2021 Pro Swim Series – Richmond: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2021 PRO SWIM SERIES – RICHMOND

• January 14-17, 2021
• Collegiate School Aquatics Center, Richmond, VA
• Start Times (Eastern Time): Prelims: 9:00 a.m. / Finals: 7:00 p.m.
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Info (Both Sites)
• Schedule/Initial Timelines
• Live Stream (USA Swimming)
• Psych sheets
• Heat sheets
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2021 TYR Pro Swim Series – Richmond”

It’s the fourth and final day of the 2021 Pro Swim Series kick-off, with prelims of the 200 IM, 100 free and 200 back slated for this morning.

WOMEN’S 200 IM PRELIMS

• PSS Record: 2:08.66, Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2015
• Olympic Trials Cut: 2:17.39

Top 8

1. Samantha Tadder (TIDE) – 2:18.09
2. Emily Escobedo (COND) – 2:18.77
3. Miranda Tucker (UNAT) – 2:18.91
4. Erin Gemmell (NCAP) – 2:19.06
5. Bailey Nero (NCAC) – 2:19.27
6. Letitia Sim (TNT) – 2:19.38
7. Grace Sheble (NOVA) – 2:19.44
8. Meghan Lynch (GYWD) – 2:21.11

TIDE Swimming’s Samantha Tadder led prelims this morning in the women’s 200 IM, going 2:18.09. Breaststroke standouts Emily Escobedo and Miranda Tucker both joined her under 2:19, going 2:18.77 and 2:18.91, respectively.

There was no Zoe Dixon, the 400 IM champion Friday night, as she’s focused on the 200 back today.

MEN’S 200 IM PRELIMS

• PSS Record: 1:56.32, Michael Phelps (USA), 2012
• Olympic Trials Cut: 2:04.09

Top 8

1. Nick Alexander (TRI) – 2:05.14
2. Baylor Nelson (MAC) – 2:05.30
3. Andy Dorsel (MAC) – 2:06.72
4. Arsenio Bustos (WAC) – 2:07.01
5. Josh Parent (ABF) – 2:08.09
6. Holden Smith (RPC) – 2:08.64
7. Aayush Deshpande (FMC) – 2:09.11
8. Tommy Bried (ACE) – 2:09.75

Team Triumph’s Nick Alexander claimed the top seed for finals by just over a tenth here, going 2:05.14 ahead of SwimMAC’s Baylor Nelson (2:05.30).

Nelson’s teammate, Andy Dorsel, was the only top-eight finisher here with a lifetime best. At 2:06.72, the Bucknell ’25 commit sliced over two seconds off of his old best.

WOMEN’S 200 BACK PRELIMS

• PSS Record: 2:05.94, Regan Smith (USA), 2020
• Olympic Trials Cut: 2:14.69

Top 8

1. Summer Smith (ABF) – 2:13.94
2. Josephine Fuller (NOVA) – 2:15.33
3. Paige Hall (MACH) – 2:15.42
4. Zoe Dixon (NOVA) – 2:15.83
5. Aislin Farris (ABF) – 2:15.93
6. Payton Foster (GYWD) – 2:16.66
7. Levenia Sim (TNT) – 2:19.41
8. Maren Conze (NCAP) – 2:20.69

Summer Smith of Bluefish went hard this morning in the 200 back, claiming the top seed tonight with a 2:13.94. That’s only about a second and change off of her current best.

NOVA’s Josephine Fuller (2:15.33) dropped almost two full seconds from her old best, while Machine Aquatics’ Paige Hall was third (2:15.42) for a new best by .02.

TNT’s Levenia Sim, who had a huge 100 back win last night to move to #5 in 13-14 age group history (1:00.94), broke 2:20 for the first time here in 2:19.41. She hadn’t raced this event since summer 2019, when she was 13, and set a best of 2:26.98. She joins 14-year-old Payton Foster of Greenwich YWCA in the A-final tonight.

MEN’S 200 BACK PRELIMS

• PSS Record: 1:55.04, Xu Jiayu (CHN), 2017
• Olympic Trials Cut: 2:02.99

Top 8

1. Nick Alexander (TRI) – 2:03.53
2. Billy Swartwout (LIAC) – 2:03.56
3. Caleb Maldari (ABF) – 2:05.00
4. Baylor Nelson (MAC) – 2:06.21
5. Brett Feyerick (NCAP) – 2:07.53
6. Sam O’Brien (FISH) – 2:09.59
7. JT Ewing (FISH) – 2:12.63
8. Scotty Buff (GTAC) – 2:13.33

Nick Alexander kept rolling, adding to his top seed in the 200 IM with the same here in the 200 back with a 2:03.53. He was pushed by 18-year-old Billy Swartwout of LIAC, who was 2:03.56 this morning for second. That’s a best by just over three-tenths for Swartwout.

15-year-old Caleb Maldari hit a new lifetime best of 2:05.00, slicing a half-second off of his old best and finishing third in prelims.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE PRELIMS

• PSS Record: 53.12, Sarah Sjöström (SWE), 2016
• Olympic Trials Cut: 56.29

Top 8

1. Catie Deloof (CAV) – 54.49
2. Kayla Wilson (TIDE) – 56.40
3. Ali Deloof (TNAQ) – 56.45
4. Lindsay Flynn (MSA) – 56.61
5. Erin Gemmell (NCAP) – 56.65
6. Aly Tetzloff (WOLF) – 56.66
7. Miki Dahlke (MACH) – 57.05
8. Tess Howley (LIAC) – 57.10

Catie Deloof, who won the 50 free last night with a 24.80, destroyed heat three of the 100 free here. She was 54.49, just off of her lifetime best of 54.28.

Deloof was about two full seconds ahead of anyone else. TIDE 16-year-old Kayla Wilson had the other standout swim, going 56.40 for a new lifetime best by .21, while Tess Howley snuck in at eighth in 57.10, slicing a tenth off of her old best.

MEN’S 100 FREE PRELIMS

• PSS Record: 48.00, Nathan Adrian (USA), 2016
• Olympic Trials Cut: 50.49

Top 8

1. Justin Ress (WOLF) – 49.49
2. Michael Chadwick (NCAC) – 49.80
3. Austin Surhoff (UNAT) – 50.08
4. Coleman Stewart (WOLF) – 50.40
5. Arsenio Bustos (WAC) – 50.80
6. Jeff Newkirk (TXLA) – 50.88
7. David Curtiss (HACY) – 51.32
8. Jack Saunderson (WOLF) – 51.36

Justin Ress and Michael Chadwick blew past the 50-second barrier, clocking times of 49.49 and 49.80, respectively. They’ll do battle again tonight; both are in the running for a spot on the Olympic team in this event for the 4×100 free relay.

30-year-old Austin Surhoff just keeps getting better with age, clocking a 50.08 to take a tenth off of his old best. He went 50.19, his old best, in November at the U.S. Open, which was his first PR in this event since 2013 Summer Nationals (50.40) when he was 22. He’ll challenge the 50-second barrier tonight in finals.

Coleman Stewart (Wolfpack Elite) used a great turn and fabulous underwaters to snag the heat two win at 50.40, about a half-second from his best.