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Michael Andrew Chooses 50 Breast Over 200 IM; Shaine Casas Holds On to Day 4 Triple

2023 PRO SWIM SERIES – WESTMONT

Saturday AM Heat Sheets

Michael Andrew has chosen the 50 breaststroke over the 200 IM, and Kelly Pash has scratched out of her final two events of the weekend on Saturday morning at the Pro Swim Series meet in Westmont, Illinois.

Andrew has raced the 100 breast (7th – 1:01.30), 50 free (5th – 22.30), and 50 fly (3rd – 23.53) this weekend in Westmont. On Saturday, he had the choice to swim the 200 IM as the #3 seed or the 50 breaststroke as the #1 seed, and he chose the latter.

While the 50 isn’t an Olympic event, it pays the same prize money ($1,500 for 1st, $1,000 for 2nd, $500 for 3rd) as the 200 IM. While Andrew is one of the fastest performers in history in the 200 IM, post-Tokyo he seems to have pivoted back to the sprint races. He hasn’t swum a 200 IM in competition since April 2022, and he’s only swum it at two meets since the Olympics.

Shaine Casas, meanwhile, has held on to all three of his entries on Saturday: the 200 IM (#2 seed) starts his morning, the 200 back (#3 seed) comes next, and the 100 free (#5 seed) wraps up the day.

That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll swim all three races, though. He’s swum three races at the meet so far, but was a no-show for prelims of the 200 free earlier in the meet, leaving an empty lane.

Casas, as much as any American, has some difficult event choices to make headed toward the Paris Games. He could make the team in both backstrokes, both butterflies, the 200 IM, and maybe event a sprint freestyle event, but that would result in a lot of doubles and/or triples.

The biggest scratch of the day on the women’s side was Texas Longhorn Kelly Pash, who was seeded as the #6 seed in the 200 IM and #11 seed in the 100 free.

That leaves her with just one swim this week in Westmont, the 100 fly, where she was 2nd in prelims in 58.52. That’s a pretty good swim for her just a few weeks behind the NCAA Championships, but she scratched out of the rest of the meet (including that final).

Other notable scratches from swimmers who are in the meet:

  • Erin Gemmell – #7 seed in the women’s 100 free (no other races on Saturday); she was 2nd in the 200 free and the 400 free earlier in the meet.
  • Duru Tanriverdi – #7 seed in the women’s 1500 free (no other races on Saturday); she was 22nd in the 800 free and 34th in the 400 free earlier in the meet.
  • Sean Green – #6 seed in the men’s 1500 free (chose the 200 back as the #28 seed on Saturday); best finish for the LIAC 16-year-old in the meet so far was 22nd in the 800 free

Other scratches of high-seeded swimmers who haven’t raced yet this meet:

  • Hugo Gonzalez out of the 200 IM (#5 seed) & 200 back (#8 seed)
  • Paige Hetrick out of the 200 IM (#8 seed) & 100 free (#51 seed)
  • Jason Louser out of the 200 IM (#16 seed)
  • Gabriel Jett out of the 200 IM (#19 seed) and 200 back (#18 seed)
  • Gabby DeLoof out of the 100 free (#10 seed)

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Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

Take the easy route with the 50 meter non–Olympic events. That leaves the 50 meter freestyle as his best hope for the 2024 Summer Olympics. What a snowflake!

Ragnar
1 year ago

Super sad to team US at large if MA limits himself to possibly being a relay leg on one relay. Could’ve been the 200IM WR holder with a more productive training atmosphere. Starting to think he has literally won a Pan Pacs gold in the 50 free, gone 1:55 in the 200 IM, and been on a WR relay IN SPITE of his training, not because of it.

Probably the most naturally talented American swimmer not named MP, Ervin, or Ledecky, ever, and he may never even win a LCM individual gold, let alone at the Olympics.

Truly hope he changes training spots not only for his swimming performance, but also for his growth as a person. Its… Read more »

Binky
Reply to  Ragnar
1 year ago

It’s.A.Cult. Never going to change the training. Or get out of the bubble.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Binky
1 year ago

Aside from the 50 meter freestyle, Michael Andrew has beome irrelevant on the international stage.

RCP
Reply to  Ragnar
1 year ago

So well put. Hear, hear.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Ragnar
1 year ago

There is no room for Andrew on the men’s 4 x 100 meter medley relay if Dressel returns to swim the men’s 100 meter butterfly.

Murphy or Armstrong
Fink
Dressel
Held or Curry

Mark
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

Remember there are 6 spots

Hank
1 year ago

Andrew seems out of form this meet. What’s going on? He is not known for swimming slow in season. Is he doing heavy volume now?

Anonymous
Reply to  Hank
1 year ago

He has changed up some of his training. He is fatigued and flat at this meet.

Yup
Reply to  Anonymous
1 year ago

Must have swum a 100 in practice at some point…..

RMS
1 year ago

Let’s just be real. He wants a check and knew he probably wouldn’t place top 3 in the IM.

Anonymous
Reply to  RMS
1 year ago

Nothing wrong with wanting a check

IM FAN
1 year ago

That Michael Andrew doesn’t want to put in the work to fix up freestyle for the IM might be one of the worst kept secrets in all of swimming.

Anonymous
Reply to  IM FAN
1 year ago

Yet he is putting in the work that is why he is fatigued at this meet.

Xman
Reply to  IM FAN
1 year ago

He is in his mid 20s that needed to start 6 years ago.

Anonymous
Reply to  Xman
1 year ago

He has always put in work. James Gibson on video talked about MA doing “impressive sets”.

Binky
Reply to  Anonymous
1 year ago

Hahahahaha

Yup
Reply to  Anonymous
1 year ago

Impressive 25s?

DK99
1 year ago

Michael Andrew is a crime to swimming, I’m completely indifferent about his non swimming related supposed ‘controversies’ but nothing makes my blood boil more in swimming than the way this man has handled his career

Justanopinion
Reply to  DK99
1 year ago

“Parents handled his career”
There. I fixed it for you.

oxyswim
1 year ago

Think we can stop pretending he’ll seriously chase the 2IM again with the trials schedule being what it is.

DerbyContender
Reply to  oxyswim
1 year ago

He’s the best in the world in the 187 IM

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  oxyswim
1 year ago

50 BR
50 FL
50 FR

Michael Andrew takes the easy route.

Andrew
1 year ago

MA dodging the grind in favor of swimming a not real event lol

Anonymous
Reply to  Andrew
1 year ago

So who would represent the USA in the 50’s at International events. Should USA swim completely ignore the 50 events at Worlds.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Anonymous
1 year ago

USA Swimming does not put much stock in the 50 meter events not contested at the Summer Olympics.

Anonymous
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

You are wrong. Internationally 50 events are markee events. They are super fun to watch. All major national championships include the 50 events. You seem to be the one Debby Downer who can’t enjoy the 50 splash and dash. I guess you didn’t like Nathan Adrian, Popov, Gary Hall, Anthony Irvin swimming 50’s either. Lily King, Jacoby swim 50 events. How could I forget Caleb Dressel swimming all the outstanding 50 fly and free events. Sarah Sjostrum fun to watch her swim 50’s.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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