It’s the final day of action from the Pan Pacific Championships, with the last of the gold medals on the line and the final World Championships slots to be locked up for the U.S. Follow along here for event-by-event updates from the preliminary heats.
The morning session will feature the slower heats of the men’s 800 and women’s 1500, swum in timed finals with the fast heats to come at night. In between them are three events for each gender.
In the 200 IM, Australia’s 100 fly winner Alicia Coutts will be back, looking to make it two golds in a row. In the men’s race, it’s American superstars Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps taking on Japan’s 400 IM winner Kosuke Hagino.
Cate Campbell leads the women’s 50 free for Australia after crushing the all-comers record in the 100 earlier in the week. For the men, it’s Brazilian Bruno Fratus trying to pick up the mantle for his absent countryman and 2014 world leader Cesar Cielo against Americans Anthony Ervin and Nathan Adrian.
The 200 breast offers a shot at redemption for a pair of swimmers. First is American Kevin Cordes, who lost his goggles leading to a disqualification in the men’s 100 breast after qualifying first. For the women, Japan’s Kanako Watanabe looks to come back from a heartbreakingly narrow loss to Jessica Hardy in the 100 breast.
Keep refreshing this page for updates as they happen, including probable A finals, as the event rules only allow two swimmers from each country into a championship final, bumping the third to the B and scratching out any further swimmers altogether.
2014 Pan Pacific Championships
- Gold Coast, Australia
- Thursday, August 21-Sunday, August 24
- Meet website
- Psych sheets
- Live results
Men’s 800 free (first heat)
Meet record: 7:44.78, Grant Hackett (AUS)
American record: 7:43.60, Michael McBroom
Australian record:7:38.65, Grant Hackett
Canadian record: 7:41.86 Ryan Cochrane
Japanese record: 7:49.65 Takeshi Matsuda
Australia All-comers record: 7:41.59, Ian Thorpe (AUS)
The only swimmer to swim the 800 this morning was Japan’s Shogo Takeda. He went 8:01.53, a two second drop from his seed, with the final heat to swim at night with the finals.
Women’s 200 IM
Meet record: 2:09.93, Emily Seebohm (AUS)
American record: 2:06.15, Ariana Kukors
Australian record: 2:07.03 Stephanie Rice
Canadian record: 2:11.23 Erica Morningstar
Japanese record:2:10.90 Tomoyo Fukuda
Australia All-comers record: 2:08.63 Alicia Coutts
American Maya DiRado leads a quartet of women in the 2:11s in the morning, including her teammate Caitlin Leverenz just a tenth back. DiRado was 2:11.16 to win her heat, and second in that same heat was Leverenz at 2:11.23. Those two, once college rivals and now national teammates, will lead the Americans in the A final at night.
Japan’s breaststroker Kanako Watanabe is 2:11.74 for the third seed. She predictably had the fastest breaststroke split of the field by a wide margin with her 36.6. Behind her was the fastest butterflyer of the field, last night’s 100 fly champ Alicia Coutts. Watanabe was 2:11.74 and Coutts 2:11.95.
American Melanie Margalis went 2:12.53 to win her heat, but she’ll slide to the B final. Moving up is 17-year-old Japanese swimmer Rika Omoto (2:12.53) and China gets another rare A-finalist in Min Zhou, just 16 years old. Zhou was 2:12.96.
Probable A-Finalists:
- Maya DiRado (USA) – 2:11.16
- Caitlin Leverenz (USA) – 2:11.23
- Kanako Watanabe (JPN) – 2:11.74
- Alicia Coutts (AUS) – 2:11.95
- Riki Omoto (JPN) – 2:12.53
- Min Zhou (CHN) – 2:12.96
- Emily Seebohm (AUS) – 2:13.58
- Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson (CAN) – 2:14.73
Men’s 200 IM
Meet record: 1:54.43, Ryan Lochte (USA)
American record: 1:54.00 Ryan Lochte
Australian record: 1:56.69 Leith Brodie
Canadian record: 1:59.19 Keith Beavers
Japanese record: 1:55.38 Kosuke Hagino
Australia All-comers record: 1:54.98 Michael Phelps (USA)
The biggest news of the men’s 200 IM is who’s out: American national champion and defending world champ Ryan Lochte wound up as the third American and will miss the A final tonight. Lochte was in the final prelims heat alongside Phelps, and it appears the two both shut things down a little on freestyle and got burned, as Tyler Clary put up a faster time than both in an earlier heat.
Japan’s Kosuke Hagino is the top seed, leading his teammate Daiya Seto. Hagino was the 400 IM winner and looks great here, although it’s hard to say what Phelps can do in the final given his relaxed prelims swim. Hagino was 1:57.61, Seto 1:58.02 and Clary 1:58.70 for the Americans. Phelps was 1:58.95, but keep in mind that he was 1:56.55 back at American nationals.
