2016 Olympic Champions Lead Field Of Arena Pro Swim Series At Atlanta

by SwimSwam 19

April 25th, 2017 News

Reigning Olympic champions Anthony Ervin (Valencia, Calif./SwimMAC Carolina), Lilly King (Evansville, Ind./Indiana University), Katie Ledecky (Bethesda, Md./Stanford Swimming) and Simone Manuel (Sugar Land, Texas/Stanford Swimming) are expected to highlight the field for next week’s arena Pro Swim Series at Atlanta, set for May 4-7 at Georgia Tech’s McAuley Aquatic Center.

Several members of last summer’s Olympic Team, who prepped for the Rio Games in Atlanta, are expected to compete. Included in this group are individual medalists Katie Meili (Colleyville, Texas/New York Athletic Club), Cody Miller (Las Vegas, Nev./Badger Swim Club) and former University of Georgia standout Chase Kalisz (Bel Air, Md./North Baltimore Aquatic Club).

On the local front, Kalisz will be joined by fellow UGA Olympians Gunnar Bentz (Atlanta, Ga./Athens Bulldog Swim Club), Hali Flickinger (Spring Grove, Pa./Athens Bulldog Swim Club) and Olivia Smoliga(Glenview, Ill./Athens Bulldog Swim Club), as well as three-time Olympian and Atlanta-area resident Amanda Weir (Lawrenceville, Ga./SwimAtlanta). A number of swimmers from Georgia Tech and Dynamo Swim Club also will be in action.

The four-day meet opens Thursday, May 4 with a 5 p.m. ET timed-final, distance freestyle session and continues through Sunday, May 7, with daily prelims at 10 a.m. ET followed by finals at 7 p.m. Single- and all-session tickets are on sale now online.

Two days of television coverage from Atlanta will air live on NBC Sports Network – Saturday, May 6 and Sunday, May 7. All three finals sessions also will be streamed live via NBC Sports, while a live webcast of the entire meet also will be available at usaswimming.org.

This event is the fourth of five stops of the 2017 arena Pro Swim Series. U.S. Olympians Josh Prenot (Santa Maria, Calif./California Aquatics) and U.S. Olympian Melanie Margalis (Clearwater, Fla./St. Petersburg Aquatics) are the current series leaders with 38 and 31 points, respectively.

The arena Pro Swim Series scoring system awards eligible swimmers prize money and points based on first-, second- and third-place performances at each meet in the Championship final only. The prize money and scoring system is as follows: First place, $500 (five points); second place, $300 (three points) and third place, $100 (one point).

At 2017 Phillips 66 Nationals, the point totals will double to 10 points for first place, six for second and two points for third place. The final series tally will be computed after the 2017 Phillips 66 National Championships, slated for June 27-July 1 in Indianapolis, and the prizes will be awarded at that time.

The top eligible male and female overall point total winners in the series will earn a one-year lease of a BMW vehicle, as well as a $10,000 series bonus.

About USA Swimming

As the National Governing Body for the sport of swimming in the United States, USA Swimming is a 400,000-member service organization that promotes the culture of swimming by creating opportunities for swimmers and coaches of all backgrounds to participate and advance in the sport through clubs, events and education. Our membership is comprised of swimmers from the age group level to the Olympic Team, as well as coaches and volunteers. USA Swimming is responsible for selecting and training teams for international competition including the Olympic Games, and strives to serve the sport through its core objectives: Build the base, Promote the sport, Achieve competitive success. For more information, visit www.usaswimming.org.

News courtesy of USA Swiming

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Uberfan
6 years ago

Who will win? Millers extra kicks or the judges eyes?

SchoolingFTW
Reply to  Uberfan
6 years ago

Not even a question. Judges eyes are no match against Miller’s kicks.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  SchoolingFTW
6 years ago

they are too fast to be seen lol

Uberfan
Reply to  SchoolingFTW
6 years ago

They may be Windsor tier judges

Prickle
6 years ago

Will we see Abbey Weitzeil, Katie McLaughlin, Mallory Comerford? How do they progress in LCM this season. Swimmers who’s performance can be critical for the success of American relays.

