Editorial content for the 2018 Pan Pacific Championship coverage is sponsored by TritonWear. Visit TritonWear.com for more information on our sponsor. For full Swimming World coverage, check event coverage page. <script type="text/javascript" src="https://ads.swimmingworldmagazine.com/absolutebm.aspx?b=1333"></script>
The United States has not been a historically great nation in the men’s 1500, but on the first night of the 2018 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo, the Americans had three swimmers break 14:50 in the men’s 1500. Jordan Wilimovsky won the battle of attrition with fellow American Robert Finke and pre-race favorite Jack McLoughlin of Australia.
Wilimovsky grinded his way to a gold medal at 14:46.93. Finke finished in second in the final with a 14:48.70, but it was not fast enough to surpass Zane Grothe, who swam a 14:48.40 in the earlier heats. Grothe will end up with the silver medal and McLoughlin (14:55.92) will get the bronze medal. It is the first time Grothe has broken 15 minutes in the event.
This is the first time in quite a while that the United States had three swimmers break 14:50 in the men’s 1500. It is the first time since 2008 when Peter Vanderkaay (14:45.54), Larsen Jensen (14:48.16) and Erik Vendt (14:46.78) were the stars of distance swimming.
Wilimovsky moved up to fourth in the world rankings with his time as Germany’s Florian Wellbrock is still on top with his 14:36.15 from European Championships earlier this week.
Grothe is now sixth in the world rankings while Finke is eighth.
Brazil’s Guilherme Costa (15:03.40), Japan’s Shogo Takeda (15:05.81), Canada’s Eric Hedlin (15:07.18), Japan’s Kohei Yamamota (15:18.71) and Canada’s Peter Brothers (15:41.63) also competed in the night heat.
American Michael Brinegar was also faster this morning with his 15:07.04 in the earlier heats.
2018 World Rankings:
- Florian Wellbrock, GER, 14:36.15
- Mykhailo Romanchuk, UKR, 14:36.88
- Gregorio Paltrinieri, ITA, 14:42.85
- Jordan Wilimovsky, USA, 14:46.93
- Jack McLoughlin, AUS, 14:47.09
- Zane Grothe, USA, 14:48.40
- Daniel Jervis, GBR, 14:48.67
- Robert Finke, USA, 14:48.70
Photo Courtesy:
Congratulations guys