Lochte was 1:59.09, and he’ll head to the B final along with Japan’s third man Hiromasa Fujimori (1:59.51). Rysoke Irie will miss both finals (barring scratches) after going 1:59.95.
Lochte is still the frontrunner for the US’s two worlds spots. Both Clary and Phelps would have to beat his 1:56.50 tonight to bump his spot, and in these conditions, that would be a pair of pretty big impressive swims.
Probable A-Finalists:
- Kosuke Hagino (JPN) – 1:57.61
- Daiya Seto (JPN) – 1:58.02
- Tyler Clary (USA) – 1:58.70
- Michael Phelps (USA) – 1:58.95
- Thiago Pereira (BRA) – 2:00.44
- Mitch Donaldson (NZE) – 2:01.45
- Travis Mahoney (AUS) – 2:01.50
- Michael Meyer (RSA) – 2:01.80
Women’s 50 free
Meet record: 24.63, Jessica Hardy (USA)
American record: 24.07, Dara Torres
Australian record: 23.97 Lisbeth Trickett
Canadian record: 24.75 Victoria Poon
Japanese record: 25.14 Sumika Minamoto
Australia All-comers record: 23.97 Lisbeth Trickett (AUS)
Following up their dominant 100 free run, the Australian gals kept it going with a 1-2-3 sweep of the 50 free prelims. Once again it’s the Campbell sisters, Cate and Bronte, who lead the way, and Cate took down the meet record with her 24.35 in a runaway top seed. Bronte was 24.67, and appears a pretty safe bet for silver herself, as the next-closest competitor was Mel Schlanger at 24.87, and she’ll be relegated to the B final as the third Australian.
American 18-year-old Simone Manuel was 24.97 and will be the top threat to the Campbells, with a pair of Brazilians, Etiene Medeiros (24.99) and Gracielle Herrmann (25.01) just behind.
Ivy Martin is the second American, going 25.18 for 7th in the morning. She gets that spot by .02 over Maddie Locus. Meanwhile Locus’s college teammate Chantal Van Landeghem moves into the A final after going 25.22 for 9th.
Probable A-Finalists:
- Cate Campbell (AUS) – 24.35
- Bronte Campbell (AUS) – 24.67
- Simone Manuel (USA) – 24.87
- Etiene Medeiros (BRA) – 24.99
- Gracielle Herrmann (BRA) – 25.01
- Ivy Martin (USA) – 25.18
- Chantal Van Landeghem (CAN) – 25.22
- Michelle Williams (CAN) – 25.54
Men’s 50 free
Meet record: 21.55, Nathan Adrian (USA)
American record: 21.40, Cullen Jones
Australian record: 21.19, Ashley Callus
Canadian record: 21.73 Brent Hayden
Japanese record: 21.88 Shinri Shioura
Australia All-comers record: 21.19, Ashley Callus
After the Australians loaded up the women’s splash-and-dash, it was the American men heading up the men’s event. Nathan Adrian went 21.76 from an early heat, but his Cal training partner Anthony Ervin one-upped him in the final heat with a 21.75. Those two were the only men under 22 seconds in what was a somewhat sluggish 50 free.
Brazilian Bruno Fratus was 22.10 for the third seed, and he’ll be the top challenger for the Americans tonight along with his teammate Marcelo Chierighini (22.21). Australian 100 free champ Cameron McEvoy was 22.27 for fifth, and his teammate Matt Abood (22.30) will come along with him into the final.
American Jimmy Feigen got 7th , but he’s the third American and will head to the B heat after going 22.38. Two Japanese swimmers round out the top 8, Shinri Shioura and Katumi Nakamura.
Probable A-Finalists:
- Anthony Ervin (USA) – 21.75
- Nathan Adrian (USA) – 21.76
- Bruno Fratus (BRA) – 22.10
- Marcelo Chierighini (BRA) – 22.21
- Cameron McEvoy (AUS) – 22.27
- Matt Abood (AUS) – 22.30
- Shinri Shioura (JPN) – 22.39
- Katsumi Nakamura (JPN) – 22.47
Women’s 200 breast
Meet record: 2:20.69, Rebecca Soni (USA)
American record: 2:19.59 Rebecca Soni
Australian record: 2:20.54 Leisel Jones
Canadian record: 2:20.12 Annamay Pierse
Japanese record: 2:20.72 Satomi Suzuki and Rie Kaneto
Australia All-comers record: 2:20.54 Leisel Jones
Japan went 1-2 in the women’s 200 breast, with co-national record-holder Rie Kaneto leading the way. Kaneto was 2:23.18, with her 17-year-old teammate Kanako Watanabe second in 2:23.44.
