Mihm, Kleinsmith Drop Massive Bests To Lead Day 2 NCSA Prelims

2018 NCSA SUMMER SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• July 31 – August 4, 2018
• IUPUI Natatorium
• Indianapolis, IN
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheet
• Day 1 Recap
• Results on Meet Mobile

Day 2 prelims from the 2018 NCSA Summer Championships featured five different individual events, with the women’s 200 free and 200 fly, the men’s 400 IM and 100 back, and the 100 breast for both men and women. There were also early heats of the men’s 800 free relay, with the top three seeded heats swimming with finals.

There were a ton of personal bests established during the session, none bigger than Allegheny North’s Rick Mihm posting a 4:27.99 in the men’s 400 IM. Mihm came in with a best of 4:36.21, set at this meet last year, but destroyed that this morning by over eight seconds for the top seed by 2+ seconds. Joseph Gutierrez (4:30.43) from the Sandpipers of Nevada and Ben McDade (4:30.75) of Badger Aquatics sit 2nd and 3rd.

Another big drop came in the women’s 100 breast, where 17-year-old Margaret Kleinsmith of the Westchester Marlins improved from a 1:14.18, set at the 2017 NCSAs, all the way down to 1:11.40 for the top seed. 14-year-old Kaelyn Gridley edged out her best time of 1:11.93 from last weekend for the #2 spot in 1:11.60.

Last night’s double winner Victoria Huske of Arlington swam two more events on day 2, taking the 2nd seed in both the 200 free and 200 fly.

In the 200 free, she improved her best time by three seconds for a time of 2:04.26, only trailing 14-year-old Meghan Lynch (2:03.87).  She then swam a 2:16.78 in the 200 fly to follow top seed Rachel Klinker (2:14.85). In that event, Huske holds a best of 2:15.61 from mid-July, while Klinker established a PB of 2:12.49 last week at Nationals.

OTHER EVENTS

• Eli Fouts of Rockville Montgomery missed his lifetime best by .03 in taking the top spot in the men’s 100 breast, clocking 1:03.39 to lead Christopher Mikuta (1:04.26) and Max Iida (1:04.31). Both Mikuta and Iida broke 1:05 for the first time.
• Ryan Gridley, who was last night’s runner-up in the 200 back, took the top spot in the 100m distance this morning in 56.12, taking down his 56.81 PB from a few weeks ago. Thomas Hamlet (56.27) obliterated his personal best of 57.60 for the 2nd seed.