2021 Pro Swim Series – Mission Viejo: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2021 PRO SWIM SERIES – MISSION VIEJO (#3)

• April 8-11, 2021
• Marguerite Aquatics Center, Mission Viejo, CA
• LCM
• Prelims – 4:00pm PST/Finals – 10:00am PST
• Meet central
• Meet information
• Psych sheets
• Live stream (USA Swimming – evening prelims & 800 free Thursday)
• Live stream (Olympic Channel – mid-day finals)
• Live results

The first full session of finals starts this morning in Mission Viejo, with stars like Caeleb Dressel, Katie Ledecky and Lilly King among the top competitors.

Ledecky and King were very quick in yesterday evening’s prelims session, as Ledecky posted a season-best 1:55.40 in the 200 free and King tied her world-leading 1:05.32 in the 100 breast from a few weeks ago.

Dressel is taking on a 200 free/100 fly double after going respective times of 1:48.69 and 52.60 in prelims.

Several U.S. Olympic team contenders will meet in the men’s 100 breast (led in prelims by Nic Fink at 59.89) and women’s 400 IM (led in prelims by Hali Flickinger at 4:39.13), while 17-year-old Lydia Jacoby looks to strengthen her candidacy for a dark horse 100 breast Olympic roster spot. Jacoby broke 1:07 for the first time ever in prelims, going 1:06.99 to become the #5 performer in U.S. 17-18 age group history.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE – FINALS

• Pro Swim Record: 1:54.43 Katie Ledecky (2016)
• Trials Wave II: 2:00.24
• Trials Wave I: 2:01.69

Katie Ledecky was out in 56.01, pulling away from the field and coming down the final stretch with a huge lead. She blazed to a 1:54.40, taking down her own 2016 PSS record of 1:54.43 from five years ago. That’s a phenomenal swim for her, and she moves to the top time in the world this year ahead of China’s Yang Junxuan (1:54.70).

That’s Ledecky’s best time ever on U.S. soil (it also ties the U.S. Open record done by Allison Schmitt at 2012 Olympic Trials), and it’s her second-best performance ever. She’s only been faster at the Rio Olympics, when she went her lifetime best 1:53.73.

Allison Schmitt of Sun Devil Swimming was 1:58.04, winning a tight battle over Cal Aquatics’ Katie McLaughlin and Longhorn Aquatics’ Madisyn Cox, who tied for third at 1:58.14.

17-year-old Justina Kozan of Mission Viejo Nadadores broke 1:59 for the first time ever, going 1:58.50 to win the B-final ahead of Leah Smith (1:58.76). Kozan’s old best of 1:59.21 was from 2019.

MEN’S 200 FREE – FINALS

• Pro Swim Record: 1:44.82 Sun Yang
• Trials Wave II: 1:49.65
• Trials Wave I: 1:50.79

Top 3

1. Caeleb Dressel – 1:47.57
2. Andrew Seliskar – 1:47.69
3. Khader Baqlah – 1:47.93

Cal Aquatics’ Andrew Seliskar was on a mission early, going out in 51.92 to lead at the half-way mark. Caeleb Dressel of Gator Swim Club threw down a 27.1 third 50, though, and he finished with a 27.6 to take the win at 1:47.57. Seliskar was just behind at 1:47.69.

Dressel’s club teammate Khader Baqlah also broke 1:48, going 1:47.93 for third.

Cristian Quintero was 1:49.69 to win the B-final for Irvine NOVAquatics, ahead of rising Stanford sophomore Luke Maurer in his first time under 1:50 at 1:49.75. Dynamo’s Jay Litherland was third in 1:49.96. Ryan Lochte, who was scratched into this B-final, gained two seconds and finished eighth in a lackluster 1:53.95.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – FINALS

• Pro Swim Record: 1:05.32 Lilly King (2021)
• Trials Wave II: 1:09.55
• Trials Wave I: 1:10.99

Top 3

1. Lilly King – 1:05.70
2. Lydia Jacoby – 1:06.38
3. Annie Lazor – 1:06.86

Lilly King was out in 30.97, a bit slower than her front-half in prelims. She finished hard, but was a few tenths off of her prelims time (and season-best) of 1:05.32, going 1:05.70.

Second went to 17-year-old Lydia Jacoby, who dropped another six-tenths off of her lifetime best from prelims, going 1:06.38. Jacoby now jumps King’s previous #3 time in the 17-18 historical rankings, and she’s knocking on the door of the top two performers in history, who went their times before 2010.

100 BREAST, 17-18 AGE GROUP TOP PERFORMERS

1. Kasey Carlson – 1:05.75 (2009)
2. Jessica Hardy – 1:06.20 (2005)
3. Lydia Jacoby – 1:06.38 (2021)
4. Lilly King – 1:06.43 (2015)
5. Kaitlyn Dobler – 1:06.97 (2019)
6. Zoie Hartman – 1;07.37 (2019)

Annie Lazor of Mission Viejo Nadadores and Molly Hannis of Tennessee Aquatics both dropped from prelims to go under 1:07, with Lazor in third at 1:06.86 and Hannis in fourth at 1:06.93.

