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2014 Mesa Grand Prix – Katie Ledecky Posts The World’s Third Fastest Time Of The Year In The 800 Freestyle

Refresh this link frequently, as we’ll be updating results live as we go through the morning session.

Becca Mann and Katie McLaughling are set to square off against each other in the 200 butterfly. The two younger swimmers will have to hold off veterans like Caitlin Leverenz. The men’s 200 butterfly will also be a fun race to watch, notably between Bobby Bollier, Tyler Clary, Justin Lynch, and Tom Luchsinger.

Alia Atkinson should run away with the 100 breaststroke, especially with a scratch from Jessica Hardy. Kevin Cordes is also expected to swim well tonight. He dipped under 1:02 despite a meet delay right before his heat and windy conditions. The wind, however, has not let up much for the final session.

Cheyenne Coffman and Clara Smiddy have been swimming strong all weekend. This pair should be out front together when it comes time for the women’s 100 backstroke. The men’s 100 backstroke is arguably the most star filled race of the day! Matt Grevers, Ryan Lochte, Arkady Vyatchanin, David Plummer, and Eugene Godsoe will all be in the final heat along with three NCAA standouts from Cal Berkeley and Louisville.

Katie Hoff has worked her way back to the middle of the final heat after taking some time away from the sport. She is the top seed in the 200 IM. Ryan Lochte is the top seed of the men’s 200 IM.

Women’s 200 Butterfly – Finals 

After several top three finishes, Becca Mann finally works her way to the top of the podium. She touched the wall for the win at 2:12.10. Katie McLaughlin grabbed a second place finish with a 2:13.95, followed by Caitlin Leverenz with a 2:14.81.

Allison Schmitt won the B-final with a 2:13.74.

Men’s 200 Butterfly – Finals

Tom Luchsinger had a solid first 150m, but it was Tyler Clary who ran down the field to take the win. Clary touched out Luchsinger by .01, finishing with a final time of 2:00.39 to Luchsinger’s 2:00.40. Bobby Bollier was another swimmer with a great back half, he finished third with a 2:00.54.

Grant Shoults won the B-final with a time of 2:14.42.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke – Finals 

Alia Atkinson was out with a body length lead at the 50, she held onto her speed the second 50 to pull ahead even further, touching the wall at 1:07.50. Micah Lawrence finished second with a 1:08.93, just ahead of Breeja Larson at 1:08.98. Katie Meili was the only other swimmer in finals to get under 1:10, posting a time of 1:09.47.

Justine Bowker won the B-final with a time of 1:11.95.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke – Finals 

The field was very tight at the 50. As the race continued through the final 15 meters, Damir Dugonjic pulled ahead to win the race, touching out Kevin Cordes by .06. Dugonjic finished at 1:01.62, ahead of Cordes’ 1:01.68. Mike Alexanderov was third with a time of 1:02.07 and BJ Johnson was fourth at 1:02.40. Azad Al-Barazi looked really strong during the race, and would have finished in the top three of four had he not been disqualified.

Vlades Murillo won the B-final with a time of 1:03.19.

Women’s 100 Backstroke – Finals 

The wind was really messing with the flags at the turn of the women’s 100 backstroke. One or two swimmers toward the middle of the pool looked a little far from the wall at the turn, but overall, the windy conditions and the flags didn’t appear to be too much of a problem. Fernanda Gonzalez won the race with a 1:01.58 and admitted to Rowdy Gaines in her post-race interview that the finalists discussed the wind in the ready room and she had to take an extra stroke into the wall to compensate. Cheyenne Coffman finished second with a time of 1:02.25, and Clara Smiddy finished third at 1:02.40.

Iryna Glavnyk won the B-final with a 1:03.18.

Men’s 100 Backstroke – Finals 

Prior to the race they announced that Ryan Lochte is unable to race and will not be swimming in the final tonight. Michael Andrew was scratched into Lochte’s final spot. Arkady Vyatchanin (54.40) got his hand on the wall for the win, reaching in just ahead of Matt Grevers (54.50). David Plummer was third at 55.85, followed by Louisville’s Grigory Tarasevich in fourth with a time of 56.01.

Women’s 200 IM – Finals 

Katie Hoff looked really good through the first 100, holding a lead of almost a body length. She made a statement tonight, winning the race with a time of 2:12.92. Caitlin Leverenz moved up a little with her dominant final 100, but it was not enough to catch Hoff. She touched the wall at 2:14.61. Stina Gardell was third with her time of 2:15.34.

Mary Pelton won the B-final with a 2:18.77.

