2015 Arena Pro Swim Series – Austin: Day 3 Prelims Real-Time Recaps

Saturday will be the final day of the 2016 Arena Pro Swim Series stop in Austin, Texas, and among the stars will be Katie Ledecky getting in a swim in her best event, the 800 meter free, where she’s the defending Pan Pac, World, and Olympic Champion.

The women’s 100 backstroke, which as of the release of heat sheets still included both Natalie Coughlin and Katinka Hosszu, should be a good race as well, if Coughlin continues to toy with the idea of a return to the stroke that made her famous.

2015 PRO SWIM SERIES AT AUSTIN

• Thursday, January 15 – Saturday, January 17
• Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, University of Texas
• Prelims 9AM/Finals 6PM (Central Time)
• Psych Sheets
• Live stream
• Live results
• Saturday’s Events: 200 fly, 100 breast, 100 back, 200 IM, women’s 800 free (timed finals), men’s 1500 free (timed finals), 400 medley relays (timed finals)

Women’s 200 Fly – Prelims

U.S. National Teamer and Cal commit Katie McLaughlin, of the Mission Viejo Nadadores, opened up a full-second lead on the field in prelims of the women’s 200 fly with a 2:10.98 for the top spot going into Saturday evening’s finals session.

After a breakout summer, that time is more than three seconds better than she was in Austin last year in prelims, but similar to where she was in finals of that meet.

The 2nd qualifier behind her was 15-year old NCAP swimmer Cassidy Bayer, who put in a 2:12.03 – including a big push on the final 50 meters (though she likely would have been safe in the A-Final even without her 33.82 that was the fastest in the field to finish).

U.S. Olympian Camile Adams rounds out the middle lanes for the final, swimming a 2:12.37.

This will be an impressive swim on Saturday night, as the top 5 are all big names nationally and internationally. Canadian Noemie Thomas is the 4th qualifier in 2:12.79, and Hungarian Katinka Hosszu, the defending European champion, is the 5th qualifier in 2:13.34. Expect Hosszu to be significantly faster and challenge McLaughlin for the title in finals.

The 6th-through-8th qualifiers are all teenagers, including local Longhorn Aquatics 16-year old Victoria Edwards. UBC freshman Jacomie Strydom placed 7th in 2:15.11, and another Longhorn Aquatics swimmer, 15-year old Dakota Luther, placed 8th in 2:16.52.

Among the major no-shows for this race were National Team swimmers Kathleen Baker and Elizabeth Beisel.

Men’s 200 Fly – Prelims

NCAP 18-year old Andrew Seliskar continues to build his resume toward by taking the top seed in the men’s 200 fly on Saturday in 1:59.49. That’s the fastest that he’s ever been in prelims of a non-championship meet.

That put him ahead of Andrew Torres, a 20-year old junior at the University of Denver who is making a name for himself at this meet, for the top seed. Torres was a 2:00.12 and was the fastest in the field to the 100 meter mark (57.90).

Mission Viejo’s Grant Shoults took 3rd in 2:00.94 and former U.S. National Champion Tom Luchsinger is the 4th qualifier in 2:01.59.

The top international finisher in the heats was Canadian Coleman Allen, who swims for the UBC Thunderbirds, in 2:01.67.

Tyler Clary (2:03.01), Ted Schubert from NOVA of Virginia (2:03.27), and Andrew Gemmell (2:03.99) round out the A-Final.

Among the no-shows from the race were Matthew Josa, defending U.S. National Champion Tom Shields, and UBC’s Keegan Zanatta.

 Women’s 100 Breaststroke – Prelims

The Aggie Swim Club’s Breeja Larson was a late entry to this event, not appearing anywhere on the pre-meet entry lists, but she showed up with emphasis by taking the top seed in the women’s 100 breaststroke in 1:08.50.

That led 6 swimmers under the 1:10 mark, including Alabama’s Kaylin Burchell (1:09.08). The Crimson Tide continue to grow their reputation as a breaststroke training group on both the men’s and women’s side.

Cal sophomore Marina Garcia is the 3rd qualifier in 1:09.17, followed by University of Calgary’s Fiona Doyle (1:09.69) and SMU’s Tara-Lynn Nicholas (1:09.83).

Wrapping up the sub-1:10 group, as the 6th qualifier, is Texas A&M’s Franko Jonker, a South African by citizenship.

Rachel Nicol will make a second SMU Mustang into the A-Final with a 1:10.03, and Asphalt Green’s Anna Belousova sits 8th in 1:10.05.

Among the names in a well-heeled B-Final are Bronwyn Pasloski (1:10.49), Hilda Luthersdottir (1:10.53), Tera van Beilen (1:10.81), Ashley McGregor (1:10.82), and Sycerika McMahon (1:10.96).

Kathleen Baker was again a no-show for the event.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke – Prelims

Saturday could make a breakthrough in the career of 15-year old Michael Andrew, as he will be in the middle-lane going into finals of the men’s 100 breaststroke after a 1:02.18.

