2016 Arena Pro Swim Series – Indy: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2016 ARENA PRO SWIM SERIES AT INDIANAPOLIS

• Friday, June 3 – Sunday, June 5, 2016
• IUPUI Natatorium / Indianapolis, IN
• Prelims 9AM / Finals 6PM (U.S. Central Time)
• Meet website
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results
• Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet

Women’s 200 IM – Prelims

1. Melanie Margalis, St. Petersburg: 2:13.47
2. Kaitlyn Jones, Unattached (Virginia): 2:15.87
3. Vien Nguyen, Unattached (Vietnam): 2:15.90
4. Tanja Kylliainen, Cardinal Aquatics: 2:16.42
5. Emily Cameron, Athens Bullgdogs: 2:16.81
6. Meaghan Raab, Nashville: 2:17.06
7. Siobhan Haughey, Michigan: 2:17.35
8. Rebecca Postoll, Club Wolverine: 2:17.52

After taking three wins already this weekend, Melanie Margalis of St. Petersburg is setting herself up for a fourth, after coming in nearly two and a half seconds ahead of the field in the women’s 200 IM this morning. She swam the race in 2:13.47 for a season-best time.

Margalis’s seed time going into Omaha is a 2:10.20 from 2014 Summer Nationals, and she is the second seed, behind only Maya DiRado, going into this event at Olympic Trials. However, the two will have a host of formidable challengers, including 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Caitlin Leverenz, two time Olympic Elizabeth Beisel, and short course American record holder Ella Eastin. (You can read our full Olympic Trials 200 IM preview here.)

Tonight, the race will be for second as Virginia’s Kaitlyn Jones (2:15.87) takes on Vietnam’s Athlete of the Year Vien Nguyen (2:15.90). Also in the mix could be Cardinal’s Tanja Kyliainen (2:16.42) and Athens Bulldog Emily Cameron (2:16.81).

Meaghan Raab, Siobhan Haughey, and Becca Postoll will round out the championship final field.

Men’s 200 IM – Prelims

1. Mark Szaranek, Scotland: 2:02.85
2. Gunnar Bentz, Athens Bulldogs: 2:03.15
3. Michael Weiss, Wisconsin: 2:03.20
4. Jay Litherland, Dynamo: 2:03.25
5. Evan White, Club Wolverine: 2:04.57
6. Nolan Tesone, Unattached: 2:04.66
7. Sheng Jun Pang, Singapore: 2:04.66
8. Carlos Claverie, Unattached: 2:04.68

Scottish swimmer Mark Szaranek led the field in what will be a packed men’s 200 IM final tonight, clocking in the only swimmer under 2:03 with 2:02.85. Szaranek, who competes for Florida, was the sixth place finisher in this event at this year’s NCAA Championships.

Georgia’s fifth place NCAA finisher Gunnar Bentz came in second in 2:03.15, followed by Michael Weiss of Wisconsin in 2:03.20. Weiss is the only swimmer in the field who has cracked the world rankings in this event; he sits 17th with a 1:58.97 from AT&T Winter Nationals.

Bentz’s Georgia teammate Jay Litherland, who is representing Dynamo this summer came up fourth in 2:03.25. Litherland has had a stellar meet so far, scoring double wins in the 200 free and his signature 400 IM on Friday night.

However, even the final four swimmers are still within reach of the win tonight, as the field was separated by less than two seconds. Evan White, Nolan Tesone, Sheng Jun Pang, and Carlos Claverie will also be fighting their way to the medal stand.

Women’s 200 Back – Prelims

1. Dominique Bouchard, OAK (Canada): 2:11.09
2. Erin Voss, ABF: 2:11.87
3. Clara Smiddy, Club Wolverine: 2:12.06
4. Danielle Galyer, Kentucky Aquatics: 2:12.69
5. Hannah Stevens, Mizzou: 2:13.24
6. Bridgette Alexander, Kentucky Aquatics: 2:13.70
7. Kennedy Goss, Swim Ontario: 2:14.06
8. Asia Seidt, Lakeside: 2:14.18

Dominique Bouchard, who will represent her home country of Canada this summer in Rio, was the top qualifier in the women’s 100 back this morning. Bouchard currently sits 12th in the world rankings in this event with her 2:08.52 from Canadian Olympic Trials.

Stanford commit Erin Voss took the second slot this morning as the only other swimmer under 2:12, swimming the event in 2:11.87. Voss’s best time this season is a 2:10.37 from the Charlotte Pro Swim.

Club Wolverine’s Clara Smiddy finished third this morning with 2:12.06, about a second away from her season-best 2:11.15 from AT&T Winter Nationals.

