2017 Arena Pro Swim Series – Indianapolis: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2017 ARENA PRO SWIM SERIES – INDIANAPOLIS

• Thursday, March 2nd-Saturday, March 4th
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Psych Sheets
• Live video
• Thursday finals heat sheet
• Live Results

WOMEN’S 100 FREE FINALS

1. Mallory Comerford (UNAT) 53.91
2. Zhu Menghui (China) 53.93
3. Federica Pellegrini (Italy) 54.47
4. Penny Oleksiak (Canada) 54.69
5. Sandrine Mainville (Canada) 54.84
6. Kelsi Worrell (Cardinal Aquatics) 55.08
7. Kayla Sanchez (HPC Ontario) 55.14
8. Freya Anderson (GBR) 55.53

Using a very strong back half, Mallory Comerford popped a 53.91 for the win here. The Louisville sophomore, who just won the ACC title in this event last week, broke 54 for the first time in her career. Comerford came from behind to take down China’s Zhu Menghui (53.93) by two hundredths. Italy’s Federica Pellegrini and Canada’s Penny Oleksiak, the latter of which tied for Olympic gold in this event this summer finished in 3rd and 4th, respectively.

Comerford is now ranked 4th in the world for the season (which started in September), with Zhu’s 53.93 tying her for 5th.

Canada’s Michelle Williams took the B final with a 55.33.

MEN’S 100 FREE FINALS

1. Nathan Adrian (Cal) 48.66
2. Duncan Scott (GBR) 49.33
3. Joao De Lucca (Cardinal Aquatics) 49.60
4. Jacob Pebley (Cal) 49.76
5. Luca Dotto (Italy) 49.79
6. Filippo Magnini (Italy) 49.80
7. Ali Khalafalla (Indiana University) 50.03
8. Bruno Fratus (UNAT) 50.06

Nathan Adrian of Cal posted a 48.66, taking the win using a 24.73 back half to blow out the field. GBR’s Duncan Scott swam his way to 2nd with a 49.33, followed by Cardinal Aquatics’ Joao De Lucca. Adrian’s time looks to slingshot him to number 1 in the world in 2017.

Jacob Pebley showed off some sprint skill with a 49.76 to just get ahead of Italians Luca Dotto (49.79) and Filippo Magnini (49.80). Taking the B final was Federico Grabich of Argentina (49.43).

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST FINALS

1. Chloe Tutton (GBR) 2:23.89
2. Mary-Sophie Harvey 2:26.60
3. Melanie Margalis (St. Petersburg Aquatics) 2:26.80
4. Hrafnhildur Luthersdottir (Iceland) 2:27.57
5. Miranda Tucker (Club Wolverine) 2:27.64
6. Breeja Larson (NYAC) 2:28.36
7. Molly Hannis (Unattached) 2:29.00
8. Molly Renshaw (GBR) 2:29.51

GBR’s Chloe Tutton ran away with this one, posting a very strong 2:23.89 for the win. 2nd went to Canadian 17-year-old Mary-Sophie Harvey at 2:26.60, followed closely by St. Petersburg’s Melanie Margalis (2:26.80). Iceland’s Hrafnhildur Luthersdottir (2:27.57) grabbed fourth. Tutton now ranked 2nd this season.

Miranda Tucker of Club Wolverine, who is taking the year off of NCAA due to an intra-conference transfer from IU to Michigan, posted a 2:27.64 for fifth, sneaking ahead of 2012 Olympian Breeja Larson (2:28.36).

MEN’S 200 BREAST FINALS

1. Josh Prenot (Cal) 2:09.93
2. Nic Fink (Athens Bulldogs) 2:10.62
3. Cody Miller (Badger) 2:11.94
4. Kevin Cordes (Unattached) 2:12.11
5. Ross Murdoch (GBR) 2:13.08
6. Luca Pizzini (Italy) 2:13.91
7. Andrew Willis (GBR) 2:15.84
8. Miguel De Lara (Unattached) 2:16.05

It was a battle between the U.S.’s top breaststrokers (save for a couple), with Cal’s Josh Prenot surging to the win at 2:09.93. Prenot dug in hard at the finish, pulling out a 32.99 for the last 50 to push him ahead of Nic Fink (2:10.62). Cody Miller posted a 2:11.94 for 3rd, while Kevin Cordes snagged 4th with a 2:12.11, right behind Miller.

