2023 PRO SWIM SERIES – FORT LAUDERDALE
- March 1-4, 2023
- Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Long Course Meters (50 meters)
- Prelims/Finals
- Prelims: 9:00 AM (EST)
- Finals: 5:00 PM Wednesday, 6:00 PM (EST) Thursday-Saturday
- Meet Central
- Live Results
- Psych Sheets
- Ways to Watch
- Storylines to Follow
- Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap
Friday Finals Heat Sheets
The penultimate night of racing of the 2023 Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale is here, featuring finals of the 200 free, 50 breast, 50 fly, 200 back, and 400 IM.
16-year-old Summer McIntosh and Katie Ledecky are the top two seeds in the women’s 200 free after McIntosh blasted a time of 1:55.04 this morning to come within .25 of her own World Junior record. Brazil’s Luiz Altamir and Ohio State’s Ruslan Gaziev led the men’s event in prelims, however, Gaziev scratched the final and bumped Kieran Smith up to that second spot.
Next up will be two sprint showdowns: the 50 breast and 50 fly. The women’s race features top seeds Imogen Clark of Great Britain and 2021 Olympic bronze medalist Lilly King who took first place in the 100 breast last night. 2022 World Championships bronze medalist Michael Andrew and Club Wolverine’s Tommy Cope top the men’s event. In prelims, Andrew blasted a Pro Swim Series record time of 26.84 to win the morning session. He will have a back-to-back double tonight as the top seed in the 50 fly, an event he also won bronze in at the recent World Championships. Dylan Carter tied with Andrew for first place in the 50 fly prelims, making for an exciting race tonight.
In the women’s 50 fly, Abbey Weitzeil dropped a lifetime best time this morning to earn the top spot in the final ahead of Denmark’s Emilie Beckmann. Weitzeil is coming off an electric first-place finish in the 100 free final yesterday. World Record holder Regan Smith and Katie Grimes lead the women’s 200 back. They both have a tough double tonight after competing in the 200 free ‘A’ and ‘B’ finals, respectively, earlier. 2021 Olympic silver medalist Ryan Murphy and Jay Litherland, who is also competing in the 200 free ‘B’ final, are the top seeds of the men’s race.
The final event of the session is the 400 IM, the second half of Katie Ledecky ‘s event lineup tonight. In prelims, she finished first by over five seconds. Lorne Wigginton of Canada, a Michigan commit, and Bobby Finke lead the men’s event.
WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – Final
- World Record: 1:52.98, Federica Pellegrini (2009)
World Junior Record: 1:54.79, Summer McIntosh (2022)- American Record: 1:53.61, Allison Schmitt (2012)
U.S. Open Record: 1:54.40, Allison Schmitt (2012)/Katie Ledecky (2021)Pro Swim Series Record: 1:54.40, Katie Ledecky (2021)
Top 8:
- Summer McIntosh – 1:54.13 (WJ RECORD, U.S. OPEN RECORD)
- Katie Ledecky – 1:54.96
- Siobhan Haughey – 1:55.53
- Regan Smith – 1:58.14
- Bella Sims – 1:58.24
- Ella Jansen – 1:58.30
- Leah Smith – 1:58.41
- Claire Weinstein – 1:59.12
That’s a new World Junior, U.S. Open, and Pro Swim Series record set by McIntosh who got the early lead with a 27.13 split on the first 50, and then she just kept going. The U.S. Open record has stood since 2012 when Allison Schmitt first set it and then Ledecky tied it in 2021. McIntosh’s time tonight would have won bronze a the Tokyo Olympics.
Ledecky took two seconds off her prelims time to stay on McIntosh’s heels, but the 16-year-old came home in the only sub29 split in the field (28.98) to secure the win.
Siobhan Haughey also took two seconds off her prelims time, but she finished about 1.5 seconds off her Hong Kong national record which she set at the Tokyo Olympics.
In fourth place, Regan Smith blasted a lifetime best time by .30.
MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – Final
- World Record: 1:42.00, Paul Biedermann (2009)
- World Junior Record: 1:42.97, David Popovici (2022)
- American Record: 1:42.96, Michael Phelps (2008)
- U.S. Open Record: 1:44.10, Michael Phelps (2008)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 1:44.82, Sun Yang (2016)
Top 8:
- Matthew Richards – 1:47.04
- Kieran Smith – 1:47.36
- Luiz Altamir / Shaine Casas – 1:47.88
- –
- Trenton Julian – 1:47.90
- Drew Kibler – 1:47.94
- Guilherme Costa – 1:49.31
- Jorge Iga – 1:49.67
That was a strong, untapered swim for Matthew Richards of Great Britain, coming within 1.3 seconds off his lifetime best time. He and Altamir came out fast, blasting the fastest 100 splits of 51.39/51.20, respectively while Smith made up some ground on the third 50 with a split of 27.50 compared to Richards’ 27.97. But it wasn’t enough to catch him at the end.
Richards’ focus of the season is the British Championships in five weeks, he said in his post race interview.
WOMEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE – Final
- World Record: 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (2021)
- World Junior Record: 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (2021)
- American Record: 29.40, Lilly King (2017)
- U.S. Open Record: 29.62, Lilly King (2018)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 29.62, Lilly King (2018)
Top 8:
- Lilly King – 30.04
- Imogen Clark – 30.48
- Siobhan Haughey / Rachel Bernhardt – 31.21
- –
- Sophie Angus -31.47
- Macarena Ceballos – 31.58
- Tara Vovk – 31.68
- Annie Lazor – 31.74
King charged down the pool to a time within .7 of her personal best time from 2017. This was a strong swim for Clark as well who was about .46 off her lifetime best time from the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Haughey turned right around after her 200 free third-place finish to set a Hong Kong national record in this race, breaking the mark of 31.67 which she set in prelims. Less than half an hour after the 200 free, she earned a spot on yet another podium with this third-place finish in a tie with Rachel Bernhardt.
MEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE – Final
- World Record: 25.95, Adam Peaty (2017)
- World Junior Record: 26.97, Nicolo Martinenghi (2017)
- American Record: 26.45, Nic Fink (2022)
- U.S. Open Record: 26.52, Michael Andrew (2022)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 26.84, Michael Andrew (2023)
Top 8:
- Michael Andrew – 27.10
- Nic Fink – 27.29
- Tommy Cope – 27.48
- Julio Horrego – 27.97
- Cody Miller – 28.01
- Gregory Butler – 28.06
- Lewis Fraser – 28.18
- Charlie Swanson – 28.20
While Andrew wasn’t satisfied with his time, about half a second off his lifetime best, it was a solid start to his event lineup tonight. He said he finally got into his rythym on the second half of the race in his post race interview. His fellow U.S. Olympian Nic Fink, who won this event at the recent World Championships, was close behind and ultimately touched the wall second, narrowly ahead of Cope.
WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – Final
- World Record: 24.43, Sarah Sjostrom (2014)
- World Junior Record: 25.46, Rikako Ikee (2017)
- American Record: 25.38, Torri Huske (2022)
- U.S. Open Record: 25.46, Rikako Ikee (2017)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 25.65, Farida Osman (2019)
Top 8:
- Abbey Weitzeil / Emilie Beckmann – 26.27
- –
- Katerine Savard / Natalie Hinds – 26.68
- –
- Erika Brown – 26.81
- Harriet Jones – 26.82
- Amalie Mikkelsen – 26.97
- Lily Lyon – 27.21
As they swam into the flags, it looked like Weitzel had the win but Beckmann put her head down and got her hand to the wall with Weitzeil whose 26.27 marks a lifetime best time for the Cal alumnus. This was also strong swim but not a personal best for Beckmann who owns a best time of 25.50 from 2021
Beckmann said in her post race interview that her main focus right now is qualifying for the World Championships in July. Weitzeil spoke about how the 50 fly is a fun event to race, even though butterfly isn’t her favorite stroke to train.
