TYR Pro Swim Series San Antonio Day 4 Prelims: Katharine Berkoff Sets up Backstroke Showdown With Regan Smith
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The TYR Pro Swim Series stop in San Antonio continued with the Day 4 prelims on Saturday morning.
The events of the day are the women’s and men’s 100 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 200 IM and 50 free before moving to the slowest timed final heats of the women’s 800 free and men’s 1500 free.
This meet is full of star power as swimmers prepare for the Olympic Trials in the U.S. or the Paris Games for international competitors.
TYR Pro Swim Series: Women’s 100 Backstroke
Four women were sub-minute in the prelims of the 100 backstroke, setting up what could be a blistering final.
NCAA champion Katharine Berkoff took the top seed in 59.07, ahead of Regan Smith (59.69), Rhyan White (59.80) and Claire Curzan (59.82).
NC State’s Kennedy Noble took the fifth seed in 1:00.21, followed by NCAA 200 back champion Phoebe Bacon (1:00.66) and Israeli Olympian Anastasia Gorbenko (1:00.96), who won the 400 IM earlier in the meet.
Northwestern’s Ayla Spitz took the eighth seed in 1:01.23.
TYR Pro Swim Series: Men’s 100 Backstroke
Arizona State’s Hubert Kos took the top seed in the men’s 100 backstroke, clocking a 53.55 – the only sub-54 in the field this morning.
NC State’s Kacper Stokowski was next in 54.37 as NC State swimmers past and present took up three of the next five seeds.
Justin Ress was the third seed in 54.54. Daniel Diehl was the sixth seed in 55.23.
Jack Dolan was the fourth seed (54.72) and Virginia’s Jack Aikins was fifth (54.96).
Aidan Stoffle (55.41) and Hunter Armstrong (55.58) took the final two spots in finals.
TYR Pro Swim Series: Women’s 200 Breaststroke
Tokyo Olympian and NCAA champion Kate Douglass, swimming for New York Athletic Club, took the top seed in the 200 breast by more than a second.
Douglass, the American record-holder in the event, got to the wall in 2:26.09.
Lithuania’s Kotryna Teterevkova took the second spot in 2:27.44, followed by Douglass’ former Virginia teammate Ella Nelson (2:28.09).
Olympic gold medalist Lilly King took the fourth seed in 2:28.91, followed by Kim Herkle (2:31.34), Alexis Yager (2:31.69), Canadian Olympian Sydney Pickrem (2:31.81) and Nina Kucheran (2:32.56).
TYR Pro Swim Series: Men’s 200 Breaststroke
Leon Marchand was one of five swimmers to break 2:13 in the prelims of the 200 Breaststroke.
Marchand swam a 2:12.22 to take the third seed behind Adam Chillingworth (2:12.06) and Matthew Fallon (2:12.20).
Virginia Tech’s Carles Coll Marti (2:12.35) and Louisville’s Denis Petrashov (2:12.84) were also under 2:13.
Julio Horrego (2:14.15), Lyubomir Epitropov (2:14.31) and Noah Nichols (2:14.73) rounded out the finals, leaving Nic Fink one spot out.
TYR Pro Swim Series: Women’s 200 IM
NCAA champion Alex Walsh cruised to the top seed in the 200 IM with a swim of 2:12.93, nearly a second ahead of the field.
Walsh’s Olympic teammates Torri Huske (2:13.75) and Phoebe Bacon (2:14.19) took the next two seed in tonight’s final.
Katie Christopherson took the fourth seed in 2:14.22), followed by Canadian Olympian Sydney Pickrem (2:14.25), NCAA champion Beata Nelson (2:14.76), Erin Gemmell (2:15.14) and Lucy Bell (2:16.01).
TYR Pro Swim Series: Men’s 200 IM
Dart’s Luca Urlando went a sub-2 to earn the top seed in the 200 IM for tonight’s final.
Urlando got to the wall in 1:59.96.
Olympian Kieran Smith took the second seed in 2:00.51, followed by Owen McDonald (2:00.66) and Olympic gold medalist Chase Kalisz (2:00.69).
Carson Foster took the fifth spot in 2:00.71, ahead of fellow mainstays Ron Polonsky (2:00.82), Grant House (2:01.15) and Trenton Julian (2:01.61).
TYR Pro Swim Series: Women’s 50 Free
Just six tenths of a second separated 1-8 with seven Olympians making the finals in the 50 free.
Abbey Weitzeil claimed the top seed in 24.32, just two hundredths ahead of Simone Manuel (24.34). Both swimmers have dominated American sprinting and made the past two Olympics in the event and Weitzeil is the U.S, Open record-holder at 24.00.
NCAA champion and record-holder Gretchen Walsh took the third seed in 24.38, while Polish Olympian Kasia Wasick was fourth in 24.49.
Torri Huske finished her busy session with another finals spot, taking the fifth seed in 24.52, followed by Olympic teammate Catie DeLoof (24.56).
Hong Kong Olympian Siobhan Haughey, who won the 100 and 200 this week, took the seventh seed in 24.77, ahead of fellow two-time Olympian Olivia Smoliga (24.94).
Canadian Olympian Taylor Ruck won the swim-off for the C final.
TYR Pro Swim Series: Men’s 50 Free
Caeleb Dressel made the finals with the sixth seed in the 50 free, getting tot he wall in 22.16. He has performed strong in finals this week, so a faster swim is likely.
Gabe Castano has the top seed at 21.67, followed by Ryan Held (21.68), Santo Condorelli (21.95), Arizona State star Jonny Kulow (22.04) and Matt King (22.14).
Jack Dolan took the seventh spot in 22.18, while Michael Andrew and Koko Bratanov tied for the eight seed in 22.32.
Both swam faster the second time. Andrew won the swim-off with a 21.92. Bratanova swam a 22.02.