2022 Pro Swim Series – Westmont: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2022 PRO SWIM SERIES – WESTMONT

• March 2-5, 2022
• FMC Aquatic Center, Westmont, Illinois
• Start Times (CST): 9:00 am prelims / 6:00 pm finals
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• Saturday Prelims Heat Sheets

The last prelims session here in Westmont will consists of heats of the 100 back, 200 breast, 200 IM, and 50 free. As we’ve seen all week, no even has a particularly deep field, but there are plenty of big names competing, ranging from world record holders Ryan Murphy and Caeleb Dressel to age standouts Claire Curzan and Leah Hayes, both of whom had great swims last night.

Women’s 100 Back – Prelims

• World Record: Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 57.45
• American Record: Regan Smith – 57.57
• US Open Record: Regan Smith (USA) – 57.92
• World Junior Record: Regan Smith (USA) – 57.57
• Pro Swim Record: Regan Smith (USA) – 58.18

Top 9:

1. Hali Flickinger (SUN) – 1:00.22
2. Olivia Smoliga (Un-AZ) – 1:00.28
3. Claire Curzan (TAC) – 1:00.51
4. Gabby DeLoof (CW) – 1:01.10
5. Erika Brown (TNAQ) – 1:01.72
6. Carly Noveline (WILD) – 1:01.89
7. Teagen O’Dell (NOVA) – 1:01.91
8. Bella Hindley (TNAQ) – 1:02.41
9. Quinlan Hinerfeld (FAST) – 1:05.42

Hali Flickinger has won the 200 fly and the 400 IM so far this meet, but she flexed a bit of range this morning, hitting a new lifetime best and leading prelims with a 1:00.22. That shaves 0.06s off of her previous best from 2019.

Two other women joined Flickinger under 1:01. Olivia Smoliga clocked a 1:00.28 to qualify just behind Flickinger, and last night’s 200 back champion, Claire Curzan, qualified 3rd with a 1:00.51.

Men’s 100 Back – Prelims

• World Record: Ryan Murphy (USA) – 51.85
• American Record: Ryan Murphy – 51.85
• US Open Record: Aaron Piersol (USA) – 51.94
• World Junior Record: Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) – 52.53
• Pro Swim Record: David Plummer (USA) – 52.40

Top 8:

1. Shaine Casas (UN) – 56.58
2. Ryan Murphy (CAL) – 56.71
3. Ryan Patterson (UN) – 56.79
4. Sam Stewart (UN) – 57.59
5. Andy Kelly (WILD) – 58.08
6. Landon Driggers (GM) – 58.36
7. Colin Davis (ISWM) – 59.79
8. Dylan Wright (UN) – 1:00.09

Tonight’s final results may look different, but it was an incredibly tight finish for the top three spots in this morning’s prelims. Shaine Casas got his hand on the wall first in 56.58, just ahead of world record holder Ryan Murphy (56.71).

George Washington senior Ryan Patterson qualified 3rd in 56.79, just 0.08s behind Murphy. That’s the 4th-fastest time of Patterson’s career, and watch for him to make a run at his lifetime best of 56.30 tonight.

Women’s 200 Breast – Prelims

• World Record: Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA) – 2:18.95
• American Record: Rebecca Soni – 2:19.59
• US Open Record: Rebecca Soni (USA) – 2:19.59
• World Junior Record: Viktoria Gunes (TUR) – 2:19.64
• Pro Swim Record: Annie Lazor (USA): 2:20.77

Top 9:

1. Annie Lazor (ISC) – 2:27.96
2. Lydia Jacob (STSC) – 2:28.03
3. Lilly King (ISC) – 2:28.40
4. Kaeyln Gridley (WILD) – 2:31.88
5. Pipe Enge (BC) – 2:32.79
6. Emma Weber (TOPS) – 2:37.57
7. Aubree Brouwer (SPA) – 2:37.72
8. Emma Weyant (UN) – 2:37.95
9. Lucy Bell (FAST) – 2:40.73

Olympian Annie Lazor won the first heat by a wide margin, posting a time of  2:27.97 to take the top seed overall.

Her Olympic teammates Lydia Jacob and Lilly King dueled it out in the second heat, with Jacoby getting her hands on the wall first, 2:28.03 to 2:28.40.

Overall, this will be one of the younger A-finals of the meet; six of the nine A-finalist are teenagers.

Men’s 200 Breast – Prelims

• World Record: Anton Chupkov (RUS) – 2:06.12
• American Record: Josh Prenot – 2:07.17
• US Open Record: Josh Prenot (USA) – 2:07.17
• World Junior Record: Haiyang Qin (CHN) – 2:09.39
• Pro Swim Record: Andrew Wilson (USA) – 2:08.95

Top 9:

1. Anton McKee (PRVT) – 2:15.91
2. Nick Mahabir (CSTE) – 2:18.56
3. Nic Fink (MAAC) – 2:18.88
4. Will Licon (TXLA) – 2:20.35
5. Mateusz Dubas (UN) – 2:20.54
6. Charlie Swanson (NOVA) – 2:20.97
7. Joao Rodrigues (UN) – 2:23.18
8. Max Seidel (CSTE) – 2:34.38

Iceland’s Anton McKee will have the middle lane tonight after leading prelims with a 2:15.91 this morning. McKee won the first heat by over four seconds, touching ahead of former Texas Longhorn Will Licon (2:20.25).

