There was a lot going on last weekend in the world of swimming. A week after the second stop of the FINA Champions Series took place in Budapest, a lot of the top American swimmers (and those based in the U.S.) were in action at either the TYR Pro Series in Bloomington or the Atlanta Classic.
Looking at combined results from those two meets, along with every other competition that took place over the weekend, the Pro Series meet not surprisingly was the deepest. On the men’s side, 10 out of 14 events had the top performer come out of Bloomington (with three out of the four Atlanta top times coming from Caeleb Dressel), and 12 of the 14 did so on the women’s side.
Stroke 50s were not contested in Atlanta, so those were left out, and it’s worth pointing out that the 800 and 1500 freestyle were raced back-to-back there as well so the distance athletes had to pick one or the other (as opposed to the PSS where they were spread out).
A few other meets popped up looking at the top-8 results in each event over the weekend (Thursday the 16th to Sunday the 19th):
- Kane Follows produced a pair of top-8 times in the men’s 100 and 200 back from the Oahu Age Group A+ meet in Hawaii (full results should be uploaded here when available).
- Hennessey Stuart swam the #3 time in the 200 back at the NCAC Meet on the Hill in North Carolina.
- Rising sophomore Anze Fers Erzen, a native of Slovenia, put up the 8th fastest time of the weekend in the 200 back at the IA David Armbruster Open at his home pool at the University of Iowa.
- Carson Foster, who did compete in Bloomington, also swam at the OH PCY BASH in Cincinnati, posting the #8 time in the men’s 200 IM. That came on Saturday morning after competing in the 100 free and 200 fly at the Pro Series on Friday.
- The only swims that landed in the top-8 from outside of the PSS and Atlanta Classic for the women came from Kaersten Meitz, who put up the 3rd fastest time in the 400 and 5th in the 800 free at the Early Bird Invitational in West Lafayette (results available on Meet Mobile).
Check out the combined results from last weekend below (women’s 1500 had the top-8 all come from the Pro Series, so those results can be located here).
Men’s 50 Free
- Ali Khalafalla (PSS), 22.05
- Robert Howard (PSS), 22.19
- Nathan Adrian (PSS), 22.22
- Erik Risolvato (ATL), 22.42
- Blake Pieroni (PSS), 22.53
- Jack Franzman (PSS), 22.56
- Zach Apple (PSS), 22.72
- Enzo Martinez Scarpe (ATL), 22.79
- Dean Farris (ATL), 22.83
Men’s 100 Free
- Caeleb Dressel (ATL), 47.86
- Zach Apple (PSS), 48.76
- Blake Pieroni (PSS), 48.86
- Robert Howard (PSS), 49.09
- Dean Farris (ATL), 49.29
- Nathan Adrian (PSS), 49.31
- Ali Khalafalla (PSS), 49.40
- Corey Main (ATL), 49.98
Men’s 200 Free
- Blake Pieroni (PSS), 1:47.25
- Kieran Smith (ATL), 1:47.85
- Zane Grothe (PSS), 1:47.90
- Khader Baqlah (ATL), 1:47.94
- Trey Freeman (ATL), 1:48.58
- Fynn Minuth (ATL), 1:49.21
- Zach Apple (PSS), 1:49.49
- Patrick Callan (PSS), 1:49.62
Men’s 400 Free
- Zane Grothe (PSS), 3:48.27
- Mitch D’Arrigo (ATL), 3:52.30
- Trey Freeman (ATL), 3:52.35
- Felix Auboeck (PSS), 3:52.69
