Paige Madden Out-Touches Schmitt; House Holds Off Pieroni in 200 Free at TYR Pro Swim Series Indianapolis

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Virginia’s Paige Madden took down some pretty big names in the finals of the 200 freestyle on Friday night at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis with a 1:57.47 as she swam a season best and put herself second in the nation. Madden was in a very fast race with four women under 1:58 as Allison Schmitt (1:57.59) finished second after leading at the halfway point and at the 150.

Schmitt swam a season best and is now third nationally as it will be a dog fight to get on the 4×200 free relay team after Katie Ledecky.

Paige Madden on her race: “I’ve been trying to work on breathing every four (strokes) for the last 50 meters and especially in the last 25. I’ve been working on that in practice, and I knew I wanted to do that here.”

Arizona State’s Emma Nordin, who took a big win in the 400 free on Thursday, finished in third with a 1:57.68, dropping nearly a full second from her 1:58.5 last month in Mission Viejo. Nordin, an Indiana native and product of Carmel Swim Club, has become a late contender to make the Tokyo Olympic team. Leah Smith, who has been a mainstay on the US team since 2014, was fourth with a 1:57.81, which was also a season best as she moved to sixth nationally.

Gabby DeLoof (1:59.77) and Chloe Stepanek (1:59.79) also got under 2:00 in fifth and sixth.

Results:

Paige Madden, 1:57.47
Allison Schmitt, 1:57.59
Emma Nordin, 1:57.68
Leah Smith, 1:57.81
Gabby DeLoof, 1:59.77
Chloe Stepanek, 1:59.79
Kelly Pash, 2:00.26
Erica Laning, 2:00.50

Arizona State continued its momentum into the men’s 200 free with Grant House touching first at 1:47.69, putting him sixth in the country this season as the countdown to Omaha starts to thin. House held off a hard charging Blake Pieroni, who came home strong on the last 100 but it was not enough as he was second at 1:48.06, putting him seventh in the nation. Pieroni has made the last two Worlds teams in the 4×200 free relay as he made the semi finals in the individual event at the 2017 Worlds.

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

House on his race: “I was excited with it and I was hoping for a time like that after my morning swim. I knew I had a lot left in the tank when I flipped halfway through and so I knew I wanted to get the tempo up and get after it a little more aggressively. I knew I wanted to trust the training over the past couple of months and focus on what I’ve been doing in the last three years since coming to (Arizona State University). It was a great field and I’m really excited with that time.”

Marwan El Kamash (1:48.23) and Jorge Iga (1:48.44) finished third and fourth as they both got under the FINA B standard of 1:50.23 as the 1:47.0 A standard was out of reach for them here.

Patrick Callan, who has the third fastest time nationally this year, was fifth at 1:48.67 ahead of Zane Grothe (1:49.30).

Results:

Grant House, 1:47.69
Blake Pieroni, 1:48.06
Marwan El Kamash, 1:48.23
Jorge Iga, 1:48.44
Patrick Callan, 1:48.67
Zane Grothe, 1:49.30
Jonathan Rutter, 1:50.80
Koko Bratanov, 1:52.81

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