The second night of competition at the 2019 TYR Pro Swim Series Clovis featured five events for both men and women. Leah Smith and Akaram Mahmoud earned the first victories of the meet in the 800 Freestyle on night one.
Canada’s Sydney Pickrem led the way on night two, claiming victories in both the 100 breaststroke and 400 IM. Louise Hansson and Kelsi Dahlia also posted quick times in the 100 butterfly, as did Brandon Fischer in the 100 breaststroke.
Further event wins on the second night at the 2019 TYR Pro Swim Series Clovis came courtesy of Leah Smith and Trey Freeman (200 Freestyle), Ali Deloof and Justin Ress (50 Backstroke), Luca Urlando (100 Butterfly) and Jarod Arroyo (400 IM).
Women’s 200 Freestyle
Leah Smith, Mallory Comerford and Emily Overholt battled it out until the end in the first event of the night. Comerford had the lead at the halfway point (57.44), but Smith had a strong third fifty (29.91) to take command of the lead. She took the gold in 1:57.40, a season-best swim.
Overholt out-split the field on the final fifty (29.73) but just ran out of room in running down Comerford who took second in 1:57.93. Overholt raced to a 1:57.97. Comerford’s time was also a season-best and maintains her rank as the sixth-fastest American in this event so far this year.
Catie Deloof broke the two-minute barrier for the first time this season for fourth (1:59.95). 14-year-old Claire Tuggle was fifth in 2:01.15. She was followed by Mackenzie Padington (2:01.29), Remedy Rule (2:01.41) and Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson (2:01.49).
Men’s 200 Freestyle
Trey Freeman was able to hold off a charging Townley Haas 1:47.86 to 1:48.02. Freeman held the lead for the entirety of the race despite Haas’ 27.63 and 27.57 final fifties. Luca Urlando also posted a solid swim, coming in right behind in 1:48.48. The time is just off his best 1:47.70 from last summer.
Haas is currently the fastest American in this event this year at 1:47.09 from the FINA Champions Swim Series in Indianapolis just a few weeks back.
Canada’s Markus Thormeyer was fourth in 1:48.86 right in front of Dylan Carter (1:48.95). Rounding out the top eight finishers were Cristian Quintero (1:49.72), Mexico’s Jorge Iga (1:50.53) and Canada’s Jeremy Bagshaw (1:51.30).
Women’s 100 Breaststroke
Canada’s Sydney Pickrem made a statement in the women’s 100 breast, winning the race in 1:07.20. The swim was over two and a half seconds faster than her previous best this year and puts her inside the top sixteen world rankings for 2019.
Pickrem blasted the second fifty in 35.01 to race ahead of Mexico’s Melissa Rodriguez who was out in a quick 31.69. Rodriguez finished second in 1:07.32.
Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson was also in the mix at 1:08.00 for third. Breeja Larson took fourth in 1:08.20. She was followed by Olivia Anderson (1:09.93), Danielle Herrmann (1:10.71), Ali Harrison (1:11.43) and Mexico’s Esther Gonzalez Medina (1:11.95).
Men’s 100 Breaststroke
Thirty-year-old Brandon Fischer blasted a 59.86 100 breast to take the win. Not only was the swim a best time by over a full second, it is also the third-fastest American swim this year behind Cody Miller (59.24) and Michael Andrew (59.52).
Fischer dominated the race, as he was the only man under one minute and nearly 1:01. Devon Nowicki was second in 1:00.97 and Mexico’s Miguel de Lara Ojeda was third in 1:01.15.
Daniel Roy raced to a season-best 1:01.41. The time bumps him into the top-fifteen American ranks so far this season. Roy was followed by AJ Pouch (1:01.57), Mexico’s Mauro Castillo Luna (1:01.72), Richard Funk (1:01.84) and Youssef Elkamash (1:02.54).
