Pan Pacific Championships: Matt Grevers’ All-Comer, Pan Pacs Record Tops Day 1 Prelims

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GOLD COAST, Australia, August 21. A day after finding out that Michael Phelps scratched his events in the 200 free and 100 back, as well as hearing that Missy Franklin is touch-and-go after suffering back spasms, the Pan Pacific Championships had a storyline-filled first day of prelims.  Matt Grevers threw down the fastest 100-meter backstroke on Australian soil, while Missy Franklin fought through her injury to make the 100 back A final and 200 free B final.

Scheduled Events

  • Women’s 200 free
  • Men’s 200 free
  • Women’s 100 back
  • Men’s 100 back
  • Women’s 800 free
  • Women’s 200 fly
  • Men’s 200 fly
  • Men’s 1500 free

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LIVE RESULTS

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HEAT SHEETS

Women’s 200 free

Photo Courtesy: Joao Marc Bosch

Photo Courtesy: Joao Marc Bosch

Team USA dominated prelims, but due to the two-per-country A final and one-per-country B final rule, only Katie Ledecky (1:56.45) and Shannon Vreeland (1:57.16) will advance to the A final as they qualified first and third.  Missy Franklin, fighting off her back spasms, finished fourth overall in 1:57.63, but will have to swim the B final as the Red, White and Blue’s third-best swimmer in the prelims. Leah Smith finished seventh overall in 1:58.20, but will not move on to a second swim.

Ledecky’s Splits:

                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 LEDECKY, KATIE   17 UNITED STATES     1:55.16    1:56.45   913  
    r:+0.67  28.02        57.55 (29.53)
        1:27.22 (29.67)     1:56.45 (29.23)

Australia’s Melanie Schlanger took second in 1:57.16 with Australia’s Bronte Barratt taking fifth overall in 1:57.65 to secure a spot in the championship heat.  Australia’s Emma McKeon took sixth, and will swim in the B final.  Canada’s Samantha Cheverton (1:58.80), China’s Zhang Sishi (1:59.45), Japan’s Chihiro Igarashi (1:59.96) and Japan’s Yasuko Miyamoto (2:00.17) moved up into the A final from 11th, 12th, 14th and 15th.

That’s a pair of big guns relegated to the B final with Franklin and Commonwealth Games winner McKeon set up to battle in the consolation heat. Canada’s Samantha Cheverton (1:58.80), China’s Zhang Sishi (1:59.45), Japan’s Chihiro Igarashi (1:59.96) and Japan’s Yasuko Miyamoto (2:00.17) will also competed in the B final with Franklin and McKeon.  Franklin shook off her issues in the 200 free, and put her mind to the 100 back later tonight.

The event is guaranteed to have a completely new podium compared to the 2010 edition that featured USA’s Allison Schmitt (1:56.10), USA’s Morgan Scroggy (1:57.13) and Australia’s Blair Evans (1:57.27) owning the medals.

Men’s 200 free

Photo Courtesy: Joao Marc Bosch

Photo Courtesy: Joao Marc Bosch

A trio of swimmers turned in 1:46s this morning in preliminary qualifying.  Japan’s Kosuke Hagino topped everyone with a 1:46.60, touching out USA’s Conor Dwyer (1:46.65) in his heat and overall in prelims.  Additionally, Australia’s Thomas Fraser-Holmes placed third in 1:46.95.

Comparative Splits:

                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 HAGINO, KOSUKE   20 JAPAN             1:45.89    1:46.60   876  
    r:+0.65  24.89        52.38 (27.49)
        1:19.59 (27.21)     1:46.60 (27.01)
  2 DWYER, CONOR     25 UNITED STATES     1:45.32    1:46.65   874  
    r:+0.64  24.80        51.70 (26.90)
        1:18.93 (27.23)     1:46.65 (27.72)

With Hagino, Dwyer and Fraser-Holmes locked into the A final, Australia’s Cameron McEvoy (4th, 1:47.08), USA’s Ryan Lochte (5th, 1:47.35), Japan’s Reo Sakata (7th, 1:47.74), Japan’s Yuki Kobori (8th, 1:47.91) and Brazil’s Nicolas Oliveira (8th, 1:47.91) all made the A final due to the two-per-country rule.