Both Savard and Hinds own personal best times of 26-low (26.05 and 26.07, respectively) but they took significant chunks of time off their prelims performances.
MEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – Final
- World Record: 22.27, Andriy Govorov (2018)
- World Junior Record: 22.96, Diogo Ribeiro (2022)
- American Record: 22.35, Caeleb Dressel (2019)
- U.S. Open Record: 22.84, Caeleb Dressel (2022)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 23.11, Matt Targett (2012)
Top 8:
- Dylan Carter / Michael Andrew – 23.33
- –
- Shaine Casas – 23.48
- Diogo Ribeiro – 23.60
- Ilya Kharun – 23.73
- Tom Carswell – 23.92
- Lewis Fraser – 23.94
- Zach Harting – 24.17
The men’s 50 breast was a rematch of Michael Andrew and Dylan Carter‘s race in Mexico last week at the Jalisco International Swimming Cup where Andrew out touched Carter with a time of 23.53 compared to Carter’s 23.70. They both easily beat their times from that meet, barreling into the wall to a final time of 23.33 tonight.
Casas came within .17 of his lifetime best time to earn a spot on the podium in third, outtouching Ribeiro by .12.
WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – Final
- World Record: 2:03.35, Regan Smith (2019)
- World Junior Record: 2:03.35, Regan Smith (2019)
- American Record: 2:03.35, Regan Smith (2019)
- U.S. Open Record: 2:05.08, Phoebe Bacon (2022)
Pro Swim Series Record: 2:05.94, Regan Smith (2020)
Top 8:
- Regan Smith – 2:05.34 (PSS RECORD)
- Katie Grimes – 2:09.53
- Erika Pelaez – 2:11.67
- Olivia Smoliga – 2:12.15
- Kayman Neal – 2:13.77
- Athena Meneses Kovacs – 2:14.18
- Bella Sims – 2:14.49
- Audrey Derivaux – 2:15.00
After blasting a lifetime best time in the 200 free earlier, Smith came back and dominated the 200 back. She established a 1.7 second lead by the halfway mark (splitting 1:01.29) which only grew, peaking at a margin of full four seconds by the time the race finished.
She was still about two seconds off her world record, but she cracked her own Pro Swim Series record from 2020 by .60.
Smith said she was happy with the execution of her technique and the details of racing in her post race interview.
MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – Final
- World Record: 1:51.92, Aaron Peirsol (2009)
- World Junior Record: 1:55.14, Kliment Kolesnikov (2017)
- American Record: 1:51.92, Aaron Peirsol (2009)
- U.S. Open Record: 1:53.08, Aaron Peirsol (2009)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 1:55.04, Xu Jiayu (2017)
Top 8:
- Ryan Murphy – 1:56.44
- Chase Kalisz – 1:59.73
- Jay Litherland – 2:01.14
- Aidan Norman – 2:01.26
- Joao Noguiera Costa – 2:01.58
- Amaseusz Knop – 2:02.80
- Jonny Marshall -2:03.53
- Yeziel Morales – 2:03.74
Ryan Murphy was untouchable in this race, splitting it 57.09 / 59.35 to ultimately touch the wall first with a 3.3 second lead over the field. He was about three seconds off his personal best time from 2018, but was satisfied with the time at this early point in the season in his post race interview. He said he wants to be a little faster on that third 50, which he split 29.64 on which actually is faster than both his second 50 (29.84) and final 50 (29.71).
This was a lifetime best time for Kalisz and his first time under the 2-minute mark in this race. His previous best was a 2:00.14 that he posted at a Pro Swim Series meet in 2020.