- Kieran Smith (ATL), 3:53.22
- Andrew Abruzzo (ATL), 3:54.16
- Johannes Calloni (PSS), 3:54.21
- Patrick Callan (PSS), 3:54.40
Men’s 800 Free
- Zane Grothe (PSS), 7:53.40
- Mitch D’Arrigo (ATL), 8:04.01
- Felix Auboeck (PSS), 8:04.69
- Kevin Miller (ATL), 8:08.50
- Mikey Calvillo (PSS), 8:08.56
- Marcelo Acosta (PSS), 8:08.72
- Eric Knowles (PSS), 8:14.02
- Johannes Calloni (PSS), 8:14.51
Men’s 1500 Free
- Zane Grothe (PSS), 15:17.12
- Robert Finke (ATL), 15:26.46
- Marcelo Acosta (PSS), 15:28.66
- Ricardo Vargas (PSS), 15:30.04
- Greg Reed (ATL), 15:37.84
- Mikey Calvillo (PSS), 15:40.94
- True Sweetser (ATL), 15:44.03
- Will Roberts (PSS), 15:46.91
Men’s 100 Back
- Grigory Tarasevich (PSS), 54.28
- Nikos Sofianidis (PSS), 54.69*
- Gabriel Fantoni (PSS), 55.25
- Clark Beach (ATL), 55.26
- Corey Main (ATL), 55.41
- Coleman Stewart (PSS), 55.51
- Dean Farris (ATL), 55.65
- Kane Follows (OAHU), 55.92
Men’s 200 Back
- Clark Beach (ATL), 1:58.31
- Johannes Calloni (PSS), 1:59.01
- Hennessey Stuart (NCAC), 2:00.64
- Kane Follows (OAHU), 2:01.03
- Jacob Steele (PSS), 2:01.29
- Zachary Poti (PSS), 2:02.15
- Nicolas Albiero (PSS), 2:02.22
- Anze Fers Erzen (IOWA), 2:02.34
Men’s 100 Breast
- Cody Miller (PSS), 59.24
- Michael Andrew (PSS), 59.52
- Anton McKee (PSS), 1:00.62
- Nic Fink (PSS), 1:00.70
- Will Licon (PSS), 1:01.03
- Caeleb Dressel (ATL), 1:01.22
- Ian Finnerty (PSS), 1:01.26
- Andrew Wilson (PSS), 1:01.70
Men’s 200 Breast
- Cody Miller (PSS), 2:08.98
- Will Licon (PSS), 2:10.97
- Daniel Roy (PSS), 2:12.00
- Nic Fink (PSS), 2:12.28
- Anton McKee (PSS), 2:12.44
- Andrew Wilson (PSS), 2:13.08
- Carlos Claverie (PSS), 2:14.21
- Chase Kalisz (ATL), 2:14.47
Men’s 100 Fly
- Caeleb Dressel (ATL), 51.41
- Luis Martinez (PSS), 51.64
- Vini Lanza (PSS), 52.72
- Santiago Grassi (ATL), 53.45
- Van Mathias (PSS), 53.68
- Gabriel Fantoni (PSS), 53.71
- Miles Smachlo (PSS), 53.75
- Camden Murphy (ATL), 53.82
Men’s 200 Fly
- Caeleb Dressel (ATL), 1:56.29
- Chase Kalisz (ATL), 1:56.55
- Fynn Minuth (ATL), 1:57.70
- Jay Litherland (PSS), 1:57.99
- Cory Gambardella (PSS), 1:58.49
- Carson Foster (PSS), 1:59.32
- Christian Ferraro (ATL), 1:59.96
- Gunnar Bentz (ATL), 2:00.13
Men’s 200 IM
- Jay Litherland (PSS), 2:00.64
- Gunnar Bentz (ATL), 2:01.65
- Will Licon (PSS), 2:02.03
- Alexander Lebed (ATL), 2:02.32
- Daniel Sos (PSS), 2:02.67
- Vini Lanza (PSS), 2:02.75
- Sam Stewart (PSS), 2:02.90
- Carson Foster (PCY), 2:02.95
Men’s 400 IM
- Jay Litherland (PSS), 4:14.42
- Gunnar Bentz (ATL), 4:21.38
- Robert Finke (ATL), 4:21.46
- Kieran Smith (ATL), 4:22.18
- Charlie Swanson (PSS), 4:22.64
- Sam Stewart (PSS), 4:23.13
- Tom Peribonio (ATL), 4:23.67
- Will Licon (PSS), 4:24.00
Women’s 50 Free
- Simone Manuel (PSS), 24.41
- Olivia Smoliga (ATL), 25.05
- Julie Meynen (PSS), 25.13
- Kate Douglass (ATL), 25.23
- Margo Geer (PSS), 25.24
- Kylee Alons (PSS), 25.27
- Natalie Hinds (ATL), 25.30
- Erika Brown (ATL), 25.35
Women’s 100 Free
- Simone Manuel (PSS), 53.55
- Mallory Comerford (PSS), 54.11
- Margo Geer (PSS), 54.18
- Erika Brown (ATL), 54.36
- Natalie Hinds (ATL), 54.80
- Olivia Smoliga (ATL), 55.04
