Editorial content for the 2015 Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte is sponsored by Arena. For full Swimming World coverage, check out our coverage page.
Everything you need to follow along with prelims live during the Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte.
Women’s 200 free
Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu started the front end of a tough double with a strong win in the 200-meter free at the Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte.
Hosszu hit the wall in 1:55.89 to take the title, and vault from 12th in the world to fourth.
Only Femke Heemskerk (1:54.68), Sarah Sjostrom (1:55.75) and Emma McKeon (1:55.88) have been faster this year.
NBAC’s Allison Schmitt raced her way to second overall in a time of 1:57.24 to move into the top 15 in the world.
Melanie Margalis claimed third overall in a time of 1:58.22.
Cavalier’s Leah Smith (1:59.46), Bulldogs’ Hali Flickinger (2:00.03), Bulldogs’ Shannon Vreeland (2:00.32), Ontario’s Kennedy Goss (2:00.91) and SwimMAC’s Patricia Castro Ortega (2:01.02) also competed in the A final.
Cierra Runge took home the B final title in 2:00.58 with Becca Mann placing second in 2:00.90 in the consolation heat.
Men’s 200 free
Trojan’s Conor Dwyer claimed some ever-valuable podium points with a win in the men’s 200-meter free at the Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte.
Dwyer clocked a top time of 1:47.04 for the victory, moving to 13th in the world rankings with the swim.
Dion Dreesens overtook Marwan El Kamash, 1:47.47 to 1:47.73, as El Kamash had initially challenged Dwyer before Dreesens had just too much left in the tank down the stretch.
SwimMAC’s Ryan Lochte missed the podium with a fourth-place 1:48.35, while Club Wolverine’s Anders Lie Nielsen took fifth in 1:49.19.
Brazil’s Joao De Lucca (1:49.72), Club Wolverine’s Connor Jaeger (1:50.35) and Club Wolverine’s Michael Wynalda (1:52.05) closed out the top eight.
In a rare B final swim, NBAC’s Michael Phelps dominated the consolation heat with a time of 1:49.12. Tom Kremer took second in 1:50.19 with SwimMAC’s Tyler Clary earning third in 1:50.27.
Women’s 100 breast
SwimMAC’s Katie Meili set yet another lifetime best in the 100-meter breast with a win at the Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte.
Meili, who broke 1:07 for the first time this morning with a fourth-ranked time of 1:06.79, blasted her way to a sizzling 1:06.50 this evening.
That swim broke a tie with Alia Atkinson for fourth in the world, and put her in sole possession of the spot. Only Yuliya Efimova (1:05.89), Ruta Meilutyte (1:05.99) and Kanako Watanabe (1:06.45) have been faster.
Trojan’s Jessica Hardy turned up the heat with a time of 1:06.97 to claim second and stand sixth in the world rankings. SwimMAC’s Micah Lawrence snared third in 1:07.42.
Atkinson wound up in fourth in 1:07.99.
Melanie Margalis (1:08.38), Newburgh’s Lilly King (1:09.08), Tennessee’s Molly Hannis (1:09.77) and BlueFish’s Laura Sogar (1:10.03) put up the rest of the times in the finale.
Meanwhile, Breeja Larson held off a hard-charging Andee Cottrell, 1:08.72 to 1:09.17, for the B final win.
Men’s 100 breast
Badgers’ Cody Miller clipped Richard Funk for the men’s 100-meter breaststroke title at the Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte this evening.
Miller hit the wall in a time of 1:01.04 for the win, while Funk took second overall in 1:01.09.
Brazil’s Felipe Lima, who is ranked fourth in the world with a 59.78 from the Maria Lenk Trophy meet, settled for a bronze in 1:01.34.
California’s Josh Prenot (1:01.62), SoFlo’s Jorge Murillo Valdes (1:02.02), Bulldogs’ Nic Fink (1:02.12), Tennessee’s Brad Craig (1:02.15) and Louisville’s Carlos Claverie (1:02.18) comprised the rest of the championship field.
Penn Charter’s Reece Whitley took a run at the 15-16 U.S. National Age Group record as the 15-year-old clocked a 1:01.86 to win the B final. That swim fell just short of the 1:01.67 set by Michael Andrew earlier this year.
Women’s 50 back
Olympic gold medalist Kirsty Coventry broke her own Zimbabwe record in the women’s 50-meter back at the Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte.
Coventry turned in a time of 28.23, crushing her previous mark of 28.86 set as a split during the semifinals of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Her swim pushed her to 12th in the world rankings.
Ali Deloof took home second-place honors in the sprint back with a time of 28.57, while Olivia Smoliga wound up third in 28.64.