A big swim for the Canadian Kierra Smith put her into the third seed. Smith was a lifetime-best 2:24.02 and will challenge the Japanese tonight. The two Americans came next, with Breeja Larson leading the way in 2:24.02. Larson has yet to officially punch her ticket to Worlds, but with only two Americans entered in this event, her 200 spot should be safe. Micah Lawrence was 5th this morning, going 2:24.70.
Australia’s Taylor McKeown was 2:25.16 and Canada’s Martha McCabe also make the A final with a 2:26.12. The only casualty of the “2-per-country” rule is Japan’s Mio Motegi, who drops from 8th to the B heat after her 2:26.22. Australia’s Sally Hunter takes her spot in the championship heat.
Probable A-Finalists:
- Rie Kaneto (JPN) – 2:23.18
- Kanako Watanabe (JPN) – 2:23.44
- Kierra Smith (CAN) – 2:24.02
- Breeja Larson (USA) – 2:24.50
- Micah Lawrence (USA) – 2:24.70
- Taylor McKeown (AUS) – 2:25.16
- Martha McCabe (CAN) – 2:26.12
- Sally Hunter (AUS) – 2:26.44
Men’s 200 breast
Meet record: 2:08.36 Kosuke Kitajima (JPN)
American record: 2:07.42, Eric Shanteau
Australian record: 2:07.31, Christian Sprenger
Canadian record: 2:08.84, Mike Brown
Japanese record: 2:07.01 Akihiro Yamaguchi
Australia All-comers record: 2:08.25, Ryo Tateishi (JPN)
Following up the Japanese 1-2 of prelims in the women’s 200 breast, the American men pulled a 1-2 of their own in the men’s event. It was actually Nic Fink who was the top American, going 2:09.64. Fink is a highly-talented youngster who often gets lost in the shadow of Kevin Cordes, but he get to star in this event, holding lane 4 into the final.
Cordes, for his part, was good enough to get into the final. It’s hard to say how fans will react to his 2:10.01, since his real issues have come in the finals. He’s now in a great spot, sitting up in lane 5 for the final and looking for one last individual swim to smooth over what’s been an eventful Pan Pacs/US Nationals run.
100 breast champion Yasuhiro Koseki is the third seed at 2:10.43, and look for him to try to hawk another gold medal from the top seed here like he did in that 100.
American Josh Prenot will head to the B final after going 2:11.19, but he will claim a second swim over teammate Cody Miller, who faded to 11th and won’t get another swim, barring scratches. Japan’s Naoya Tomita is into the championship heat at 2:11.98, but his teammate Yuta Oshikiri is out.
Probable A-Finalists:
- Nicolas Fink (USA) – 2:09.64
- Kevin Cordes (USA) – 2:10.01
- Yasuhiro Koseki (JPN) – 2:10.43
- Naoya Tomita (JPN) – 2:11.98
- Richard Funk (CAN) – 2:12.50
- Tales Cerdeira (BRA) – 2:12.93
- Glenn Snyder (NZE) – 2:13.77
- Simon Thiago (BRA) – 2:14.20
Women’s 1500 free (first heat)
Meet record: 15:55.01, Kate Ziegler (USA)
American record: 15:34.23, Katie Ledecky
Australian record: 16:01.53, Melissa Gorman
Canadian record: 16:07.73 Brittany Reimer
Japanese record:15:58.55 Ai Shibata
Australia All-comers record: 15:53.05 Kate Ziegler (USA)
There were no heats of the women’s 1500 this morning.
As someone pointed out earlier, where is Bobo?! I’ve been reading this website and commenting under different usernames for years and I’ve never seen a major meet go by without some Bobo commentary… Maybe Bobo should replace Rowdy 😉
I think Bobo’s been watching the European Championships.
I expect nothing less from Bobo than to be all over both swim meets 😉
Looks like it will be the Americans and the Brazilians in the 50 free. I gotta take the veterans Adrian and Ervin for the possible gold, though Fratus may have something up his sleeve as he swam 21.4 this year.
50 free times overall were very slow in both men an women. Big adds on both sides. .3-.4 on avg for top 12 places is considerable as I don’t think many were coasting morning swims–including Fratus.
I go with Fink! After Cordes does real well in 200, he would not be able to recover as well as Fink for the relay!
Cordes scratches 2brst and will swim relay.
Where’d you see that? That’s somewhat gutsy. If Prenot can knock another second off his personal best, Cordes doesn’t go to Worlds.
By doing that, he has no chance to go to worlds next year. 200 be is his only chance.
World Championships selection is based on times from Nationals and/or Pan Pacs. So, Cordes only loses his spot if Fink and Prenot both swim faster than his time from Nationals.
