2023 Westmont Pro Swim Series – Day 3 Prelims 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
• Day 2 Finals Live Recap

FRIDAY PRELIMS HEAT SHEET

Today is the third day of competition at the Westmont Pro Swim Series. This morning’s session will feature the prelims of the 200 fly, 50 free, 100 back, 200 breast, 50 fly, and 400 free.

Kicking off the session today is Regan Smith and Leon Marchand in the 200 fly. Smith comes in seeded first by about a two second margin, while Marchand is entered just a few tenths ahead of Carson Foster. Both Smith and Marchand will take on doubles today, with Smith swimming the 100 backstroke and Marchand racing the 200 breaststroke later in the session.

Abbey Weitzeil is the top seed in both the women’s 50 freestyle and 50 fly. She’s won both events at the last two Pro Swim Series stops, and has been as fast as 24.40 and 26.27 this year.

On the men’s side, Michael Andrew leads a tight field in the 50 free with an entry of 21.41, while Shaine Casas is seeded first in the 50 fly with his 100 time of 50.40.

It looks like it will be another rematch between Ryan Murphy and Hunter Armstrong in the men’s 100 backstroke. Murphy is seeded first, but Armstrong has won the last two Pro Swim Series stops.

Indiana’s breaststroke duo of Lilly King and Annie Lazor are seeded 1-2 in the 200 breaststroke, however, they’ll have to contend with Texas’ Lydia Jacoby and Anna Elendt. Nic Fink comes in as the top seed on the men’s side at 2:07.55.

In Katie Ledecky‘s absence, Leah Smith is the top seed in the women’s 400 freestyle. She won the 800 free on day one, and finished 4th in the 200 last night. Kieran Smith, who won the 200 freestyle yesterday, leads on the men’s side. Foster is entered at 2nd, while Kregor Zirk sits at 3rd.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:01.81 – Zige Liu (2009)
• American Record: 2:04.14 – Mary Descenza (2009)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 2:05.05 – Summer McIntosh (2023)
• US Open Record: 2:05.05 – Summer McIntosh (2023)

Top-8 Qualifiers:

1. Regan Smith (SUN) – 2:09.99
2. Emma Sticklen (UN) – 2:12.62
3. Lindsay Looney (UN) – 2:13.14
4. Annemarie Vlaic (LOSC) – 2:14.84
5. Campbell Stoll (EBSC) – 2:16.21
6. Caroline Bricker (PPA) – 2:16.26
7. Leah Gingrich (UN) – 2:16.27
8. Lea Polonsky (CAL) – 2:16.32

Regan Smith dominated the heats of the 200 fly this morning, as she cruised 2:09.99 to take the top seed by nearly three seconds. Smith took her first 100 out in 1:01.52, then closed in 1:08.47. She’s been as fast as 2:07.30 this season, which she swam at the U.S. Open in December.

Emma Sticklen, the recent NCAA champion in this event, grabbed the 2nd spot this morning at 2:12.62. Sticklen’s personal best time stands at 2:08.41, which she swam nearly a year ago. Lindsay Looney, who is coming off a 4th place finish at NCAAs, took 3rd this morning at 2:13.14.

16-year-old Annemarie Vlaic threw down a big best time to qualify in 4th. Vlaic dropped a second and a half from Juniors in August to record a 2:14.84, putting her just over a second off the Olympic Trials cut.

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:50.34 – Kristof Milak (2022)
• American Record: 1:51.51 – Michael Phelps (2009)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 1:53.84 – Luca Urlando (2019)
• US Open Record: 1:52.20 – Michael Phelps (2008)

Top-8 Qualifiers:

1. Carson Foster (UN) – 1:57.74
2. Kregor Zirk (EST) – 1:58.54
3. Leon Marchand (UN) – 1:58.69
4. Chase Kalisz (SUN) – 1:58.83
5. Connor Lamastra (DYNA) – 1:58.90
6. Thomas Heilman (CAY) – 1:58.97
7. Zach Harting (CARD) – 1:59.12
8. Nicolas Albiero (CARD) – 1:59.49

This race should be an exciting one tonight, as the top six swimmers qualified within about a second of each other. Carson Foster leads the group as the lone 1:57-point this morning, which puts him four seconds off his personal best from last summer.

Kregor Zirk of Estonia put up the 2nd-fastest time of the morning at 1:58.54, followed closely by Leon Marchand at 1:58.69. Both were well off their personal best times also, with Zirk’s standing at 1:55.62 and Marchand’s at 1:53.37.

