2018 U.S. Winter National Championships: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2018 US WINTER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• November 28th-December 1st, 2018
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Psych Sheets
• Results
• Short Course Time Trial Info
• Live Stream
  • via nbcsports.com (A Finals)
  • via usaswimming.org (B Finals)
• Saturday Finals Heat Sheet
• Prelims/Finals at 9 am / 5 pm ET
• LCM (50m)

WOMEN’S 1500 FREE FINALS

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 16:49.19

1. Ashley Twichell – 16:09.80
2. Erica Sullivan – 16:14.84
3. Chase Travis – 16:27.15

There was no Katie Ledecky in this race (she has the 100 free tonight), but Sandpipers of Nevada’s Erica Sullivan and TAC Titans’ Ashley Twichell battled side-by-side for the entirety of the race, flipping about two tenths or less from each other on nearly ever turn. They flipped at 8:36 and change at the 800 (over ten seconds faster than the 800 free Trials cut) as Twichell maintained her very slim lead.

At the 1000, though, Sullivan flipped ahead and started splitting 32-lows instead of 32-highs as Twichell kept fighting to stay in contention, and a 50 later, Twichell sped past Sullivan as the teenager faded a bit. By 1200, Twichell’s lead grew to a second and change, and she ended up running away with it in 16:09.80. Sullivan was 16:14.84 for second, still well ahead of the rest of the field.

Behind them were Wolfpack’s Hannah Moore and NCAP 16-year-old Chase Travis, as Moore was solidly in third until Travis creeped past her around the halfway point. Travis would extend her lead the rest of the way, claiming third in 16:27.15 as Moore placed fourth at 16:32.50.

MEN’S 1500 FREE FINALS

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 15:44.89

1. Jordan Wilimovsky – 15:05.96
2. Anton Ipsen – 15:15.32
3. Brennan Gravley – 15:38.26

Flipping at a very strong 8:04.32 at the 800, Jordan Wilimovsky clocked the win ahead of Wolfpack’s Anton Ipsen. Wilimovsky, the Northwestern grad who is back training with Team Santa Monica, won the 400 and 800 free already at this meet and now adds the mile to his title count with his 15:05.96 tonight.

Two teenagers finished 3rd and 4th, led by Sandpipers of Nevada’s Brennan Gravley at 15:38.26. Hickory YMCA’s Ross Dant was 4th at 15:42.76, while Team Santa Monica’s Gordon Mason posted a 15:43.09 from this morning’s slower heats to vault into 5th overall.

WOMEN’S 200 BACK FINALS

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:14.69

1. Kylie Masse – 2:09.92
2. Hali Flickinger – 2:10.77
3. Ali Galyer – 2:11.02

Canadian star Kylie Masse broke the pool record with a 2:09.92, the first sub-2:10 performance in this event that the Greensboro Aquatic Center’s ever seen. That’s a world-leading time for Masse (with the season being considered from September of this year and on).

Athens Bulldogs’ Hali Flickinger booked it the last 10 meters or so to sneak in for 2nd at 2:10.77, about a second and a half off of her PR. Kentucky’s Ali Galyer was 2:11.02 after leading the way this morning, and 16-year-old Phoebe Bacon of NCAP was just behind her and off the podium at 2:11.13.

Paige Hetrick of Bradford YMCA went 2:14.04 out of lane 8 in the B-final, notching a Trials cut as well as a lifetime best.

MEN’S 200 BACK FINALS

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:02.99

1. Jacob Pebley – 1:56.96
2. Christopher Reid – 1:58.28
3. Markus Thormeyer – 1:59.10

Team Elite’s Jacob Pebley absolutely torched the field, going out in 56.33 and coming back in a 1:00-mid. He clocked a 1:56.96, moving him to #3 in this season’s world rankings.

Christopher Reid of Crimson Tide Aquatics, the 100 back winner, took 2nd at 1:58.28, followed by HPC Vancouver’s Markus Thormeyer at 1:59.10. Also dropping under 2:00 were Athens Bulldogs’ Jay Litherland (1:59.65) and unattached Kane Follows (1:59.78).

Paige daCosta, a 17-year-old out of Pleasanton Seahawks, went 2:03.26 to claim the B-final.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE FINALS

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 56.29

1. Simone Manuel – 53.38
2. Margo Geer – 54.38
3. Amanda Kendall – 54.52

There was no stopping Simone Manuel tonight, as she brought things home powerfully down the final meters to pull well ahead of the field with a very strong 53.38. She’ll hold onto her #2 time in the world rankings.

Margo Geer and Amanda Kendall, both with the IU pro group, were 2nd and 3rd at 54.38 and 54.52, respectively. Arkansas’ Anna Hopkin was a hundredth off of the podium with a 54.53, while Katie Ledecky also slipped under 55 with a 54.76.

