2018 Pan Pacific Championships
- Thursday, August 9 – Tuesday, August 14, 2018
- Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Center, Tokyo, Japan
- Event schedule
- Meet site
- Meet records
Young sprint stars Caeleb Dressel and Kyle Chalmers should meet for the first time since the 2016 Olympics in what could be a clash of sprint free titans.
The two raced head to head at the Rio Olympics, but haven’t faced off directly since. In 2016, Chalmers – then 18 – roared home with an absurd back half to stun the Olympic field and win gold for the swimming-crazed nation of Australia. Dressel, competing in his first-ever senior international meet, was just 6th, though he did swim a best time of 47.91 in prelims. Point: Chalmers.
Then in 2017, Dressel blasted onto the national scene, winning 7 golds at the World Championships, including a 47.17 in the 100 that ranked him 3rd all-time among textile swims. Chalmers missed the meet after having heart surgery. Point: Dressel.
The rubber match is 2018, where Dressel and Chalmers are both slated to swim, though without much in-season dazzle from either. A likely-unrested Dressel averted a near-disaster at U.S. Nationals, missing the Pan Pacs team for two days (including taking 6th in this event in 48.50) before sneaking on late. Chalmers tied for silver at Commonwealth Games in April – that’s typically a pretty important meet for Australia, but there’s really no telling if Chalmers will be more primed for Pan Pacs than he was in going 48.15 there.
Neither will be the top seed in the 100 free, but the duo should draw the most eyes in Tokyo after their stellar 2017 and 2016 seasons, respectively.
Katsumi Nakamura of Japan is the season-leader among Pan Pacs nations at 47.87, a Japanese record. Brazil should field a bunch of competitive threats. Pedro Spajari is 4th in the world (47.95) this year and Gabriel Santos 5th (47.98) after both broke 48 at Brazil’s Maria Lenk Trophy in April. Marcelo Chierighini was fifth at Worlds last summer in 48.11, though he’s been about three tenths slower so far this year.
2015 World Champ Ning Zetao looks to be back for China, but he’s been a bit of a mystery over the past few years, missing finals in Rio before being booted off the national team last year. He’s the only other sub-48 contender in the world so far this year, though, and should be a real factor if he’s competing. (China tends to place a bigger focus on Asian Games, and it’s not clear if they’ll send most of their top swimmers to Pan Pacs or not).
There should be several other Americans and at least one more Australian fighting for the A final, though each nation can only qualify 2 A finalists and 1 B finalist after entering as many as they want for prelims. Jack Cartwright actually beat Chalmers at Australian Trials, though Chalmers returned the favor at Commonwealths. Cameron McEvoy, Australia’s other top threat, is not competing.
For the Americans, Nathan Adrian is a perennial international force who very rarely seems to have an off meet. Behind him is a surge of youth coming out of the NCAA: Blake Pieroni beat Adrian and Dressel for the U.S. National title in 48.08, and Zach Apple was actually faster than that (48.06) in prelims. Townley Haas has typically been more of a 200/400 type, but seems to be coming down in distance and went 48.30 at U.S. Nationals.
Moving down to the 50 yields many of the same suspects. Dressel is probably still the odds-on favorite after going 21.15 last year, and with Worlds silver medalist Bruno Fratus out for Brazil, Dressel should be the only 2017 Worlds A finalist in this event competing in the Pan Pacs field. But he’ll have to contend with youngster Michael Andrew, the 19-year-old who won four events at U.S. Nationals and has come of age as a four-stroke speedster. Andrew’s 21.49 beat Dressel’s 21.67 at U.S. Nationals.
Brazil’s Spajari (21.82) should also be in the mix, along with Adrian (21.85) of the United States and Nakamura (21.87) of Japan. Defending champ Fratus is out of Pan Pacs as is 2014 silver medalist Anthony Ervin. In fact, Adrian, Nakamura and Chierighini are the only returning A finalists in the mix this time around.
