2016 Atlanta Classic Day 3 Finals Recap

2016 ATLANTA CLASSIC – DAY 3 – FINALS

• Sunday, May 15th, 6:00PM (Eastern Time)
• Georgia Tech McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, GA
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

The final evening of competition of the 2016 Atlanta Classic will feature Olympians, NCAA stars, and other top swimmers squaring off in five total events.  The fastest heats of the women’s 800 free and men’s 1500 free will swim first.  (Note: Katie Ledecky is not swimming the 800 free).  In the 200 IM, Stanford’s Ella Eastin has the top seed from this morning, but will have to beat the winner of the 400 IM, Elizabeth Beisel, head-to-head, to hold that spot. A similar battle could be brewing in the men’s side, with Josh Prenot having the fastest time this morning, but Jay Litherland will be looking to sweep the individual medleys.  Tasija Karosas will swim in lane four in the women’s 200 back this evening.  On the men’s side, Jacob Pebley had this morning’s fastest time, but all eyes will be on teammate Ryan Murphy after he popped a 53.0 in the 100 back yesterday.  The meet will end with the 100 freestyles.  Ledecky, Simone Manuel, and Lia Neal will be trying to answer Dana Vollmer’s 53.59 from this morning.  The men’s race features a ton of current and former NCAA stars, including Marcelo Chierighini, who had the fastest time this morning with a 48.66, Nathan Adrian, Jack Conger, Tom Shields, Ryan Held, Townley Haas, and Caeleb Dressel.atlant

WOMEN’S 800 FREE – FASTEST HEAT

1. Adreina Pinto, Gator Swim Club, 8:36.16
2. Stephanie Peters, Marietta Marlins, 8:37.59
3. Madeyln Donohoe, The Fish, 8:40.44

Katie Ledecky elected not to swim this race, presumably to save her energy for the 200 IM and the 100 free later on this evening, and in Ledecky’s absence, Adreina Pinto of the Gator Swim Club took the win, registering a 8:36.16 out of the final heat.  Stephanie Peters took 2nd, just over a second behind Pinto with a 8:37.59.  14 year-old Madeyln Donohoe shaved three-tenths of her lifetime best to place 3rd in 8:40.44.

MEN’S 1500 FREE – FASTEST HEAT

1. Sean Grieshop, Nitro, 15:18.88
2. Andrew Gemmell, Nation’s Capital, 15:33.24
3. Robert Finke, St. Petersburg, 15:33.30

17 year-old Sean Grieshop won in dominating fashion, finishing almost fifteen seconds ahead of the field with a time of 15:18.88.  If he didn’t scratch, he’s slated to swim in the final of the 200 IM in just a few minutes.  Olympian Andrew Gemmell was the next to touch, recording a time of 15:33.24.  Gemmell just held off 16 year-old Robert Finke, who took 3rd in 15:33.30.

WOMEN’S 200 IM – FINALS

1. Ella Eastin, Stanford, 2:10.54
2. Maya DiRado, Stanford, 2:11.42
3. Madisyn Cox, Unattached-Texas, 2:13.24

Stanford women swept the top two spots in this event, with Ella Eastin winning in 2:10.54 and Maya DiRado finishing 2nd in 2:11.42.  That’s a new lifetime best for Eastin, with a 2:11.35 behind her previous best.  It also gives her 2nd-fastest time among USA women this year, ranking only behind Caitlin Leverenz’s 2:10.35 from last fall.  3rd place went to Madisyn Cox, with a 2:13.24.  Katie Ledecky, opting to swim this instead of the 800 free earlier in the session, placed 5th in 2:15.20.  Thursday’s 400 IM winner, Elizabeth Beisel, took 6th in 2:16.56.

MEN’S 200 IM – FINALS

1. Josh Prenot, California, 1:59.51
2. Marton Barta, SwimAtlanta, 2:03.80
3. Mark Szarankek, Gators, 2:04.22

Josh Prenot picked up his second win of the meet, after winning the 200 breast yesterday.  His time of 1:59.51 is his second-fastest in-season time ever, and would have placed him only about half a second behind Ryan Lochte at the Charlotte Pro Series swim going on at almost exactly the same time.  16 year-old Marton Barta of the hometown SwimAtlanta team placed 2nd here with a 2:03.80, followed by Mark Szaranek in 2:04.22.  The winner of tonight’s 1500, Sean Grieshop, placed 9th in 2:07.23.

WOMEN’S 200 BACK – FINALS

1. Elizabeth Beisel, Bluefish, 2:12.10
2. Alex Walsh, Nashville, 2:12.32
3. Lisa Bratton, Texas A&M, 2:12.50

This was the most exciting race so far this evening, with the top three finishers touching the wall separated by four-tenths of a second.  Elizabeth Beisel, swimming her second final of the evening, emerged victorious with a time of 2:12.10.  14 year-old Alex Walsh finished 2nd in 2:12.32, followed closely by Lisa Bratton in 2:12.50.

MEN’S 200 BACK – FINALS

1. Ryan Murphy, California, 1:55.82
2. Jacob Pebley, California, 1:56.66
3. Michael Taylor, Dynamo, 2:01.81

Ryan Murphy took the win tonight in 1:55.82.  The USA Swimming database would have that as the fastest time in the US this year, but Murphy went 1:54.94 at the Canadian Olympic Trials last month.  Either way, he has the fastest time among USA men this year.  California teammate Jacob Pebley took second in 1:56.66, which is also just off his time from the Canadian Olympic Trials.  Those two were the only swimmers to crack the 2-minute barrier.  3rd place went to Michael Taylor in 2:01.81.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE – FINALS

1. Simone Manuel, Stanford, 54.11
2. Lia Neal, Stanford, 54.31
3. Katie Ledecky, 54.55

A trio of current and future Stanford swimmers swept the top three spots in this event this evening.  First place went to Simone Manuel in 54.11.  Lia Neal took 2nd in 54.31.  Katie Ledecky, who is heading to Stanford in the fall after taking a year off, placed 3rd in 54.55.  While all three of those swimmers should be in the mix for Team USA’s 4×100 free relay, Dana Vollmer’s 53.59 from this morning in Charlotte remains the fastest time for USA swimmers this eyar.

MEN’S 100 FREE – FINALS

1. Nathan Adrian, California, 48.29
2. Marcelo Chierighini, Unattached, 48.69
3. Townley Haas, Texas, 49.72

Nathan Adrian continued swimming toward his defense of Olympic gold in this event with a win here tonight.  His time of 48.29 put him ahead of Marcelo Chierighini, who took 2nd in 48.69.  Townley Haas finished 3rd in 49.72, his fastest in-season time ever.  Haas’s Texas teammate Jack Conger tied with Tom Shields, both touching in 49.89.  Caeleb Dressel, the American and U.S. Open Record holder in the yards version of this event, finished 6th in 50.26.