2014 Bulldog Grand Slam: Phelps Swims World’s Second Fastest 100 Butterfly

Athens Bulldog Grand Slam

• Thursday, July 10-Sunday, July 13
• Gabrielsen Natatorium, University of Georgia, Athens Georgia
• Thursday finals 4PM, Friday-Sunday Prelims 9AM/Finals 6PM
• Psych Sheets
• Meet Website
• Results only available on Meet Mobile

Womens 200 Free – FINALS

NBAC’s Allison Schmitt is back in her old Athens stomping grounds for this meet, and she pulled off a win in the first final of the night with a 1:58.16 in the women’s 200 free.

She was part of a top four that was made entirely of current or former Georgia Bulldogs, and further, current or former Georgia Bulldogs who have been on U.S. National Teams.

Schmitt sat just ahead of her former teammate Shannon Vreeland for the majority of this race. Every time Vreeland pushed, Schmitt pushed back, and ultimately the margin of victory for Schmitt was about two-tenths of a second: the same as it was throughout the race. Allison Schmitt has been having a great season; arguably one of the best seasons she’s had in a few years. She is one of the few NBAC swimmers who hasn’t hit a season best time this weekend.

Vreeland was 2nd in 1:58.34, which is her first time under two minutes this year, and Melanie Margalis was 3rd in 1:58.96. Jordan Mattern took 4th in 1:59.60, and Becca Mann swam a lifetime best of 2:00.18 for 5th.

NBAC’s Cierra Runge won the B-Final in 1:59.82. Becca Mann won a coin flip over Runge to break a tie for 8th and get into the A-Final, but it was Runge who was faster in the evening.

Mens 200 Free – FINALS

NBAC-based frenchman Yannick Agnel is the defending Olympic and World Champion in the men’s 200 free, and as of today, he’s the defending Bulldog Grand Slam champion as well. He was a 1:47.27 to win the men’s 200 free, beating out teammate Conor Dwyer (1:47.44) and Club Wolverine’s Connor Jaeger (1:47.94).

None of the three pushed the pace early, with Agnel turning halfway in 52.1, Dwyer in 52.4, and Jaeger in 53.0. Jaeger closed strong as one might expect from one of the top milers in the United States, but Agnel showed a little different strategy than we usually get from him by easing off of the front-half of this race.

Ryan Lochte looked a little rusty in prelims after once again battling knee problems that cost him a couple of meets, but in finals things started to come together for him again. Swimming in the B Final, he was a 1:48.69, which was the 4th-best time overall. He really didn’t need to push it this morning. He knew he would get a night swim either way and he needed to be cautious before his better event, the 100 butterfly.

Women’s 100 Breast – FINALS

SwimMAC was out in force for the women’s breast; half the lanes in the “A” final were filled by their swimmers. Micah Lawrence put up a decisive 1:08.50 for the win ahead of teammate Emma Reaney’s 1:09.57. Auburn’s Annie Lazor, who had been top seed out of prelims, was third in 1:09.84. SwimMAC’s Katie Meili came in fourth in 1:10.09, just ahead of Emily Cameron and Maija Roses.

It was Lazor’s best time of the season and Reaney’s first time under 1:10 this year, but both Lawrence and Meili were about a second off their best in-season times.

Mens 100 Breast – FINALS

Nicolas Fink of Athens Bulldogs shaved about a second off his season best time, winning with a 1:01.69. He and second-place Anton Lobanov of Bolles School Sharks qualified within .19 of each other in prelims and were alone in the middle of the pool during tonight’s finals. Both went out faster than they were this morning, but Fink beat Lobanov at his own game by coming home with a strong 32-mid. Lobanov went 1:02.15 in finals, about 1.5 seconds off his 1:00.68 from Russian Nationals in May.

Michael Duderstadt of Auburn was third in 1:03.11, his best time for the season so far. Fourth place Andrew Wilson of Dynamo also dipped under 1:04 for the first time this year, going 1:03.61.

Who knew Tyler Clary could pop out a 1:06 100 breast? Especially after a 1:09.44 in prelims. The SwimMAC backstroker won the “D” final by 2 seconds with a 1:06.34. Even he was surprised. He tweeted out, “Wow, just went a lifetime best in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.3), I guess old dogs can learn new tricks?” That should help his IM. He was just over 1:12 during his 400 IM at the 2012 Olympic Trials where he bravely challenged Phelps and Lochte.

Womens 100 Fly – FINALS

As her SwimMAC teammate, Dax Hill, Tweeted after the race, Kathleen Baker wasn’t “playin” in the women’s 100 fly final. For the first time in her career, the #3-ranked recruit in the class of 2014 broke a minute in the 100 meter fly, going 59.69. That betters her previous best of 1:00.22 from the Austin Grand Prix.

The difference was all on the front-half of this race for Baker, where she split 28.29.

Finishing 2nd was Georgia swimmer Lauren Harrington (1:00.34), with Shannon Vreeland stepping a little outside of her comfort zone to clear her own personal best by a second with a 1:00.61 for 3rd place. Lauren Case of Chattahoochee Gold, the youngest swimmer in the A-Final, took 4th in 1:01.15.

There was quite an exciting finish in the “B” final as NBAC’s Easop Lee and Haley McInerny tied with 1:01.48, and SwimMAC’s Alyssa Marsh was only .06 back in 1:01.54.

Mens 100 Fly – FINALS