WOMEN’S 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – Final
- World Record: 4:26.36, Katinka Hosszu (2016)
- World Junior Record: 4:28.61, Summer McIntosh (2022)
- American Record: 4:31.12, Katie Hoff (2008)
- U.S. Open Record: 4:28.61, Summer McIntosh (2022)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 4:31.07, Katinka Hoszu (2015)
Top 8:
- Katie Ledecky – 4:36.04
- Ella Jansen – 4:43.32
- Tess Cieplucha – 4:44.92
- Bailey Andison – 4:46.66
- Claire Weinstein – 4:48.06
- Michaela Mattes – 4:48.08
- Sofia Plaza – 4:51.33
- Kim Emely Herkle – 4:54.21
The freestyle leg of the 400 IM is Katie Ledecky‘s bread and butter, catering to her impressive stroke and endurance. But she already had a 3.5 second lead going into that final 100.
17-year-old Ella Jansen rivaled her on the butterfly as she was first going into the backstroke with a split of 1:02.33 compared to Ledecky’s 1:03.04. It was then that Ledecky made her move, splitting 1:15.16 on the back compared to Jansen’s 1:17.37. Ledecky held strong on the breaststroke and then barreled home on the freestyle with final 50 splits of 31.15/30.06.
The only swimmer to come close to Ledecky’s finishing speed was 5th-place finisher Weinstein who dropped a 30.24 on the final 50.
MEN’S 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – Final
- World Record: 4:03.84, Michael Phelps (2008)
- World Junior Record: 4:10.02, Ilia Borodin (2021)
- American Record: 4:03.84, Michael Phelps (2008)
- U.S. Open Record: 4:05.25, Michael Phelps (2008)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 4:08.92, Chase Kalisz (2018)
Top 8:
- Bobby Finke – 4:15.93
- Lorne Wigginton – 4:19.95
- Grant Sanders – 4:25.33
- William Ryley – 4:26.05
- Sean Grieshop – 4:27.22
- Charlie Swanson – 4:28.21
Rule of thumb: if you won Olympic gold in both the 800 free and 1500 free recently, you should try the 400 IM. Finke, who, like Ledecky, won those events in Tokyo, crushed this race in Fort Lauderdale.
Finke said in his post race interview that freestyle is his favorite part of the 400 IM. He said he focused on pushing the backstroke (and indeed he did, splitting it 32.68/31.74 while no one else cracked 33.30 on either of those 50’s). He had a lead of 2.3 seconds going into the last 100, an abnormal experience for Finke who tends to chase people down in distance races.
This was a strong swim for Wigginton who beat his prelims time and was only half a second off his lifetime best time from the Junior Pan Pacific Championships last August.
Notably, there were two disqualifications in this ‘A’ final: Nathan Holty and Ilya Kharun.
Will Summer McIntosh swim 200-400 free 200-400 IM 200 fly and 3 relays in Fukuoka?
She’s a generational talent, she reminds me of Tracy Caulkins and Shane Gould.
She definitely isn’t swimming the medley relay final barring some withdrawal or injury by another swimmer. Masse, MacNeil and Oleksiak clearly have the Back, Fly and Free legs on lock. The breast leg is a bit of a shambles but breast is McIntosh’s worst stroke.
I guess she might swim the medley relay heat.
I also don’t see her swimming 5 individual events. I reckon she’ll do 4.
Olesiak having the free leg on lock may be a bit of an overstatement right now. Yes, theoretically she does, but she hasn’t raced since the summer. She may not be ready for peak speed this summer. Now maybe Ruck would step in for her but who knows.
Overall, I have been impressed with Katie Ledecky in year two (2) of the Nesty Plunge:
0:54:01 – Mar 2023
1:55.47 – Jan 2023
1:54.96 – Mar 2023
4:00.20 – Jan 2023
4:36.09 – Jan 2023
4:36.04 – Mar 2023
15:37.99 – Jan 2023
As a footnote, the time posted in the W 1500 FR at the 2023 Tyr Pro Swim Series in Knoxville is faster than the time posted in the final of the W 1500 FR at the 2018 Pan Pacs (12 Aug 2018) and the Olympic Team Trials – Wave II (16 Jun 2021).
https://www.fina.org/swimming/rankings?gender=F&distance=1500&stroke=FREESTYLE&poolConfiguration=LCM&year=all&startDate=&endDate=×Mode=ALL_TIMES®ionId=all&countryId=
Great to see these glimmers of potential from the young Canadian men at this meet (Taivassalo, Norman, Wigginton).
