2021 Pro Swim Series – San Antonio (March): Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2021 PRO SWIM SERIES – SAN ANTONIO (MARCH)

• March 3-7, 2021
• North East ISD Blossom Athletic Complex, San Antonio, TX
• LCM Format
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Session Timelines
• Live Stream (USA Swimming)
• Live Stream (Olympic Channel)
• Start Times (Central Time): Prelims: 10 AM / Finals: 7 PM

Friday Finals Heat Sheet

The third day of the 2021 Pro Swim Series in San Antonio continues with the finals of the men’s and women’s 200 free, 200 back, 400 IM, and 100 fly. Starting the evening off will be Katie Ledecky in the 200 free, where she is seeded two seconds ahead of #2 seed Cal’s Katie McLaughlin. On the men’s side, Longhorn’s Jeff Newkirk same the only sub-1:50 swim over top 3 seeds Jorge Iga and Marwan El Kamash.

Flipping onto the 200 back, Aggie’s Lisa Bratton is seeded ahead of world record-holder Regan Smith and Olympic runner-up Kathleen Baker. Olympic champion Ryan Murphy headlines the men’s backstroke over Wolfpack Elite training mates Alex Gliese and Chris Reid.

In the longest race of the session, the 400 IM, teen Emma Weyant will go against Olympian Melanie Margalis, featuring Worlds finalist Ally McHugh and 15-year-old Katie Grimes. The men’s race will feature Team Elite’s Abrahm DeVine in lane four, followed by Olympian Chase Kalisz and German native Jacob Heidtmann.

Regan Smith will return in the 100 fly A-final, where she will race Olympian Kelsi Dahlia and Wolfpack Elite’s Aly Tetzloff. For the men, Guatemalan Luis Martinez holds a slight lead over Olympian Tom Shields and Pleasanton’s Maxime Rooney.

WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE FINALS

• World Record: 1:52.98 – Federica Pellegrini (2009)
• American Record: 1:53.61 – Allison Schmitt (2012)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:54.40 – Allison Schmitt (2012)
• Junior World Record: 1:55.43 – Junxuan Yang (2019)
• Pro Swim Record: 1:54.43 – Katie Ledecky (2016)

1. Katie Ledecky (Nation’s Capital), 1:56.62
2. Katie McLaughlin (Cal Aquatics), 1:57.48
3. Leah Smith (Unattached), 1:58.54

Topping the women’s 200 free A-final easily was the Katie Ledecky, clocking in a 1:56.62, the top time in the nation. Coming in with a valiant second place finish was Katie McLaughlin, posting a solid 1:57.48 to rank second in the nation. Both Ledecky and McLaughlin have now cracked the top-10 times in the world this season, with Ledecky ranking 3rd and McLaughlin 8th.

Coming in third in the final was Leah Smith at 1:58.54, which just made the top-25 times in the world this season. Longhorn’s Madisyn Cox took fourth at 1:58.85, now 5th in the nation behind No. 4 Smith. UVA’s Paige Madden currently ranks 3rd in the nation at 1:57.64 from the 2020 U.S. Open.

Also clocking in sub-2:00 efforts were Israeli Andi Murez (1:59.53) and Athens Bulldog Olivia Smoliga (1:59.89). Winning the B-final with the 8th-fastest time in the event was Cal’s Abbey Weitzeil (2:00.11), just off of 7th-place finisher 15-year-old Bella Sims (2:00.05).

MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE FINALS

• World Record: 1:42.00 – Paul Biedermann (2009)
• American Record: 1:42.96 – Michael Phelps (2008)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:44.10 – Michael Phelps (2008)
• Junior World Record: 1:46.13 – Elijah Winnington (2018)
• Pro Swim Record: 1:44.82 – Sun Yang (2016)

1. Andrew Seliskar (Cal Aquatics), 1:47.01
2. Blake Pieroni (Sandpipers of Nevada), 1:48.68
3. Khader Baqlah (Gator Swim Club), 1:48.96

Cal’s Andrew Seliskar took advantage of swimming in the outside lane and wound up swimming a race on his own, taking the race out in a 51.74. Seliskar’s winning time of 1:47.01 was nearly 1.5 seconds faster than runner-up Blake Pieroni (1:48.68). Seliskar’s time is now the top time in the US this season as well as ranking 10th in the world. Finishing in third was Jordanian Khader Baqlah at 1:48.96.

