On day two of the 2013 Speedo Grand Challenge, USC Trojan Vlad Morozov, who went pro this year after a brilliant junior season of college, showed why he could be just as much of a force in long course as short course.
He swam a 21.78 to win the 50 long course meters freestyle and break Nathan Adrian’s two-year old Meet Record in the race. He was a 21.7 at Russian Nationals earlier this spring as well, and now has multiple times that would rank him in the top 10 in the world.
The second and third place finishers were his fellow Russians, and now Trojan Swim Club teammates, Nikita Lobintsev (22.44) and Alexander Sukhorukov (22.81). The fourth finalist in this unique format that puts four swimmers into the A-heat was Utah All-American Nick Soedel, who is training with the Golden West Swim Club this summer. He finished in 23.26 (after a 23.10 in prelims.)
In the men’s and women’s 400 IMs, we saw a pair of swimmers add their second wins. Aquazot high school swimmer Corey Okubo won the men’s race in 4:23.59, adding this to a win on Friday in the 200 IM. He was well ahead of runner-up Tommy Anderson, who took 2nd in 4:29.76.
Maya DiRado took the win in the women’s race in 4:39.58, including a very good closing 100 meters (1:04.1 – over a second faster than anybody else in the field). Her Stanford teammate Andie Taylor took 2nd in 4:43.85, followed by USC’s Andrea Kropp in 4:48.22.
DiRado would add a second win of the night, and third win of the meet, with a 2:11.95 to break the Meet record. USC’s Henriette Stenkvist was 2nd in 2:15.84, followed by Lolo Blair (2:19.38) and 14-year old Abby Richter in 2:20.05.
Stanford picked up another win in the women’s 200 free, where Andi Murez swam a 2:00.85 – just one one-hundredth of a second away from her lifetime best. Murez had a great NCAA Championship meet this spring, and has an outside chance of making some waves for the World Championship team (there’s always a surprise or two in the women’s 200 free, it seems like.)
Stina Gardell from USC/Sweden was 2nd in 2:02.27, followed by Stanford sophomore-to-be Julia Anderson in 2:02.30. The Cardinal finished three out of the top four with Felicia Lee placing 4th in 2:02.48.
In the women’s 100 fly, it was the Trojans who finished in front, with a 59.37 from freshman Kendyl Stewart. That, by a full second, is the fastest she’s ever been this early in the year, thanks mostly to a great front-half.
Stanford’s Felicia Lee is swimming very well after recovering from shoulder surgery in late 2012; she took 2nd in 1:00.13. Lindsey Engel was 3rd in 1:01.18, and Murez was 4th in 1:02.72.
Anna Senko from UCLA won the B-Final in 1:00.95; Swedish breaststroker Joline Hostman was 2nd in that B-Final in 1:01.86.
In other men’s finals, Dimitri Colupaev won the 100 fly with a 54.66; he beat out his USC teammate Chase Bloch who was a 54.81. The Santa Barbara Swim Club’s Alex Valente was 3rd in 55.09. For the 16-year old, that’s a lifetime best. Dane Stassi from UC-San Diego was 4th in 55.80.
Bloch, who does most of his damage collegiately in the butterfly events, is also a very good backstroker. He beat Okubo in that race by a margin of 2:03.12 to 2:04.57.
And finally, in the men’s 400 free, Trojan’s Nikita Lobintsev won in 3:55.22, followed by Golden West’s Titus Knight in 3:59.63.
I’m thinking at least a 21.4 by Vlad this summer.
That’s a very bold prediction.
He’s looking very good in-season. I would call it a bold prediction, but not a very bold one. I think he’s more than capable. I was one of those that was very excited about his short course success, and it just looks like he’s having no problem translating it to the big pool.
Turnover still very very fast but one thing I think is interesting is that if you compare stroke length in NCAAs to this race he seems to be stretching forward a bit more with his hands. Good technique work by Salo there
I noticed there was no wedge on the starting blocks, so he could have gone slightly faster.
i think a bigger issue would be having to put a towel on the blocks, which can’t be the best grip. all in all, maybe a solid tenth left on the table?
Link to the 50 is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQjfahDQXrE His turnover is crazy towards the end.
the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQjfahDQXrE
Anybody know or have a link of where to watch the 50 free from last night?
I can see Anthony Ervin taking him down
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQjfahDQXrE
Morozov doesn’t look small to me. And he looks jacked.
Vlad is looking amazing. Definitely going to bring home some medals this summer. I saw the 50 free live but I can’t find a link to watch it now. Can anyone post a link of the 50 free last night?
Morozov is looking good, can definitely be in the medal hunt in the 50 this year. I wish somehow, seeing they were both in the US, I could of seen Cielo and Morozov duke it out. That would of been great to watch.