2023 Westmont Pro Swim Series — Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2023 PRO SWIM SERIES – WESTMONT

• April 12-15, 2023
• FMC Aquatic Center, Westmont, Illinois
• Long Course Meters (50 meters)
• Event Central
• Pre-Scratch timeline
• Psych Sheets
• Live Stream
• Live Results
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

THURSDAY FINALS HEAT SHEET

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After getting underway with timed finals of the 800 freestyle, tonight is the first full finals session of the 2023 Westmont Pro Swim Series. We’ll see winners crowned in the 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 50 backstroke, 100 butterfly, and 400 IM.

Top Qualifiers:

• Women’s 200 Free: Anna Peplowski (IU) – 1:58.43
• Men’s 200 Free: Jorge Iga (UN) – 1:47.29
• Women’s 100 Breast: Lydia Jacoby (UN) — 1:06.65
• Men’s 100 Breast: Nic Fink (MAAC) – 1:00.61
• Women’s 50 Back: Katharine Berkoff (NCS) – 27.42
• Men’s 50 Back: Justin Ress (MVN) – 24.76
• Women’s 100 Fly: Regan Smith (SUN) – 57.83
• Men’s 100 Fly: Shaine Casas (TXLA) – 51.31
• Women’s 400 IM: Giulia Goerigk (TAMU) – 4:45.19
• Men’s 400 IM: Leon Marchand (UN) — 4:13.59

In the final event of the night, all eyes will be on Leon Marchand in the 400 IM. He swam a comfortable looking 4:13.59 in prelims, which is over four seconds faster than he swam in prelims at the San Antonio PSS, the first LCM meet he went to directly after NCAAs last year. After he smashed the 3:30 barrier in the yards version of the race, it will be interesting to see where he’s at in his long-course training as he is surely gearing up to take a run at the world record in this Olympic cycle.

Marchand has understandably drawn our attention every time he’s slated to race, but there are other great races happening in this session. The women’s 100 breaststroke should be a battle between Lydia Jacoby, Lilly King, Anna Elendt, and Annie Lazor. Jacoby blasted out this morning with a 1:06.65, with her Texas teammate Elendt qualifying second. King has been as fast as 1:60.28 this season, so it should be a close race between the four.

Jorge Iga is the top seed in the men’s 200 freestyle by over a second, but behind him the second through sixth seed are separated by just over half a second. The field chasing Inga is led by Olympian Kieran Smith, and there’s also Luke Hobson, who’s rolling off a successful NCAA meet and looking to keep that momentum here in Westmont.

Regan Smith scratched the 50 backstroke tonight to focus in the 100 fly, where she’s the top seed. Smith was 57.83 this morning, and her lifetime best is a 56.60 from the last Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale. She was the only swimmer sub-58 this morning, which sets her up as the favorite. The final is crowded with college swimmers, including Gabi Albiero and Longhorns Kelly Pash and Emma Sticklen. 

WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• World Record: 1:52.98 – Frederica Pellegrini (2009)
• American Record: 1:53.61 – Allison Schmitt (2012)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 1:54.13 – Summer McIntosh (2023)
• US Open Record: 1:54.13 – Summer McIntosh (2023)

Top 8:

1. Anna Peplowski (IU) — 1:58.08
2. Leah Hayes (TIDE) — 1:58.27
3. Erin Gemmell (NCAP) — 1:58.42
4. Leah Smith (TXLA) — 1:59.55
5. Izzy Ivey (UN) — 1:59.70
6. Madi Mintenko (PPA) — 2:00.91
7. Julia Mrozinski (DEU) — 2:01.21
8. Maria de Silva Costa (BRA) — 2:01.40

Anna Peplowski got the session started with a bang for the Hoosiers. She held off teenagers Leah Hayes and Erin Gemmell, both of whom–especially Gemmell–charged on the final lap of the race. The 20-year-old Peplowski got her hand on the wall first, touching in 1:58.08. That’s a new personal best for her, taking another .35 seconds off her time from prelims. Coming into the meet, her personal best was 1:59.87. Both of the times earned her the 2024 Olympic Trials cut.

Hayes finished second just .15 seconds ahead of Gemmell. Hayes, who made her senior international debut at 2022 Worlds in the 200 IM, swam a personal best of her own: 1:58.27. Gemmell rounded out the podium in 1:58.42.

It seemed like Leah Smith flinched on the start, but nothing was called and she took third with a 1:59.55. Izzy Ivey was the last swimmer in the heat to get under 2 minutes, grabbing fifth in 1:59.70.

MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• World Record: 1:42.00 – Paul Biedermann (2009)
• American Record: 1:42.96 – Michael Phelps (2008)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 1:44.82 – Sun Yang (2016)
• US Open Record: 1:44.10 – Michael Phelps (2008)

Top 8:

1. Kieran Smith (RAC) — 1:47.45
2. Jorge Iga (UN) — 1:47.60
3. Kregor Zirk (EST) — 1:47.63
4. Baturalp Unlu (TUR) — 1:47.97
5. Grant House (SUN) — 1:48.31
6. Luke Hobson (UN) — 1:48.35
7. Robin Hanson (CAL) — 1:48.85
8. Vinicius Tavares Assuncao (BRA) — 1:49.58

It was a tight finish in the men’s 200 freestyle, as Kieran Smith, Jorge Iga, and Kregor Zirk were all tightly bunched at the finish. With about five meters to go, it seemed like the win might go to Iga, who led at the last turn, but Smith surged and got his hand on the wall first for the win. He touched in 1:47.45, which he described in the post-race interview as “a little slow for mid-April.”

Iga didn’t hold off Smith, but he did get second in 1:47.60, just three-hundredths ahead of Estonia’s Kregor Zirk, 1:47.60 to 1:47.63.

Baturalp Unlu moved up on the third 50 from sixth to fourth and held that position to the wall, clocking 1:47.97.

Both Grant House and Luke Hobson punched their tickets to Indianapolis next summer via their fifth and sixth place finishes.

WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• World Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King (2017)
• American Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King (2017)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 1:05.32 – Lilly King (2021)
• US Open Record: 1:04.45 – Jessica Hardy (2009)

Top 8:

1. Lydia Jacoby (UN) — 1:06.09
2. Lilly King (ISC) — 1:06.39
3. Anna Elendt (UN) — 1:06.59
4. Annie Lazor (ISC) — 1:08.25
5. Miranda Tucker (TFA) — 1:08.55
6. Raya Mellott (UN) — 1:09.08
7. Jhennifer Alves Da Conceicao (ECP) — 1:09.39
8. Gabrielle Assis de Silva (BRA) — 1:09.50

Though the race was really between three rather than the four we expected, this race that featured the last two Olympic champions lived up to the billing–the race came down to the touch between Lydia Jacoby, Lilly King, and Anna Elendt.

As is quickly becoming her signature, Jacoby came from behind for the win in the 100 breaststroke. It was less dramatic than some of her other wins, as she paced herself well on the first 50 and didn’t let King get too far away from her. King was first at the wall in 31.05 with Jacoby just .13 seconds behind in 31.18.

Elendt had a solid grip on third for the entire race, stopping the clock in 1:06.59. She swam her lifetime best 1:05.58 at the 2022 San Antonio PSS in the run up to Worlds. This was her first LCM swim since last June.

Annie Lazor led the pack behind the top three, finishing fourth in 1:08.25, almost two seconds back of the race for first.

Letitia Sim won the ‘B’ final in 1:07.93, just .03 off her own Singapore national record.

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• World Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty (2019)
• American Record: 58.14 – Michael Andrew (2021)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 58.58 – Adam Peaty (2017)
• US Open Record: 58.14 – Michael Andrew (2021)

Top 8:

1. Nic Fink (MAAC) — 59.95
2. Denis Petrashov (UOFL) — 1:00.03
3. Cody Miller (SAND) — 1:00.04
4. Lyubomir Epitropov (BGR) — 1:00.92
5. Jorge Murilo (TAC) — 1:01.16
6. Joao Luiz Gomes Junior (ECP) — 1:01.22
7. Michael Andrew (MASA) — 1:01.30
8. Will Licon (TXLA) — 1:01.42

Nic Fink earned the win in 59.95, and was the only swimmer in the heat to break a minute. That doesn’t really tell the full story of the race though, as the top three swimmers were separated by just nine-hundredths. Fink, who swam in lane four, said post race that he “knew exactly where he was” in the race. Fink tore up the SCM FINA World Cup Tour this fall, and swam his first long course meet of the season at Fort Lauderdale, where he won this event with a similar time (59.97).

Lousiville’s Denis Petrashov earned second in 1:00.03, a new personal best time. His old best was 1:00.23, which he swam at the Tokyo Olympics. He finished just a hundredth ahead of Cody Miller, who earned third.

WOMEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• World Record: 26.98 – Xiang Liu (2018)
• American Record: 27.12 – Katharine Berkoff (2022)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 27.38 – Kylie Masse (2023)
• US Open Record: 27.12 – Katharine Berkoff (2022)

Top 8:

1. Katharine Berkoff (NCS) — 27.40
2. Isabelle Stadden (CAL) — 27.80
3. Abbey Weitzeil (CAL) — 27.95
4. Simona Kubova (CZE) — 28.16
5. Erika Brown (TNAQ) — 28.37
6. Olivia Smoliga (SUN) — 28.76
7. Maggie Wanezek (EBSC) — 28.83
8. Emma Harvey (SMU) — 29.29

American record holder Katharine Berkoff defended her top seed from prelims, taking the win by four-tenths in 27.40. That shaved two-hundredths off her time from the morning and Berkoff said that she was happy with the time for this point in the season.

Cal’s duo of Isabelle Stadden and Abbey Weitzeil finished second and third in 27.80 and 27.95. Obviously, Stadden is more known for her backstroke than Weitzeil is, but we’ve seen Weitzeil play around with the sprint backstroke and butterfly events at these meets before. It’s actually a personal best for her, undercutting the 28.20 she swam at the Knoxville Pro Series in January.

Hometown hero Olivia Smoliga got her first final of the meet under her belt, taking sixth in 28.76 and adding .24 seconds from her prelims swim.

After winning the first event of the session, the 200 freestyle, Anna Peplowski took the win in the ‘B’ final in 28.85, another personal best.

MEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• World Record: 23.71 – Hunter Armstrong (2022)
• American Record: 23.71 – Hunter Armstrong (2022)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 24.49 – Justin Ress (2023)
• US Open Record: 23.71 – Hunter Armstrong (2022)

Top 8:

1. Hunter Armstrong (NYAC) — 24.30 (Pro Swim Record)
2. Justin Ress (MVC) — 24.56
3. Ryan Held (NYAC) — 25.25
4. Bjorn Seeliger (CAL) — 25.26
5. Gabriel Fantoni (ISC) — 25.46
6. Jacob Molacek (TFA) — 25.56
7. Berke Saka (TUR) — 25.64
8. Kai Van Westering (IU) — 25.66

World record holder Hunter Armstrong earned the win in the men’s 50 back by erasing the Pro Swim Series Record, which Justin Ress (who finished second here) had set earlier this year at 24.49. Armstrong got under that time with a 24.30, taking over the top time in the world this year from Pieter Coetzee.

For his part, Ress finished second in 24.56, .26 seconds behind Armstrong. Ryan Held took third in 25.25, which is much faster than he was in Fort Lauderdale, where he didn’t break 26. He beat out Bjorn Seeliger for the final spot on the “podium” by a hundredth, as the Cal Bear touched in 25.26.

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – FINALS

• World Record: 55.48 – Sarah Sjostrom (2016)
• American Record: 55.64 – Torri Huske (2022)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 56.38 – Sarah Sjostrom (2016)
• US Open Record: 55.66 – Torrie Huske (2021)

Top 8:

1. Regan Smith (SUN) — 56.92
2. Beata Nelson (WA) — 58.63
3. Gabi Albiero (UOFL) — 58.74
4. Emma Sticklen (UN) — 58.99
5. Natalie Hinds (GSC) — 59.29
6. Kit Kat Zenick (OSU) — 59.74
7. Leah Gingrich (UN) — 1:00.42
8. Valentina Becerra Quintanilla (SMU) — 1:00.53

Regan Smith left no doubt as to who was winning this race. She pushed the pace from the start, turning in 26.82, the only swimmer in the field to open sub-27. (Natalie Hinds was second at the turn in 27.12). She continued to push on the back half of the race, putting up a 30.10, the fastest split in the field. She touched in 56.92, which is about a half-second off the personal best she swam last month in Fort Lauderdale.

There wasn’t much suspense about first place, but there was a solid race for second that developed on the second 50. Hinds turned second, with Beata Nelson behind her. It wasn’t just Nelson who began to push Hinds, as Gabi Albiero and Emma Sticklen made their moves. Nelson touched second in 58.63.

Albiero was right behind in 58.74, with Sticklen taking fourth in 58.99, just three-tenths off her personal best. Hinds couldn’t hang with those three down the closing meters and took fifth in 59.29.