Louisville’s Zach Harting and Nicolas Albiero snuck in to the final two spots in the top-8, with Harting logging a 1:59.12 and Albiero stopping the clock at 1:59.49. They took 4th and 5th in this event in Fort Lauderdale last month.

WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 23.67 – Sarah Sjostrom (2017)
• American Record: 23.97 – Simone Manuel (2017)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 24.17- Sarah Sjostrom (2016)
• US Open Record: 24.08 – Pernille Blume (2019)

Top-8 Qualifiers:

1. Abbey Weitzeil (CAL) – 24.75
2. Gabi Albiero (UOFL) – 25.13
3. Annam Olasewere (CPAC) – 25.37
4. Erika Brown (TNAQ) – 25.42
5. Caroline Larsen (FOXJ) -25.46
6. Teresa Ivan (OSU) – 25.49
7. Natalie Hinds (GSC)/Kristina Paegle (IU) – 25.59
8. —

As expected, Abbey Weitzeil took the top spot of the morning. She stopped the clock at 24.75, topping the field by nearly half a second. Weitzeil’s season best is 24.40 from last month, while her personal best is 24.19 from the Olympics in 2021.

Gabi Albiero posted the 2nd-fastest time of the morning at 25.13, while 15-year-old Annam Olasewere from Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club dropped a few hundredths to qualify in 3rd (25.37). Olasewere’s swim moves her to 16th all-time in the 15-16 age group.

16-year-old Caroline Larsen also notched a personal best time of 25.46 to qualify in 5th. She dropped a tenth from her previous best, moving her to 23rd all-time in the age group.

MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 20.91 – Cesar Cielo (2009)
• American Record: 21.04 – Caeleb Dressel (2019/2021)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 21.51 – Caeleb Dressel (2020)
• US Open Record: 21.04 – Caeleb Dressel (2021)

Top-8 Qualifiers:

1. Jack Alexy (CAL) – 22.24
2. Guilherme Santos (BRA) – 22.28
3. Michael Andrew (MASA) – 22.36
4. Matej Dusa (UN) – 22.38
5. Matthew King (TFA) – 22.42
6. Jokubas Keblys (LTU) – 22.44
7. Marcelo Chierighini (ECP) – 22.45
8. Bjorn Seeliger (CAL) – 22.48

Cal’s Jack Alexy leads a tight field in the men’s 50 free with a 22.24 in this morning’s prelims. His swim puts him only about a tenth off his personal best time from last April. Alexy is coming off a 6th-place finish in this event at NCAAs. He’ll be joined in the A-final by his teammate Bjorn Seeliger, who snagged the eighth spot with a 22.48.

Brazil’s Guilherme Santos finished just 0.04 back, putting him under half a second off his entry time. Michael Andrew entered the meet as the top seed, but finished 3rd this morning with a 22.36.

Matej Dusa from Queens University of Charlotte had a strong swim to qualify for the A-final. He added just over a tenth to his entry time, moving him from 14th to 4th this morning.

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 57.45 – Kaylee McKeown (2021)
• American Record: 57.57 – Regan Smith (2019)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 57.92 – Regan Smith (2023)
• US Open Record: 57.76 – Regan Smith (2022)

Top-8 Qualifiers:

1. Regan Smith (SUN) – 58.54
2. Anna Peplowski (IU) – 1:00.97
3. Isabelle Stadden (CAL) – 1:01.01
4. Simona Kubova (CZE) – 1:01.08
5. Beata Nelson (WA) – 1:01.22
6. Maggie Wanezek (EBSC) – 1:01.81
7. Morgan Scott (TFA) – 1:01.84
8. Phoebe Bacon (WA) – 1:02.06

Regan Smith successfully pulled off her 200 fly/100 backstroke double and added another top seed. She recorded a 58.54, which is much faster than she was in prelims of this event at the Fort Lauderdale stop.

Indiana’s Anna Peplowski swam the 2nd-fastest time of the morning at 1:00.97. She added just 0.03 to her personal best time from last summer. Peplowski did not swim this event at NCAAs, but was runner-up in it at the Big Ten Championships.

Katharine Berkoff was the only other swimmer besides Smith to crack 1:00 this morning, but was disqualified for a 15-meter violation.

MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 51.60 – Thomas Ceccon (2022)
• American Record: 51.85 – Ryan Murphy (2016)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 52.40 – David Plummer (2016)
• US Open Record: 51.94 – Aaron Peirsol (2009)

Top-8 Qualifiers:

1. Hubert Kos (UN) – 54.09
2. Hunter Armstrong (NYAC) – 54.61
3. Justin Ress (MVN) – 54.83
4. Destin Lasco (CAL) – 54.90
5. Ryan Murphy (CAL) – 55.09
6. Shaine Casas (TXLA) – 55.19
7. Hunter Tapp (NCS) – 55.35
8. Bjoern Kammann (TENN) – 55.55

Hubert Kos from Arizona State had a fantastic swim this morning to move from the 29th seed to 1st coming out of prelims. Kos opened in 26.10, followed by a 27.99 on the back half to stop the clock in a best time of 54.09.

Hunter Armstrong took 2nd behind Kos in 54.61. He opened his race in a nearly identical split (26.11), but was half a second slower on the second 50. Armstrong’s season best is 52.68, and will likely be closer to that tonight.

American record holder Ryan Murphy qualified in 5th, just a few tenths back from Destin Lasco, who is coming off of a 3rd place finish in this event at NCAAs. Lasco’s swim this morning put him within a second of his personal best from the Olympic Trials in 2021.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:18.95 – Tatjana Schoenmaker (2021)
• American Record: 2:19.59 – Rebecca Soni (2012)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 2:20.77 – Annie Lazor (2022)
• US Open Record:  2:20.38 – Rebecca Soni (2009)

Top-8 Qualifiers:

1. Lydia Jacoby (UN) – 2:28.62
2. Annie Lazor (ISC) – 2:28.63
3. Gabrielle Assis de Silva (BR) – 2:28.67
4. Lilly King (ISC) – 2:28.85
5. Anna Elendt (UN) – 2:30.19
6. Letitia Sim (SIN) – 2:30.45
7. Anastasya Gorbenko (ISR) – 2:31.17
8. Alexis Yager (TNAQ) – 2:32.02

Texas’ Lydia Jacoby had a solid prelims swim to grab the top seed going into finals. Jacoby, who won the 100 breast last night, split a 1:10.99 on the first 100 then closed in 1:17.63. She finished 11th in this race at NCAAs, and owns a personal best time of 2:25.98 from last summer.

Annie Lazor raced next to Jacoby this morning and was out-touched as they came to the wall. Lazor was out about a second slower on the front half, but put together a strong 2nd 100 to close the gap to 0.01.

Rounding out the sub 2:30s this morning was Gabrielle Assis de Silva and Lilly King. de Silva added less than a second to her entry time, and had the fastest opening split of the field at 1:10.75.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:05.95 – Zac Studbblety-Cook (2022)
• American Record: 2:07.17 – Josh Prenot (2016)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 2:08.95 – Andrew Wilson (2018)
• US Open Record: 2:07.17 – Josh Prenot (2016)

Top-8 Qualifiers:

1. Leon Marchand (UN) – 2:13.72
2. Lyubomir Epitropov (BGR) – 2:13.90
3. Nic Fink (MAAC) – 2:13.92
4. Amro Al-Wir (UN) – 2:14.01
5. Will Licon (TXLA) – 2:14.17
6. Jassen Yep (IU) – 2:14.3`
7. Denis Petrashov (UOFL) – 2:14.56
8. Max Reich (IU) – 2:14.95

This race is shaping up to be another close one this evening, with the top three swimmers qualifying within two-tenths of each other. Leon Marchand pulled out the fastest time of the morning at 2:13.72, which puts him over four seconds off his personal best from last spring.

Nic Fink qualified in 3rd just behind Lyubomir Epitropov. Fink was about a second behind both Marchand and Epitropov at the halfway point, but closed in a 1:08.68 for the fastest split of the field this morning.

Indiana had a strong showing this morning, and qualified both Jassen Yep and Max Reich to tonight’s A-final in 6th and 8th, respectively.

WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 24.43 – Sarah Sjostrom (2014)
• American Record: 25.38 – Torri Huske (2022)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 25.65 – Farida Osman (2019)
• US Open Record: 25.46 – Rikako Idee (2017)

Top-8 Qualifiers:

1. Abbey Weitzeil (CAL) – 26.26
2. Gabi Albiero (UOFL) – 26.46
3. Natalie Hinds (GSC) – 26.56
4. Beata Nelson (WA) – 26.61
5. Erika Brown (TNAQ) – 26.85
6. Katherine Zenick (OSU) – 26.86
7. Anna Boemer (SOLO) – 27.09
8. Clarissa Rodrigues (BRA) – 27.17

Just like in the 50 freestyle earlier in the session, Abbey Weitzeil and Gabi Albiero posted the top two times in this event. Weitzeil’s time is 0.01 under she posted in Fort Lauderdale last month, while Albiero clipped a few hundredths off her personal best set in April of last year.

