2014 Santa Clara Grand Prix: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

Lotte Friis and Michael McBroom started off the 2014 Santa Clara Grand Prix with the first two wins of the meet last night during the distance session. Day 2 prelims should keep the excitement rolling with four individual events; the 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 400 freestyle, and the 100 butterfly. This will be the first Grand Prix appearance for Missy Franklin, who is the top seed in the women’s 100 freestyle and will also be swimming the 100 butterfly.

Kevin Cordes will also be swimming today in the 200 breaststroke. This will be his first meet of the season where he will be swimming the 200 breaststroke in meters. He has swum the 50 breast twice this year and the 100 breast three times. He is the top seed in the 200 breaststroke, which should allow him two opportunities to swim this race to see where he matches up with the rest of the world. He will have several challengers to push him today. Scott Weltz, BJ Johnson, Nic Fink, Mike Alexanderov, and Gunnar Bentz are all within striking distance.

Allison Schmitt, Lotte Friis, and Brittney Maclean will have a great opportunity to throw down tonight in the women’s 400 freestyle. Michael Klueh, Connor Jaeger, Michael McBroom, Ryan Cochrane, Yannick Agnel, and Charlie Houchin should be fun to watch as well. The fastest two heats of the men’s and women’s 400 freestyles will swim during finals.

Michael Phelps is hoping to break away from his 52.13 100 butterflies. He has posted that time during finals in his last two meets. Tom Shields, Eugene Godsoe, Jack Conger, and Jason Dunford are expected to be fast this morning as well. Matthew Jose, Conger, and Justin Lynch will also have an opportunity to prove themselves against some season veterans of this event.

2014 ARENA GRAND PRIX AT SANTA CLARA

• Live results
• Live video (when meet starts)
• Psych sheets
• Friday Morning Heat Sheet
• Friday Morning Timeline
• Thursday, June 19-Sunday, June 22
• Fri-Sun: Prelims 9AM/Finals 5PM (Pacific Time), Thurs: Finals 4PM (Pacific Time)

 Women’s 100 Freestyle – Prelims

Missy Franklin had the fastest time of the A flight this morning, winning the final heat with a time of 55.12. She looked quick off the start, as usual, and used her back half strength to control her back half. Although she has looked better, she looked really strong for an in season prelim swim. Shannon Vreeland had the second fastest swim of the morning, posting a time of 55.39. Simone Manuel had the third fastest time at 55.57.

Amy Bilquist, 16, managed to sneak into the top 8 of the women’s 100 freestyle from an earlier heat. She had a fantastic short course season, swimming a 22.15 in the 50 yard freestyle and a 48.93 in the 100 yard freestyle. She will be one swimmer to keep your eyes on over the next few years.

Megan Romano and Maddy Schaefer are currently tied for 8th place after the completion of the A flight. A swim-off may be required unless a swimmer from the B flight beats their time of 55.83.

Men’s 100 Freestyle – Prelims 

Nathan Adrian, Conor Dwyer, and Michael Phelps were the only three swimmers to dip under 50 seconds in the A flight of the men’s 100 freestyle. The top 8 qualifiers are all within a second of Adrian’s top qualifying time of 49.95. He is currently ranked third in the world this year in this event. Dwyer had the second fastest time with a 49.96, and his NBAC training partner and housemate, Michael Phelps, was just behind him at 49.99.

The men’s 100 free is considered by many to be the big show in swimming, and with the reputation of the swimmers in the final, it really will be tonight. Joining the three before mentioned swimmers will be Anthony Ervin, Adam Brown, Santo Condorelli, Marcelo Chierighini, and Yannick Agnel.

Women’s 200 Breaststroke – Prelims

Micah Lawrence had the fastest swim out of the A flight with the only time under 2:30. She is the top qualifier with her time of 2:29.26. The real surprise in the results this morning, however, is 16 year old Emma Schanz. She was entered with a yards time of 2:11.90, and ended up qualifying second to Lawrence with her time of 2:30.63. Her previous best time from August of 2013 was 2:44.24. She went that time out of heat 1!

Laura Sogar and Elizabeth Beisel had the 3rd and 4th fastest times of the morning at 2:31.81 and 2:32.18, respectively. Caitlin Leverenz currently has the 8th place time at 2:33.53. She should swim tonight in finals unless someone else qualifies out of the B flight.

Men’s 200 Breaststroke – Prelims

Chase Kalisz had a great morning swim to earn the top qualifying spot in the men’s 200 breaststroke. He touched the wall at 2:13.45, a half second ahead of Nic Fink’s second place time of 2:14.02. Kalisz has always been able to finish his races well. He took his swim out in 1:04.7 and brought it back in 1:08.7. I know it is still in season, but I think Kalisz will have more in the last 100 of his final swim. Josh Prenot, Matt Elliot, BJ Johnson and Kevin Cordes qualified 3rd through 6th at 2:15’s. Dan Wallace and Mike Alexanderov are sitting on the bubble of making the A final at 7th and 8th. This will be the final unless a swimmer from the B flight can sneak into the B final with a 2:16 low or better.

Women’s 400 Freestyle – Prelims

Cierra Runge swam lights out for a best time and the top qualifying position in the women’s 400 freestyle. She had the fastest time of the morning with a 4:09.86. That time puts her 36th in the world, which isn’t bad considering most of the times on the list are tapered swims. Andreina Pinto was 4:10.04 with the second fastest time from the A flight. Elizabeth Beisel was also in the 4:10 range.

Lotte Friis had a very controlled morning swim after winning the 1500 last night.

Becca Mann had the 8th fastest time of the morning at 4:12.79. She will be in the final unless a swimmer from the B flight beats that time.

Men’s 400 Freestyle – Prelims

Connor Jaeger posted the fastest time of the morning at 3:51.12 to earn the top qualifying spot. Ryan Feeley had a great swim, dropping almost two seconds for a best time to qualify second at 3:51.28, only .06 behind Jaeger. Tyler Clary dropped from his seed time to qualify third in the 400 freestyle, although he is still three seconds off of his best time in this event from 2012.

Michael McBroom and Ryan Cochrane were 4th and 5th, followed by Michael Weiss, Conor Dwyer, and Matt McLean. McLean’s 8th place time was 3:53.35. That time hold up through the B flight, giving us our men’s 400 freestyle final. Any swim in the B flight is official and can qualify for a finals swim.

Women’s 100 Butterfly – Prelims

Felicia Lee was the only swimmer to break 1 minute in the women’s 100 butterfly. Her time of 59.62 is almost a second ahead of the second place qualifier, Kelly Naze. Naze and Noelle Tarazona were 2nd and 3rd with 1:00.4’s. Veronica Burchill had the 8th fastest time of the A flight, touching the wall at 1:00.81.

Missy Franklin finished 21st with a time of 1:01.69. Several well known swimmers missed making the A final in this event. Caitlin Leverenz, Maya Dirado, Celina Li, and Kathleen Baker were all within the top 20, but outside of the top 8.

Men’s 100 Butterfly – Prelims 

Although Michael Phelps didn’t break his 52.13 barrier this morning, he did snag the top seed in the men’s 100 butterfly with a 52.57. He secured his spot in his second final of the day, although it is very possible he may scratch his 100 freestyle tonight. We will not know until later, but hopefully he swims both races.

Tom Shields, Jack Conger, and Justin Lynch stepped up to secure their spots in the final this morning.

Seth Stubblefield had the 8th fastest time of the morning with a 54.05.