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CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, May 16. THE third evening of long course meter swimming at the Charlotte UltraSwim featured a dominant sprint performance and a breakout star's third gold medal.
Fred Bousquet, the fastest sprinter on the planet right now, claimed the U.S. Open record in the men's 50 free, while Dagny Knutson of Minot demonstrated experience beyond her years with her third gold medal in two days of action.
On the Michael Phelps watch, the best swimmer on the planet sustained a loss in the 100 back against the specialist who has owned the race for nearly a decade in Aaron Peirsol. These types of losses might be just what Phelps needs to remain motivated after ascending to the summit of the sport with eight Olympic gold medals in Beijing.
Also of note, Victoria Poon shot down her Canadian record in the women's 50 free demonstrating just how internationally deep this stop of the USA Swimming Grand Prix circuit has become.
Women's 200 fly
Grand Prix points leader Mary DeScenza pocketed gold in the event with a top time of 2:09.25. Her time came within a second of her meet record of 2:08.10 from last year.
"It was a little bit tiring out there," DeScenza said. "Anytime under 2:10 is great for me. We're in pretty heavy training, and I'm just happy to be out there with the crowd behind us."
Adrienne Bicek of Express clinched second in 2:10.99, while North Baltimore's Felicia Lee claimed third in 2:11.14. Notably, Minot's Dagny Knutson finished fifth in 2:12.88 to add to a pair of golds last night.
(Click here to watch Mary DeScenza on The Morning Swim Show.)
Men's 200 fly
In a three-way dance for the title, Club Wolverine's Dan Madwed got his hand to the wall first with a time of 1:58.72. He touched out Tennessee's Davis Tarwater (1:58.74) by .02 seconds for an exciting finish. Brazil's Thiago Pereira was in it throughout the entire race until taking third in 1:59.75.
"We were just training in Colorado," Madwed said. "It is exciting to see where our training is at after altitude. Now we can breathe a little bit, so it is fun to see what we can do."
Tom Malchow's meet record of 1:55.18 set back in 2000 remained on the books.
Women's 50 free
After a delay in the meet due to some timing system issues, Swim Atlanta's Amanda Weir claimed the women's splash-and-dash title with a swift 25.32. She had to hold off a line of competitors as Club Natation's Victoria Poon took second in 25.42. Meanwhile, Julia Smit (25.43), Athens Bulldog Kara Lynn Joyce (25.44) and Tennessee's Michelle King (25.48) finished third through fifth.
"The breakout, if you get stuck under the water you are behind at the start," Weir said when asked about the most important part of a sprint. "I've really been working at breakouts in practice."
Poon's time of 25.42 set the Canadian record that she previously owned with a 25.47 set last year.
Notably, Tennessee's Christine Magnuson ripped off a 25.56 to win the consolation heat.
Men's 50 free
While Michael Phelps qualified for the championship final in eighth place, he scratched the sprint free event to focus on his 100 back swim later in the evening. World record holder Fred Bousquet didn't mind as he blazed by the field with a 21.33 for the U.S. Open record. That time cleared Garrett Weber-Gale's U.S. Open record of 21.47 set last summer.
"I am very happy I came here to swim," Bousquet said. "I came here three to four years ago, and had such a good memory. When I heard all my Auburn teammates were coming, [SwimMAC head coach] David Marsh was good enough to get me in even though I was late to register."
SwimMAC's Cullen Jones, who had the hometown crowd behind him, wound up taking second in 21.92. George Bovell claimed third in 22.01. All three swimmers obliterated Jones' meet mark of 22.33 set in 2008.
In the C final, Corney Swanepoel took a run at his national record in the 50 fly with a 23.68. He came up just short of his New Zealand standard of 23.46 set in April.
(Click here to watch Fred Bousquet on The Morning Swim Show.)
Women's 100 back
Bluefish's Elizabeth Beisel came up a bit short of the meet record, but wound up triumphant with a 1:01.62 in the event. She just missed Gemma Spofforth's 2008 standard of 2:01.09.
"I struggled the first 50, but we have been working on the back half," Beisel said after the swim. "I've been trying to negative split that last 50. It's been awesome to see everyone watching because Michael Phelps is back. It is great to see everyone getting fired up."
Mary DeScenza, who has been the busiest swimmer of the Grand Prix series, claimed second in 1:02.12. She kept piling onto her Grand Prix circuit tally. North Baltimore's Elizabeth Pelton finished third in 1:02.21.