Kentucky’s Danielle Galyer swam the prelims in 2:12.69, followed by Mizzou’s Hannah Stevens (the runner-up in the 100 back earlier this weekend) in 2:13.24.

Bridgette Alexander, Kennedy Goss (who will represent Canada in Rio on the 800 free relay), and Asia Seidt will round out the championship final.

Men’s 200 Back – Prelims

1. Corey Main, Gator: 2:00.06
2. Arkady Vyatchanin, NYAC: 2:00.47
3. Carter Griffin, Mizzou: 2:00.50
4. Tristan Sanders, Club Wolverine: 2:01.04
5. Aaron Greene, Unattached: 2:01.18
6. Rex Tullius, Saint Thomas: 2:02.42
7. Michael Reilman, Unattached: 2:02.83
8. Jay Litherland, Dynamo: 2:03.71

Florida’s now-graduated relay staple Corey Main was the top qualifier this morning in the men’s 200 back, coming in .41 ahead of New York Athletic Club’s short course world record holder Arkady Vyatchanin, who swam the event in 2:00.47. Main missed his season best, a 1:59.04 from Canadian Olympic Trials, but he has already qualified to represent his home country of New Zealand in Rio.

Vyatchanin is still searching for a country to represent in Rio, but in race interviews at Charlotte, he sounded doubtful that he would be able to work something out before the end of the summer.

The University of Missouri’s Carter Griffin came up right behind Vyatchanin in 2:00.50, followed by Club Wolverine’s Tristan Sanders in 2:01.04. Aaron Greene was close behind in 2:01.18.

Rex Tullius, Michael Reilman, and Jay Litherland also made the A final.

Women’s 100 Free – Prelims

1. Olivia Smoliga, Athens Bulldogs: 54.68
2. Kelsi Worrell, Unattached (Louisville): 54.83
3. Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace, SwimMAC: 54.85
4. Ivy Martin, Wisconsin: 55.79
5. Mallory Comerford, Unattached (Louisville): 55.86
6. Veronica Burchill, Carmel: 55.92
7. Siobhan Haughey, Club Wolverine: 55.96
8. Trude Rothrock, Carmel: 56.27

Georgia’s Olivia Smoliga has been on fire this weekend, after scoring a big win and pulling to 7th in the world in the 100 back and finishing second in the 50 free yesterday. This morning, she was the top qualifier in the women’s 100 free, clocking in at 54.68, just .02 off her season best from the Atlanta Classic.

Louisville’s Kelsi Worrell finished second this morning, well within striking distance of Smoliga with 54.83, around half a second off her season-best 54.37 from a meet in France earlier this year. SwimMAC and the Bahamas’ Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace is also a huge contender for the win tonight, after swimming 54.85 this morning.

The next three swimmers, Ivy Martin, Mallory Comerford, Veronica Burchill, and Siobhan Haughey came in about a second behind Vanderpool-Wallace and Worrell.

Sixteen-year-old Trude Rothrock out of Carmel finished eighth in 56.27.

Men’s 100 Free – Prelims

1. Josh Schneider, NYAC: 49.19
2. Santo Condorelli, Unattached (Canada): 49.32
3. Marcelo Chierighini, Unattached (Brazil): 49.36
4. Joao De Lucca, Cardinal: 49.93
5. Michael Chadwick, Mizzou / Zheng Wen Quah, Singapore: 50.02
6. Darian Townsend, YWSF: 50.19
7. Ali Khalafalla, Indiana: 50.43

New York Athletic Club’s Josh Schneider took the top slot this morning, clocking in at 49.19. Schneider’s current season-best is a 48.76 from AT&T Winter Nationals, and the only Americans who have gone faster are Caeleb Dressel and Nathan Adrian.

Canada’s Santo Condorelli, who will be swimming the 50 free, 100 free, and 400 free relay in Rio, came up second in 49.32. Condorelli currently sits ninth in the world rankings with a 48.05 from AT&T Winter Nationals.

A pair of Brazilian swimmers came up next; Marcelo Chierighini finished in 49.36, and Joao De Lucca swam the event in 49.93. Both swimmers will be on the Brazilian 400 free relay in Rio. Chierighini will also swim the individual 100 free and the 400 medley relay, while De Lucca will take on the individual 200 free.

The University of Missouri’s Michael Chadwick finished fifth in 50.02, tied with Singapore’s Zheng Wen Quah, who was named to his country’s Olympic team earlier this week.

Darian Townsend and Ali Khalafalla will round out the field.