{"id":324752,"date":"2018-08-09T03:09:28","date_gmt":"2018-08-09T10:09:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=324752"},"modified":"2018-08-09T11:44:10","modified_gmt":"2018-08-09T18:44:10","slug":"jordan-wilimovsky-zane-grothe-lead-usa-1-2-in-mens-1500","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/jordan-wilimovsky-zane-grothe-lead-usa-1-2-in-mens-1500\/","title":{"rendered":"Jordan Wilimovsky, Zane Grothe Lead USA 1-2 in Men’s 1500"},"content":{"rendered":"

The United States has not been a historically great nation in the men’s 1500, but on the first night of the 2018 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo, the Americans had three swimmers break 14:50 in the men’s 1500.\u00a0Jordan Wilimovsky\u00a0<\/strong>won the battle of attrition with fellow American\u00a0Robert Finke\u00a0<\/strong>and pre-race favorite\u00a0Jack McLoughlin\u00a0<\/strong>of Australia.<\/p>\n

Wilimovsky grinded his way to a gold medal at 14:46.93. Finke finished in second in the final with a 14:48.70, but it was not fast enough to surpass\u00a0Zane Grothe<\/strong>, who swam a 14:48.40 in the earlier heats. Grothe will end up with the silver medal and McLoughlin (14:55.92) will get the bronze medal. It is the first time Grothe has broken 15 minutes in the event.<\/p>\n

This is the first time in quite a while that the United States had three swimmers break 14:50 in the men’s 1500. It is the first time since 2008 when\u00a0Peter Vanderkaay\u00a0<\/strong>(14:45.54),\u00a0Larsen Jensen\u00a0<\/strong>(14:48.16)\u00a0and\u00a0Erik Vendt\u00a0<\/strong>(14:46.78)\u00a0were the stars of distance swimming.<\/p>\n

Wilimovsky moved up to fourth in the world rankings with his time as Germany’s\u00a0Florian Wellbrock\u00a0<\/strong>is still on top with his 14:36.15 from European Championships earlier this week.<\/p>\n

Grothe is now sixth in the world rankings while Finke is eighth.<\/p>\n

Brazil’s\u00a0Guilherme Costa\u00a0<\/strong>(15:03.40), Japan’s\u00a0Shogo Takeda\u00a0<\/strong>(15:05.81), Canada’s\u00a0Eric Hedlin\u00a0<\/strong>(15:07.18), Japan’s\u00a0Kohei Yamamota\u00a0<\/strong>(15:18.71) and Canada’s\u00a0Peter Brothers\u00a0<\/strong>(15:41.63) also competed in the night heat.<\/p>\n

American\u00a0Michael Brinegar\u00a0<\/strong>was also faster this morning with his 15:07.04 in the earlier heats.<\/p>\n

2018 World Rankings:<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Florian Wellbrock<\/strong>, GER, 14:36.15<\/li>\n
  2. Mykhailo Romanchuk<\/strong>, UKR, 14:36.88<\/li>\n
  3. Gregorio Paltrinieri<\/strong>, ITA, 14:42.85<\/li>\n
  4. Jordan Wilimovsky<\/strong>, USA, 14:46.93<\/em><\/li>\n
  5. Jack McLoughlin<\/strong>, AUS, 14:47.09<\/li>\n
  6. Zane Grothe<\/strong>, USA, 14:48.40<\/em><\/li>\n
  7. Daniel Jervis<\/strong>, GBR, 14:48.67<\/li>\n
  8. Robert Finke<\/strong>, USA, 14:48.70<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \"1500-free-men\"

    Photo Courtesy:<\/p><\/div>\n