Medalist Picks
50 Free
| Medal | Name | Nation | Season-best | Lifetime-best |
| Gold | Caeleb Dressel | USA | 21.67 | 21.15 |
| Silver | Michael Andrew | USA | 21.49 | 21.49 |
| Bronze | Pedro Spajari | Brazil | 21.82 | 21.82 |
100 Free
| Medal | Name | Nation | Season-best | Lifetime-best |
| Gold | Caeleb Dressel | USA | 48.50 | 47.17 |
| Silver | Kyle Chalmers | Australia | 48.15 | 47.58 |
| Bronze | Nathan Adrian | USA | 48.25 | 47.52 |
Maybe you’re right and Dressel-Chalmers is “the story”. But I just watched a meet called U.S. Nationals and Dressel didn’t come out of that as our point-man in the sprint freestyle. Maybe he wasn’t fully tapered. But I’m not sure how you watch last week and then decide that this is the story to post.
Oh, the 2016 Olympic champ vs the 2017 World champ? And you can’t see why that’s the story?
I guess there’s a reason they are the sportswriter and you are not.
Why do I think Dressel didn’t fully taper for nationals? The lax selection criteria allowed for him not to – he can still swim whatever he wants at Pan Pacs despite having only placed in a handful events. On top of this, Speedo’s signing interview hinted at performance based incentives. If I were him, I would certainly save as much of the giant taper for the big meet as I could.
Why do I think Dressel was fully tapered at Nationals and will be unable to swim any faster than 48.5 at Pan Pacs? Because that is what I want the Australians to believe.
Lol 😂
Point Dressell becasue Chalmers had heart surgery and missed the meet… Really reaching on that one. SMH
Yeah – pretty sure if the situation was reversed , they wouldn’t be giving a “point “ to Chalmers .
Ning Zetao won’t compete this year. He didn’t enter the 100 Fr and miss the 50 Fr at the Chinese Nationals 2018. http://www.xinhuanet.com/sports/2018-06/23/c_1123026110.htm
I don’t think Dressel’s freestyle will be quite as quick as 2017. His fly was more impressive at trials, and I think it will also be more impressive at panpacs. He’ll win, but I won’t be expecting 47.1 again… I do however expect a WR in the 100fl.
47.6, 50.0, 21.3-21.4. He’s been overtrained. Troy even semi admitted it.
Link to article please? Thx
Refer to Point #4
https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018/07/30/katie-ledecky-michael-andrew-caeleb-dressel-swimming-nationals/
Another article just for reference.
https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018/07/27/caeleb-dressel-swimming-nationals/
That’s a bit of a worry. Glad they’ve spotted it early if so. Michael Jamieson overtrained to the point of his body breaking down beyond being repairable to it’s former ability.
Is that what happened with him? For years, I wasn’t sure…
So the story goes. He became a bit obsessed with working his body into exhaustion – and eventually his body gave in and was just never the same. Quite sad.
Cartwright could be a dark horse and take the bronze ahead of Adrian. He was partially tapered at trials and did a 48.05, only 0.08 off his lifetime best of 47.97, so he’ll likely take a few tenths off his PB at pan pacs.
Cartwright/ Pieroni/ Haas/Spajari all stand a shot at Bronze ahead of Adrian. Commies are great and all, but I’m pretty sure Kyle Chalmers is peaking for this meet. He’s talked about Dressel several times for this not to be his target.
Word has it Chalmers said he’d smash Dressel like a guitar! So, . . . . .
That’s a quote from an American, so…
It’s still funny
I’m just asking for a little respect for my man Mr. Pepperoni.
It sounds like you are just asking that no one have an opinion different from yours.
Anyone know if we’ll be able to watch Pan Pacs live?
Yes. At 4:30 AM
Thankfully I have a newborn at home right now, so I might actually be up then!
congrats!
Right after gymnastics finishes….