The second evening of competition at the 2019 FINA Champions Series in Indianapolis featured fifteen events including the mixed 400 Medley Relay. The night concluded the FINA Champions Series which previously stopped in Guangzhou and Budapest earlier in the season.
Hali Flickinger (200 Fly), Katinka Hosszu (200 IM) and Lilly King (100 Breast) each posted a world-leading time in their respective events. Flickinger out-dueled Hosszu for her victory, while the latter chased down Canada’s Sydney Pickrem for a win of her own. Off to a fast start, King was able to hold off Yulia Efimova to complete her breaststroke sweep at this stop of the 2019 FINA Champions Series.
Men’s 200 Backstroke
Although tight through the halfway point, Jacob Pebley blasted a quick third fifty to take the lead over American teammates Ryan Murphy and Matt Grevers. Murphy battled back along the last 25 meters, but could not run down Pebley who finished in 1:56.35. The swim is a season best, bettering his 1:56.67 from the second stop this Champions Series in Budapest.
Murphy was close behind in 1:56.51. Grevers took the third spot in 1:59.47 and was followed by Danas Rapsys in 2:14.02.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Women’s 200 Butterfly
USA’s Hali Flickinger made a statement in the women’s 200 butterfly, coming in for the win in 2:06.40. She now holds the top time in the world this year in the event. Flickinger led the race from start to finish, holding of Katinka Hosszu who earned runner-up honors in 2:07.87. The time was just off her 2:06.62 from Budapest.
American Kelsi Dahlia posted a solid time as well, finishing in third with a 2:10.25, just one second off her season best. Leah Smith also raced in the event, coming in at 2:14.04 for fourth.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Men’s 100 Butterfly
Michael Andrew earned his first Champions Series win in Indianapolis’ 100 butterfly. He charged first to the wall at the fifty and held on through the end in 51.87. The time ranks fourteenth in the world this year.
Italy’s Piero Codia was not far behind for second in 52.22. Jack Conger posted a season-best 52.56 for third and was followed by Andrii Govorov in 54.59.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Women’s 50 Freestyle
Denmark’s Pernille Blume handed Sarah Sjøstrøm her first second-place of the meet after blasting a 24.08 for the win. Sjostrom also had a fast swim of 24.18. Blume’s time was two-tenths better than her third-ranked swim in the world so far this year.
Ranomi Kromowidjojo was third in 24.56, just one tenth off her time from the first stop of this Series. Egypt’s Farida Osman was fourth in 25.08.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Men’s 200 Breaststroke
Anton Chupkov remained patient in the opening hundred of the men’s 200 breaststroke, but was able to overtake Arno Kamminga who was out to a fast start.
Chupkov put up a quick 2:08.98 while Balandin was 2:10.02 for third. Dmitriy Balandin split the men in 2:10.02. All three racers were one second off their season-best times. USA’s Josh Prenot was fourth in 2:11.79.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Women’s 100 Backstroke
Kylie Masse earned her first victory with a 59.14. The time one second off her 58.16 from April’s Canadian Trials. She blasted the tempo right from the start and was able to hold off Italy’s Margherita Panziera (59.45).
Russia’s Anastasiia Fesikova took third in 1:00.68 followed by Katinka Hosszu in 1:00.95.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Men’s 400 Freestyle
Gabriele Detti kept the momentum going for Italy by taking the win in the 400 Freestyle. Rapsys was off to the lead at the 200, but Detti was able to steadily track him down and win the race 3:46.13 to 3:46.23. Both men have been 3:43.36 this year.
Myhailo Romanchuk took the third spot over USA’s Townley Haas (3:55.42).
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Women’s 50 Butterfly
Sjostrom did not waste any time to get back atop the podium. She dominated the 50 butterfly in 25.48, just one tenth off her world-leading time this year. Osman and Kromowidjojo had a quick turnaround from the freestyle but earned second and third, respectively in 25.95 and 26.01. Dahlia was fourth in 26.14.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Men’s 100 Freestyle
Pieter Timmers crushed the field in the 100 freestyle, earning his third win in a row in this event at this Champions Series. He won the race by over a full second ahead of Russia’s Vlad Morozov. Haas came right back from the 400 free for third in 49.80. Brazil’s Bruno Fratus rounded out the heat in 49.90.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Women’s 200 IM
Canada’s Sydney Pickrem had a dominant lead coming into the freestyle leg of the 200 IM. But no one could out-split Hosszu who fought to the finish for the win in 2:08.50. The is five one-hundredths better than her previous best so far this year.
Pickrem re-set her Canadian National Record in the race, holding on for second in 2:08.61. Melanie Margalis was third in 2:10.41. She was followed by Flickinger (2:13.31).
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Men’s 50 Breaststroke
Joao Gomes Jr. (26.60) and Felipe Lima (26.72) packed a one-two punch for Brazil. The men dominated the race over Fabio Scozzoli (27.40) and Andrew (27.420. Gome Jr. holds the fastest time in the world so far this year with his 26.42 from April.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Women’s 100 Breaststroke
Lilly King picked up her third win of the week, a season-best and world-leading time in the 100 breaststroke. Yulia Efimova, who took second, also improved her World second-ranked time. The women finished in 1:05.13 and 1:05.51, respectively.
Americans Molly Hannis (1:07.26) and Micah Sumrall (1:07.45) rounded out the final. The swim was was a season best for Hannis.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Men’s 50 Backstroke
Matt Grevers moved up to seventh in the world rankings in the 50 backstroke after winning the event in 24.78. Grevers charged to the finish to take the event over Murphy, who earned his second silver of the night with a 24.91. The time now bumps him into the top-two world times for 2019. Robert Glinta was third in 24.99 ahead of Morozov (25.16).
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Women’s 200 Freestyle
Canada’s Penny Oleksiak had a gutsy race strategy, taking out the 200 freestyle way ahead of the field in 26.82. She was 55.94 at the halfway point, compared to 57.97 for Leah Smith and 59.12 for Sjostrom.
Oleksiak was able to hold off the women for the win in 1:57.18. Smith took second in 1:57.84 despite a strong 28.21 final fifty from Sjostrom. Margalis took fourth in 1:58.85.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Mixed 400 Medley Relay
Jacob Pebley got his mixed medley team off to a sizable lead in 53.94 seconds. Lilly King maintained a lead in the breaststroke leg, while Jack Conger opened it up even more in the fly. Kromowidjojo was able to fight off Townley Haas in the home stretch to give her team the victory.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