Linnea Mack of Osprey was 56.26 to take the B final, just ahead of 15-year-old Torri Huske (56.29) of Arlington and 13-year-old Erin Gemmell (56.32) of NCAP. For Gemmell, she moves to #11 all-time in the 13-14 age group with that best time, and at just 13 years old, moves ahead of Simone Manuel’s 56.33 from 2011 when Manuel was 14.

Gemmell also now ranks #2 all-time for 13-year-olds in the 100 free with that swim — only Missy Franklin’s 56.14 is faster. Gemmell was also just .03 off of the OT cut.

MEN’S 100 FREE FINALS

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 50.49

1. Michael Chadwick – 48.57
2. Nathan Adrian – 48.59
3. Markus Thormeyer – 49.71

You don’t see Nathan Adrian losing the 100 free all too often, but he was just touched out by Team Elite’s Michael Chadwick at the wall, 48.57 to 48.59. Those are both great times for right now, as they rank #2 and #3 in the world rankings.

While Adrian is seemingly able to go a 48-mid in his sleep, that’s just the eighth time that Chadwick has ever been under 49, and it was right off of his best of 48.44 from this summer.

Markus Thormeyer was on the podium once more with a 49.71, while 17-year-old Destin Lasco clocked a 49.84 for 4th. That moves Lasco up to #19 in the 17-18 age group historical rankings.

Yale’s Henry Gaissert took the B-final (50.52), just three hundredths off of the Olympic Trials cut.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST FINALS

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:33.29

1. Kelsey Wog – 2:26.10
2. Emily Escobedo – 2:27.34
3. Micah Sumrall – 2:28.76

Kelsey Wog of Manitoba posted a very strong time of 2:26.10 to take control of this race tonight, just over two seconds off of her lifetime best. That slots in at #4 in the world rankings.

Emily Escobedo of Condors took 2nd in 2:27.34, while there was a very tight battle for 3rd. Ultimately, it was 100 breast winner Micah Sumrall of Chattahoochee Gold who hit the pad in front of Longhorns’ Madisyn Cox, 2:28.76 to 2:28.83.

16-year-old Anna Keating of Machine Aquatics hit a Trials cut-worthy 2:32.62 to win the B-final.

MEN’S 200 BREAST FINALS

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:17.89

1. Nic Fink – 2:10.24
2. Kevin Cordes – 2:11.34
3. Jonathan Tybur – 2:13.77

The podium for the men’s 200 breast was in identical order to the podium for last night’s 100 breast, with Nic Fink of Athens Bulldogs going the quickest time. He was 2:10.24 for a pool record, followed by Phoenix Swim Club’s Kevin Cordes (2:11.34), who led for 150 meters and change, and Aggie Swim Club’s Jonathan Tybur.

Tybur was 2:13.77, just having enough to beat out Pinnacle Racing’s Chuck Katis at 2:13.94.

Moises Loschi (unattached) went 2:15.82 to secure the B-final victory.

WOMEN’S 200 FLY FINALS

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:14.59

1. Hali Flickinger – 2:07.22
2. Olivia Bray – 2:11.38
3. Charlotte Hook – 2:11.93

Hali Flickinger, a strategic expert at this event, was controlled on the front-half and let Virginia Gators’ Olivia Bray rocket out to a 1:00.9 first 100. Flickinger executed a phenomenal backhalf, though, blowing past Bray for the final turn and then hammering home over the last 50 meters. Flickinger wound up body lengths ahead for the win at 2:07.22, her sixth-best swim ever and her fastest non-summer LCM swim ever.

Bray was able to hold on for 2nd at 2:11.38, while 14-year-old Charlotte Hook of the TAC Titans got onto the podium with a 2:11.93. Athens Bulldogs’ Megan Kingsley was 2:12.61 for 4th.

It was a 2:14.60 to win the B-final for Leah Gingrich of Columbus Aquatic Club.

MEN’S 200 FLY FINALS

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:01.19

1. Ryan Vipavetz – 1:59.43
2. Dare Rose – 1:59.98
3. Brendan Burns – 2:01.09

This looked more like a Junior Nationals field than anything else, with six of the eight A-finalists age 18 or younger. The podium was all high schoolers, too, led by Rockville Montgomery’s Ryan Vipavetz, who was just able to hold off Dare Rose of Scarlet Aquatics, 1:59.43 to 1:59.98.

Brendan Burns of Upper Main Line YMCA was right with them coming off the final wall, but tightened up and fell to third at 2:01.09.

Canadian 16-year-old Cole Pratt (Cascade Swim Club) was 2:01.71 for the B-final win, just a tenth off of his lifetime best.