- Katie Ledecky (PSS), 55.17
- Allison Schmitt (PSS), 55.18
Women’s 200 Free
- Katie Ledecky (PSS), 1:55.80
- Simone Manuel (PSS), 1:57.24
- Hali Flickinger (ATL), 1:58.33
- Madisyn Cox (PSS), 1:58.52
- Mallory Comerford (PSS), 1:58.72
- Melanie Margalis (ATL), 1:59.00
- Allison Schmitt (PSS), 1:59.17
- Katie Drabot (PSS), 1:59.18
Women’s 400 Free
- Katie Ledecky (PSS), 3:59.95
- Hali Flickinger (ATL), 4:08.37
- Kaersten Meitz (EBI), 4:09.62
- Madisyn Cox (PSS), 4:10.21
- Brooke Forde (PSS), 4:11.91
- Hannah Moore (PSS), 4:11.95
- Cierra Runge (PSS), 4:13.05
- Megan Byrnes (PSS), 4:13.28
Women’s 800 Free
- Katie Ledecky (PSS), 8:10.70
- Sierra Schmidt (PSS), 8:36.71
- Ally McHugh (PSS), 8:37.34
- Becca Mann (PSS), 8:37.38
- Kaersten Meitz (EBI), 8:39.93
- Cierra Runge (PSS), 8:41.30
- Megan Byrnes (PSS), 8:44.01
- Cassy Jernberg (PSS), 8:44.23
Women’s 1500 Free
Top-8 all from PSS
Women’s 100 Back
- Regan Smith (PSS), 58.82
- Olivia Smoliga (ATL), 59.27
- Isabelle Stadden (PSS), 1:00.26
- Lisa Bratton (PSS), 1:00.88
- Kylee Alons (PSS), 1:00.96
- Elise Haan (PSS), 1:00.97
- Taylor Ruck (PSS), 1:01.15
- Asia Seidt (PSS), 1:01.40
Women’s 200 Back
- Regan Smith (PSS), 2:06.47
- Hali Flickinger (ATL), 2:08.36
- Isabelle Stadden (PSS), 2:09.10
- Phoebe Bacon (ATL), 2:09.36
- Asia Seidt (PSS), 2:09.99
- Taylor Ruck (PSS), 2:10.39
- Olivia Smoliga (ATL), 2:10.64
- Beata Nelson (PSS), 2:11.61
Women’s 100 Breast
- Lilly King (PSS), 1:05.68
- Annie Lazor (PSS), 1:06.03
- Madisyn Cox / Emily Escobedo/ Bethany Galat (PSS), 1:07.59
- –
- –
- Allie Raab (PSS), 1:09.51
- Lauren Barber (PSS), 1:09.61
- Kate Douglass (ATL), 1:09.63
Women’s 200 Breast
- Annie Lazor (PSS), 2:20.77
- Emily Escobedo (PSS), 2:24.51
- Lilly King (PSS), 2:24.60
- Melanie Margalis (ATL), 2:28.90
- Laura Morley (PSS), 2:30.29
- Vanessa Pearl (ATL), 2:30.90
- Noelle Peplowski (PSS), 2:31.83
- Allie Raab (PSS), 2:32.16
Women’s 100 Fly
- Sarah Gibson (PSS), 58.41
- Regan Smith (PSS), 58.52
- Hali Flickinger (ATL), 59.06
- Lillie Nordmann (PSS), 59.31
- Kate Douglass (PSS), 59.33
- Kylee Alons (PSS), 59.35
- Erika Brown (ATL), 59.56
- Leah Gingrich (ATL), 59.63
Women’s 200 Fly
- Hali Flickinger (ATL), 2:06.98
- Katie Drabot (PSS), 2:08.57
- Regan Smith (PSS), 2:08.58
- Ella Eastin (PSS), 2:09.92
- Asia Seidt (PSS), 2:10.94
- Leah Gingrich (ATL), 2:10.95
- Sarah Gibson (PSS), 2:11.85
- Dakota Luther (ATL), 2:11.86
Women’s 200 IM
- Melanie Margalis (ATL), 2:10.86
- Madisyn Cox (PSS), 2:11.10
- Kate Douglass (ATL), 2:13.55
- Asia Seidt (PSS), 2:15.03
- Tess Cieplucha (ATL), 2:15.12
- Allie Szekely (PSS), 2:16.23
- Mackenzie Looze (PSS), 2:16.27
- Makayla Sargent (PSS), 2:16.45
Women’s 400 IM
- Ella Eastin (PSS), 4:37.18
- Madisyn Cox (PSS), 4:41.14
- Makayla Sargent (PSS), 4:41.33
- Melanie Margalis (ATL), 4:41.57
- Katie Ledecky (PSS), 4:43.61
- Brooke Forde (PSS), 4:44.11
- Bethany Galat (PSS), 4:45.69
- Ally McHugh (PSS), 4:45.86
Takeaways:
1. Dressel the only one to be top 8 in both the flys. 100/200 is becoming increasingly specialized (in long course, for men)
Definitely not the case on the women’s side.
