Caeleb Dressel Goes 53.60 in 100 Fly in Return at Atlanta Classic
In his return to the pool, Caeleb Dressel was third in the preliminary heats of the men’s 100 butterfly Friday morning at the Atlanta Classic.
Dressel went 53.60 in prelims. That seeds him third for the evening finals, behind Florida’s Josh Liendo (52.16) and Martin Espernberger of Tennessee (53.46). Dressel earlier in the session scratched out of the 200 free. It’s his first meet since last summer’s World Championships, which he departed early.
Elsewhere in the first morning session of the three-day meet hosted by Swim Atlanta:
Kate Douglass did a daunting double, finishing first in the both the women’s 100 breaststroke and 100 fly. Swimming for New York Athletic Club, Douglass went 1:07.49 to dominate a limited field in the 100 breast, her time tops by nearly 2.5 seconds, ahead of Georgia’s Zoie Hartman. In the very next event, she clocked in at 58.33, nearly a second ahead of the time of Summer McIntosh (59.27). Callie Dickinson and Olympian Natalie Hinds joined them under a minute.
Katie Ledecky led the way in the 200 free in decisive fashion. She clocked in at 1:57.29, more than three seconds up on Isabel Ivey.
Mabel Zavaros is the top seed in the women’s 400 individual medley heading into the night session, having gone 4:43.34. Emma Weyant is second in 4:45.52, the only two under 4:50.
On the men’s side of the draw, Kieran Smith is way out front in a deep 200 free field loaded with Floridian swimmers. Smith went 1:46.84, quickest by 3.5 seconds. Zane Grothe was second, one of five swimmers in the 1:50-point region, which includes Jake Mitchell and Alfonso Mestre. Of intrigue is a best time from Bobby Finke in prelims at 1:51.51 for the longer distance swimmer.
Finke ended the session with the top time in the 400 IM at 4:25.70. That’s three tenths up on Mason Laur. (Smith was a DFS from the IM.)
Matt Fallon, swimming with Athens Bulldogs Swim Club, set the pace in the 100 breast at 1:01.87. Aleksas Savickas and Michael Houlie followed him.
Let’s go Dressel!!
I just realized something……..MY 100 FLY TIME IS EXACTLY DOUBLE DRESSEL’S TIME