Winning the B-final was NOVA’s Townley Haas, stopping the clock with the 4th-fastest time in the event at 1:49.27.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE FINALS

• World Record: 2:03.35 – Regan Smith (2019)
• American Record: 2:03.35 – Regan Smith (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:05.68 – Missy Franklin (2013)
• Junior World Record: 2:03.35 – Regan Smith (2019)
• Pro Swim Record: 2:05.94 – Regan Smith (2020)

1. Kathleen Baker (Team Elite), 2:07.54
2. Regan Smith (Riptide), 2:08.80
3. Lisa Bratton (Aggie Swim Club), 2:09.58

After accelerating on the third 50, Kathleen Baker soon distanced herself from Regan Smith and the rest of the field. At the wall, it was Baker who took the win at 2:07.57, the fastest time in the nation and 2nd-fastest time in the world. Touching second also under 2:09 was Smith at 2:08.80, now 5th in the world behind Baker.

Third-place finisher Lisa Bratton broke 2:10 at 2:09.58, ranking 5th in the nation and 12th in the world. Finishing in fourth was Sun Devil’s Hali Flickinger at 2:11.25, now moving up from 25th to 21st in the world.

Winning the B-final was Gator Sherridon Dressel at 2:14.41, a 2-second drop from this morning.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE FINALS

• World Record: 1:51.92 – Aaron Peirsol (2009)
• American Record: 1:51.92 – Aaron Peirsol (2009)
• U.S. Open Record:  1:53.08 – Aaron Peirsol (2009)
• Junior World Record: 1:55.14 – Kliment Kolesnikov (2017)
• Pro Swim Record: 1:55.04 – Xu Jiayu (2017)

1. Ryan Murphy (Cal Aquatics), 1:56.06
2. Chris Reid (Wolfpack Elite), 1:59.60
3. Anthony Rincon (Veritas), 2:02.37

Winning the 200 back by over three full seconds was Ryan Murphy, touching in at 1:56.06. That now re-writes his top US time this season of 1:56.82 from the January Pro Swim Series in the same pool. Murphy also moves up from 8th to 4th in the world this season, only behind sub-1:56 swimmers China’s Xu Jiayu and Japan countrymen Ryosuke Irie and Kosuke Hagino.

Placing second was South African Chris Reid, breaking two minutes at 1:59.60. Hitting third place was Veritas’ Anthony Rincon at 2:02.37, touching a half second ahead of Cal’s Andy Song (2:02.88).

Winning the B-final was 16-year-old Liam Custer of the Sarasota Sharks, dropping from 2:06.48 this morning to 2:04.89, which would have placed sixth in the A-final.

WOMEN’S 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY FINALS

• World Record: 4:26.36 – Katinka Hosszu (2016)
• American Record: 4:31.12 – Katie Hoff (2008)
• U.S. Open Record: 4:31.07 – Katinka Hosszu (2015)
• Junior World Record: 4:35.94 – Yiting Yu (2020)
• Pro Swim Record: 4:31.07 – Katinka Hosszu (2015)

1. Melanie Margalis (Saint Petersburg), 4:37.81
2. Ally McHugh (Wisconsin Aquatics), 4:39.11
3. Emma Weyant (Sarasota Sharks), 4:39.18

15-year-old Katie Grimes was out to the early lead after the fly and back portions, with Olympian Melanie Margalis trailing Grimes by five seconds. Into the breaststroke, Margalis’ strongest stroke, the veteran slowly began inching on Grimes and the lead pack before completing passing Grimes. At the wall, Margalis caught up with new leaders Emma Weyant and Ally McHugh. Into the last 50, Margalis made up huge ground and established herself as the clear winner. Throughout the whole IM race, Margalis split 2:19 on the 200 fly/back and 2:18 on the 200 breast/free coming home.

Margalis won the event at 4:37.81, now the top time in the nation. In the race for second, McHugh (4:39.11) touched out Weyant (4:39.18) by seven one-hundredths, both clocking in season bests. Margalis, McHugh, and Weyant are now the top 3 Americans this season as well as ranking 5th, 6th, and 7th respectively in the world rankings.

Placing fourth was Grimes, knocking four seconds off her morning personal best of 4:46.37 to clock in 4:42.51. That is now the 14th-fastest time in 15-16 age group history and the 3rd-fastest swim by a 15-year-old in the last decade, only behind Mariah Denigan (4:40.62) and Becca Mann (4:40.26).