Well look at you being right, he just scratched the 200 breast for the relay.
I like Cordes. I think people being so critical of him when he makes mistakes hurts his mentality even more than whatever nerves he may have. I wish people would give him a break. Remember that he’s a 21 year old guy. We all make mistakes. It would be great if more people were encouraging. He has world record potential. The more people keep saying he is “messed up in the head,” the more he may begin to believe that himself. He is a really nice guy and I know he can pull through.
That being said, at this point in time, I do think that Fink might be the right choice. At this meet in particular, he seems… Read more »
If you go with Fink, do you ask him to scratch the 200 breast and assume that Prenot won’t be able to drop enough to beat Fink’s time from Nationals? The only swim between the A-final of the 200 breast and the medley relay is one heat of the women’s medley relay, right? Maybe 10-15 minutes?
That is a good question. I have no idea how Josh Prenot will do tonight. He didn’t swim the 400 IM a second time. I think he has 2:09 potential, but I have no idea if that could happen today. The only one not swimming the final is Miller right? but he was almost a second slower than his 100 time from nationals. Lucky for me my job is to swim and to watch swimming, not to make coaching decisions 😉
The women’s 1500 event is #32, right after #31 men’s 200 breast.
Oops, missed that. That gives them another 20 minutes, at least. Still a fairly tight turn around, but makes me feel better.
green goggles point taken, but sometimes if you don’t confront an issue like this (psychological) it won’t go away. i am making this statement in my professional capacity, so no disrespect either to you or kevin cordes.
You make a valid point. I just hope he confronts it because he decides that he needs it and that it will make him better to work on the mental part of his swimming. I just hope that he decides he needs work on it for himself, and not because other people say so.
He is not a kid anymore and he should seek some professional help.. being complacent won´t help him.. everyone knows what happens when he really needs to step up, and his world potential.. is not showing up to be really a gold prospect, the 200 medal guys are faster and deliver (especially Gyurta, who at 15 had much more mental strenght than Cordes now) and Peaty now is showing that too.. Cordes have the talent, but he will never be a world medalist if he does not seek help..
Seek professional help…you act like the guy is totally mental and has never won a race in his life and chokes at every turn…he is the American Record holder in both the 100 and 200 (I know, I know, it’s yards, but still these records were set at NCAA’s two years in a row, high pressure meets at any rate, where both Fink and Miller raced against him). The DQ in the relay last year was in part (admittedly) Grevers fault on the exchange but no one seems to remember that, yes that could mess with your head and I am sure he struggled with it, but he moved forward and was NCAA Swimmer of the Year in 2014. The… Read more »
They seem to have a lot of relay DQ’s in Texas. I believe I read something about the high school champs having a lot of DQ’s
That is because we judge it differently in Tejas: instead of watching take-off swimmer and then “touching” swimmer, we do it the other way around; when swimmer touches, we look up and if taking off swimmer is not there for at least 0.2, it is a DQ. Everything is different in Tejas.
Cordes was on fire on the medley relay and that’s good for your comments !!!Do u have a guy in Brazil that can put a 58 mid on a relay ?
I vote choice B — or lets go with the forum idea of using Lochte bc it will be interesting to see.
You’re the US coach. Who swims the breast leg of the medley relay?
A. The swimmer with the fastest time (prelims or finals), but keeps DQing, has a tendency to swim slower in finals than prelims, and is swimming the 200 breast immediately before the medley relay.
B. A swimmer is usually slightly slower than Swimmer A, but just finished ahead of him in the 200 breast, is more consistent, but is also swimming the 200 breast immediately before the medley relay.
C. The swimmer who won Nationals, but is slower than A, but won’t be swimming the 200 breast, because his prelims time was almost three seconds slower than his personal best.
May the odds be ever… Read more »
going with Miller would be a last resort if it were me. He is off…
Fink for the relay. Tell Cordes that his job is to redeem himself in the 200.
At this point, you give DQ Boy a shot and see if he can remove his head from his nether bits. The talent is there; we need to give him another test in a somewhat high stakes condition to see if we want to even consider him for next summer’s WC when there’s an actual Olympic relay lane on the line.
The underlying question: Is it better to increase your risk of getting nothing, a DQ, in pursuit of the gold, or is it better to be a little cautious and increase your risk of getting a silver? Are you a gambler? 🙂
I also think it might seem like you were rewarding somebody who hasn’t earned the privilege. Fink could use experience on an international level relay too to help his development, and he beat Cordes fairly both times.
i vote B too, but are the coaches listening ?
We also need to remember that Cordes won’t be swimming the individual 100m at Worlds next year. So, do you give it to the highest ranked swimmer who will swim this event at worlds?
proud of that Japanese swimmer swimming right now!