U.S. Nationals: 200 Freestyle Battles Kick Off Day 2 (Prelims Heat Sheet)
The Wednesday morning prelims session at U.S. Nationals will include qualifying races in the 200 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 backstroke and 50 butterfly. The five-day meet is being held at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.
Click here to view the full heat sheet.
The top three seeds in the women’s 200 free are all looking to build on standout performances on night one. Claire Weinstein overcame a huge deficit to finish second in the 800 free, a race won by Katie Ledecky, while Erin Gemmell swam a big personal best to finish fifth in the 100 free. Simone Manuel will swim next to Gemmell in heat six while next to Ledecky is Alex Shackell, attempting to bounce back from a fourth-place finish in the 200 fly.
Olympic bronze medalist and short course world champion Luke Hobson is the big favorite in the men’s 200 free, with Chris Guiliano racing one heat earlier while Kieran Smith and Carson Foster are both in the first circle-seeded heat.
Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh are the big favorites in the women’s 200 breast, with NCAA champion Lucy Bell next to Douglass in the final heat. In the men’s event, AJ Pouch is the top seed with Olympic finalist Josh Matheny holding down lane four one heat earlier.
The women’s 200 back sees Claire Curzan and Rhyan White in heat 5, Phoebe Bacon in heat 6 and Regan Smith next to teenager Audrey Derivaux in heat 7. In the men’s 200 back, watch out for Destin Lasco in an early heat before top seeds Keaton Jones and Jack Aikins go to work.
Finally, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske race in the final heat of the 50 fly, with Douglass up one heat earlier. Shaine Casas and 200 fly winner Luca Urlando are in the last heat of the men’s event, just after Michael Andrew and Thomas Heilman.