Women’s 50 Backstroke
Ali Deloof swam a quick 50 backstroke of 28.05 for the win at the 2019 TYR Pro Swim Series Clovis. The time was a season best by three one-hundredths of a second, and maintains her spot as the fourth-fastest American in this event so far this season.
Deloof out-swam recent Cal graduate Amy Bilquist (28.44) and 16-year-old Isabelle Stadden (28.64).
Stadden’s AQJT teammate Abby Kapeller (29.37) was fourth. She was followed by 15-year-old Natalie Mannion (29.64), Katey Lewicki (29.96), Yulduz Kuchkarova (29.99) and Olivia Ellard (30.07).
Men’s 50 Backstroke
Despite a run-in with the laneline, Justin Ress had the upper hand over Matt Grevers 25.05 to 25.21 in the men’s 50 backstroke. Both men have been 24-mid earlier this year.
Chris Staka was third in 25.57, followed by Kristofer Rogic in 25.90. Rounding out the top eight finishers were 17-year-old Harrison Lierz (26.50), 16-year-old Jack Alexy (26.51), Andy Song (26.59) and Markus Thormeyer (26.66).
Women’s 100 Butterfly
Just one tenth of a second separated Louise Hansson from Kelsi Dahlia in the women’s 100 butterfly. Dahlia had the lead at the halfway point 26.80 to 26.98, but Hansson battled back with a textbook finish to secure the win in 57.36.
For Dahlia, the time earns her the fastest-performance by an American this year, passing Kendyl Stewart (57.51). She also moves from eighth to sixth in the worldwide rankings for 2019. Hanson was just one one hundredth off her season-best, the fifth-fastest time in the world this year.
Stewart took third in the race at 58.35. Mallory Comerford led the remaining finishers in 59.78. Lauren Case (59.82), Haley Black (1:00.41), Autumn D’Arcy (1:00.77) and Bailey Nero (1:02.43) placed fifth through eighth.
Men’s 100 Butterfly
Luca Urlando came back from the 200 free to win the 100 butterfly in 52.20. Right on his best time, the swim was enough to chase down Giles Smith (52.63) and Ryan Coetzee (53.57). Urlando posted a 52.04 at this month’s Mel Zajac International Swim Meet.
Justin Wright dropped about a second on the season, coming in for fourth in 53.82.He was followed by Canada’s Josiah Binnema (53.97), Mexico’s Mateo Gonzalez (54.42), Loren Gillilan (54.72) and Lukas Miller (54.76).
Women’s 400 IM
The Canadian swimmers led the way in the women’s 400 IM. Sydney Pickrem doubled up on wins after dominating the race by four seconds. She used strong breaststroke and freestyle legs to run away with the race in the end.
Emily Overholt was second in 4:44.23, edging out Evie Pfeifer (4:44.51). Pickrem is currently the third-fastest performer in the world this year (4:35.15) while Overholt is eleventh (4:37.88). Pfeifer was only three-tenths off her season-best.
Vien Nguyen (4:50.33), Mexico’s Monika Gonzalez-Hermosillo (4:52.36), Canada’s Megan Dalke (4:54.71), Tara Halsted (4:55.71) and Taylor McCoy (5:00.65) placed fourth through eighth.
Men’s 400 IM
Puerto Rico’s Jarod Arroyo was victorious in the men’s 400 IM with a 4:21.65. The time is a second faster than his previous best of 4:22.38 from April’s Puerto Rico International Swimming Open.
Arroyo pulled ahead on the breaststroke leg, out-splitting the field by over four seconds. He was near even with Guatemlla’s Erick Gordillo at the 200 mark, but ran away with the race.
Brodie Young (4:28.18) and Mexico’s Hector Ruvalcaba Cruz (4:28.63) had a race of their own for third and fourth. Mexican teammate Ricardo Vargas Jacobo was fifth in 4:30.36. He was followed by 16-year-old Jonathan Affeld (4:37.36), Jack Spitser (4:39.46) and Harrison Lierz (4:42.61).