2018 PSS Columbus: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2018 PRO SWIM SERIES – COLUMBUS

• Thursday, July 5 – Sunday, July 8, 2018
• McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, Columbus, OH
• Thursday: Timed Finals 5 PM (US Eastern Time)
• Friday-Sunday: Prelims 10 AM / Finals 6:30 PM (US Eastern Time)
• Meet site
• Meet info
• Live Results
• Psych sheet
• Live stream on USAswimming.com

This morning, we saw lifetime bests from Justin Ress in the 100 free (49.14) and Michael Andrew in the 100 fly (52.47), as both went the session’s fastest time. Leah Smith powered to a 4:06.19 in the 400 free as the only finisher under 4:10, and we’ll get to see Rio gold medalists Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia and Lilly King in action in the 100 fly and 200 breast, respectively.

Dahlia and Mallory Comerford are also set to race in the 100 free A final, where Margo Geer posted the top seed this morning at 54.07.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY – FINALS

1. Kelsi Dahlia – Louisville post-grad, 57.29
2. Amanda Kendall – Indiana post-grad, 58.91
3. Asia Seidt – Kentucky, 59.11

Dahlia ran away with this one, blasting a 57.29 to improve upon her 57.38 season best from the Indy PSS in May. She was also just .02 off of her fastest in-season time ever, a 57.27 from the Mesa PSS stop in April of 2016.

Dahlia is now ranked 5th in the 2018 world rankings.

Amanda Kendall with the IU post-grad group was 2nd in 58.91, while Kentucky’s Asia Seidt snuck in for 3rd at 59.11. That’s an enormous best time for Seidt, whose 1:00.26 from the prelims today was her old PR.

Aliena Schmidtke of the Ohio State post grad group was touched out by Seidt, taking fourth in 59.33, just ahead of Louisville’s Mallory Comerford (59.36). Indiana Swim Team’s Christie Jensen was 59.69 for 6th.

MEN’S 100 FLY – FINALS

1. Michael Andrew – Race Pace Club, 51.86
2. Giles Smith – Phoenix Swim Club, 52.55
3. Chase Kalisz – Athens Bulldogs Swim Club, 53.52

After going 52.47 for a tenth off of his old best, Michael Andrew has improved even more tonight. His time of 51.86 is his first venture under 52 seconds, ever, and he now ranks 15th in the world standings. The only American ahead of Andrew now this season is Jack Conger with his #2-ranked 51.00.

Giles Smith of Phoenix Swim Club raced to 2nd, looking to gain a lot of ground on Andrew towards the end of the race. Smith touched at 52.55.

IM’er Chase Kalisz lowered his morning time, a 53.73, to a 53.52 tonight to take third in a tight field.

Out of the B final, Noah Lense of Ohio State Swim Club rocketed to a 53.25 to win. His time would’ve placed third in the A final.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE – FINALS

1. Leah Smith – Tucson Ford/Arizona post-grad, 4:04.23
2. Cierra Runge – Arizona State post-grad, 4:08.99
3. Allison Schmitt – Arizona State post-grad, 4:09.27

This race was all Leah Smith, as expected. She was out in 58.57 at the 100 and 2:00.19 at the 200, with Allison Schmitt the lone person remotely close to her for most of the race.

Smith’s season best was 4:04.72 before today, done in Santa Clara at that PSS stop. Tonight, her 4:04.23 just improves upon that. She now ranks 5th in the world for 2018.

Schmitt’s pursuants caught up to her, though, as Cierra Runge got her at the wall, touching in 4:08.99. Kaersten Meitz from the Purdue post-grad group was just short of Schmitt, settling for 4th at 4:09.32.

That was a season best for all of the top four, while this is Meitz’s fastest in-season time ever, the previous mark standing at 4:09.46 from last May. Her best ever is a 4:08.38.

