2015 Arena Pro Swim Series Mesa: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap
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Women’s 200 fly
Katinka Hosszu, fresh off a 400-meter IM and silver in the 200-meter free last night, put up the top time in the morning in the 200-meter fly.
Hosszu clocked a time of 2:10.67, a couple seconds off her 12th-ranked season best of 2:08.66 from the Golden Tour stop in Marseilles.
SwimMAC’s Cammile Adams, who already has a sixth-ranked season best of 2:07.61 from the BHP Super Series in January, threw down a 2:11.00 to earn the second seed.
Mission Viejo’s Katie McLaughlin picked up the third seed in 2:12.30 with Louisville’s Kelsi Worrell making the A final with a fourth-seeded 2:13.75. Worrell is still working herself into shape in the 200-meter fly, even though she’s a dynamo in the 200-yard event.
That’s actually a big personal best for Worrell, down from her previous mark of 2:15.04 from the Charlotte stop of the 2013 Arena Grand Prix.
California’s Caitlin Leverenz (2:14.38), Stanford’s Maya DiRado (2:15.00), Hannah Saiz (2:15.07) and Gator’s Elizabeth Beisel (2:15.43) rounded out the top eight.
Men’s 200 fly
The morning after taking home the 400-meter IM title, a sick Tyler Clary continued to grind swims out with a top seed in the men’s 200-meter fly.
Clary turned in a time of 2:01.42 for the top seed this morning. That’s well off the top times in the world, with Chad le Clos currently standing 10th with a 1:56.13. But, it was enough to get Clary into the center lane.
Mission Viejo’s Grant Shoults touched just behind with a second-seeded 2:01.43 with Louis Croenen clocking a third-seeded 2:01.88 to also clear 2:02.
Phoenix’s Alex Coci (2:02.17), Scarlet’s Jonathan Gomez (2:02.20), Arizona Gold’s Mark Jurek (2:02.36), Andres Felipe Montoya (2:02.40) and NBAC’s Tom Luchsinger (2:02.53) also earned their way into the championship heat.
Women’s 50 free
The women’s 50-meter free finale is stacked tonight with some serious speed after a swift morning qualifying session.
SwimMAC’s Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace vaulted to seventh in the world rankings with a sizzling time of 24.72 – the only 24 of the morning. That’s better than her previous 12th-ranked best of 24.85 from the Orlando stop of the Arena Pro Swim Series.
Canyons’ Abbey Weitzel raced her way to the second seed in 25.32 with California’s Natalie Coughlin making her way to the meet with a third-seeded 25.34 after taking the first two days off.
Stanford’s Simone Manuel checked in fourth with a 25.38, while Tucson Ford’s Margo Geer qualified fifth in 25.59.
SwimAtlanta’s Amanda Weir (25.71), SMU’s Isabella Arcila (25.73) and SwimMAC’s Katie Meili (25.84) also cleared 26 seconds en route to making the championship finale.
Me’s 50 free
There’s the potential for a really fast finale tonight in the men’s 50-meter free.
Jasper Aerents put up the top time with a 22.44, and is within striking distance of the top 10 in the world currently anchored by Josh Schneider with a 22.12 at the BHP Super Series as well as Luca Dotto with a 22.12 at the Italian Nationals.
Schneider, meanwhile, qualified second today in 22.70 with Renzo Tjon A Joe earning the third seed in 22.81.
SwimMAC’s Cullen Jones, the veteran of the bunch at 31, earned the fourth seed in 22.94.
Grand Canyon’s Marcus Schlesinger (23.06), Badger’s Derek Toomey (23.11), Grand Canyon’s Mazen El Kamash (23.15) and Phoenix’s Erik Risolvato (23.16) also made the A final.
Women’s 100 back
The Iron Lady was at it again as Katinka Hosszu claimed her second top seed of the day.
Hosszu touched out two-time Olympic gold medalist Kirsty Coventry in the final heat, 1:01.34 to 1:01.44, as those two will be the top seeds heading into the finale.
They have some time to drop to get into the top 10 in the world, currently anchored by a pair of 1:00.20s from Dominique Bouchard and Natalie Coughlin.
Carolina Colorado claimed the third seed nearly a second back with a 1:02.27, while Courtney Bartholomew earned the fourth seed in 1:02.39.
Grand Canyon’s Iryna Glavnyk (1:02.45), SwimFlorida’s Kira Toussaint (1:02.86), Stanford’s Maya DiRado (1:02.96) and Tucson Ford’s Bonnie Brandon (1:03.21) comprised the rest of the championship field.
Men’s 100 back
NYAC’s David Plummer produced the only 54-second swim of the morning to top qualifying in the 100-meter back.
