2016 Arena Pro Swim Series – Charlotte: Day Four Finals Live Recap

2016 ARENA PRO SWIM SERIES – CHARLOTTE

• Thursday May 12th-Sunday May 15th, 2016
• Mecklenburg Aquatic Center – Charlotte, North Carolina
• Thursday May 12th – Timed Finals – 4:00 pm EDT
• Friday-Sunday – Prelims – 9:00 am EDT   Finals – 6 pm EDT
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

WOMEN’S 800 FREE – FINALS

1. Leah Smith, Unattached, 8:27.79
2. Ashley Twichell, Unattached-Mission Viejo, 8:30.45
3. Lindsay Vrooman, Badger, 8:32.94

Leah Smith has been on fire all meet, and her time of 8:27.79 from the morning heats proved to be fast enough to take the top time overall.

Winning the final heat was Ashley Twichell. The open water specialist turned in a time of 8:30.45 to touch ahead of 3rd place finisher Lindsay Vrooman (8:32.94). G Ryan touched at fourth (8:34.01) followed by Rose Bi (8:34.91).

Kristel Kobrich of Chile finished fifth in 8:35.23, the last finisher under 8:40.

WOMEN’S 200 IM – FINALS

1. Caitlin Leverenz, Cal, 2:12.72
2. Karlee Bispo, Unattached, 2:13.96
3. Siobhan Haughey, Club Wolverine, 2:14.60

California Aquatics’ Caitlin Leverenz took control early and held on for a smooth win in the 200 IM, finishing on top in 2:12.72. 2nd went to Karlee Bispo in 2:13.96, followed by rising Michigan sophomore Siobhan Haughey (2:14.60).

Mexico’s Monika Gonzalez Hermosillo turned in a time of 2:16.24 for 4th, followed by SwimMAC’s Kate Mills in 2:16.39.

16-year-old Caroline Hauder lopped over a second off of her lifetime best to post a 2:16.86 in the B final which was the 6th fastest time overall.

MEN’S 200 IM – FINALS

1. Ryan Lochte, SwimMAC, 1:58.97
2. Conor Dwyer, Trojan, 2:00.90
3. Norbert Szabo, Unattached, 2:01.56

Ryan Lochte went out hard in 55.07, and then was able to hang on to finish first at 1:58.97, the only finisher under the 2-minute mark. Trojan Swim Club’s Conor Dwyer followed up for 2nd with a 2:00.90– a solid swim for Dwyer, who is stronger in the 200 and 400 free races.

Norbert Szabo grabbed 3rd in 2:01.56. Tom Peribonio, who swims with the University of South Carolina collegiately, swam a 2:02.35 for 4th, followed closely by Matthew Josa of SwimMAC (2:02.74).

WOMEN’S 200 BACK – FINALS

1. Dominique Bouchard, Swimming Canada, 2:09.14
2. Erin Voss, Unattached, 2:10.37
3. Clara Smiddy, Michigan, 2:11.22

Swimming Canada’s Dominique Bouchard pulled out a strong backhalf to win the race in 2:09.14. She’s already punched her ticket to Rio, and this was a good swim for the University of Missouri alumnus.

Erin Voss, the top seed after prelims, put up a new personal best by two tenths with her 2:10.37, which placed her 2nd overall. She’s one of the many teenager threats ready to swim fast in the backstroke at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Michigan’s Clara Smiddy put together another strong race after this morning, posting a 2:11.22 tonight to grab 3rd.

Kirsty Coventry of SwimMAC placed 4th in 2:11.41, followed by Canada’s Kylie Masse (2:11.54). 15-year-old Alex Sumner was off of her stellar morning time, posting a 2:12.79 to touch 6th. You can add Sumner to that list of young female backstrokers with big potential in the coming years.

MEN’S 200 BACK – FINALS

1. Arkady Vyatchanin, NYAC, 1:59.09
2. Tyler Clary, SwimMAC, 1:59.25
3. Carter Griffin, Missouri, 1:59.86

Backstroke powers Arkady Vyatchanin and Tyler Clary battled this one out, with Clary accelerating into the final turn and looking to have the speed to get him home first. Vyatchanin had other ideas, though, and edged ahead under the flags to touch him out 1:59.09 to 1:59.25.

Carter Griffin dropped over two seconds from prelims to swim a solid 1:59.86 for third, with Robert Owen also dipping under 2 minutes to finish 4th in 1:59.95.

WOMEN’S 50 BREAST – FINALS

1. Lilly King, Indiana, 30.35
2. Katie Meili, SwimMAC, 30.42
3. Alia Atkinson, South Florida Aquatic Club, 30.77

NCAA breaststroke queen Lilly King turned in the fastest time in the 50 breast, touching in 30.35. She just edged out Katie Meili by seven hundredths– the SwimMAC star finished 2nd in 30.42. Alia Atkinson earned the third spot with a 30.77.

That time gives King the 3rd fastest spot in the world this year, behind Ruta Meilutyte and Atkinson, the 3rd place finisher tonight.

MEN’S 50 BREAST – FINALS

1. Cody Miller, Badger, 27.53
2. Jason Block, Swimming Canada, 27.64
3. Nic Eriksson, Queens, 27.96

Badger Swim Club’s Cody Miller was a bit off of his prelims time but still registered the fastest time of the night with a 27.53. Swimming Canada’s Jason Block earned 2nd in 27.64, followed by Queens’ Nic Eriksson in 3rd with a 27.96.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE – FINALS

1. Penny Oleksiak, Swimming Canada, 53.41
2. Chantal Van Landeghem, Swimming Canada, 54.13
3. Dana Vollmer, Cal, 54.19

Dana Vollmer lit up the pool this morning with a huge new personal best in the 100 free, but it was all Penny Oleksiak tonight. The World Junior record holder put up a 53.41, right off of her WJR from Canadian Trials. The way that Oleksiak has been able to put up consistently fast times this year bodes very well for Canada as Rio draws nearer.

Another Canadian, Chantal Van Landeghem, who redshirted this NCAA year to focus on the Olympics, touched out Vollmer with a 54.13 to the American’s 54.19. Sandrine Mainville, also of Swimming Canada, touched 4th at 54.54, just ahead of Madison Kennedy (54.60).

MEN’S 100 FREE – FINALS

1. Santo Condorelli, Swimming Canada, 48.41
2. Jimmy Feigen, NYAC, 49.56
3. Yuri Kisil, Swimming Canada, 49.60

Canadian sprinting is getting really good, really fast. Santo Condorelli flew out to a 22.78 at the feet on the turn, then came home well and finished with a very solid time of 48.41. His countrymate Yuri Kisil turned in the 3rd best time in tonight’s final with a 49.60.

Jimmy Feigen of SwimMAC was a distant second in 49.56. The 2nd fastest time of the night actually came from Anthony Ervin, who swam a 49.30 to win the B final. Ryan Lochte, after his 200 IM, could only manage a 50.22 in the 100, finishing 6th in the A final.

Joao De Lucca (49.75) and Daniel Ramirez (49.99) touched 4th and 5th in the A final. Ramirez, the first Mexican man under 50 seconds in a flat start 100 free, got under that mark again tonight, and has had consistent 49-highs at the last few meets he’s been at this spring.

MEN’S 1500 FREE FINAL