2016 Arena Pro Swim Series – Charlotte: Three Races to Watch

2016 ARENA PRO SWIM SERIES – CHARLOTTE

• Thursday May 12th-Sunday May 15th, 2016
• Mecklenburg Aquatic Center – Charolette, North Carolina
• Thursday May 12th – Timed Finals – 4:00 pm EDT
• Friday-Sunday – Prelims – 9:00 am EDT   Finals – 6 pm EDT
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

THREE RACES TO WATCH

Women’s 100 breaststroke

All three women who stood on the medal podium for the 100 breaststroke at the 2015 Pan American Games will be taking part in the event in Charlotte. American Katie Meili, Jamaican Alia Atkinson and Canadian Rachel Nicol will face each other once again.

In Toronto last summer Meili took gold in a time of 1:06.26, Atkinson hit the wall in a time of 1:06.59 while Nicol finished well behind in a time of 1:07.91.

Meili put up her lifetime best in the event in Toronto posting a time of 1:05.64 in the prelims. Atkinson comes into the competition with a lifetime best of 1:05.93, which she posted in November at the World Cup in Dubai and is currently the third fastest time recorded this season. Nicol comes into the event with a lifetime best of 1:06.88, which she put up at the Canadian Trials in early April.

Kierra Smith, who won the 200 breaststroke at the Pan American Games, will also be competing. Smith won the 100 breaststroke at the Canadian Trials in April posting a lifetime best of 1:06.93.

World University Games silver medalist Lilly King will also be in the mix. King is currently ranked eighth in the world with a season’s best of 1:06.43.

Women’s 100 butterfly

Olympic champion Dana Vollmer will face off against Canadian teenager Penny Oleksiak in the women’s 100 butterfly. Vollmer has a season’s best is a 56.94 and a lifetime best of 55.98. Vollmer made her first Olympic team in 2004 and will be looking to qualify for her third Olympic Games at the upcoming U.S. Trials.

The 15 year old Oleksiak qualified for her first Olympic team at the Canadian Trials in April recording a time of 56.99. She dropped over a second and a half to win the event at trials coming into the meet with a lifetime best of 58.44.

Both women are at very different points of their preparation for this summer, which could make for a very interesting matchup.

Men 50 freestyle

The men’s 50 freestyle will include a number of athletes who have already earned Olympic hardware in including Anthony Ervin, Cullen Jones and George Bovell. There will be some excitement in the splash and dash which will also include Pan American Games gold medalist Josh Schneider and Canadian Olympic team member Santo Condorelli.