Santa Clara International Invitational: Meagan Nay Crushes 200 Back; Stephanie Rice Moves Into Top Five in 400 IM

SANTA CLARA, California, June 18. THE Santa Clara International Invitational continued rolling with a third day of long course meter racing. The swimmers in attendance put on a show with world-ranked efforts going up on the board in nearly every event.

Australia's Meagan Nay smoked the women's 200 back with a top time of 2:07.16. That performance skyrocketed her to second in the world behind only Belinda Hocking (2:06.88). Nay nearly cut a full second from her previously sixth-ranked season best of 2:08.08 from April. NBAC's Elizabeth Pelton checked in with a second-place 2:09.07 to leapfrog Femke Heemskerk (2:09.14) for 11th in the world rankings. Colorado Stars' Missy Franklin, the overall Grand Prix standings leader, earned her second podium of the night with a third-place 2:09.88. Franklin's best time this year is a now sixth-ranked 2:07.96 from March. Franklin also finished third in the 200 free earlier in the night as detailed below.

Australia's Stephanie Rice opened up the evening with a winning time of 4:36.52 in the women's 400 IM. That swim moved her to fourth in the world rankings behind only Mireia Belmonte (4:34.91), Li Xuanxu (4:35.73) and Hannah Miley (4:35.89). Her previous best had been a 4:38.61 set in Australia in April. Stanford's Madeline DiRado posted the second-place swim with a time of 4:40.90 for 16th in the world rankings. DiRado now stands third in the U.S. this year behind Julia Smit (4:38.83) and Caitlin Leverenz (4:40.71). Notably, Smit wound up ninth tonight in 4:46.29. SwimAtlanta's Jana Mangimelli finished third overall tonight in 4:41.23 for 17th in the world. Stanford's Andie Taylor wound up fourth in 4:42.71 to crack the top 25 in the world rankings.

Trojan's Thiago Pereira snared the men's 400 IM title in 4:15.89. Pereira's top time this year is a fifth-ranked effort of 4:12.52. Daytona Beach's Ryan Lochte finished second in 4:17.76, but should be looking towards a much swifter time at the World Championships next week when he begins to taper. NBAC's Chase Kalisz completed the podium with a third-place 4:19.15.

In an exciting finish involving three swimmers in the 1:57s, NBAC's Allison Schmitt stopped the clock in 1:57.31 for the win. That performance moved her to ninth in the world rankings, bettering her previously 19th-ranked season best of 1:58.18. Australia's Bronte Barratt finished second in 1:57.48, more than a second off her second-ranked season best of 1:55.74 set in April. Franklin wound up third overall in 1:57.77, just off her now 15th-ranked season best of 1:57.66.

South Korea's Tae Hwan Park cruised into fourth in the world rankings in the men's 200 free with a time of 1:45.92, downing the meet record of 1:46.24 set by Peter Vanderkaay in 2008. Only Sun Yang (1:44.99), Yannick Agnel (1:45.47) and Paul Biedermann (1:45.72) have been faster this year. Park has now won three titles at the Santa Clara meet so far this weekend. Australia's Ryan Napoleon took second in 1:48.71, off his 14th-ranked season best of 1:47.68. Trojan's Dominik Meichtry snared third overall tonight in 1:48.72. Meichtry has also been faster this year with a 21st-ranked 1:47.93.

In his only swim of the evening, NBAC's Michael Phelps turned in a 1:57.05 to win the men's 200 back and move into the top five in the world this year. Ryosuke Irie (1:54.08), Zhang Fenglin (1:56.34), Tyler Clary (1:56.61) and Radoslaw Kawecki (1:56.90) hold the top five times in the event this year. Australia's Mitchell Larkin touched a distant second in 2:00.30, while Matt Swanston placed third in 2:00.54.

Madison Kennedy topped the women's 50 free with a triumphant time of 25.23. Tucson Ford's Lara Jackson picked up second with a close-call finish of 25.27, while SwimAtlanta's Amanda Weir snagged third in 25.50. California's William Copeland followed in the men's 50 free with a winning 22.69. Stanford's Alex Coville placed second in 22.81, while SwimMAC's Josh Schneider claimed third in 22.92.

Additionally, in a pair of 50 breast showdowns to end the individual swims of the night, Trojan's Jessica Hardy posted a 30.43 for the women's win, while Longhorn's Brendan Hansen clocked a 28.65 to win among the men.

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