Men’s 200 IM – Finals 

Two scratches in this event left two empty lanes in the B-final. Lochte was one of the favorites to win this race, but is no longer swimming this event tonight. Darian Townsend had control of the race from the dive. He had the lead at the 50, reached the 100 in 56.1, and held on to the finish to win the race with a time of 2:02.07; a three second drop from his morning swim. Jakub Maly was second at 2:03.80, and Michael Weiss touched third with his time of 2:05.19.

Austin Surhoff won the b-final with a time of 2:06.47.

Women’s 800 Freestyle – Finals 

Katie Ledecky made some of the best distance swimmers in the world look silly tonight, winning the race by more than 25m. Her final time was 8:20.10, which is the third fastest time in the world this year. She is within two seconds of the world leader, Jazz Carlin. Lotte Friis finished second to Ledecky with her final time of 8:33.05. Becca Mann finished third at 8:35.15.

Men’s 1500 Freestyle – Finals

Michael McBroom added another event win with a 15:08.86 in the 1500 freestyle. His time will stand as the 16th fastest time in the world this year. Andy Arteta finished second with a 15:39.66 and Liam Egan was third with a time of 15:43.49.

ALL THE LINKS YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THE 2014 MESA GRAND PRIX

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bobo gigi
10 years ago

Just a little question.
I wonder that for a long time.
I wrote : “I expected a 8.20.”
Is it right or I must write “an 8.20”
In a or an 800 free?
I think it’s a but I’m not sure because generally before a vowel we write an.
Thanks for the answer.

mcgillrocks
Reply to  bobo gigi
10 years ago

You could just change the object type and write “I expected 8:20 from Ledecky” or “I expected 8:20”

I’m not actually sure about your question, but my first instinct would be an 8:20.

bobo gigi
Reply to  mcgillrocks
10 years ago

My question is simple.
Swimming a or an 800 free is hard.
A? An?

MLT
Reply to  bobo gigi
10 years ago

It’s “an” before numbers that start with a vowel sound like 8 or 11, but “a” before 1, because it starts with a consonant “w” sound.

GroGro
Reply to  bobo gigi
10 years ago

Hi Bobo.

I saw this question was left unanswered and I always enjoy your comments so I thought I would try to help. This is my humble attempt to try and explain which determiner to use (I am not an English teacher so it may not be perfect):

The general determiner “An” is used before a word with a vowel sound, which like in French includes “h” when it is soft, but excludes a hard “u” (ex. a unicorn).
So it would seem that before an eight hundred you would use “an.”

Unfortunately it is more complicated than that. “An” cannot be used with a plural noun so “an eight hundred metres freestyle” is grammatically incorrect. … Read more »

GroGro
Reply to  GroGro
10 years ago

I forgot to metion that you could turn “800m free” into the compound subject with race, ex: Swimming an 800m free race is hard.

GroGro
Reply to  GroGro
10 years ago

I guess MLT was answering at the same time as me! 🙂

bobo gigi
Reply to  bobo gigi
10 years ago

Thanks a lot for the explanations.
English is not always so easy. 🙂

bobo gigi
10 years ago

Ok. Not too bad again with the predictions.
The only thing I didn’t see coming was the win of Fernanda Gonzales in the 100 back.
I had never heard of her. Congrats to the Mexican swimmer.

A few thoughts about day 3.

USA badly needs fresh blood in the 200 fly.
That event is perhaps now the weakest in US swimming on the men’s side like on the women’s side.
Mel Stewart must not be very happy about that.
There are a few young talents who can wake up that event in USA but they still have a long way to go to dominate the world.
Katie McLaughlin will be in Rio. She’s the… Read more »

a_trojan
10 years ago

so if Ledecky was in men’s 1500 A final, she could have conceivably been 4th place or so

a_trojan
Reply to  a_trojan
10 years ago

well, more like 7th, but the point is she is faster than most guys

liquidassets
10 years ago

Wow Ledecky is going for it!!

Tm
10 years ago

So if townsend gets the us citizenship he can certainly help on the 4×2 relay but it would be hard for him to make individual events. The 200 IM is a possibility if phelps and/or lochte don’t swim it.

TheTroubleWithX
Reply to  Tm
10 years ago

Not so sure he would help on the 4×200. He lead off at London with a 1:47.25. Has he ever been faster than that in the 200 free? If not, I could see him being in the mix with the likes of Houchin, McLean, Klueh, etc., but probably not in our top 4 in the event.

beachmouse
10 years ago

I think FINA only cares about the passport given how many swimmers essentially never train in their official ‘home’ country

swimmer24
10 years ago

Props to Beisel for doing the 200 IM, 200 Back, and 800 free triple.

Flyin'
10 years ago

Was the girls 2 fly B-final actually faster than the guys?

Flyin'
Reply to  Flyin'
10 years ago

Ah, it was supposed to be 2:04.42

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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