In the second heat, 16 year-old Nick Mahabir held off US Olympian Nic Fink for the win, 2:18.56 to 2:18.88.

Only nine men competed in the event, and all would’ve made it anyway, but only eight will compete tonight after Luca Foord drew a disqualification in the first heat.

Women’s 200 IM – Prelims

• World Record: Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2:06.12
• American Record: Ariana Kukors – 2:06.15
• US Open Record: Kathleen Baker (USA) – 2:08.32
• World Junior Record: Rikako Ikee (JPN) – 2:09.98
• Pro Swim Record: Katinka Hosszu (HUN): 2:08.66

Top 9:

1. Leah Hayes (TIDE) – 2:11.22
2. Leah Smith (TXLA) – 2:13.53
3. Melanie Margalis (SPA) – 2:14.45
4. Beata Nelson (UN) – 2:15.78
5. Hali Flickinger (SUN) – 2:16.59
6. Bailey Andison (ISC) – 2:16.75
7. Teagen O’Dell (NOVA)  – 2:17.72
8. Fantine Lesaffre (WOLF) – 2:18.32
9. Lucy Bell (FAST) – 2:19.14

16 year-old Leah Hayes continues to have a great meet this week. This morning, she dropped a 2:11.22 in prelims that moves her to #4 all-time in the 15-16 age group. She’s now less than a second away from the NAG record of 2:10.41, set by Katie Hoff back in 2005.

Veterans Leah Smith (2:13.53) and Melanie Margalis (2:14.45) put up the 2nd and 3rd fastest time of the morning. Watch for a great race between those three, and probably Flickinger (2:16.59) tonight.

Men’s 200 IM – Prelims 

• World Record: Ryan Lochte (USA) – 1:54.00
• American Record: Ryan Lochte – 1:54.00
• US Open Record: Ryan Lochte (USA) – 1:54.56
• World Junior Record: Haiyang Qin (CHN) – 1:57.06
• Pro Swim Record: Michael Phelps (USA) – 1:56.32

Top 9:

1. Nate Germonprez (ISWM) – 2:03.59
2. Tommy Cope (ISC) – 2:03.74
3. Sam Stewart (UN) – 2:03.90
4. Vini Lanza (ISC) – 2:04.00
5. Tommy Bried (UN) – 2:04.94
6. Zach Harting (CARD) – 2:05.24
7. Nic Fink (MAAC) – 2:06.43
8. Mark Szaranek (GSC) – 2:07.26
9. Landon Diggers (GM) – 2:10.98

A teenager posted the top time of the morning on the men’s side as well, as 17 year-old Nate Germonprez led the heats with a 2:03.59.

Less than half a second separated 1st-4th this morning, with Tommy Cope (2:03.74), Sam Stewart (2:03.90), and Vini Lanza (2:04.00) taking those next three spots.

Notably, Nic Fink qualified 7th in 2:06.43 shortly after swimming the 200 breast. Meanwhile, Will Licon DFS’d this event after swimming the 200 breast. Top-seeded Michael Andrew also was a no-show, presumably to focus on the 50 free momentarily.

Women’s 50 Free – Prelims 

• World Record: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 23.67
• American Record: Simone Manuel – 23.97
• US Open Record: Pernille Blume (DEN) – 24.08
• World Junior Record: Rikako Ikee (JPN) – 24.33
• Pro Swim Record: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 24.17

Top 9:

1. Abbey Weitzeil (CAL) – 24.84
2. Claire Curzan (TAC) – 24.99
3. Erika Brown (TNAQ) – 25.07
4. Natalie Hinds (UN) – 25.23
5. Linnea Mack (TE) – 25.24
6. Mallory Comerford (CARD) – 25.27
7. Kelsi Dahlia (CARD) – 25.35
8. Olivia Smoliga (UN) – 25.45
9. Bella Hindley (TNAQ) – 25.46

It’ll be an absolutely stacked A-final tonight, as almost every participant will have experience on a major USA international competition team.

Specifically, the top four seeds all represented the US in Tokyo. Abbey Weitzeil (24.84) and Claire Curzan (24.99) each got under 25 seconds this morning, while Erika Brown (25.07) wasn’t too far off. Natalie Hinds led the rest of the pack at 25.23, and only 0.23s separated 4th from 8th, so this should be an exciting final tonight.

Men’s 50 Free – Prelims

• World Record: Cesar Cielo (BRA) – 20.91
• American Record: Caeleb Dressel – 21.04
• US Open Record: Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 21.04
• World Junior Record: Michael Andrew (USA) – 21.75
• Pro Swim Record: Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 21.51

Top 9:

1. Michael Andrew (MASA) – 21.98
2. Bruno Fratus (CSSC) – 22.23
3. Ian Ho (UN) – 22.28
4. Ryan Held (NYAC) – 22.40
5. Zach Apple (ISC) – 22.49
6. Bowe Becker (SAND) – 22.51
7. Caeleb Dressel (GSC) – 22.59
8. Artyom Machekin (SDSA) – 22.67
9. Kent Olsen-Stravakas (STAR) – 22.80

After scratching the 200 IM, Michael Andrew put up the fastest time of the morning in the 50 free by a quarter of a second, dipping under 22 to stop the clock in the 21.98.

Bruno Fratus qualified 2nd in 22.23, followed by Ian Ho at 22.28. Just as on the women’s side, there should be plenty of top-notch US swimmers in the A-final tonight. That list includes American Record holder Caeleb Dressel, who qualified 7th in 22.59.