8 things we learned from day 2 of the Pan Pacific Championships

Pan Pacs are halfway over from Australia, and day 2 brought some thrilling finishes and memorable moments. Here are 8 things we’ve learned so far:

1. Conditions are treacherous: Well, maybe treacherous is too strong a word, but it’s been clear the elements are making fast times difficult. In the men’s 100 free, both Nathan Adrian and James Magnussen were well off their bests in the final, though Cam McEvoy was fast. The women breaststrokers were another piece of evidence supporting this phenomena, with Jessica Hardy and Kanako Watanabe off season bests in taking gold and silver. Of course there were some season-bests and fast times, like Cate Campbell in the 100 free, but more often than not, athletes have been a little off their bests time-wise this week.

2. Aussie 4×100 free relay primed: Speaking of Campbell, how about the day for her and her Aussie teammates in the sprints. Cate won the open 100 in a blistering 52.72 (not quite as fast as her prelims time, but an easy win regardless), while her sister Bronte finished second. Then, in the B heat, Melanie Schlanger put up the event’s third-fastest overall time. The Aussies are already the world record-holders in the event, but they appear primed to really crush that race again this week.

3. Tough luck for Kevin Cordes: The rising future of American breaststroking, Kevin Cordes has had a tough go of it on the international stage. Some costly relay-start DQs and a tendency to be ‘off’ in finals has left fans wary of putting too much faith in the record-shattering 21-year-old. Today was the same story, with Cordes riding the top seed into the 100 breast final but losing his goggles and getting DQ’d in the night swim. It sounds like Cordes had his goggles fill up and tried to adjust or take them off at the 50 turn, leading to a disqualification. That’s more tough luck for an immensely-talented guy who’s only real downside is his inconsistency.

4. Year of the McEvoy: The men’s 100 free looked to be a battle between 2012 Olympic gold medalist Nathan Adrian and 2013 World Champ James Magnussen, with Magnussen’s young teammate Cameron McEvoy as an intriguing wild card. But if 2012 was the Year of Adrian, and 2013 of Magnussen, it appears 2014 might be McEvoy’s turn, as he beat his older rivals with the only sub-48-second swim of the meet. McEvoy was also faster than all comers at the European Championships, and appears to have arrived as the present, no longer the future, of the world freestyle scene.

5. Japan overcoming size deficiency: Some commenters noticed the differing styles in the men’s 400 IM, and it’s a real testament to how the winner won. Kosuke Hagino isn’t the biggest guy. In fact, listed at just 5’9″ and 150 pounds online, Hagino gives up a good four inches and thirty pounds to his top American challenger, Tyler Clary (listed at 6’1″, 185 lbs). And Clary’s teammate Chase Kalisz is even bigger, at 6-foot-4. But Hagino is tremendously efficient, and outdid both his competitors with a smooth stroke, while Clary and Kalisz, more power-based swimmers, seemed to be thrashing on either side. There’s no “right” way to swim – considering the balance between raw power and efficient smoothness, at least – just the best way for each individual athlete. Hagino has clearly found his niche in that spectrum.

6. Two-per-country rule under fire: We’ve heard a lot of conversation in our comments section about the Pan Pacs “two-per-country” rule, which only allows each nation to enter up to two swimmers into an A final. That leads to fast swimmers being bumped to the B final (like Schlanger in that 100 free) or even denied a finals spot entirely (think Anthony Ervin in the 100 free). On the other hand, it does give us all a chance to see some swimmers we don’t often see, and it’s exciting to have a bunch of different nationalities in the final. Overall, this writer thinks the rule is a good thing, but there’s no denying that watching Schlanger crush the B final all alone out front was probably not the policy’s highest point.

7. Lights-out Ledecky: American Katie Ledecky is already well-respected as the world’s premier distance swimmer. But she got to show off another side in the women’s 4×200 free relay, blasting a big 1:54.36 to run down Australia (their anchor was Schlanger, no slouch herself) and pull the American relay to meet and all-comers record honors. Stanford fans had to be excited to see that, perhaps a taste of what Ledecky will bring to the college scene whenever she makes her debut for the Stanford Cardinal. With her partner-in-crime Missy Franlin hobbled by a back injury, Ledecky is proving she can step up to carry the team herself.

8. Lochte’s feeling healthy: A big question mark going into nationals, Ryan Lochte has been very solid and injury free over the past few weeks, and he capitalized on his health to put up the Americans’ fastest split on the men’s 4×200 free relay. Lochte was 1:45.57, nothing earth-shattering, but a very impressive split for a guy who is approaching 30, coming off of a lengthy knee injury and who doesn’t even specialize in the 200 free.

Full day 2 finals coverage here.