 Ridgefield Aq-CT  4:14.04    4:25.35     q  
    r:+0.70  27.92      1:00.22 (32.30)
        1:35.07 (34.85)     2:08.62 (33.55)
        2:45.80 (37.18)     3:23.44 (37.64)
        3:55.34 (31.90)     4:25.35 (30.01)
  5 Trenton Julian   24 MVN-CA            4:28.05    4:26.89     q  
    r:+0.66  26.41        56.38 (29.97)
        1:33.00 (36.62)     2:08.84 (35.84)
        2:46.77 (37.93)     3:24.81 (38.04)
        3:56.53 (31.72)     4:26.89 (30.36)
  6 Sean Grieshop       Unattached-PC     4:16.14    4:27.70     q  
    r:+0.69  28.27      1:00.36 (32.09)
        1:34.90 (34.54)     2:08.62 (33.72)
        2:47.26 (38.64)     3:25.77 (38.51)
        3:57.37 (31.60)     4:27.70 (30.33)
  7 Ilya Kharun      17 SAND-CA           4:24.31    4:27.84     q  
    r:+0.71  26.82        58.27 (31.45)
        1:33.96 (35.69)     2:08.67 (34.71)
        2:48.02 (39.35)     3:27.43 (39.41)
        3:59.43 (32.00)     4:27.84 (28.41)
  8 Matthew Mortens  17 RIPT-MN           4:27.94    4:31.22     q  
    r:+0.79  28.93      1:00.97 (32.04)
        1:36.35 (35.38)     2:10.61 (34.26)
        2:48.48 (37.87)     3:26.76 (38.28)
        3:59.68 (32.92)     4:31.22 (31.54)
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
  9 Crow Thorsen     20 UNAT-GA           3:53.72Y   4:32.60     q  
    r:+0.66  27.60        59.50 (31.90)
        1:35.97 (36.47)     2:10.64 (34.67)
        2:49.78 (39.14)     3:29.09 (39.31)
        4:01.06 (31.97)     4:32.60 (31.54)
 10 Dillon Wright    17 SAND-CA           4:26.77    4:32.87     q  
    r:+0.66  27.18        58.36 (31.18)
        1:34.03 (35.67)     2:08.92 (34.89)
        2:49.20 (40.28)     3:30.91 (41.71)
        4:02.62 (31.71)     4:32.87 (30.25)
 11 Will Scholtz     18 LAK-KY            4:27.70    4:33.73     q  
    r:+0.75  28.98      1:03.50 (34.52)
        1:38.67 (35.17)     2:13.24 (34.57)
        2:50.54 (37.30)     3:28.78 (38.24)
        4:01.42 (32.64)     4:33.73 (32.31)
 12 Gus Rothrock     20 Tennessee-SE      4:33.32    4:34.73     q  
    r:+0.72  28.33      1:00.96 (32.63)
        1:37.27 (36.31)     2:12.90 (35.63)
        2:52.28 (39.38)     3:33.19 (40.91)
        4:04.76 (31.57)     4:34.73 (29.97)
 13 Luke Ellis       16 SAND-CA           4:24.02    4:35.12     q  
    r:+0.72  28.85      1:01.66 (32.81)
        1:36.72 (35.06)     2:10.27 (33.55)
        2:50.93 (40.66)     3:31.69 (40.76)
        4:04.04 (32.35)     4:35.12 (31.08)
 14 Kenneth Barnicl  15 GSCY-NJ           4:35.21    4:35.30     q  
    r:+0.66  28.16      1:01.25 (33.09)
        1:35.65 (34.40)     2:09.99 (34.34)
        2:50.24 (40.25)     3:31.32 (41.08)
        4:04.88 (33.56)     4:35.30 (30.42)
 15 Nick Williams    20 MVN-CA            4:33.96    4:35.35     q  
    r:+0.74  28.39      1:00.67 (32.28)
        1:36.99 (36.32)     2:13.65 (36.66)
        2:53.09 (39.44)     3:33.17 (40.08)
        4:05.74 (32.57)     4:35.35 (29.61)
 16 Luke Whitlock    16 FAST-IN           4:34.41    4:36.23     q  
    r:+0.70  29.03      1:01.63 (32.60)
        1:38.07 (36.44)     2:13.60 (35.53)
        2:53.89 (40.29)     3:34.93 (41.04)
        4:05.89 (30.96)     4:36.23 (30.34)

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