And young (but huge!) Kim still at home.
As a footnote, Regan Smith posted the 21st fastest All-Time Performance in the women’s 200 meter backstroke.
https://www.fina.org/swimming/rankings?gender=F&distance=200&stroke=BACKSTROKE&poolConfiguration=LCM&year=all&startDate=&endDate=×Mode=ALL_TIMES®ionId=all&countryId=
I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Bobby Finke popped out a 4:08 low ish 400 IM at 2024 trials to get a spot for Paris. Think second place behind Carson will be a dogfight between Finke and Kalisz
I see that for sure
Provided he tries ofc
.
His 400 IM almost looks better than his distance free at these Pro Swims. But that might just be due to the deeper fields in the freestyle events
I wonder if theres an element of the freestyle-leaning muscles being more worn on him too in season
people need to stop putting Sims and McIntosh on the same level. McIntosh is very very elite all around, Sims just has good underwaters which makes her a star in yards. In a long course pool, McIntosh beats Sims in literally every event.
I agree with what you are saying about Sims vs. McIntosh, but I kind of feel this argument needs to go find Dorothy and head to the Emerald City
While I agree that Summer is much better than Bella up to this point in their careers, I think it’s too early to write Bella off; athletes develop at different rates and respond differently to in-season vs taper meets. Let’s keep a positive attitude and enjoy their performances!
Funny how “we need to keep positive attitude” comment only applies to American swimmers.
But it’s a fair game when it comes to foreign swimmers
Watching this young generation is a priviledge. I want to celebrate all of them. Open yourself up to joy!
She went 1:54.6 on the 4×200 relay. I think that’s pretty worthy. Maybe not individual medalist yet, but definitely possibly 1:55 mid. Both are amazing athletes
Sims is definitely promising but yes, she’s nowhere near the same level as McIntosh. Although, to be honest I don’t think I’ve seen anyone suggest that they are on the same level?
I do still think Sims was the most overrated swimmer on the SS rankings at 30 when she’s never even qualified for an individual event internationally.
Bella Sims is not even close to the level of Katie Grimes:
2022 World Aquatics Championships
W 1500 FR – silver medal
W 400 IM – silver medal
From what I’ve seen, Summer is very poised, mature for her age. Bella is your typical teen, not always on point. She did have the second fastest split on the 4 x 200 relay when it counted. Bella may well get focused or she won’t . She is a smallish swimmer at 5′ 6″ and not likely to grow much while Summer looks to be close to 6 ft tho very slim. Hard to tell with young women at that age. Guess we will find out.
Why was Kharun disqualified?
Tell me that Ledecky isn’t serious about 400IM in Paris. She has more chances for podium in this event than in 200FR. So much room for improvement. It was the fastest first 200 that she ever swam in this event. The second half wasn’t that impressive but this race was after intense 200FR.
The domestic competition is fierce in the W 400 IM:
Grimes, Katie
Weyant, Emma
Flickinger, Hali
Hayes, Leah
Now if Alex Walsh would throw her hat into the ring.
Who said that Katie Ledecky would swim the W 200 FR at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships?
No she’s not serious and from her interview after the race she said that she want to try more 400IM in the second half of her swimming career but I think maybe at US open but not at world championship or the Olympics level.
Katie Ledecky has enough on her plate:
W 400 FR (heats, final)
W 800 FR (heats, final)
W 1500 FR (heats, final)
W 4 x 200 FR-R (final)
Total: 5600 meters
Yes I think she’s gonna stick to the same programs that she did at world championship last year.
Actually what she said is that “mayre in her second career…” intimating that she was still in her first.. and added that it was fun to swim the 4IM at a meet early in season..