U.S. Nationals, Day 1 Prelims: Regan Smith Serves Leading 200 Fly
Tuesday morning brings the beginning of U.S. Nationals at the IU Natatorium, a five-day competition to select teams for this summer’s World Aquatics Championships and other international events.
The first morning session is on the light side, with just four events before distance in augmenting the program in the evening. It started with a quick time for Regan Smith in the 200 fly, an event in which the Olympic medalist entered holding the fastest seed by more than two seconds.
Action from the morning:
The Tuesday evening session will start at 4 p.m. with heats of the women’s 800 free and the men’s 1,500 free. That session ends at 5:45 p.m., with the evening finals starting at 7 p.m., including the fastest heat of those two distance events.
Women’s 200 butterfly
The question in the 200 fly this week is mainly, who else? Regan Smith, the Olympic silver medalist, is the clear front runner, having gone 2:03. She went 2:06.25 to coast to the top seed in the morning.
But the second spot is open and up for the taking, mainly by swimmers aged 20 and younger. Caroline Bricker, coming off a tremendous college season, was second in prelims at 2:07.37. Tess Howley grabbed the third seed in 2:08.22. Alex Shackell, an Olympic finalist in Paris with the home-state edge, is the fourth seed in the final at 2:08.47, while teen Audrey Derivaux was fifth in 2:09.15.
Men’s 200 butterfly
Zero men made the Olympic final in Paris in the 200 fly, a shocking fall from grace for the nation of Michael Phelps. The crew looking to rectify that is off to a quick start in what should be a knock-down, drag-out final.
The eight finalists were separated by 1.29 seconds Tuesday morning, with the top seven clustered within 0.94. At the bottom of that top seven was the highest-finishing man from Paris, Thomas Heilman, in 1:55.51. If he’s to get to Singapore, he’ll have to do it from an outside lane tonight.
His fellow Olympian Luca Urlando led the way in 1:54.47. He was three tenths up on Gabriel Jett and four tenths ahead of Mason Laur. Carson Foster started his busy week by finishing fourth in 1:55.11. Jack Dahlgren, Trenton Julian and Mitchell Schott round out the top eight, with all having a chance in the final. That leaves no room for Aaron Shackell, who finished 10th.
Women’s 100 freestyle
Gretchen Walsh is the clear favorite, but the women’s 100 free will be a battle. Just to get to the A final, Tuesday showed.
Walsh set the pace in 52.99, a time that is within a half-second of Simone Manuel’s U.S. Open Record. At the other end of the final, a swim-off is required for the eighth and final lane, with Claire Curzan and Maxine Parker each going 54.00.
Olympic silver medalist Torri Huske finished second in prelims in 53.32. She’s followed by Kate Douglass in 53.51 and a tie between Manuel and Erin Gemmell. Anna Moesch and Claire Weinstein delivered 53s to make the finals.
Among the B finalists is Rylee Erisman in 10th, Anna Peplowski in 12th and Bella Sims in 15th.
The swimmers opted for a 50 free swim-off, with Parker going 24.67 to edge Curzan’s 24.74.
Men’s 100 freestyle
Jack Alexy enlivened the crowd with a U.S. Open record of 46.99, lowering his mark from prelims of Olympic Trials in this city a year ago. Read all about the historical significance of that here.
Behind Alexy, Destin Lasco is the second seed in finals in 47.82. he was .02 up on Jonny Kulow and .05 up on Patrick Sammon. Paris Olympian Chris Guiliano finished fifth in 47.96.
The final also includes veterans Henry McFadden, Grant House and Shaine Casas.
Missing out are Brooks Curry, who was .09 behind Casas, and relay stalwart Kieran Smith. Luke Hobson fell shy of his bid to get a place on the 400 free relay, going 48.83 to 12th.
