17-Year Old Nicholas Norman Swims 8:54 in 1000 Free to Kick Off KMSC Pro-Am in Oklahoma City

Note: there are two fantastic Pro-Am meets this week in Oklahoma City; we’ll identify them by their host teams: KMSC (King Marlin Swim Club) and AESC (American Energy Swim Club). This release is about the KMSC Pro-Am.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — The 2014 Pro-Am Classic in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, hosted by the King Marlin Swim Club, began on Thursday evening with two relays (200 medley, 800 free) and the individual 1000 yard freestyle events.

Prize Structure

In the professional divisions, the top three pro athletes in Championship Finals will receive a cash prize BASED ON THEIR ABSOLUTE FINISH in individual events as follows:

1. $600
2. $300
3. $100

The winner’s prize is doubled for the 1650 free to $1,200, as do prize winnings in eight “bounty events” if the OCCC Pool Record is broken:

Women Bounty Events:
Day 1- 1000 Free Pool Record 2009 Chloe Sutton – 9:26.58
Day 2- 100 Fly 2007 Rachel Komisarz – 50.88
Day 3- 500 Free 2004 Rachel Komisarz – 4:36.80
Day 4- 200 back 2007 Kristy Coventry – 1:52.88

Men Bounty Events:
Day 1- 1000 Free 2006 Robert Margalis – 8:46.77
Day 2 – 100 Fly 2007 Ian Crocker – 45.60
Day 3 – 500 Free 2003 Chad Carvin – 4:14.56
Day 4 – 100 Free 2002 Jason Lezak – 42.22

The 50 free shootout, in a bracket-style format, will award $1,200 to the winner, $600 to the runner-up, and $200 to the 3rd-place finisher.

Pros are limited to 4 individual entries for the meet, and amateur athletes can also accrue “Amateur Points” for prizes, in allowance with NCAA rules.

Day 1 Recap

In the women’s 1000 free, the lone pro, Swim Florida’s Stephanie Peacock, won in 9:35.73 to earn the first prize money of the meet.

She was able to out-race Danielle Kudis of the Schroeder YMCA (10:02.81) and 15-year old Logan Shiller from the Houston Swim Club (10:05.94). That swim from Shiller ranks her as the 10th-fastest 15 & under in the country so far this season.

In the men’s race, a mild upset of sorts came as Mission Viejo 17-year old Nicholas Norman put in an 8:54.28 to beat out his pro teammate Arturo Perez-Vertti (9:08.54).

That swim for Norman was his lifetime best by three seconds and moves him up to 7th on the all-time 17-18 age group rankings in the event.

Mission Viejo, legendary for their distance program, took the top 6 spots in this race, with Shane Forker (9:11.25), Matthew Hales (9:21.89), pro Dan O’Connor (9:24.56), and Keyan Boniadi (9:38.49) finishing the Nadadores’ run.

Relay event results:

• In the women’s 200 medley, the Schroeder YMCA won with a 1:44.46 on a relay of Sydnie Horne, Gwen Worlton, SwimSwam contributor Hannah Saiz, and Danielle Kudis. All four legs of that relay were very impressive. Horne led off in 27.82, Worlton swam a 28.61 on the breaststroke, Saiz split 24.4 on the fly, and Kudis, off of her distance success, showed range with a 23.60 anchor. Mission Viejo took 2nd, with a 23.99 fly leg from National Teamer Katie McLaughlin, and Houston’s Dads Club took 3rd in 1:45.91.
• A relay from SMU won the men’s 200 medley in 1:34.61, touching out the Jasper County Killer Whales in 1:35.63. Mission Viejo was just out-touched for that silver medal, as they took 3rd in 1:35.68
• In the women’s 800 free relay, Mission Viejo won running-away in 7:19.24 with a relay of Samantha Shelton, Sydney Franzen, Kendal Guy, and Katie McLaughlin. McLaughlin anchored the team in 1:45.99. This time, it was Dads Club who took 2nd with a 7:37.05, including a 1:49.44 second leg from Texas A&M commit Alex Buscher. Ad Astra Area Aquatics, based in Kansas, was 3rd in 7:39.31.
• The Mission Viejo men won by a similar margin, posting a 6:40.99 thanks to the team of Norman (1:39.69) Marc Morizono (1:42.93), Perez-Vertti (1:41.42), and Grant Shoults (1:36.95). They actually took the top two spots in this relay, with their B swimming a 6:56.43 to just beat-out SMU’s A in 6:56.64.

Full Meet Results available on Meet Mobile.