Kathleen Baker (28.92), Dominique Bouchard (28.94), Clara Smiddy (29.03), Hellen Moffitt (29.05) and Danielle Hanus (32.96) put up the rest of the top times in the A final.
Ontario’s Emma Ball touched out teammate Kylie Masse, 28.85 to 28.86, for the B final win.
Men’s 50 back
Junya Koga cranked out a win in the men’s 50-meter back at the Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte.
Koga, who moved to third in the world with a 24.74 this morning, posted a 24.75 to win this evening. That matches the 24.75 he clocked at the Japanese Nationals earlier this year in Tokyo.
NYAC’s David Plummer tied Club Wolverine’s Miguel Luis Ortiz for second with matching 25.31s.
NCAC’s Nic Graesser finished fourth in 25.56 with Brazil’s Guilherme Guido earning fifth in 25.82. Auburn’s Kyle Darmody (25.96), Auburn’s Joe Patching (25.96) and Ontario’s Jeff Swanston (26.18) also competed in the finale.
Canada’s Javier Acevedo posted a 25.82 to win the B final.
Women’s 100 fly
Louisville’s Kelsi Worrell used a monster backhalf to chase down Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace in the women’s 100-meter fly finale at the Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte.
Vanderpool-Wallace went out hard, but could not withstand Worrell’s final charge as Worrell won, 58.86 to 58.87, in a close battle.
Western Kentucky’s Claire Donahue placed third tonight with a time of 59.32, while NCAP’s Cassidy Bayer took fourth in 59.41.
Kentucky’s Christina Bechtel (59.41), Makos’ Amanda Kendall (1:00.11), SwimMAC’s Kate Mills (1:00.17) and NCAC’s Hellen Moffitt (1:00.46) placed fifth through eighth.
SwimMAC’s Cammile Adams cruised her way to victory in the B final with a time of 1:00.28.
Men’s 100 fly
California’s Tom Shields overcame a star-studded finale to win the men’s 100-meter fly at the Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte.
Shields, who has had to withdraw from some events throughout the past year intermittently due to some illnesses, looks to be back into healthy form as he claimed the A final in 52.12.
SwimMAC’s Ryan Lochte touched out NBAC’s Michael Phelps in a battle of the titans, 52.52. to 52.59.
NCAP’s Andrew Seliskar finished fourth in 52.88.
SwimMAC’s Matt Josa (53.00), Venezuela’s Albert Subirats (53.18), Jack Conger (53.38) and Canada’s Santo Condorelli (54.13) claimed fifth through eighth.
Arthur Mendes edged Eugene Godsoe, 53.50 to 53.54, for the B final win, while Tim Phillips wound up third in 53.57.
Women’s 400 IM
Iron Lady Katinka Hosszu doubled up with a triumph in the women’s 400-meter IM at the Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte.
Hosszu checked in with a time of 4:35.19 this evening, bettering her preliminary time of 4:35.76 as the third-best effort in the world.
Only Hannah Miley (4:32.15) and Aimee Willmott (4:33.66) have been faster this year across the globe.
California’s Caitlin Leverenz raced her way to second-place points with a time of 4:39.46, while SwimMAC’s Cammile Adams collected a paycheck with a third-place 4:43.38.
NBAC’s Becca Mann (4:43.67), Canada’s Emily Overholt (4:44.14), SwimMAC’s Kate Mills (4:46.09), Bulldogs’ Hali Flickinger (4:49.94) and Louisville’s Tanja Kylliainen (4:51.84) rounded out the top eight.
Bulldogs’ Emily Cameron managed to win the B final of the distance medley in a time of 4:46.83.
Men’s 400 IM
NBAC’s Chase Kalisz crushed the field in the men’s 400-meter IM at the Arena Pro Swim Series.
Kalisz, who is headed to Tempe to train with Bob Bowman as part of an Olympic redshirt from Georgia, won in 4:14.56 tonight. That swim vaulted him to 12th in the world rankings.
Dynamo’s Jay Litherland hit the wall second in 4:19.59 with California’s Josh Prenot placing third in 4:19.63.
Ioannis Drymonakos (4:20.26), NCAP’s Andrew Seliskar (4:21.92), Jonathan Roberts (4:22.32), SwimMAC’s Tyler Clary (4:26.06) and Dynamo’s Gunnar Bentz (4:26.58) placed fourth through eighth.
Michael Weiss of Wisconsin led wire-to-wire to top the B final in 4:23.72.
SCHEDULED EVENTS
- Women’s 200 free
- Men’s 200 free
- Women’s 100 breast
- Men’s 100 breast
- Women’s 50 back
- Men’s 50 back
- Women’s 100 fly
- Men’s 100 fly
- Women’s 400 IM
- Men’s 400 IM