Editorial content for the 2015 Arena Pro Swim Series Mesa is sponsored by Arena. For full Swimming World coverage, check out our coverage page
The final morning of competition at the Arena Pro Swim Series Mesa featured plenty of the top stars all in action, even though they all are clearly in the midst of some heavy training.
Women’s 200-meter IM
She might be battling a stomach illness, but Katinka Hosszu is still following through on her Iron Lady persona by swimming anything and everything.
After winning the 100-meter back last night and the 400-meter IM on night two, Hosszu qualified first in the 200-meter IM this morning with a 2:13.28. Her best this year is a third-ranked 2:10.36 from the Speedo Flanders Cup. She likely won’t challenge that, but she could dip into the 2:11 range tonight.
California’s Caitlin Leverenz qualified second in 2:14.34 and is working on closing the gap between her and series points leader Elizabeth Beisel. Stanford’s Maya DiRado earned third this morning with a time of 2:14.92.
SwimMAC’s Kirsty Coventry (2:15.36), Hurricane’s Katie Hoff (2:15.37), Louisville’s Tanja Kylliainen (2:16.73), Mission Viejo’s Katie McLaughlin (2:18.02) and Vien Nguyen (2:18.96) comprised the rest of the championship field.
Men’s 200 IM
SwimMAC’s Ryan Lochte paced a loaded championship field in the men’s 200-meter IM qualifying heats.
Lochte put up a time of 2:01.03 for the top seed. That’s well off his eighth-ranked season best of 1:58.57 from the BHP Super Series, but this meet has already been established as being somewhat slow compared to the rest of the world at this point in the season with other countries currently holding national championships.
Conor Dwyer, the series points leader, will look to add to that lead with a second-seeded 2:02.20. Uvis Kalnins grabbed the third seed in 2:02.91.
Matt Josa, the Queens of Charlotte wonder, picked up a bit of a big win in his heat as he touched out Michael Phelps, 2:04.14 to 2:04.16, as the two qualified fourth and fifth into the finale.
SwimMAC’s Marko Blazevski (2:05.36), Louisville’s Carlos Claverie (2:05.90) and NBAC’s Austin Surhoff (2:06.17) also made their way into the A final.
Women’s 200 back
Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu collected her second top seed of the morning with a 2:11.79 in the 200-meter back.
If Hosszu has managed to shake off her stomach issues from yesterday, she could be in for a big night.
SwimMAC’s Kirsty Coventry, the 31-year-old two-time Olympic gold medalist in this event, qualified third in 2:12.29 and could easily snag the title tonight. The 200 back is in her DNA with Olympic gold in 2004 and 2008.
Grand Canyon’s Iryna Glavnyk qualified third in 2:13.31 with Stanford’s Maya DiRado snaring the fourth seed in 2:13.38.
Tucson Ford’s Bonnie Brandon (2:14.65), Carolina Colorado (2:14.79), Courtney Barthomolew (2:15.19) and Erin Earley (2:15.24) also made their way into the championship eight.
Men’s 200 back
Another star swimmer who is fighting off a cold, SwimMAC’s Tyler Clary, managed to put up the top time in the 200-meter backstroke this morning.
Clary clocked in with a time of 2:00.66. That’s still well off the world-class times of the top 10 anchored by Danas Rapsys’ 1:58.04, but is still impressive compared to the rest of the field this morning.
Connor Green picked up the second seed in 2:01.94 with NYAC’s Arkady Vyatchanin snagging the third seed in 2:02.32.
California’s Jacob Pebley took fourth third morning in 2:02.48, while Lander Hendrickx posted a fifth-seeded 2:03.81.
Santa Clara’s Eric Ress (2:04.77), SMST’s Bryce Mefford (2:05.64) and Luis Rojas (2:06.02) closed out the rest of the top eight spots for tonight’s A final.
Women’s 100 free
Olympic superstar Natalie Coughlin put up one of the fastest times of the entire session with a top seed in the women’s 100-meter free.
Coughlin raced her way to a 54.18 for the top seed, just outside the top 10 in the world currently anchored by Charlotte Bonnet with a 53.94 from the French Championships. Coughlin is now the fastest American in the world this year, beating Margo Geer’s 54.23 from the BHP Super Series.
Simone Manuel will give Coughlin all she can handle in the finale after qualifying second in 54.20. Meanwhile, SwimMAC’s Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace is looking for a sprint free sweep after winning the 50 free last night. She qualified third in 54.38 this morning. Canyons’ Abbey Weitzeil picked up the fourth seed in 55.29.
Distance freestyle ace Katie Ledecky, the reigning Swimming World World Swimmer of the Year, posted a fifth-seeded time of 55.37. Ledecky is on record as wanting to be known as a freestyler and not just a distance swimmer. With times like this, she is on her way to that goal.
Geer tied Stanford’s Lia Neal for sixth this morning with 55.40s, while SwimAtlanta’s Amanda Weir rounded out the championship eight in 55.43.
Men’s 100 free
Just two swimmers managed to clear 50 seconds this morning in the 100-meter free in Mesa.
SwimMAC’s Ryan Lochte put up the top time with a 49.88, while Emmanuel Vanluchene took home the second seed with a time of 49.93.
Conor Dwyer put himself in position for even more podium prize money with a third-seeded 50.00, while 50 free winner Josh Schneider tied Renzo Tjon A Joe with 50.10s for the fourth seed.
NBAC’s Michael Phelps will be looking at a double tonight after taking last night off. Phelps qualified sixth in 50.15 and is set to compete in both the 200 IM and 100 free should he elect not to scratch.
Tucson Ford’s Matt Grevers (50.37) and SwimMAC’s Tim Phillips (50.45) closed out the rest of the championship finale.
Women’s 800 free/Men’s 1500 free
The time to beat in the women’s 800-meter free top heat tonight will be an 8:48.28 set by Tjasa Oder. Meanwhile, Ty Fowler put up the top time in the men’s 1500-meter earlier heats with a 15:49.48
SCHEDULED EVENTS
- Women’s 200 IM
- Men’s 200 IM
- Women’s 200 back
- Men’s 200 back
- Women’s 100 free
- Men’s 100 free