Natalie Hinds was also faster than she was last month, as she stopped the clock at 26.56 for third. Her personal best time stands at 26.07, which she swam at the International Team Trials last spring.

18-year-old Anna Boemer is the youngest to qualify for tonight’s A-final. She grabbed 7th with a 27.09, which is a few tenths faster than she was last April.

MEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 22.27 – Andri Govorov (2018)
• American Record: 22.35 – Caeleb Dressel (2019)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 23.11 – Matt Targett (2012)
• US Open Record: 22.84 – Caeleb Dressel (2022)

Top-8 Qualifiers:

1. Michael Andrew (MASA) – 23.53
2. Shaine Casas (TXLA) – 23.59
3. Tomer Frankel (IU) – 23.71
4. Clement Secchi (UMIZ) – 23.78
5. Marius Kusch (ISC) – 23.83
6. Matthew King (TFA) – 23.87
7. Tyler Sesvold (TFA) – 23.89
8. Finn Brooks (IU) – 23.90

In his 2nd race of the session, Michael Andrew topped the prelims of the 50 fly in 23.53. He won this event in at the last Pro Swim Series stop in 23.25, and owns a personal best time of 22.79 from World Champs last summer.

Shaine Casas, who won the 100 fly last night, finished less than a tenth behind Andrew this morning.  This prelims swim is faster than he was last month in prelims, but still puts him about two tenths off his PB.

Tomer Frankel of Indiana was the top collegiate swimmer this morning at 23.71. The 50 fly is not contested at NCAAs, but Frankel finished 3rd in the 100 last month.

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 3:56.08 – Summer McIntosh (2023)
• American Record: 3:56.46 – Katie Ledecky (2016)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 3:57.94 – Katie Ledecky (2018)
• US Open Record: 3:57.94 – Katie Ledecky (2018)

Top-8 Qualifiers:

1. Leah Smith (TXLA) – 4:10.55
2. Erin Gemmell (NCAP) – 4:13.10
3. Julia Mrozinski (DEU) – 4:14.09
4. Madi Mintenko (PPA) – 4:14.30
5. Beatriz Dizotti (BRA) – 4:14.60
6. Sierra Schmidt (SUN) – 4:16.46
7. Chase Travis (VT) – 4:16.62
8. Deniz Ertan (TUR) – 4:17.78

Leah Smith notched a 4:10.55 to take the top spot by nearly a three-second margin. Smith nearly even -split the race, taking it out in 2:05.05 and coming back in 2:05.50. She’s been as fast as 4:06.43 this season, which she swam last month in Fort Lauderdale.

15-year-old Madi Mintenko from Pikes Peak Athletics swam a best time by over two seconds to log a 4:14.30. In addition to being an Olympic Trials qualifying time, Mintenko’s swim moves her just inside the all-time top-100 for the girls 15-16 age group.

Beatriz Dizotti of Brazil qualified in 5th behind Minteko in 4:14.60, which is just under a second quicker than her entry time.

MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 3:40.07 – Paul Biedermann (2009)
• American Record: 3:42.78 – Larsen Jensen (2008)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 3:43.55 – Sun Yang (2016)
• US Open Record: 3:43.53 – Larsen Jensen (2008)

Top-8 Qualifiers:

1. Kieran Smith (RAC) – 3:53.16
2. Luke Hobson (UN) – 3:53.50
3. Baturalp Unlu (TUR) – 3:53.76
4. Carson Foster (UN) – 3:54.60
5. Charlie Clark (OSU) – 3:55.06
6. Jay Litherland (SUN) – 3:55.59
7. Bathuhan Filiz (TAMU) – 3:55.90
8. Tommylee Camblong (FRA) – 3:56.02

The men’s 400 freestyle has shaped up to be another exciting race on the men’s side this evening, led by Kieran Smith out of prelims. Smith opened in 56.28, then split three 58-points in a row to log a 3:53.16. His season best is 3:48.02, done in Fort Lauderdale last month.

Texas’ Luke Hobson put together a solid race to take 2nd in 3:53.50, putting him just over three seconds off his own personal best. Hobson was recently crowned the NCAA champion in the short course version of this event last month.

Behind Hobson was Baturalp Unlu, who is coming off of a 14th place finish in the 500 at NCAAs. Unlu, who represents Turkey internationally, recorded a 3:53.76 this morning to put him within a second of his entry time.