San Diego State star Klara Thormalm was 1:09.17 to take the B-final.

MEN’S 100 BREAST – FINALS

• Pro Swim Record: 58.86 Adam Peaty (2017)
• Trials Wave II: 1:01.97
• Trials Wave I: 1:03.29

Top 3

1. Nic Fink – 59.74
2. Andrew Wilson – 1:00.06
3. Michael Andrew – 1:00.38

Nic Fink and Andrew Wilson went 1-2 for Athens Bulldogs Swim Club, with Fink again dropping under a minute as he did in prelims.

Fink won in 59.74, with Wilson coming on strong over the final 20 meters and nearly joining him under a minute. He was second in 1:00.06, jumping ahead of Race Pace Club’s Michael Andrew (1:00.38).

Tommy Cope of Club Wolverine went under 1:01 for the first time, going 1:00.89 for fourth ahead of another Bulldogs Swim Club breaststroker, Kevin Cordes (1:01.19).

In the B-final, Miguel Chavez of Team Elite went 1:01.93 for the victory.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY – FINALS

• Pro Swim Record: 56.38 Sarah Sjostrom (2016)
• Trials Wave II: 59.59
• Trials Wave I: 1:00.69

Top 3

1. Kelsi Dahlia – 58.11
2. Beryl Gastaldello/Katie McLaughlin – 58.56 *TIE*

Kelsi Dahlia had a brutally long finish, but she still put up virtually the same time as she did in prelims to win it. She was 58.11 this morning, just off of her 58.10 from prelims.

Tying for second were Aggie Swim Club’s Beryl Gastaldello (58.56) and Cal Aquatics’ Katie McLaughlin (58.56), both dropping time from prelims. Alto Swim Club’s Lillie Nordmann was fourth in 59.09, dropping a few tenths from prelims and nearly breaking 59.

The B-final went to Alto Swim Club’s Katie Drabot at 59.46, dropping almost a half-second from prelims.

MEN’S 100 FLY – FINALS

• Pro Swim Record: 50.92 Caeleb Dressel (2020)
• Trials Wave II: 53.37
• Trials Wave I: 54.19

Top 3

1. Caeleb Dressel – 51.61
2. Luis Martinez – 51.77
3. Andrew Seliskar – 52.21

Caeleb Dressel dropped down to a 51.61 with a big swim out of lane one following his 200 free win, moving to #12 in the world this year. Dressel was long on the finish, but was able to get ahead of Luis Martinez (51.77).

Third went to Cal Aquatics’ Andrew Seliskar in 52.21 as he dropped time after his 200 free from earlier. He led a couple of Golden Bears, with 100 back World Record-holder Ryan Murphy fourth in 52.27 and Tom Shields fifth in 52.39.

In the B-final, Cal Aquatics’ Hugo Gonzalez dropped a lifetime best 52.14 for the win in arguably one of his weaker strokes. That appears to be his first time under 53 seconds. Nicolas Albiero of Louisville was second, also breaking 53 at 52.99.

WOMEN’S 400 IM – FINALS

• Pro Swim Record: 4:31.07 Katinka Hosszu (2015)
• Trials Wave II: 4:47.72
• Trials Wave I: 4:51.79

Top 3

1. Melanie Margalis – 4:35.18
2. Hali Flickinger – 4:37.55
3. Madisyn Cox – 4:39.10

Melanie Margalis opened up a huge lead through the breaststroke leg, and she put down the hammer with a 4:35.18. Margalis’s 4:35.18 ranks second in the world this year, and it’s a great swim in April. She was 38 seconds on both breaststroke legs and closed in a 1:02.8 after going out in a 2:15.0 on the first 200.

Hali Flickinger of Sun Devil Swimming and Madisyn Cox of Longhorn Aquatics were both under 4:40, each dropping over a second to go 2-3 at 4:37.55 and 4:39.10, respectively. Leah Smith slashed almost five seconds off of her prelims swim to take fourth in 4:40.48.

Mission Viejo’s Katie Crom clocked a 4:46.61 to take the B-final, dropping over four seconds from prelims. She establishes a new lifetime best, downing her old one of 4:47.92 from back in 2019.

MEN’S 400 IM – FINALS

• Pro Swim Record: 4:08.92 Chase Kalisz (2018)
• Trials Wave II: 4:23.24
• Trials Wave I: 4:25.99

Top 3

1. Sean Grieshop – 4:16.14
2. Jarod Arroyo – 4:18.44
3. Grant Sanders – 4:20.98

Cal Aquatics’ Sean Grieshop took control of this race, turning at the back-to-breast turn in a big lead at 2:03. Jarod Arroyo pulled up on Grieshop after the breaststroke leg, but Grieshop closed the door on the free leg and charged to the wall on top.

Grieshop was 4:16.14, dropping two seconds from prelims as Arroyo dropped four to nab second at 4:18.44. Grieshop moves into the top 20 in the world this season, coming in at #18. He moves into the #1 slot amongst Americans, leaping over Chase Kalisz (4:16.53) and Carson Foster (4:16.51).

Daniel Gloude of Coronado Swim Association went 4:33.00 for the B-final win.