Ryan Murphy, Katie Ledecky Among Big Names For TYR Pro Series – Knoxville; Penny Oleksiak Set to Race (See Psych Sheets)

Ryan Murphy United States of America celebrates after winning the gold medal in the 100m Backstroke Men Final during the FINA Swimming Short Course World Championships at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre in Melbourne, Australia, December 14th, 2022. Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Ryan Murphy, Katie Ledecky Among Big Names For TYR Pro Series – Knoxville (See Psych Sheets)

The first stop of the TYR Pro Series for the new year will take place next week when USA Swimming brings some of its top talent to the Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. The long-course competition will serve as an early marker for 2023, which will be headlined by the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

Ryan Murphy and Katie Ledecky are two of the leading names expected to see action, with Murphy coming off a sweep of the backstroke events at the World Short Course Championships in December. Murphy totaled six medals at the World Champs in Melbourne, with his three individual titles complemented by two golds and a silver in relay competition.

Ledecky enters the new year coming off a superb 2022 campaign, one that featured three victories at the World Championships in Budapest. Ledecky also established short-course world records in the 800 freestyle and 1500 freestyle during the World Cup circuit. Knoxville will serve as one of Ledecky’s prep meets for the season, which is likely to feature a World Championships battle with Australian Ariarne Titmus and Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh in the 400 freestyle.

Regan Smith is also on the psych sheets for Knoxville, the world-record holder in the 200 backstroke now training in Arizona. Smith is not entered in the backstroke events, but is set to race the 200 butterfly and see some freestyle action. She will be joined on deck by Canadian Penny Oleksiak, the 2016 Olympic co-champion in the 100 freestyle.

In addition to Murphy and Ledecky, the Knoxville meet is also expected to include two-time Olympic champion Bobby Finke and Bella Sims and Katie Grimes of the Sandpipers, both of whom recently starred at the Winter Junior Nationals-West with several elite performances. Other top names slated to race in Tennessee include Kieran Smith and Chase Kalisz, who have been steady keys for Team USA on the international stage.

Here is a look at the pre-scratch psych sheets.

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Janice Ramer

1 year ago

Any word on Caleb Dressel?