Is fly the most difficult stroke to be good at in both 100 and 200? There’s a case to be made for free, but particularly in season, we see a lot of crossovers.
2. Dressel beats SC American record holder in 100 breast. Maybe Finnerty’s not the best comparison, (was he rested along with the others in the IU squad?) but still, Dressel’s not bad at all at LC breast. I didn’t think his ATL win would rank so highly (albeit, USA breaststroke is pretty poor… Read more »
I think USA men’s 2fly poor, too. maybe it’s much difficult for women to handle both 100/200fly. only a few men do good job with 100/200fly in my opinion.
For decades, no man had won both breastrokes at the Olympics.
I wouldn’t consider US breaststroke bad right now at all. MA and Andrew Wilson have the Worlds spots, but Cordes, Miller, Prenot, Licon, Nowicki, Finnerty plus someone(s) I can’t recall right now are all sub 1:00 (except Finnerty, but he had mono last summer) and many/most have shown serious firepower in the 200. This by far the strongest breaststroke contingent in American history depth wise, it’s just that breaststroke internationally is so insane that it takes a 58 to medal at international competition.
For reference, Brendan Hansen won bronze in 2012 in a 59.49, which is pretty pedestrian by today’s standards, but still wicked fast!
US breastroke isn’t bad at all.
The problem that the whole world has is that Peaty is light years ahead of everyone else, and has teammates to back him up, so “2nd best breaststroke group in the world” by comparison looks slower than it actually is.
Deep, yes. Faster than before, certainly. But breaststroke has changed so much as a stroke. It’s gotten a lot faster! It’s not even all that unlikely that US doesn’t medal in breaststroke this summer. I think it’s optimistic to expect a top two in the olympic events. (50s a crapshoot behind Peaty and we have some good players in the game).
Regardless of depth, we’re behind Italy, Russia, Japan, Britain…
Point is, that can’t be said for other strokes.
My jaw is on the floor looking at that #8 time in the world this year from Cody Miller.
Litherland is looking really strong. Japan.v.USA. Two on two. Seto and Hagino v Kalisz and Litherland. 400IM show down this is exactly what I want at a champions series meet or in the ISL. Dangit guys I will pay money for this! Add the 400IM!
Sadly, from what I understand, there will be very, very limited Asian participation in year 1 of the ISL.
I agree but don’t blame them. Lots of travel to swim a couple events and missed training and scm during an olympic year. Plus their stars don’t need the money. They do quite well
Seli and friends swimming the grand challenge this weekend. https://www.socalswim.org/meets/files/512e5966d5bf423090791047da2a80da/2019-speedo-grand-challenge-sr-psych-sheets.pdf
It would really good for SwimSwam to run an article on this meet AND do comparisons with the above for the real whole picture. Seli’s 200 free, 3 (yes 3) swimmers in 1:56 range for Men’s 200 fly, Abby Weitzeil, etc., etc.
My Tokyo Dream:
Dressel-Farris-Seliskar-Haas … for the win over the Brits!
Oh yes …..Or with Urlando . Team Usa will beat the Brits , Russians and Brazilians in that relay ….
Anton McKee had the 3rd fastest 100 breast and 5th fastest 200 breast.
He was missing from USA Swimming database for some reason. Fixed now, thanks.