In the ‘B’ final, Luana Alonso not only won but broke the Paraguay national record, bringing it under the 1:00 mark for the first time in 59.88.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – FINALS

• World Record: 49.45 – Caeleb Dressel (2021)
• American Record: 49.45 – Caeleb Dressel (2021)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 50.80 – Shaine Casas (2023)
• US Open Record: 49.76 – Caeleb Dressel (2021)

Top 8:

1. Shaine Casas (TXLA) — 51.05
2. Eric Friese (UN) — 51.72
3. Arsenio Bustos (NCS) — 52.07
4. Maris Kusch (ISC) — 52.16
5. Zach Harting (CARD) — 52.58
6. Kayky Marquart Mota (ECP) — 52.63
7. Tyler Sesvold (TFA) — 52.73
8. Youssef Ramadan (VT) — 52.77

He may have led the race from start to finish, but Shaine Casas wasn’t happy after that swim. He shook his head immediately when he finished, clearly disappointed. In the post-race interview, he said that he wasn’t happy with the time and pointed to the long finish he had. He mentioned that it’s something he felt has been a problem in the last few long-course 100 flys that he’s swum and is something that he’s going to have to figure out before the summer.

He clocked 51.05, .25 seconds off what he went in Fort Lauderdale. Eric Friese finished second in 51.72, which is a big personal best for him. His old mark stood at 52.39, which he swam at 2022 Worlds. Rounding out the top three was NC State’s Arsenio Bustos in 52.07, which is a best time for him as well, besting his old mark of 52.88.

WOMEN’S 400 IM – FINALS

• World Record: 4:25.87 – Summer McIntosh (2023)
• American Record: 4:31.12 – Katie Hoff (2008)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 4:31.07 – Katinka Hosszu (2015)
• US Open Record: 4:28.61 – Summer McIntosh (2022)

Top 8:

1. Leah Hayes (TIDE) — 4:39.58
2. Anastasya Gorbenko (ISR) — 4:44.48
3. Giulia Goerigk (TAMU) — 4:45.72
4. Kim Herkle (CARD) — 4:52.29
5. Alexis Yager (TNAQ) — 4:53.44
6. Nicole Zettel (TAC) — 4:54.70
7. Alice Marini (TAMU) — 4:57.02
8. Nathalia Siqueira Almeida (BRA) — 5:00.24

Leah Hayes dominated the women’s 400 IM, winning in front of a home crowd by almost five seconds. Her winning time of 4:39.58 is a lifetime best, the second of the session for her as she swam one in the 200 free to open the session. It shaves .08 seconds off her previous best, which she swam at the 2020 Olympic Trials. After the race, she said how much she wanted to win in front of the home crowd, which motivated her on the end of a painful double.

Anastasya Gorbenko took second in 4:44.58, over a second off her lifetime best 4:43.27, which she swam in 2021. She didn’t have as big a gap over the rest of the field as Hayes had, but she was still clear of third place Giulia Goerigk by over a second. Goerigk came into the final as the top seed, but added .53 seconds with a 4:45.72. There was another big gap between the top three and fourth through eighth, as Goerigk was 6.57 seconds ahead of Kim Herkle, who earned fourth in 4:52.29.

MEN’S 400 IM – FINALS

• World Record: 4:03.84 – Michael Phelps (2008)
• American Record: 4:03.84 – Michael Phelps (2008)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 4:08.92 – Chase Kalisz (2018)
• US Open Record: 4:05.25 – Michael Phelps (2008)

Top 8:

1. Leon Marchand (UN) — 4:07.80 (Pro Swim Series Record)
2. Carson Foster (UN) — 4:09.69
3. Chase Kalisz (SUN) — 4:13.06
4. Hubert Kos (UN) — 4:14.08
5. Cedric Bussing (GER) — 4:18.08
6. Bobby Finke (SPA) — 4:20.99
7. Brandonn Almeida (BRA) — 4:21.64
8. Tommy Bried (CARD) — 4:27.25

Leon Marchand just completed the first undefeated NCAA season since Natalie Coughlin in 2022. He kept that winning streak going here, taking the victory in 4:07.80. That time vaults him to the top of the world rankings this season. It’s also a new Pro Series Record, erasing Chase Kalisz‘s record from 2018.

Marchand didn’t leap out to the lead, instead turning third after both the butterfly and backstroke legs. He split 56.46 on fly and 1:03.46 on backstroke. He took over the lead on the breaststroke leg and didn’t look back. After a quiet NCAAs, Carson Foster had a solid swim here, taking second in 4:09.69.

Hubert Kos was in the mix with Foster and Marchand through the halfway mark, but fell away during the breaststroke leg. That’s where Kalisz passed him, and he ended up taking fourth in 4:14.08, 1.02 seconds behind Kalisz, who was third in 4:13.06.