SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side, or you can find the poll embedded at the bottom of this post.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers to predict the top American men’s 100 breaststroker by the end of this season.
RESULTS
Question: Who will be the top American M100 breaststroker by the end of this summer?
- Kevin Cordes – 42.2%
- Cody Miller – 19.3%
- Andrew Wilson – 13.7%
- Michael Andrew – 13.7%
- Nic Fink – 5.2%
- Other – 5.9%
Almost half of respondents predicted Kevin Cordes to be the fastest American 100 breaststroker by the end of the summer.
The men’s 100 breast is one of the most unpredictable events in the nation heading into this summer, with perhaps eight or more legitimate threats to put up the fastest time nationwide. In fact, most of the feedback we got was that our poll didn’t feature enough potential contenders, despite us pushing the limits of our ballot with almost more polling options that would visibly fit in our poll widget.
(In the interest of keeping our poll from filling the entire frontpage with options, we only included athletes who had broken a minute in either the 2017 or 2018 seasons.
Cordes has been the top American 100 breaststroker in three of the past five seasons: 2013, 2014 and 2017. He garnered nearly half of our votes despite uncertainty as to where exactly he’ll be training for the next two years. Cordes previously trained with coach Sergio Lopez at Auburn, but Lopez left Auburn for the head coaching job at Virginia Tech.
Cody Miller has been the top American in two of the last three seasons. He led the 2016 Olympic campaign as well as the 2015 summer season. He received almost 20% of the votes.
Despite nearly 800 votes cast, Andrew Wilson and Michael Andrew tied exactly with 109 votes apiece. Wilson has been on fire this season, holding the fastest time among Americans (59.19) by eight tenths of a second. Andrew is the only other swimmer to break a minute this season, going 59.98 and sitting second among Americans.
Nic Fink seems to be the forgotten man in this event. He’s been ranked inside the top 3 nationally every year since 2013 (apart from the 2016 Olympic year, where he fell to 6th).
The “other” category only got about 6% of the votes, but has some ringers included: 2016 Olympic silver medalist Josh Prenot, NCAA standout Ian Finnerty, former NCAA standout Will Licon and 6-foot-8 incoming Cal freshman and record-setting high schooler Reece Whitley, just to name a few.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks voters the same question, only about the women’s 200 fly:
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The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner
No surprise here. Michael Andrew can’t do 100s. Almost no one knows who nic fink and Andrew Wilson are. Cody Miller sucks. Cordes is the most reliable of them. If dressel was an option I’m sure more ppl would pick him then cordes
Your next question is a nightmare. The women’s 200 fly is a weak event for a long time in USA. Last olympic gold for USA in 2000. Last world gold in 1991! There’s a big need of new talents. Is there a girl with a 2.05 potential in 2020?
Katie Drabot had a huge 200 fly season in yards. She’s a very good LCM swimmer. Maybe she has found her best event for the future. Hali Flickinger is consistent. She will be in the fight. Ella Eastin, even if she’s not at the same level in LCM as in SCY, should be able to swim 2.07 low. Katie McLaughlin is back to a very good level, at least in… Read more »
Finnerty’s SCY season:
53.38 October
53.19 October
54.99 November
51.99 November at his mid-season rested meet
52.83 January
52.72 January
53.20 January
50.72 February at his conference championships
49.69 March at NCAAs
He’s clearly not a fast in-season swimmer and has big drops of time when he’s fully tapered.
So far his LCM season:
1.01.39 April
1.03.99 May
1.03.39 June
Last summer in July he was in 1.03.10 at Indiana senior championships and 2 weeks later at US Open he swam his PB in 1.00.09.
Of course he still has a lot of things to prove in long course but he has already proved, unlike some… Read more »
Um… 53.3 and 53.1 are pretty dang impressive in season times.
In a vacuum, yes of course, but realistically it’s not that impressive when considering his best time is a 49.6 and he is the American record holder. Plenty of guys were going 52s in season this year. That’s over 3.5 on his best time, similar to a 55 guy going a 58, 59-low which is extremely reasonable.
I’m less interested in who comes out on top than in who comes in the top 3. It’s rare to have this many people with similar times competing for these spots.
Shameless plug for the McHugh brothers to pull something big this summer.
I think max is in for something big. I think an A final … he hasnt swam long course since his 51.5 short course. And his PR of 1:02 was done when he had a 53. So I give him around a 1:00.6 which isnt bad for an incoming freshman.
Agreed. Conner in the 200 is danergous as well. He’s got an incredible stroke I’d love to see what he can do long course when turns aren’t as much of a differentiator.
Daniel Roy
Maybe in the 200.
I vote Jared Anderson.
🙂 I have a new favorite commenter!
(But unless they’re shortening it to a 75 breaststroke… I’ll take Cody or Kevin)
I mean, if I can swim short course yards while they do long course, it could be me 🙂
But Peaty would still be a few tenths ahead of me even then….
Michael Andrew has had a promising spring, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s second in the 100 breast this summer, but I’m not sure he can beat everyone in such a loaded field. That said, with Andrew Wilson having already gone a best time this year that’s over a half second faster than MA’s best time, it’s hard to bet against him. I’m not super confident about Cordes’ chances this summer as it seems his training has been sub-optimal, but Miller has a very strong training group at IU.
My guess is the top 3 at Nationals looks like this:
1) Miller
2) Wilson
3) Andrew
But who knows? Trial/Championship meets are always full of surprises,… Read more »