2016 Georgia Invite: Weitzeil Leads Nation with 47.2 100 Free in Day 3 Prelims

2016 GEORGIA FALL INVITATIONAL

  • Friday, December 2nd-Sunday, December 4th
  • Hosted by University of Georgia
  • 25 yards
  • Invite format
  • Live results

Day 3 prelims of the 2016 Georgia Fall Invitational saw fast swimming in the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly. While many athletes have faced a post-Olympic slump at some point in their careers, the NCAA swimmers at this meet who competed in Rio seem to be in top form. That includes the likes of Ryan Murphy, Abbey Weitzeil, and Chase Kalisz among others.

WOMEN’S 200 BACK

Cal’s Amy Bilquist and Kathleen Baker are lined up to race in tonight’s 200 back final. Bilquist was the fastest through prelims with a 1:52.05, while Baker took the 2nd slot in 1:53.24. Their freshman teammate Keaton Blovad made a big drop this morning, taking 4th in 1:54.77 behind Georgia’s Kylie Stewart (1:54.56). Before today, Blovad’s best was a 1:57.38 from 2015.

MEN’S 200 BACK

Olympic champ Ryan Murphy cruised to a 1:42.67 for top seed in the men’s 200 back this morning. Murphy, who won the 100 back last night with a nation-leading 44.61, has been swimming the fastest times he’s ever put up at a midseason invite in his career. We’ll likely see a sub-1:40 swim from the Cal senior tonight.

Taking 2nd by a narrow margin Florida State’s Connor Kalisz, who was just a tenth behind Murphy in 1:42.78. Also in the mix tonight will be Auburn’s Joe Patching (1:43.29), the regining SEC champ in this event, and Georgia’s Jay Litherland (1:43.17), who joined Murphy on the U.S. Olympic team this summer.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE

Cal freshman Abbey Weitzeil blasted a 47.22 to top 100 free prelims on the way to an NCAA ‘A’ cut and the fastest time in the NCAA this year. She’ll be joined in tonight’s final by All-American teammate Farida Osman, who took 4th in 48.65. Georgia’s reigning NCAA champ Olivia Smoliga (48.10) and Canadian Olympian Chantal Van Landeghem (48.26) rounded out the top 3 seeds to set themselves up in either side of Weitzeil tonight.

MEN’S 100 FREE

The Cal men put 3 freshman into the 100 free final tonight, as well as junior Justin Lynch, who took top seed in 43.07. The freshman class wil likely play a big role for the Bears as they compete for an NCAA title this season. Michael Jensen (43.17), Pawel Sendyk (43.56), and Aukai Lileikis (43.74) have been looking strong at this meet so far. It’ll be interesting to see what Jensen can do in the final after his blazing 41.64 split on the medle relay.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST

Virginia’s Laura Simon, who won the 100 breast last night, was the fastest swimmer through the 200 breast heats with a 2:08.33. Also under 2:10 was Cal’s Marina Garcia with a 2:09.36 for 2nd. That’s just 2 tenths shy of Garcia’s personal best, which she swam at this meet in 2014.

MEN’S 200 BREAST

Hunter Cobleigh picked up to seed in the 200 breast for the Bears, clocking a personal best 1:54.76. Behind him, Florida State All-American Jason Coombs, who holds the FSU school records in both breaststrokes, picked up 2nd in 1:55.08. Reigning SEC champ Michael Duderstadt, an Auburn senior, also got in with a 1:57.22 for 8th.

WOMEN’S 200 FLY

Virginia’s Kaitlyn Jones threw down a personal best 1:52.93 to lead a 1-2 finish in the 200 fly prelims with teammate Jenn Marrkand (1:54.22). That time ranks her 2ndd in the NCAA this season behind Stanford’s Ella Eastin, who swam a 1:52.62 at the Ohio State Invite, but Jones will have a chance to surpass that in tonight’s final. Cal’s Noemie Thomas will also be in the title hunt. After a spectacular showing in last night’s 100 fly, Thomas picked up 3rd this morning with a 1:54.40.

MEN’S 200 FLY

Georgia’s Chase Kalisz will get one more matchup with Cal’s Andrew Seliskar tonight, this time in the men’s 200 fly final. This morning, Kalisz was within tenths of his best time, taking top seed with a speedy 1:42.11. Seliskar picked up 3rd in 1:43.78, just behind Virginia’s Zach Fong (1:43.64).

Interestingly, Georgia’s Pace Clark, an NCAA All-American in this race, was absent from the event this morning. Clark and freshman teammate Javier Acevedo haven’t been swimming much at this meet. Clark’s only indiviudal race was the 500 free on day 1, and he swam on the 200 free and 400 medley relays. Acevedo’s only swims have been on those relays.

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Swimson
7 years ago

Pace Clark is going to worlds, that’s why he only swam on day 1

completelyconquered
7 years ago

Murphy swam on the 800 free relay. Hmm 🙂

Olsswim05
7 years ago

Anyone have any information on where Long Gutierrez has been this semesteR?

Ragnar
7 years ago

Any one think the NCAA will ever do away with event limits? Guys like Murphy, conger etc could have top 3 finishes in 5+ event at these meets, not saying they would( or should) attempt that but it would also give smaller teams with their “Iron Lady” type swimmer a chance to increase the score. Go Vols

Ervin
Reply to  Ragnar
7 years ago

no

Person
Reply to  Ragnar
7 years ago

I think the idea is for a good team to win, not a good couple of individual swimmers. College and high school swimming are always like that.

bobo gigi
7 years ago

Big new PB for Kaitlyn Jones in the 200 fly. in 1.52.93. It was 1.54.36.

canswim13
7 years ago

So where’s Megan Kingsley?

About Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh is a former NCAA swimmer at the University of Arizona (2013-2015) and the University of Florida (2011-2013). While her college swimming career left a bit to be desired, her Snapchat chin selfies and hot takes on Twitter do not disappoint. She's also a high school graduate of The …

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