Giles Smith of the Phoenix Swim Club’s post-grad training group has swum a 51.92 in the 100 long course meter butterfly on Friday evening at the Arizona Long Course Senior Championships to take his shot at a spot on the U.S. National Team for the 2015-2016 season.
Smith was good enough last summer to earn a spot on the National Team, but couldn’t earn a spot on the World Championships team for this summer.
However, this year’s rules allow swimmers to qualify at any meet up until the conclusion of Nationals, Junior Nationals, and Worlds, meaning that Smith’s season-best puts him into 3rd-place in that pecking order, behind only Jack Conger (51.64) and Tom Shields (51.73) – the latter of whom still has a swim at Worlds to go. The top 6 in each Olympic event are put on the National Team.
The men’s 100 fly has become suddenly very crowded in the United States, with at least 10 men capable of going sub-52 seconds still this summer. That means that even with this swim, Smith’s spot is not guaranteed, but his chances did improve. The result for Smith on Friday is a tenth better than the 52.04 that he did at the Pan American Games, where he took a gold medal and set a Meet Record last week.
Full meet results available on Meet Mobile.
Usa is getting a pretty good bunch of excellent flyers !!! Impressed
Joining the 51 second club, nice!
Great pic of Smith and welcome to the crowded 51+ club. I’ve noticed there’s been an uptick in the number of top level flyers breathing to the side in the last few years.
Bobo you are correct about James being her father they both swim at psc
Other fast breaststroke swim of the weekend was at Indiana age group championships with 14-year-old Emily Weiss. She swam 1.09.45 in the 100 breast and has become the 3rd fastest US 13/14 girl all-time in that event behind Amanda Beard and Megan Jendrick.
In the men’s 100 breast, 2 veterans with pretty decent performances.
41-year-old Jeff Commings 1.03.94
37-year-old Jim Sheehan (I presume Miriam’s father) 1.05.43
In the women’s race, 12-year-old Asia Minnes swam 1.13.97. Was in 1.13.58 last week.
Insane 11/12 NAG record of 1.09.87 by Carly Geehr in 1997! No one has really ever approached that time since then. Second best performer in US history is Annie Babicz in 1.11.96!
Live results
http://results.teamunify.com/azbest/