TYR Pro Swim Series Fort Lauderdale Day 3 Women’s Finals: Katie Ledecky Wins Second Event of Double

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

The 2023 TYR Pro Swim Series stop in Fort Lauderdale continued with the Day 3 finals from Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center at the site of the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF).

The events of the evening are the 200 freestyle, 50 breaststroke, 50 butterfly, 200 backstroke and 400 IM.

The meet will run the B finals, followed by the A finals in each events. Following that will be all the C finals in a row.

Here is a look at each event on Day 3:

Women’s 200 Freestyle

The clash between Katie Ledecky and Summer McIntosh has been expected and highly anticipated. Both swimmers are doing some different events at this meet, so are not squaring off head-to-head in a bunch of events as in some previous meets.

Day 3 of the TYR Pro Swim Series finals started with this showdown.

McIntosh was much faster in the prelims, going a 1:55.05, while Ledecky was at 1:57.13.

The final was stacked with six Olympians and two more national team members.

McIntosh was much faster in the prelims, going a 1:55.05, while Ledecky was at 1:57.13.

The final was stacked with six Olympians and two more national team members.

McIntosh led at the 50 free and the 100 with Ledecky right with her. She had a huge final turn and began to pull away from Ledecky.

McIntosh finished in 1:54.13 to break the world junior record, U.S. Open.

Ledecky was just behind in 1:54.96.

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey took third in 1:55.53, followed by Regan Smith (1:58.14), Bella Sims (1:58.24), Ella Jansen (1:58.30), Leah Smith (1:58.41) and Claire Weinstein (1:59.12).

Women’s 50 Breaststroke

Lilly King pulled ahead early and hung on to win the 50 breast in 30.04, the fastest in the world this year.

Great Britain’s Imogen Clark finished second in 30.49.

Siobhan Haughey, fresh off third in 200 free minutes ago, was third in 31.21.

Women’s 50 Butterfly

In an event full of ties, Abbey Weitzeil and Emily Beckmann tied to win the 50 fly in 26.27.

Katerine Savard and Natalie Hinds also tied for third at 26.68.

For Weitzeil, it is her second win in as man days, taking the 100 free on Thursday.

“The tie is funny. It is definitely an event I don’t do very much, so it is really fun for me to do a different event. I don’t have to think through the race as much as I would,” Weitzeil said. “I just get to go and have fun, figure it out as I go, and I was happy to tie for the win. I don’t really train butterfly, but if I keep getting better at it, I will probably have to start training it.”

Women’s 200 Backstroke

Regan Smith led from start to finish and dominated the 200 backstroke. She touched the wall in 2:05.34, four seconds ahead of the field.

“This morning I really just tried to make it pretty and have good technique. Tonight, I wanted to do the same thing but have some urgency to it,” Smith said. “I think I executed it really well. I am feeling psyched about today. I was a little bummed about last night, but I gave it my all. I am just a lot happier (at ASU). I wasn’t my best self. This move has been so good for me mentally and physically.”

Sandpipers’ Katie Grimes was second (2:09.53), followed by Erika Palaez (2:11.67) and Olivia Smoliga (2:12.15).

Women’s 400 IM

After finishing second in the 200 free, Katie Ledecky put together a strong double and crushed the field in the 400 IM at the TYR Pro Swim Series.

Ledecky took the lead at the 150 mark and never relinquished it to get to the wall in 4:36.04, nearly seven seconds ahead of the field.

“It was a long day – a good day. I was happy with the 200 free. I can’t complain about a 1:54 right now. It was a great race with Summer and Siobhan and the whole heat,” Ledecky said. “The 400 IM was good. I was a couple hundredths faster than Knoxville. I was really happy with that.”

Canada’s Ella Jansen was second (4:43.32), followed by Tess Cieplucha (4:44.92), Bailey Andison (4:46.66) and Claire Weinstein (4:48.06).

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