This isn’t the best field in Pro Swim Series/Grand Prix history, but it’s still a field with some good names – including New Zealand’s Glenn Snyders, the 2nd seed (1:02.30), and National Teamer Brad Craig, the 3rd seed (1:02.36).

Austin Temple of the hometown ‘Horns who have been swimming well all weekend is the 4th qualifier in 1:02.97. Former Texas swimmer Eric Friedland, who hasn’t raced long course since the 2013 Maccabiah Games, is the 5th seed in 1:02.99.

Mike Alexandrov and Thiago Parravicini tied in 1:03.07 in prelims, and Alabama’s Anton McKee tops off the A-Final in 1:03.12.

Of note in the B-Final is Conor Dwyer, who while he has focused on freestyle and IM races as a pro, was a very good college breaststroker. He swam a 1:03.49, which is his lifetime best.

Women’s 100 Back – Prelims

Over the last couple years, swimming legend and 32-year old Natalie Coughlin made the move almost-exclusively to the sprint freestyle events. Sometime late in 2014, however, Coughlin caught the bug for the 100 backstroke that made her so famous, and has swum well in a couple of meets in the event.

That includes in prelims of the Austin Grand Prix on Saturday, where she was a 1:01.15 for the top seed. She took he race out in 29.38 – more than eight-tenths of a second faster than anybody else in the field – before shutting-it-down on the back half.

The closest swimmer to matching Coughlin’s front-half speed was Megan Romano of the New York Athletic Club, who was out in 30.22 before finishing in 1:01.94 as the 4th qualifier.

Canadian Dominique Bouchard, trained at Missouri, also continues to develop her front-end speed. That was the biggest weakness she had early in her elite career, but she’s basically erased that, and on Saturday swam a 1:01.50 to qualify 2nd behind Coughlin. Her fellow Canadian, 16-year old Danielle Hanus, took 3rd in 1:01.79.

Katinka Hosszu (1:01.97) and Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry (1:02.29) are the 5th and 6th qualifiers, respectively. That’s Coventry’s first “A” final of the meet: her first racing since the 2012 Olympics.

Canadian 14-year old star Taylor Ruck will make three from her country in this final after a 1:02.37, and Emma Saunders from Alabama rounds out a field that includes just two Americans.

Elizabeth Beisel, like most of the Florida post-grads at this meet, was a no-show for the 100 back prelims.

Men’s 100 Back – Prelims

Japanese swimmer Junya Koga, who is currently training with Club Wolverine, leads the way through the men’s 100 back qualifying in 54.57. That led a sleepy qualifying round that saw three of the top four swimmers 26-or-older: veterans by swimming’s standards.

Matt Grevers is the 2nd qualifier in 55.12, followed by 19-year old Ryan Murphy (55.49) and Australian Bobby Hurley (54.02).

Ryan Harty (55.31), Jack Conger (55.75), Jacob Pebley (55.85), and Miguel Ortiz (55.89) topped out the A-final qualifiers.

Tyler Clary is the 12th qualifier in 56.55.

Editor’s note: there was an error in the live results that put the 100 back final in with prelims. The top 8 were the only swimmers under 56 seconds.

 Women’s 200 IM – Prelims

Katie Ledecky has had Katinka Hosszu’s number so far in the freestyle events in Austin, but with the battle shifting to the Hungarian’s wheelhouse in the IM, the table has turned a little on Saturday.

The two swimmers took the top two seeds in prelims, with Hosszu swimming a 2:14.92 and Ledecky taking the 2nd qualification spot in 2:16.04.

While only the 2nd seed for Ledecky, that is her best time by two-tenths of a second.

Those two won’t be alone in this race, as Caitlin Leverens (2:16.09) and Sarah Henry (2:16.18) weren’t far behind in the heats.

Gator Swim Club post-grad Hilda Luthersdottir is the 5th qualifier in 2:18.86, followed by 15-year old Cassidy Bayer (2:18.75), Kirsty Coventry (2:19.43), and local 15-year old Regan Barney (2:19.46).

For Bayer, best known as a butterflier, that swim was a best time by over six seconds. Prior to this meet, she didn’t have a Pro Swim Series Qualifying Time in the event in long course.

Men’s 200 IM – Prelims

Andrew Seliskar finished the morning session of the meet with another top seed, swimming a 2:02.42 in the men’s 200 IM. Close behind him is his future teammate Josh Prenot in 2:02.82.

Seliskar, who generally-speaking is an elite sprint breaststroker, doesn’t push that leg of his IM as much as Prenot and 3rd qualifier Conor Dwyer (2:03.11) do, so in finals he’ll have to build a lead on the front-half to expect a win.

Michael Weiss (2:03.99), Tyler Clary (2:04.19), and Michael Andrew (2:04.84) will sit in the second-tier of qualifiers behind the top three.

Internationals Nikita Denisyako (2:05.71) and Marko Blazevski (2:05.78) finish out the A-Final in a relatively thin field.