Winning the B-final was 16-year-old Michaela Mattes of the Sarasota Sharks at 4:52.04.

MEN’S 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY FINALS

• World Record: 4:03.84 – Michael Phelps (2008)
• American Record: 4:03.84 – Michael Phelps (2008)
• U.S. Open Record: 4:05.25 – Michael Phelps (2008)
• Junior World Record: 4:11.50 – Ilya Borodin (2020)
• Pro Swim Record: 4:08.92 – Chase Kalisz (2018)

1. Chase Kalisz (Athens Bulldog), 4:16.53
2. Jay Litherland (Dynamo Swim Club), 4:18.06
3. Jacob Heidtmann (Team Elite), 4:18.11

Catching up in the breaststroke, a signature racing move of his, was Chase Kalisz, splitting 35.36/35.66. After that, no one was going to catch Kalisz and his winning time of 4:16.53. After the breaststroke, however, Jay Litherland and Jacob Heidtmann soon had a duel for second place. Litherland’s strong finishing freestyle, a signature tactic, was able to touch out Heidtmann for second at 4:18.06 to 4:18.11, splitting 30.79/28.50 on the last 100.

Although a season best, Kalisz remains 2nd in the nation behind 18-year-old Carson Foster (4:16.51), as well as bumping up from 22nd to 19th in the world. Litherland’s finishing time now ranks 3rd in the nation, just passing Florida’s Bobby Finke (4:18.08).

Winning the B-final was Dynamo’s Raunak Khosla at 4:26.14.

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY FINALS

• World Record: 55.48 – Sarah Sjostrom (2016)
• American Record: 55.98 – Dana Vollmer (2012)
• U.S. Open Record: 56.38 – Sarah Sjostrom (2016)
• Junior World Record: 56.46 – Penny Oleksiak (2016)
• Pro Swim Record: 56.38 – Sarah Sjostrom (2016)

1. Regan Smith (Riptide), 57.88
2. Kelsi Dahlia (Cardinal Aquatics), 58.48
3. Aly Tetzloff (Wolfpack Elite), 59.02

It was tight into the first wall, yet coming up in the lead after a full 15-meter underwater was Regan Smith, who stayed in the lead after that underwater. Smith took the win at 57.88, dropping from her 58.09 from the 2020 U.S. Open. Smith now ranks 4th in the nation. This now makes the entire top 4 US women’s 100 flyers all under 20 years old and 58 seconds, as Smith joins 16-year-old Claire Curzan (56.61), 18-year-old Torri Huske (57.36), and 19-year-old Kate Douglass (57.43) leading the nation. Smith also moves up to 13th in the world this season.

Settling for second place was Kelsi Dahlia at 58.48, remaining 5th in the nation but moving up to 22nd in the world this season. Taking third place was Aly Tetzloff at 59.02, dropping 0.01s from this morning to stay at 7th in the nation. Taking a tight fourth place finish was Cal’s Katie McLaughlin, touching in at 59.19 to rank 9th in the US.

Winning the B-final was Wisconsin’s Beata Nelson (1:00.10), touching just 0.37s ahead of Alto’s Katie Drabot (1:00.47).

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY FINALS

• World Record: 49.50 – Caeleb Dressel (2019)
• American Record: 49.50 – Caeleb Dressel (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 50.22 – Michael Phelps (2009)
• Junior World Record: 50.62 – Kristof Milak (2017)
• Pro Swim Record: 50.92 – Caeleb Dressel (2020)

1. Tom Shields (Cal Aquatics), 52.25
2. Michael Andrew (Race Pace Club), 52.53
3. Maxime Rooney (Pleasanton), 52.71

Out in a quick 24.08 was versatile Michael Andrew to take the early lead in the men’s 100 fly A-final. However, veteran Tom Shields began inching on Andrew during the closing 25 meters. At the wall, it was Shields who held off Andrew by roughly three-tenths to win at 52.25 with Andrew in second at 52.53.

A few minutes earlier in the B-final, Cal’s Andrew Seliskar dominated the heat in a 52.39, which overtakes Andrew as the 2nd-fastest time in the event.

Shields now boosts from 10th to 3rd in the nation this season, only behind Shaine Casas (51.91) and Coleman Stewart (52.19). Seliskar now moves up to 4th in the nation, followed by Andrew in 5th.

Placing third in the event was Maxime Rooney at 52.71, now 7th in the nation this season.