MEN’S 400 FREE – FINALS

1. Zane Grothe – Indiana post-grad, 3:48.69
2. Anton Ipsen – NC State post-grad, 3:49.62
3. Patrick Callan – Trident Aquatics Club, 3:53.44

Zane Grothe was out very fast, well ahead of the field, while Anton Ipsen made a huge move over the last 100 meters. Both men spinning furiously at the end, it was Grothe who held on with a 3:48.69, as Ipsen grabbed 2nd in 3:49.52.

Michigan commit and Trident Aquatics Club swimmer Patrick Callan wound up in third at 3:53.44.

Three men were bunched up for 4th, 5th, and 6th. Marcelo Acosta of Louisville was 4th in 3:54.47, followed by Nick Hogsed of Ohio State at 3:54.50 and Felix Aubock of Michigan touching 6th in 3:54.66.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST – FINALS

1. Lilly King – Indiana, 2:24.83
2. Annie Lazor – Unattached, 2:26.55
3. Mariia Astashkina – Louisville, 2:27.87

This was all Lilly King, the world record holder in the 100 breast. She was out at 1:09.31 after 100 meters, and finished it out in 2:24.83, a tenth ahead of her season best from Indy. She remains at 19th in the world rankings.

Annie Lazor, who swam undergrad for Auburn and is racing Unattached – Mission Viejo, grabbed 2nd with a 2:26.55. That time is her 4th-fastest ever.

Louisville’s Mariia Astashkina was 2:27.87 for 3rd, edging out Michigan’s Miranda Tucker (2:28.22).

MEN’S 200 BREAST – FINALS

1. Chase Kalisz – Athens Bulldogs Swim Club, 2:10.97
2. Evgenii Somov – Louisville/Russia, 2:13.28
3. Reece Whitley – Penn Charter, 2:13.51

2018 TYR Pro Series points leader Chase Kalisz wins it here, going 2:10.97 in his second race of the session. He has already picked up a third place finish in the 100 fly tonight. He’s already been 2:09 this year, a lifetime best, but he was well ahead of the rest of the field.

Louisville/Russia’s Evgenii Somov took 2nd in 2:13.28, just able to hold off Penn Charter’s Reece Whitley. Whitley’s time of 2:13.51 edged out Takeharu Fujimori, who was 4th in 2:13.53.

Devon Nowicki of Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics hit a 2:14.55 to win the B final. His old PR was well back at 2:17.07, a great swim for the Oakland University swimmer.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE – FINALS

1. Siobhan Haughey – Club Wolverine,  53.86
2. Margo Geer – Indiana post-grad, 54.20
3. Allison Schmitt – Arizona State post-grad, 54.34

Siobhan Haughey raced past Margo Geer at the finish, clocking a 53.86 to win, just off of her LTB. Geer settled for 2nd in 54.20, ahead of Allison Schmitt‘s 54.34. Schmitt already raced the 400 free tonight, where she placed third.

Mallory Comerford took fourth in 54.63, while Gabby Deloof broke 55 for the first time ever for 5th, touching at 54.98.

Catie Deloof won the B final in 55.33, beating her sister Ali Deloof (56.23). That’s a season best for C. Deloof, and it’s within a tenth of her 55.27 LTB from the 2017 US Open. The Michigan women are looking great so far this meet.

MEN’S 100 FREE – FINALS

1. Blake Pieroni – Indiana post-grad, 49.04
2. Justin Ress – NC State, 49.20
3. Zach Apple – Indiana, 49.41

Sporting a beard, Indiana post-grad member Blake Pieroni touched the field out for the win here tonight with a 49.04. That ties his season best from Indy’s PSS stop in May, which also stands as his fastest in-season swim ever.

Justin Ress of NC State took 2nd in 49.20, just off of his morning LTB of 49.14, while Indiana’s Zach Apple was third in 49.41, improving slightly upon his morning swim.

NC State post-grad member Ryan Held finished fourth in 49.85, the last person to break 50.

Carson Foster couldn’t improve upon his morning swim of 50.37, but that time does still rank at a tie for 6th all-time in the 15-16 rankings.