The B final will be made up of Australia’s David McKeon (6th, 1:47.45), USA’s Matt McLean (8th, 1:47.91), New Zealand’s Matt Stanley (12th, 1:48.74), Canada’s Coleman Allen (22nd, 1:51.80), China’s Ma Tianchi (24th, 1:52.37), Hong Kong’s David Wong (26th, 1:54.03) and Fiji’s Kinve Nicholls (31st, 2:19.81).

Lochte will be looking to defend his 2010 title as he led the podium then with a 1:45.30.  Korea’s Tae Hwan Park (1:46.27) and USA’s Peter Vanderkaay (1:46.65) finished second and third.

Women’s 100 back

Photo Courtesy: Peter H.Bick

Photo Courtesy: Peter H.Bick

Australia looked particularly strong in the backstroke this morning, going 1-2 at the top of the heats.  Emily Seebohm, the Australian-record holder with a 58.23 to her name, blitzed the heats with a 59.72.  That’s the only sub-1:00 this morning.   Her compatriot, Belinda Hocking, won the final heat to take second overall in 1:00.46.

Just 30 minutes after a disappointing outcome in the 200 free relegated her to the B final, USA’s Missy Franklin fought off the back spasms en route to third overall in 1:00.60 as the top American in the event.

Comparative Splits:

                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 SEEBOHM, EMILY   22 AUSTRALIA           58.79      59.72   921  
    r:+0.64  29.11        59.72 (30.61)
  2 HOCKING, BELIND  23 AUSTRALIA           59.58    1:00.46   888  
    r:+0.59  29.73      1:00.46 (30.73)
  3 FRANKLIN, MISSY  19 UNITED STATES       58.39    1:00.60   882  
    r:+0.74  29.89      1:00.60 (30.71)

USA’s Elizabeth Pelton took fourth overall in 1:01.05, while Canada’s Dominique Bouchard (6th, 1:01.10), Canada’s Hilary Caldwell (8th, 1:01.34), Japan’s Miyuki Takemura (9th, 1:01.54) and Japan’s Sayaka Akase (11th, 1:01.72) also earned A final spots.

B finalists are USA’s Kathleen Baker (5th, 1:01.09), Canada’s Brooklyn Snodgrass (9th, 1:01.54), Brazil’s Etienne Medeiros (12th, 1:01.81), Japan’s Shiho Sakai (13th, 1:01.86), China’s Zhao Ying (16th, 1:02.99), Hong Kong’s Claudia Lau (18th, 1:04.12) and South Africa’s Marcela Loubser (20th, 1:05.37).

Seebohm wants to defend her 2010 title, when she clocked a 59.34 ahead of Japan’s Aya Terakawa (59.59) and USA’s Natalie Coughlin (59.70).

Men’s 100 back

Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott

Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott

A trio of swimmers cleared the Pan Pacific Championship record in prelims, but USA’s Matt Grevers got there first with a 52.91 in the second heat. That performance wiped out the Australian All-Comers record of 52.98 set by Aaron Peirsol of the USA back in 2007, and beat Peirsol’s meet record of 53.31 set back in 2010. Grevers is doing everything he can to wipe 2010 out of his mind.  In 2010, he missed making the Pan Pacs and Worlds team, and had to hold on until the 2012 London Olympics for his most explosive swims of the quad.  This year, he made the Pan Pac team and did not mess around this morning.

Comparative Splits:

                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 GREVERS, MATT    29 UNITED STATES       52.75      52.91A  946  
    r:+0.69  25.93        52.91 (26.98)
  2 MURPHY, RYAN     19 UNITED STATES       53.21      53.24P  928  
    r:+0.58  25.80        53.24 (27.44)
  3 IRIE, RYOSUKE    24 JAPAN               52.57      53.29P  925  
    r:+0.56  26.06        53.29 (27.23)

Meanwhile, USA’s Ryan Murphy powered his way to second with a time of 53.24 with Japan’s Ryosuke Irie earning third in 53.29.  Irie has the fastest time in the field this year with a second-ranked 52.57 from Japanese Nationals, but will have his work cut out for him tonight.

Australia’s Mitch Larkin (4th, 53.49), Japan’s Junya Koga (6th, 54.30), Australia’s Ben Treffers (7th, 54.34), Brazil’s Thiago Pereira (9th, 54.43) and Brazil’s Guilhermo Guido (11th, 54.50) will also compete in the A final.

B finalists are USA’s David Plummer (5th, 53.82), Australia’s Josh Beaver (8th (54.40), Canada’s Russell Wood (13th, 55.15), Brazil’s Fabio Santi (14th, 55.16), New Zealand’s Corey Main (15th, 55.36), South Africa’s Richard Ellis (16th, 55.59), Japan’s Haya Matsubara (17th, 55.82) and Venezuela’s Albert Subirats (18th, 55.95).

