2018 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Thursday, August 9th – Sunday, August 12th
- Tatsumi International Swim Center, Tokyo, Japan
- LCM
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
American 19-year old swimmer Michael Andrew will swim 4 events at the 2018 Pan Pac Championships. Three of them are races that he directly qualified for by way of a top 3 position at US Nationals: the 50 free (which he won), the 100 breast (which he also won), and the 100 fly (where he placed 3rd behind Caeleb Dressel and Jack Conger).
He’s also earned a spot on at least the men’s medley relay, and possibly the mixed medley relay as well, depending on where U.S. coaches decide to use each swimmer (Dressel can swim fly/free, Andrew fly/breast, etc.)
But his 4th individual entry at the meet might not be in the race you’d expect. It won’t be in the 100 free, which he swam at Nationals last week, or the 200 IM, a race where he was a one-time World Junior Record holder. Instead, it will be the 100 backstroke.
Andrew is not a complete stranger to the stroke. He placed 4th in the 50 back at US Nationals (24.62), and he still holds 3 National Age Group Records in the stroke (along with many more that have since been broken). But, for a swimmer whose stated goals include becoming the world’s best at each of the 50 meter events, the backstroke has been the stroke in which we’ve seen the least from him over the last few years.
His best in the 100 back in long course is a 54.74 from the 2015 FINA World Junior Championships. He actually swam sub-55 in that race three times at that meet. He also swam the event at the Missouri Valley Championships last year, but was just 57.05 in prelims and 55.13 in finals. That was one of only two times he raced the event in 2017 (which is low for a swimmer like Andrew who races a lot). He’s swum the race one other time in 2018 – a 56.57 in Austin.
Unlike what we remarked with Dressel and his ‘off event’ entries at Pan Pacs, Andrew is generally less apt to scratch or no-show his entries at big championship meet.
Andrew is the 14th seed out of 18 entries in the men’s 100 back.
How much practice does MA have with relay exchanges?
I’ve been wondering the same. Before he went pro, was he swimming for any clubs? Or has he always been solo?
World short course in 2016 and World Junior Championships are what I remember from MA on a relay team.
He is swimming one race of each stroke – the shortest one, but still competing in each stroke. Seems like a good challenge. I’d love to see him break into 53-territory. Control yourself the first 50 meters, man!
My guesses? 21.4, 53 hi, 59 mid, 51 low
He will not be sub 53
He is great at all 50s, but his long axis 100s lag behind his short axis 100s. Kind of interesting why that might be.
Just a guess, but it’s possible his 100 free lags behind his 50 free because he has to breathe in the 100, which changes his stroke. That issue doesn’t arise in backstroke. And back in 2015 when he went that 54.7, that time was commensurate with, or at least close to, his other times. With a solid race, he could go a 53-low.
Let’s not try and too much into this. He is probably just swimming this to go a best time and get some confidence He hasn’t swum 100 back in a while.
If you don’t vigorously read into every article, are you even a SwimSwam commenter?
I agree with this. He has no other potential events on that day, so for someone that enjoys, and is good at racing a lot, why not give it a shot? If it goes great, then he contends for a spot at Worlds (unlikely, but the possibility is there) and if not, he might still get a PB while likely getting the night off to get ready for the next day.
I’d be really interested to see if he can go 53.9 with all that raw speed.
This is the rational take (I would put my money on him just swimming this to go a best time for a confidence boost as well) but it’s way more fun to think the Andrew’s move to swim the 100 back is part of a Littlefinger-esque master plan that will help catapult the Andrew’s takeover of the swimming world
Andrew won’t be in the mixed medley. It’ll be murphy, king, dressel, and manuel
May not be on the men’s Medley either. He won nationals but Wilson has been 59.1 this year compared to Andrew’s 59.3. Guess it’ll be whoever finishes higher In the 100
That relay just sounds ridiculous.
that relay is simply unbeatable by any other nation …. we saw that in Budapest already .
Crazy when you think the weakest link (Manuel) is the reigning Olympic and Words medalist.
I was aware that Simone is bookish, but was not aware she was a “Words medalist.”
she’s not a reigning Olympic and Worlds medalist – she is the reigning Olympic and world *champion*
I read that as Michael Phelps and got a heart attack.
i had to reread that too
If he touches at the 50 with his hand, does it count as an official 50 time? I know it works in freestyle races (200 free AR was once set as part of a 500), so I’m curious if he might just be going after a really fast 50 instead of an actual 100
Yes, but in order for the time to count he must finish the 100.
In 2009, Jessica Hardy broke two world records in one race (50/100 br))
I can see him have a nice 100 Backstroke as well. If he can go out in 25 mid and come back in 28 something I can see him get a 53 high
y tho?
Trying to qualify for the 50 back at worlds
My reading of the qualifying is that the 2nd 50 spot at Worlds will go to the fastest 100 back worlds qualifier who isn’t the 50 back champion from Nationals. Gonna be really tough to end up the fastest 100 back swimmer
Just has to be 2nd to Murphy. Not likely but he’s surprised me before. I think he’s probably just swimming it to swim it though. I’m guessing he thinks he’s in good shape to get a decent PB and that’d be worth it.
I agree with your last two sentences. The first one though…getting 2nd to Murphy is a pretty tall order when he has to get by Grevers, Ress, Pebley.
absolutely right . He wont get pass Grevers & Pebley or Ress . They have more experience and are all in the 52/53 range