Prenot now ranks third in the world this year.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY FINALS

1. Kelsi Worrell (Cardinal Aquatics) 58.10
2. Kendyl Stewart (Trojan) 58.32
3. Rebecca Smith (HPC Ontario) 58.98
4. Aliena Schmidtke (SCM) 59.06
5. Xintong Lin (China) 59.34
6. Katerine Savard (CAMO) 59.43
7. Hali Flickinger (Athens Bulldogs) 59.76
8. Cassidy Bayer (NCAP) 1:00.13

Back after swimming in the 100 free A final was Kelsi Worrell, posting a 58.10 for the win. Kendyl Stewart swam well for 2nd, putting down a 58.32 as she chased Worrell to the wall. Canadian 16-year-old Rebecca Smith also got under 59 seconds with a 58.98 for third. Aliena Schmidtke chalked up a 4th place effort with her 59.06.

Worrell made the jump from 5th in the world to 4th with her time tonight.

Meanwhile, Cassidy Bayer is swimming at her first LCM meet since a knee injury that plagued her after Trials. She wasn’t able to break the minute mark tonight, but she was under it this morning with a 59.92.

MEN’S 100 FLY FINALS

1. Li Zhuhao (China) 51.34
2. Daiya Seto (Japan) 52.43
3. Michael Andrew (Race Pace) 53.95 *TIE*
4. Seth Stubblefield (COPS) 53.95 *TIE*
5. Duncan Scott (GBR) 53.99
6. Tim Phillips (SwimMAC) 54.63
7. Owen Daly (CAMO) 54.67
8. Andrew Abruzzo (PWAC) 54.83

Chinese 18-year-old Li Zhuhao absolutely rocked a 51.34, taking the world’s top time this year and obliterating the field. The closest competitor was Japan’s Daiya Seto (52.43), and nobody was really close behind Seto, either.

Li is definitively the top swimmer in this event this season.

Michael Andrew and Seth Stubblefield tied with a 53.95 for third. Meanwhile, just after his 100 free A final, Duncan Scott got back in for a 53.99, good for 5th place.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE FINALS

1. Hali Flickinger (Athens Bulldogs) 4:08.52
2. Jazmin Carlin (GBR) 4:10.81
3. Ashley Twichell (NCAC) 4:12.85
4. Aya Takano (Japan) 4:14.12
5. Emma Nordin (Carmel) 4:14.66
6. Hannah Miley (GBR) 4:15.93
7. Delfina Pignatiello (Argentina) 4:19.21
8. Vien Nguyen (Unattached) 4:19.34

Hali Flickinger sailed past the 4:10 mark with the top time tonight, posting a 4:08.52. She got in and raced just minutes after posting a 59.76 to take 7th in the 100 fly, an impressive double. Touching behind her was GBR’s Jazmin Carlin (4:10.81) and NCAC’s Ashley Twichell (4:10.81). Flickinger is now ranked third in the world this season.

Aya Takano of Japan touched 4th in 4:14.12. Carmel Swim Club’s Emma Nordin lopped almost two full seconds off of her best time from 2015 with a 4:14.66 to finish 5th.

MEN’S 400 FREE FINALS

1. Zane Grothe (Badger) 3:48.14
2. James Guy (GBR) 3:48.52
3. Max Litchfield (GBR) 3:50.13
4. Stephen Milne (GBR) 3:50.30
5. Andrew Abruzzo (PWAC) 3:52.05
6. Timothy Shuttleworth (GBR) 3:54.40
7. Nicholas Grainger (GBR) 3:55.72
8. Fumiya Hidaka (Japan) 3:56.21

While he posted the fastest time this morning, 17-year-old Andrew Abruzzo wasn’t quite able to push ahead of the field again tonight. Zane Grothe and James Guy dueled it out for the win, with Grothe just sneaking ahead at the end. Guy led the British, as Max Litchfield, Stephen Milne, Timothy Shuttleworth, and Nicholas Grainger finished up 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th, respectively. Fumiya Hidaka of Japan touched at 3:56.21 for 8th.

Grothe now ranks 4th in the world this year.

Drew Kibler of Carmel was unable to improve tonight in the 100 free from prelims, but he dropped over two seconds to win the B final in 3:54.49, moving him to 16th all-time in the 15-16 age group.