For the first time in three editions, someone else other than Peirsol will win the event as the retired Peirsol won in 2002 (54.22), 2006 (53.32) and 2010 (53.31).  Koga took second in 2010 in 53.63, while Ashley Delaney of Australia placed third in 53.67.

Women’s 800 free

Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott

Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott

Team USA’s open water swimmers got the job done during timed final heats this afternoon as Becca Mann (8:22.45) and Haley Anderson (8:30.87) turned in the top two times to beat in the fastest heat tonight.  Mann rocketed to sixth in the world rankings with that sterling swim, while Anderson moved to just outside the top 20 in the world. Mann’s time faster that training partner Cierra Runge’s 8:24.69 from Nationals, and could secure a spot on the Worlds roster if Runge is unable to beat her 8:22.45 tonight.

Comparative Splits:

 1 MANN, BECCA            16 UNITED STATES       8:26.43    8:22.45
     r:+0.81     29.35        1:00.84 (31.49)
        1:32.40 (31.56)       2:04.24 (31.84)
        2:35.71 (31.47)       3:07.30 (31.59)
        3:38.76 (31.46)       4:10.68 (31.92)
        4:42.10 (31.42)       5:13.86 (31.76)
        5:45.56 (31.70)       6:17.31 (31.75)
        6:48.96 (31.65)       7:20.45 (31.49)
        7:51.80 (31.35)       8:22.45 (30.65)
  2 ANDERSON, HALEY        22 UNITED STATES       8:29.71    8:30.87
     r:+0.81     29.29        1:00.95 (31.66)
        1:32.84 (31.89)       2:04.71 (31.87)
        2:36.51 (31.80)       3:08.52 (32.01)
        3:40.33 (31.81)       4:12.63 (32.30)
        4:44.92 (32.29)       5:17.16 (32.24)
        5:49.53 (32.37)       6:21.99 (32.46)
        6:54.40 (32.41)       7:27.09 (32.69)
        7:59.03 (31.94)       8:30.87 (31.84)

USA’s Leah Smith (8:32.38), Australia’s Kareena Lee (8:39.47), Canada’s Tabitha Baumann (8:46.75), New Zealand’s Emma Robinson (8:49.80), China’s Chen Ziyi (9:06.04) and Canada’s Leonie Pamerleau (9:10.06) also competed this morning.

Women’s 200 fly

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. B ick

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. B ick

Team USA went 1-2-3 to demonstrate some top-flight depth this morning. Katie McLaughlin (2:08.02) and Cammile Adams (2:08.22) secured the top two spots in the A final, while Hali Flickinger will be the top seed in the B final with a third-place 2:08.33. McLaughlin’s time also beat the World Junior Record of 2:08.10 set by Natsuki Akiyama of Japan at the 2008 World Junior Championships.

Comparative Splits:

                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 MCLAUGHLIN, KAT  17 UNITED STATES     2:08.72    2:08.02   861  
    r:+0.72  28.74      1:01.86 (33.12)
        1:34.85 (32.99)     2:08.02 (33.17)
  2 ADAMS, CAMMILE   22 UNITED STATES     2:06.75    2:08.22   857  
    r:+0.78  29.14      1:01.77 (32.63)
        1:34.87 (33.10)     2:08.22 (33.35)
  3 FLICKINGER, HAL  20 UNITED STATES     2:08.77    2:08.33   855  
    r:+0.73  29.64      1:02.07 (32.43)
        1:34.83 (32.76)     2:08.33 (33.50)

Canada’s Audrey Lacroix (4th, 2:08.82), Japan’s Natsumi Hoshi (5th, 2:09.11), Japan’s Miyu Nakano (6th, 2:09.21), Venezuela’s Andreina Pinto (8th, 2:10.71), Canada’s Katerine Savard (10th, 2:11.77) and Australia’s Madeline Groves (12th, 2:13.24) will battle for the meet title in the A final.

Flickinger, Japan’s Sakiko Shimizu (7th, 2:09.66), New Zealand’s Samantha Lee (13th, 2:13.85), South Africa’s Vanessa Mohr (14th, 2:19.05) and Hong Kong’s Hang Yu Sze (2:21.64) will competed in the B final.