Plummer clocked a time of 54.73, which is well back of the 53.77 currently held by 10th-ranked swimmer Ben Treffers of Australia. Plummer will have to drop a second to get into contention for that level of time.
NYAC’s Arkady Vyatchanin, now swimming for Serbia, qualified second in 55.01 with Tucson Ford’s Matt Grevers posted a third-seeded 55.63. Grevers has been a lot faster this year with a fourth-ranked 53.27 from the Austin stop of the Arena Pro Swim Series.
SwimMAC’s Ryan Lochte hit the wall fourth this morning with a 55.67, while California’s Jacob Pebley posted a fifth-seeded 55.93.
Palo Alto’s Eugene Godsoe (56.34), Luis Rojas (56.59) and California’s Marcin Tarczynski (56.79) made up the rest of the top eight.
Women’s 200 breast
SwimMAC proved to have a strong event as its Team Elite went 1-2 in preliminary qualifying in the 200 breast.
Micah Lawrence, still bouncing back from a leg injury sustained in Australia, put up the top time of the morning in 2:28.37. That’s still four seconds back of the top 10 in the world anchored by Jessica Vall’s 2:24.12 from the Marseilles stop of the Golden Tour, but was enough to lead prelims today.
Her teammate, Katie Meili, who blasted a lifetime best in the 100 breast for the win last night, qualified second in 2:29.85. Hometown girl Breeja Larson qualified third in 2:30.74.
Hurricane’s Katie Hoff, who had recently been focusing on the 200 free, turned in a fourth-seeded breaststroke time with a 2:31.10 to make the A final.
Tucson Ford’s Emma Schoettmer (2:31.67), Minnesota’s Haley Spencer (2:32.75), Louisville’s Andee Cottrell (2:34.62) and Badger’s Emily McClellan (2:35.75) claimed the rest of the transfer spots into the championship finale.
Men’s 200 breast
The men’s breaststroke is going to be filled with an international field yet again here in Mesa.
Louisville’s Carlos Claverie led the way with a 2:16.67, while Carl Mickelson took second in 2:17.81.
Palo Alto’s BJ Johnson qualified third in 2:18.06 with SoFlo’s Jorge Murillo Valdes earning fourth in 2:18.13.
Carlos Mahecha (2:18.27), Grand Canyon’s Youssef El Kamash (2:18.93), Uldis Tazans (2:18.98) and Sean Mahoney (2:19.02) will also compete in the championship finale.
Women’s 400 free
Katie Ledecky unleashed in the women’s 400-meter free with a blistering time of 4:02.67.
That’s Ledecky’s sixth fastest time all time, and put her within striking distance of her world-best time of 4:00.47 from the Austin stop of the Arena Pro Swim Series. That swim also stands as her in-season best in the event as the rest of her top championship times are all under 4:00 with a total of four such outings.
NBAC’s Lotte Friis qualified second today in 4:11.87 and will be fighting for second-place honors tonight unless Ledecky gets sick. That’s how dominant Ledecky is at this point in her career.
Katinka Hosszu, swimming her third event of the day, still managed to pick up the third seed in 4:14.36 after earning the top seeds in the 200 fly and 100 back earlier in the day.
Vien Nguyen (4:15.25), NBAC’s Allison Schmitt (4:15.72), Chile’s Kristel Kobrich (4:15.98), Gator’s Elizabeth Beisel (4:18.52) and Fish’s Madelyn Donohoe (4:19.74) put up the rest of the top eight times to make the finale.
Men’s 400 free
The Woodlands’ Michael McBroom put up the top time in prelims with a time of 3:53.85, well ahead of the rest of the field.
SwimMAC’s Tyler Clary, still managing a difficult slate, qualified second in 3:55.58. Trojan’s Conor Dwyer picked up third in 3:55.78 as Clary and Dwyer are still battling in the overall series points.
Club Wolverine’s Michael Klueh qualified fourth in 3:55.92 with Louisville’s Marcelo Acosta turned in a fifth-seeded 3:56.46.
Dion Dreesens (3:57.71), NBAC’s Frank Dyer (3:57.94) and Lander Hendrickx (3:58.88) rounded out the top eight.
SwimMAC’s Ryan Lochte picked up 11th with a 3:59.91, while Michael Phelps qualified 17th in 4:02.67 but decided to scratch the C final spot immediately after the session.
Ironically, Phelps’ time tied Ledecky’s 400-meter free top seed.
SCHEDULED EVENTS
- Women’s 200 fly
- Men’s 200 fly
- Women’s 50 free
- Men’s 50 free
- Women’s 100 back
- Men’s 100 back
- Women’s 200 breast
- Men’s 200 breast
- Women’s 400 free
- Men’s 400 free
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