2014 U.S. Nationals, What to Watch For, Day 5 Prelims: Ledecky Scratches 1500 Free

Info You Need to Follow Day 5 Prelims in Real-Time

Scratches

There were very, very few scratches of consequence on the last day of this meet, outside of Katie Hoff’s injury-forced drop in the 200 IM that we reported last night. As one would expect – it’s the last day, there’s nothing to save energy for, and it’s time to go-for-broke. At least, that’s true in the Olympic events that are selectors for Pan Pacs.

In the non-Olympic distance events, it seems as though there’s a little less motivation. In the men’s 800 free, four out of the top six seeds are scratched. Michael McBroom remains as the top seed, but Matt McLean, who was the 6th seed on the psych sheets, will move up to lane 5. That means the U.S. Open Record holder Connor Jaeger, his teammate Sean Ryan, Auburn’s Zane Grothe, and open water Pan Pacs team member Andrew Gemmell have all dropped the race.

The women’s 1500 free is equally as implosive, with Katie Ledecky opting against chasing another World Record. Her meet is done with now no entries on Sunday. The top 6 seeds on the women’s side are all scratched, which makes NBAC’s Gillian Ryan the top seed. There was a pretty substantial drop in seed time after her, and while either Lindsay Vrooman or Gillian Ryan probably has the potential to bridge that gap, Ryan’s on-paper advantage is 10 seconds.

Junior National Champion Amy Bilquist is out of the 50 free, but she’s been out of this National Championship, other than a day one 100 free, after a fantastic performance a week ago.

Last Chances for the Gold Coast

There’s a few big names on Sunday who are going for their last chance to make the Pan Pacs or Worlds teams and perhaps to extend their swimming careers until Rio. That’s especially focusing on the pros, who don’t have the college system to support them until they can begin their Olympic runs.

In the women’s 50 free, both Megan Romano and Natalie Coughlin are still not on either team (though Coughlin could wind up on Pan Ams if she accepts the invite, in the 100 free).

The same goes for Anthony Ervin in the men’s 50 free – after finishing 5th individually, he’s at least on the U.S. National Team, but still is looking for a seat on the plane to Australia. So too is Josh Schneider, though Schneider, now an assistant at Cincinnati, has a little more cushion from his new position to keep fighting through a missed team.

In the 200 IM’s, Caitlin Leverenz would also fall into the category of those looking to make a team. She was 7th in the 400 IM, the only final she’s qualified for so far, so she’s not on a National Team or necessarily an international team yet either (though, for Short Course Worlds and Pan Ams anybody in a final really has a chance depending on declined entries).

And then there’s the men’s 200 IM, which is not so much about who needs to make a team (Austin Surhoff) as it is about the defending Olympic gold and silver medalists. Michael Phelps will swim in heat 10 in prelims in lane 3, and Ryan Lochte will swim in heat 10 in lane 4. It will be just like the good old days again, except kind of different.

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9 years ago

disappointed that I didn’t get to see a Becca Mann and Katie Ledecky race in the 1500. Both Scratched. I think they would go one and two. To superwomen teenagers.

rsg_usfmasters
9 years ago

Could someone point me to a link that explains the qualifying processes coming out of this meet? I’m confused how this tees a swimmer up all the way into 2015: Pan Pacs, Pan Ams, Worlds (SC + LC?). Thanks.

9 years ago

What about Cullen Jones? Isn’t he swimming in the 50m free today?

bobo gigi
Reply to  Manyi Eta-Okang
9 years ago

Heat 9 lane 5 in the prelims

Reply to  bobo gigi
9 years ago

Thanks Bobo
He needs to swim lights out fast and win his races or else he is done!

bobo gigi
9 years ago

And well-deserved Sunday off for Miss Ledecky!
But I’m not sure it will be totally off.
There’s probably a good training scheduled. 🙂

Adam B
9 years ago

Ledecky’s scratch makes the 1500 more interesting from a racing perspective. The winner will (more than likely) make the team for worlds.

Adam B
Reply to  Adam B
9 years ago

Oh never mind, it doesn’t work that way because there’s a 1500 at Pan Pacs.

bobo gigi
Reply to  Adam B
9 years ago

Are you sure? They will take the 2 best times from Nationals and Pan Pacs. Ledecky will swim the event at Pan Pacs and will qualify for worlds in that event there. But what about Becca Mann? She doesn’t swim tonight but can also swim it in Australia and qualify there. I don’t know. Pure supposition. Gillian Ryan has the best seed time in 16.12 but she has been slow all week. Perhaps she has targeted that event on the last day of the meet. Possible. Be careful to Leah Smith. She will not swim in the fastest heat. She has been great in the 200 free and the 400 free. I don’t know her capacities in the 1500 free.… Read more »

KeithM
Reply to  Adam B
9 years ago

You can only qualify for a World Championships 1500 race with your 800 swims (done at Nationals or Pan Pacs). Swimming the 1500 at Nationals or Pan Pacs qualifies you for nothing.

Wirotomo
Reply to  KeithM
9 years ago

The fastest time in the Finals of Nationals in the Individual Non-Olympic Events will be the 3rd Priority as 2015 World Championships team’s member.
So you can’t say they swim for nothing. 🙂

Pvdh
9 years ago

Outside of the obvious #1, I’d say the swimmer of this meet is tom shields. What do you guys think?

bobo gigi
Reply to  Pvdh
9 years ago

Ledecky on the women’s side.
Shields or Clary on the men’s side.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  bobo gigi
9 years ago

I would say the same !

Lazy Observer
Reply to  Pvdh
9 years ago

For men I say Clary. Shields was great, but we don’t have evidence that he can hold both races like that over the long haul. I think Clary showed real mental toughness with his performances in the 200 back and 400IM and he’s been at this long enough that I think we can expect very similar and consistent performances again at Pan Pacs.

liquidassets
Reply to  Pvdh
9 years ago

I’d say Clary, given 2 golds against the younger upstarts and a silver, plus whatever he does in the 2IM tonight.

Danjohnrob
Reply to  Pvdh
9 years ago

We’ll have to wait until the end of the 200IM, because if Clary gets top 3 he’ll have 4 individual events and the high point award, so I guess I’d have to vote for him. Also, Clary has 2 top US rankings (200 back, 400 IM), while Sheilds only has one.

Flyin'
Reply to  Danjohnrob
9 years ago

Grevers will still be high point

Pvdh
9 years ago

Pretty understandable scratch for ledecky.

anonymous
Reply to  Pvdh
9 years ago

I disagree with the scratch.

bobo gigi
Reply to  anonymous
9 years ago

She isn’t a machine!

bobo gigi
9 years ago

Sorry for being precise, but it’s a proof that me, at least, I read what you write.
Little correction. Amy Bilquist hasn’t been out for all these championships. On day 1 she swam the 100 free prelims in 55.58 and then finished 3rd of the C-Final in 55.87. She was far from her best time and I didn’t see her in the meet then.
Like most of the young swimmers who were at US juniors last week, she looked very tired.
I don’t know who will qualify for the junior Pan Pacs but I didn’t like the qualifying system. It was based on the best times swum at Nationals this week. It would have been better and… Read more »

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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