Hswimmer
Reply to  Prickle
6 years ago

We already saw comerford

Prickle
Reply to  Hswimmer
6 years ago

Yes we did and I got some doubts if she will be at 53 low – 1:56 level in three months. She skipped for some reason 200 in Mesa and was slower at 100 two weeks after NCAA than two weeks prior NCAA. Should she show some stability with results I would say: fine, she is in training. Otherwise I will look at her March performances as aberration and won’t associate much hope with her.

bobo gigi
Reply to  Prickle
6 years ago

Prickle, it would be huge to see Mallory Comerford in 53 low next summer. Don’t forget she swims long course seriously only for 2 years. In my opinion she swam very well in the 100 free in Mesa 3 weeks after NCAAs, a period generally not easy for college swimmers. I think we can reasonably expect a time around 53 mid at world trials. It means a big contribution to the US relay. For the 200 free there’s still a lot of questions and nobody really knows her potential in that event in long course. She recognized in Mesa that her best distance in the big pool is right now the 100 free. The 200 free is so different in… Read more »

bobo gigi
Reply to  bobo gigi
6 years ago

And about Abbey Weitzeil, I don’t know why she didn’t perform very well at NCAAs. Injury? Just a common post-olympic season trouble? Freshman season in a new environment, with new methods and a busy schedule to manage between training and academics? Not all people adapt in the same way. The fact is that so far she swims slowly since she has left her coach Coley Stickels. So of course Teri McKeever is the person to blame! Like for Bowman she’s to blame for everything by many on swimswam! 😆 😆 She has destroyed Missy! She has destroyed Katie McLaughlin! Now Abbey! 😆 😆 More seriously I just hope she’s healthy and can find again that fire. The American relay needs… Read more »

Prickle
Reply to  bobo gigi
6 years ago

Bobo, with Vollmer out and Weir isn’t that strong by far as a year ago and with a big question about Weitzeil’s and Ledecky’s 52 splits American 400 relay is desperately needed another 53 low swimmer. There is nobody else but Comerford on horizon. She was involved in college swimming at the beginning of March when she unexpectedly participated at LCM competition showing 53.9 Two weeks after NCAA finals where she was most likely tapered she swims 54.22 I don’t know what to make of this and how estimate her best this season. That’s why i would like to see her one more at LCM when she is in training. It may happen that she is 150 LCM swimmer. Not… Read more »

Erin
Reply to  Prickle
6 years ago

You’ve got to be out of your mind.

gigglewater
Reply to  Prickle
6 years ago

California base swimmers will attend Santa Clara at least, I think.
So this stop, no Dressel?

korn
Reply to  gigglewater
6 years ago

I don’t know as a fact, but maybe UF has finals around this time? These college swimmers aren’t exempt from finals and papers, etc.

E Gamble
Reply to  korn
6 years ago

I think finals are this week( April 24-28). They won’t be in school during the Atlanta meet.

gigglewater
Reply to  korn
6 years ago

Dressel did swim at Atlanta Classic Meet last year almost same period, if he skipped Atlanta and Santa Clara, I guess we need to wait Nationals for his LCM swim.
https://swimswam.com/37-u-s-national-teamers-22-national-jr-teamers-race-atlanta/

Watcher
Reply to  korn
6 years ago

UF is going to the Atlanta Classic again

On Fleek
Reply to  Prickle
6 years ago

Believe Reading week starts for Cal students on May 1st, followed by Finals the subsequent week.

As GIGGLEWATER posted, we’ll get to see where the Bears are at on long course, at the Santa Clara stop in June.

socaladvracer
Reply to  Prickle
6 years ago
On Fleek
Reply to  socaladvracer
6 years ago

Thanks for the heads up on SMOC, SOCALADVRACER!

Found the live results for this MVN meet: https://www.socalswim.org/live-results/2017SMOC/

Looks like the Bears women will be showing up in force. Weitzeil, Baker, Bilquist, McLaughlin and all. Listed under a number of “off events” in addition to their marquee ones.

Think it does make sense for these student-athletes to get some long course racing & training under their belts at Irvine this weekend, instead of flying all the way out to Atlanta next week in the middle of their recitation week.

There will be some competition there. Trojans are also entered. Promising juniors like Eva Merrell as well. Stanford’s men will be competing, as will… Read more »