2018 PRO SWIM SERIES – AUSTIN
- Thursday, January 11 – Sunday, January 14, 2018
- Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swim Center
- Austin, TX
- Prelims 9 AM (Th-Sat) / Finals 6 PM (Th), 5:40 (Fri-Sat) / Timed Finals 8 AM (Sun) – U.S. Central Time
- Links, Schedule & Points/Money Info
- Meet site
- Live Stream on NBCSN
- Meet info
- Psych Sheets
- Friday Finals Heat Sheet
- Live Results
Today marks the second day of the 2018 Pro Swim Series stop in Austin, Texas. After competing in this morning’s prelims, swimmers are now gearing up for finals of the 800 free, 100 back, 200 fly, 100 breast, 100 free, and 200 IM. There are several stars in tonight’s lineup, including Nathan Adrian, Melanie Margalis, Li Bingjie, Taylor Ruck, Regan Smith, Chase Kalisz, Zane Grothe, Jack Conger, and Ryan Murphy.
WOMEN’S 800 FREE:
- Pro Swim Series Record: Katie Ledecky, 8:06.68, Austin 2016
- GOLD: Li Bingjie, 8:28.98
- SILVER: Kristel Kobrich, 8:35.65
- BRONZE: Hannah Moore, 8:36.87
World Championships medalist Li Bingjie broke away from the field early on, dominating the race by nearly 7 seconds to win it in 8:28.98. Behind her, the battle for podium spots was a good one. Winter National champion Ashley Neidigh held 2nd position through the halfway point, but Olympian Kristel Kobrich and All-American Hannah Moore were able to close on her through the back half. Kobrich took control of the silver by the 600-meter mark, while Moore made her move down the final stretch for bronze. Neidigh wound up 4th in 8:37.48.
MEN’S 800 FREE:
- Pro Swim Series Record: Michael McBroom, 7:49.96, Santa Clara 2014
- GOLD: Zane Grothe, 7:56.69
- SILVER: Anton Ipsen, 7:57.64
- BRONZE: Clark Smith, 8:00.70
Distance ace Zane Grothe is on a roll, picking up his 2nd win in as many days. Grothe and All-American Anton Ipsen were separated by just a few tenths though most of the race, with just .14 separating them going into the final 100. Grothe used his typical closing speed to seal the deal, winning in 7:56.69 by about a second over Ipsen. NCAA champion Clark Smith rolled in for the bronze, holding off Qiu Ziao (8:01.08) and All-American Marcelo Acosta (8:01.14) in the final 100 meters.
WOMEN’S 100 BACK:
- Pro Swim Series Record: Emily Seebohm, 58.96, Santa Clara 2016
- GOLD: Regan Smith, 59.38
- SILVER: Taylor Ruck, 1:00.18
- BRONZE: Olivia Smoliga, 1:00.23
Junior phenom Regan Smith picked up a gold on the front end of her back-to-back double. Smith dominated the field, flipping in 29.22 en route to her 59.38 win. Canadian junior star Taylor Ruck battled Olympian Olivia Smoliga for the silver, with Ruck just out-touching a hard-charging Smoliga at the finish. Chinese 14-year-old Peng Xuwei, who won the 200 back last night, was just a few tenths back in 1:00.57 for 4th, clipping 15-year-old Isabelle Stadden (1:00.63) at the finish.
MEN’S 100 BACK:
- Pro Swim Series Record: David Plummer, 52.40, Indianapolis 2016
- GOLD: Matt Grevers, 53.73
- SILVER: Ryan Murphy, 53.99
- BRONZE: Justin Ress, 54.43
It was clash of the titans as Olympic 100 back champions Matt Grevers and Ryan Murphy went head-to-head. Murphy had just a .02 edge, 26.33 to 26.35, at the 50, but Grevers was slightly faster through the back half to top Murphy by less than 2 tenths in 53.73. World Championships team member Justin Ress topped Olympic backstroker Jacob Pebley (54.77) down the back half in the battle for bronze.
WOMEN’S 200 FLY:
- Pro Swim Series Record: Cammile Adams, 2:06.76, Austin 2012
- GOLD: Alys Thomas, 2:09.50
- SILVER: Yufei Zhang, 2:10.22
- BRONZE: Hali Flickinger, 2:10.37
Alys Thomas took it out with the lead and held steady as she was the only swimmer to break 2:10, winning in 2:09.50. National champion Hali Flickinger tried to run down Yufei Zhang on the last 50, but ran out of the room as she settled for bronze by just over a tenth. Age group star Regan Smith was back in action just minutes after her 100 back win, taking 4th here in 2:11.66 as she out-touched Ciara Schlosshan (2:11.82) and Harriet Jones (2:11.97).