Men’s 200 fly

Photo Courtesy: Joao Marc Bosch

Photo Courtesy: Joao Marc Bosch

It took until the men’s 200 fly before an event was not dominated by the Australian and American contingents.  Japan’s Daiya Seto led the way with a time of 1:55.29, not far off his second-ranked 1:54.70 from the Monte Carlo stop of the Mare Nostrum.  Meanwhile, Brazil’s Leonardo De Deus tracked down second with a 1:55.33 to move to seventh in the world rankings.

Comparative Splits:

                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 SETO, DAIYA      20 JAPAN             1:54.70    1:55.29   904  
    r:+0.59  25.58        55.14 (29.56)
        1:24.65 (29.51)     1:55.29 (30.64)
  2 DE DEUS, LEONAR  23 BRAZIL            1:56.21    1:55.33   903  
    r:+0.64  25.90        55.12 (29.22)
        1:24.69 (29.57)     1:55.33 (30.64)

Japan’s Masato Sakai (1:55.52) and USA’s Tyler Clary (1:55.92) also broke 1:56 to take the third and fourth seeds.  Sakai already is fourth in the world with a 1:55.15 from the Japan Open, while Clary bettered his now eighth-ranked season best of 1:56.00.

USA’s Chase Kalisz also made the A final with a seventh-place 1:58.25, while Canada’s Mack Darragh (8th, 1:58.63), South Africa’s Michael Meyer (9th, 1:59.74) and Canada’s Gamal Assaad (10th, 2:03.12) also will vie for the Pan Pac title.

Japan’s Kenta Hirai (5th, 1:56.42), China’s Wei Haobo (11th, 2:05.10), Canada’s Coleman Allen (12th, 2:05.25) and Hong Kong’s David Wong (13th, 2:12.67) comprised the B final, while USA’s Tom Shields drew a disqualification for an illegal touch at the 100-meter turn.

Men’s 1500 free

Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott

Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott

USA’s Jordan Wilimovsky put up the time to beat in the men’s 1500 free timed finals with a 15:01.43 heading into the second of the two timed final heats tonight. Teammate Sean Ryan placed second in 15:03.82.

Comparative Splits:

  1 WILIMOVSKY, JOR  20 UNITED STATES    14:56.34   15:01.43   902  
    r:+0.67  28.20        58.46 (30.26)
        1:28.66 (30.20)     1:58.95 (30.29)
        2:29.23 (30.28)     2:59.70 (30.47)
        3:29.83 (30.13)     4:00.34 (30.51)
        4:30.65 (30.31)     5:01.15 (30.50)
        5:31.64 (30.49)     6:01.88 (30.24)
        6:32.05 (30.17)     7:02.16 (30.11)
        7:32.06 (29.90)     8:02.27 (30.21)
        8:32.36 (30.09)     9:02.40 (30.04)
        9:32.37 (29.97)    10:02.52 (30.15)
       10:32.83 (30.31)    11:03.03 (30.20)
       11:33.21 (30.18)    12:03.25 (30.04)
       12:33.02 (29.77)    13:03.20 (30.18)
       13:32.79 (29.59)    14:02.78 (29.99)
       14:32.35 (29.57)    15:01.43 (29.08)
  2 RYAN, SEAN       22 UNITED STATES    14:57.33   15:03.82   895  
    r:+0.73  28.47        58.57 (30.10)
        1:28.92 (30.35)     1:59.40 (30.48)
        2:29.81 (30.41)     3:00.42 (30.61)
        3:30.66 (30.24)     4:00.82 (30.16)
        4:30.94 (30.12)     5:01.41 (30.47)
        5:31.42 (30.01)     6:01.58 (30.16)
        6:31.77 (30.19)     7:01.84 (30.07)
        7:31.83 (29.99)     8:01.93 (30.10)
        8:31.90 (29.97)     9:01.84 (29.94)
        9:31.85 (30.01)    10:02.47 (30.62)
       10:32.75 (30.28)    11:03.16 (30.41)
       11:33.56 (30.40)    12:03.72 (30.16)
       12:33.84 (30.12)    13:04.26 (30.42)
       13:34.04 (29.78)    14:04.56 (30.52)
       14:34.45 (29.89)    15:03.82 (29.37)

USA’s Andrew Gemmell (15:11.92), Australia’s Jarrod Poort (15:23.39), Japan’s Shogo Takeda (15:25.40) and Canada’s Eric Hedlin (15:32.81) rounded out the rest of the first heat.

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