2015 U.S. Nationals: Day 3 Prelims Preview

2015 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, August 6 – Monday, August 10
• Northside Swim Center – San Antonio, Texas
• Prelims 9AM/Finals 6PM (Central Daylight Time)
• Full Coverage
• Psych Sheet
• Live Stream Link
• Live Results

Women’s 100m Breastroke

Katie Meili is the top seed in the women’s 100 breast with a time of 1:05.64. Meili swam that time at the Pan Am Games, ultimately winning the gold medal swimming slower in the final. That time of 1:05.64 would’ve won the World Championship gold medal had it been swum in the final, but of course Meili swam her time in the prelims. Still, it was a breakthrough performance and she’ll be favoured here. Following her is 2nd seed Emma Reaney (1:06.74), 3rd seed Lilly King (1:06.93) and Australia’s Jessica Hansen in 4th (1:07.48). King will swim in heat 9, Reaney will be in heat 10 and Meili and Hansen will be joined by Laura Sogar in the final heat.

Men’s 100m Butterfly

Coming off his monstrous swim in the 200 fly tonight, Michael Phelps will lead the charge in the prelims of the men’s 100 fly. He is seeded 1st with a time of 51.17 that he posted at U.S. Nationals last year. He will no doubt be looking to take out the time that wins the World Championships, as he did that with his win in the 200 fly. The 100 fly final at worlds will go off tomorrow. Seeded 2nd is Jack Conger from the University of Texas Longhorns in a time of 51.64 that he posted earlier this year. Conger was 2nd to Phelps in the 200 fly in a personal best time of 1:54.54. Seeded 3rd is Matt Ellis in 51.73, Giles Smith is 4th in 52.02 and Matthew Josa is 5th in 52.23. Smith is coming off a gold medal at the Pan Am Games earlier this summer in this event. Heat 7 of 14 will feature Grant Shoults and Gunnar Bentz, heat 9 will have 200 fly finalist Clark Pace and heat 10 will have Thomas Luchsinger. Bobby Bollier will swim in heat 11 after a rough 200 fly prelim, while Matt Ellis will be joined by Andrew Seliskar, Kohei Kawamoto and Tripp Cooper in heat 12. Heat 13 will have Conger and Josa, along with Caeleb Dressel, David Nolan and 200 fly finalist Clark Smith. Phelps will swim in the final heat, along with Giles Smith, Michael Andrew, Eugene Godsoe and Kyle Whitaker. 

Women’s 50m Freestyle

Madison Kennedy leads the women’s 50 free prelims with a seed time of 24.75. Madeline Locus is the only other woman seeded under 25 seconds, with a time of 24.81. The other top seeds are Amy Bilquist, Amanda Kendall, Kelsi Worrell, Amanda Weir and Katie Meili. Worrell has had a fantastic meet thus far, with a victory in the 100 fly and a finals appearance in the 100 backstroke. Heat 9 will feature Bilquist and Weir, heat 10 with Locus and Worrell, and the final heat will have Kennedy, Kendall and Meili, along with Olivia Smoliga and Karlee Bispo.

Men’s 50m Freestyle

2012 Olympic silver medalist in this event Cullen Jones is the top seed with a time of 21.83. Jones was formerly the American record holder in the event with a time of 21.41, until it was broken by Nathan Adrian at the World Championships. Jones had a disappointing meet at the Pan Am Games, and will look to salvage the summer here with only one year to go before the Olympic Games. Josh Schneider swam well at the Pan Am Games, including a gold medal in the 50 free, and will look for a national title to cap off his summer. He is seeded 2nd in 21.88. Other top seeds are Seth Stubblefield, Mark Weber and Paul Powers. 2-time World Championship medalist and Olympic bronze medalist in this event Roland Schoeman of South Africa is seeded 7th in 22.25, and NCAA champion Caeleb Dressel is 8th in 22.35. Heat 5 will have Bruno Ortiz, heat 6 will have Townley Haas and the 7th heat will feature Blake Pieroni. In heat 9 we will see Weber and Schoeman, in heat 10 we’ll see Schneider, along with David Nolan and Michael Andrew, and the last heat will have Jones and Powers, along with Caeleb Dressel, Michael Chadwick and Junya Koga.

Women’s 400m IM

Caitilin Leverenz leads the way in the women’s 400 IM prelims, with the top seed time of 4:35.46. Leverenz is coming off a gold medal in this event at the Pan Am Games, after originally placing 2nd only to move up to 1st after Canadian Emily Overholt was disqualified. Following Leverenz is Sarah Henry, Catalina Corro Lorente, Katherine Mills and Celina Li. We will see Henry and Mills in heat 10, along with 200 IM silver medalist Madisyn Cox. In the final heat we will see Leverenz, Corro Lorrente and Li.