Men's 100 back
In a star-studded finale, world record holder Aaron Peirsol reminded Michael Phelps just who owns this particular event. Peirsol, swimming for Longhorn, dropped the hammer down the stretch with a swift time of 53.32. Phelps, representing North Baltimore, took second in 53.79 as both backstroke stalwarts beat Ryan Lochte's meet record of 54.00. Lochte, meanwhile, took fourth behind North Baltimore's Nick Thoman, 54.76 to 55.13.
"I am very happy with that swim, it was a good time for this time of year," Peirsol said. "We are trying out all these new suits, and it's kind of bizarre. I wanted to win, but Phelps has been 53.00 before. Nick and Ryan are both good as well, so it was a tough field."
Peirsol, Phelps and Lochte each came into the meet as reigning Olympic gold medalists from Beijing.
"That was a decent time for me," Phelps said. "Aaron and I are always going to have that race. It is fun racing him."
Women's 200 breast
Bluefish's Laura Sogar snatched the title in 2:30.93 with Suburban's Corrie Clark placing second in 2:31.59. Tennessee's Martina Moravcikova completed the podium in 2:32.86.
"My entry time was several seconds faster than that, but it was still a good race," Sogar said. "Usually, I go out at almost my 100 time then bring it home."
Men's 200 breast
Eric Shanteau of Longhorn cleared his meet record from this morning by two seconds with a sterling time of 2:09.71 this evening. That time beat his prelim record of 2:11.73 and is his personal-best effort.
"I just came to do a best time, and that was my goal for this meet," Shanteau said. "I kind of always swim my races as a backhalf swimmer. When I hit the 100, a switch flips and it is time to get home."
SwimMAC's Mark Gangloff went out like a rocket with a 29.69 at the 50, but settled for second in 2:14.22. Swim Wales' Robert Holderness raced to third in 2:16.20.
(Click here to watch Eric Shanteau on The Morning Swim Show.)
Women's 400 free
Battling stroke for stroke down the final 50 meters, Minot's Dagny Knutson claimed her third gold of the meet as she stared down Katie Hoff to grab the touch-out victory, 4:09.60 to 4:09.72. Knutson's swims this meet have proven that her incredible fall wasn't a fluke last year.
"I came here to compete the best I can, that's what I always do," Knutson said. "[Swimming against Katie] prepares me to be ready for races like that down the road."
FLA Aquatics' Lauren Driscoll completed the top three in 4:15.29 with Julia Smit taking fourth in 4:15.41.
Men's 400 free
In what looked like a Club Wolverine training session with five of the eight finalists hailing from the Ann Arbor-based club, CW's leading swimmer Peter Vanderkaay put together a meet-record swim of 3:46.04. Not only did he blow away Ryan Lochte's meet mark of 3:49.25 from last year, he torched the field as well.
"I just wanted to swim an easy, even 400 and work on my stroke," Vanderkaay said. "That's a good swim. I am happy with it."
Teammate Tyler Clary touched second in 3:55.06 nearly 10 seconds back, while Matt Patton took third for CW in 3:55.88. Club Wolverine actually swept the top five spots with Charlie Houchin (3:55.95) and Adam DeJong (3:57.10) completing the club's domination of the event.
Women's 400 medley relay
The Canadians went 1-3 in the race with Club Natation's Stephanie Horner, Michelle Laprade, Victoria Poon and Genevieve Saumur winning in 4:11.48. Team Ontario's Andrea Jurenovskis, Amanda Reason, Paige Schultz and Hayley Nell took third in 4:12.84.
U.S.-based Bluefish's Elizabeth Beisel, Laura Sogar, Alex Forrester and Alex Frasier split the difference with a second-place effort of 4:12.68.
Men's 400 medley relay
Club Wolverine's A team of Tyler Clary, Jared Miller, Chris Brady and Peter Vanderkaay blitzed the men's medley relay with a meet-record time of 3:41.67. That time crushed the former record of 3:46.34 set by Club Wolverine back in 2006.
SwimMAC's Jared White, Mark Gangloff, Jordan Berry and Cullen Jones claimed second in 3:43.98, while Club Wolverine's C team of Charlie Houchin, Alex Vanderkaay, Matt Patton and Evan Ryser finished third in 3:48.93.