MEN’S 200 FLY:
- Pro Swim Series Record: Li Zhuhao, 1:55.29, Indianapolis 2017
- GOLD: Chase Kalisz, 1:55.63
- SILVER: Masayu Umemoto, 1:57.64
- BRONZE: Jack Conger, 1:58.09
Through the halfway point, World Champion IMer Chase Kalisz trailed Masayu Umemoto and Jack Conger by a couple of tenths, but he kicked it into another gear on the back half. Kalisz hammered home in 1:00.17 to win by 2 seconds, coming within 3 tenths of the Pro Swim Series Record with his 1:55.63. That was less than a second shy of his lifetime best 1:54.79 from last summer’s U.S. Nationals and the 3rd fastest time he’s ever swum in the event.
Umemoto broke away from Conger on the last 2 50s, taking silver by 4 tenths while Conger earned bronze. The only other swimmer to break 2:00 was Sam Pomajevich (1:59.77), who finished 4th. Nicolas Albiero (2:00.10) nearly broke that barrier as well as he touched in 5th place.
WOMEN’S 100 BREAST:
- Pro Swim Series Record: Rebecca Soni, 1:05.57, Charlotte 2011
- GOLD: Katie Meili, 1:06.49
- SILVER: Rachel Nicol, 1:07.70
- BRONZE: Molly Hannis, 1:07.93
National Teamer Molly Hannis broke out to the early lead in 30.99, but World Champs silver medalist Katie Meili blew away the field with her 35.24 on the back half, winning by over a second in 1:06.49. Hannis wound up with the bronze as Rachel Nicol used her closing speed to take the silver. Worlds medalist Melanie Margalis was just off the podium in 4th with her 1:08.39, out-touching Olympic breaststroker Breeja Larson (1:08.56).
MEN’S 100 BREAST:
- Pro Swim Series Record: Adam Peaty, 58.86, Indianapolis 2017
- GOLD: Yan Zibei, 59.84
- SILVER: Andrew Wilson, 1:00.90
- BRONZE: Nic Fink, 1:01.40
Chinese National Record holder Yan Zibei and U.S. National Teamer Andrew Wilson were neck-and-neck through the front half, but Wilson fell off Zibei’s pace on the 2nd 50 as Zibei took the win in 59.84. Fellow National Teamers Nic Fink and Josh Prenot battled for bronze, with Fink coming through on the back half to out-touch Prenot (1:01.63). All-American Carlos Claverie was also sub-1:02 with his 1:01.87, beating Michael Andrew (1:02.12) for 5th place.
WOMEN’S 100 FREE:
- Pro Swim Series Record: Sarah Sjostrom, 53.12, Austin 2016
- GOLD: Taylor Ruck, 53.51
- SILVER: Margo Geer, 53.74
- BRONZE: Kayla Sanchez, 54.71
Indiana postgrad Margo Geer had the early speed, flipping in 25.78, but Canadian youngster Taylor Ruck went by her in the final 15 meters to win it in 53.51. That was Ruck’s 2nd medal of the night after taking silver in the 100 back. Geer wound up with silver in 53.74, clipping her lifetime best from prelims by 2 hundredths. Another Canadian junior, Kayla Sanchez, picked up a medal with her 3rd place finish. Sanchez came home hard to clip Bahamian Olympian Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace (54.75) at the finish. Last night’s 100 fly champ Amanda Kendall, a teammate of Geer’s, wound up 5th in 55.42.
MEN’S 100 FREE:
- Pro Swim Series Record: Nathan Adrian, 48.00, Mesa 2016
- GOLD: Nathan Adrian, 48.75
- SILVER: Ryan Held, 49.35
- BRONZE: Daniel Krueger, 49.77
Olympic champion Nathan Adrian took it out in 23.43 and extended his lead through the back half as he secured the win in 48.75. Rio Olympic teammate Ryan Held picked up the silver, outpacing junior standout Daniel Krueger as they were the only other swimmers to break 50 seconds. Justin Ress finished 4th on the back end of his 100 back/100 free double, touching in 50.28 ahead of Matias Koski (50.38).
WOMEN’S 200 IM:
- Pro Swim Series Record: Katinka Hosszu, 2:08.66, Charlotte 2015
- GOLD: Sydney Pickrem, 2:09.92
- SILVER: Melanie Margalis, 2:10.66
- BRONZE: Madisyn Cox, 2:10.98
It was Canada on top again as Olympian Sydney Pickrem came within a second of her best time to win it in 2:09.92 and took down the former Pool Record set by Ariana Kukors at 2:10.34. Pickrem used her front-half speed to take the edge, holding off Olympic medalist Melanie Margalis down the stretch. U.S. National Teamer Madisyn Cox also cleared 2:11 to take the bronze. The medalists were over 3 seconds ahead of the field, with Evie Pfeifer taking 4th in 2:14.88.
MEN’S 200 IM:
- Pro Swim Series Record: Michael Phelps, 1:56.32, Indianapolis 2012
- GOLD: Chase Kalisz, 1:57.50
- SILVER: Will Licon, 2:01.08
- BRONZE: Carson Foster, 2:01.40
After winning the 200 fly earlier in the session, World Champion Chase Kalisz returned for yet another gold tonight. Kalisz completed the IM sweep, coming up just .11 shy of Michael Phelps’ Pool Record with his 1:57.50 win. Will Licon used his breaststroke speed to move into position to take the silver. Junior star Carson Foster closed in 28.16 to secure the bronze in a new lifetime best 2:01.40. That took over half a second off Foster’s former best 2:01.97 from 2017 Speedo Juniors.
Great performance for Regan Smith in the 100 back. Her fly is good too. LIke her freestyle. Maybe one day her breaststroke will allow her to shine in the 200 IM.
Impressive Chase Kalisz.
Adrian once again in 48. The guy is so consistent year after year.
Grevers and Meili still there.
Overall the veterans show they will not easily make room for the young.
Ruck is a beast in the making on freestyle.
Geer swims 2 new PBs in the 100 free. I never expected that from her and thought last year she was close to retirement. Great perseverance.
Isabelle Stadden has the meet of her life. Another great female backstroker from Aquajets after Rachel Bootsma.
Pathetic decision from USA swimming last year when they changed their broadcasting system.
It was all free and viewers from all over the world could watch all sessions of all USA swimming big meets (Grand Prix, junior and senior championships).
Maybe they wanted to follow in the footsteps of the moron in the White House and make foreigners (and Americans) very angry.
I see that even those in USA who can watch the meet are not happy with the live streaming. 😆
Brilliant move! I think I’m gonna send an email to USA swimming. They will have a hard time.
I don’t think you can blame Trump for this one.
Surprisingly fast meet. Great double by Chase. He looks sharp and so did the old men big Nate and Giant Matt!
No disrespect to these incredibly fast women, but is amazing to me that Mary T. Meagher’s 200 fly time from 1981 is far faster than the winning time today, and even faster than the Pro Series record. Really puts in perspective what a gargantuan achievement that really was.
Absolutely. And to think that time would still medal at most major Championships is amazing.
Still medal at most major championships wearing no goggles and no tech suit!! Stunning.
And very little underwater dolphin kick in 1981!
Regan Smith might be the best overall backstrokes as soon as this summer
in the U.S., already… or do you mean the world? Heating up everywhere.
any word on where meili is training?
This was the last update I saw: https://staging.swimswam.com/katie-meili-announces-law-school-at-georgetown-in-the-fall/
If you watched the livesteam, she mentioned she’s also training with Dave Salo intermittently
Marsh … Dave Marsh
In La Jolla of all places
Pretty good time for Adrian in January – such a consistent freestyler .
Has he ever not gone a 48 at the PSS
Why doesn’t Chase Kalisz have any sponsorship deals? He finished his NCAA eligibility in 2017, so it seems like he should be picking up professional sponsorship deals. He could be one of the biggest men’s stars come Tokyo 2020, so it just seems odd that he hasn’t been picked up by Speedo or Tyr or Arena.
Yeah I’m sure we all want to him get paid. But I would tell him to not change a thing because he is kicking ass right now. Dont get distracted and keep your focus in the pool.
He is one of the most enjoyable swimmers out there – what a talent & focus .
He seems to wear mizuno suits a lot. Could be a potential sponsor if they do in fact sponsor american athletes. Definitely surprising he hasn’t attracted any major deals after the summer he had
Probably because he wants to sign better deals after qualifying with a Phelps-esque schedule of events; he and Caeleb both. (Dare I say Reagan Smith as well this early).