2017 U.S. Winter Nationals: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2017 U.S. WINTER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Day 2 action gets underway in Columbus this morning in the 500 free, 200 IM and 50 free. Notable names swimming include Mallory ComerfordChase KaliszRyan MurphyOlivia SmoligaKelsi Worrell and Nathan Adrian.

Women’s 500 Free Prelims

  • American Record: 4:24.06, Katie Ledecky, 2017
  • U.S. Open Record: 4:24.06, Katie Ledecky, 2017
  • Meet Record: 4:29.54, Katie Ledecky, 2014
  • Pool Record: 4:26.46, Katie Ledecky, 2016
  1. Mallory Comerford, UOFL, 4:38.94
  2. Sophie Cattermole, UOFL, 4:40.47
  3. Ashley Neidigh, UN, 4:40.65
  4. Erica Sullivan, SAND, 4:41.29
  5. Autumn Haebig, NEB, 4:43.68
  6. Molly Kowal, OSU / Madelyn Donohoe, FISH, 4:45.55
  7. Kristen Romano, OSU, 4:48.17

The first of two circle-seeded heats in the women’s 500 free saw Erica Sullivan of the Sandpipers of Nevada throw down a time of 4:41.29, with Autumn Haebig of Nebraska not far behind in 4:43.68. Those were the top two times by a wide margin heading into the last heat.

The final heat was controlled by Mallory Comerford of Louisville, touching in 4:38.94 to take over the top spot heading into finals. Sophie Cattermole and Ashley Neidigh followed in times of 4:40.47 and 4:40.65, advancing 2nd and 3rd to the final.

Madelyn Donohoe and Molly Kowal tied for 4th in the last heat and advance dead-locked in 6th for the final, while Kristen Romano‘s 4:48.17 from heat 2 stood up as 8th fastest and gets her into the ‘A’ final.

Men’s 500 Free Prelims

  • American Record: 4:08.42, Clark Smith, 2017
  • U.S. Open Record: 4:08.42, Clark Smith, 2017
  • Meet Record: 4:10.75, Peter Vanderkaay, 2007
  • Pool Record: 4:13.19, Anton Ipsen, 2017
  1. Mitch D’Arrigo, GSC, 4:13.70
  2. Zane Grothe, UN, 4:14.46
  3. Marcelo Acosta, UOFL, 4:18.94
  4. Marwan El Kamash, IST, 4:19.74
  5. Nick Hogsed, OSU, 4:20.03
  6. Max Irwin, BSC, 4:20.35
  7. Brayden Seal, OSU, 4:21.37
  8. Din Selmanovic, CINC, 4:21.73

The penultimate heat of the men’s 500 saw Mitch D’Arrigo of the Gator Swim Club throw down a time of 4:13.70, destroying the heat and narrowly missing the 4:13.19 pool record set by Anton Ipsen earlier this year. Marcelo Acosta of Louisville joined him under the 4:20-barrier in 4:18.94 for 2nd overall with one heat remaining.

Zane Grothe then got out after it in the last heat, leading wire-to-wire to touch in 4:14.46 for the #2 seed, followed by Marwan El Kamash (4:19.74) and Max Irwin (4:20.35) who ended up 4th and 6th overall.

Women’s 200 IM Prelims

  • American Record: 1:51.65, Ella Eastin, 2016
  • U.S. Open Record: 1:51.65, Ella Eastin, 2016
  • Meet Record: 1:53.16, Melanie Margalis, 2016
  • Pool Record: 1:53.47, Katinka Hosszu, 2010
  1. Melanie Margalis, SPA, 1:54.74
  2. Isabel Ivey, GSC, 1:57.26
  3. Rachael Bradford-Feldman, UOFL, 1:57.58
  4. Mariia Astashkina, UOFL, 1:57.90
  5. Emma Muzzy, GATR, 1:57.91
  6. Andrea Cottrell, CARD, 1:58.28
  7. Meg Bailey, OSU, 1:58.45
  8. Lina Rathsack, PITT, 1:58.72

Melanie Margalis of Saint Petersburg was dominant in winning the last heat of the women’s 200 IM, posting the top time of the morning by 2.5 seconds in 1:54.74. Isabel Ivey of Gator Swim Club took 2nd to her in the heat in 1:57.26, a time that stands up as 2nd fastest overall.

Rachael Bradford-Feldman (1:57.58) and Emma Muzzy (1:57.91) won the other two seeded heats to qualify 3rd and 5th overall, while Louisville’s Mariia Astashkina slides in in 4th at 1:57.90. Andrea Cottrell, who had the fastest breaststroke leg of the morning, qualifies 6th in 1:58.28.

Men’s 200 IM Prelims

  • American Record: 1:39.38, David Nolan, 2015
  • U.S. Open Record: 1:39.38, David Nolan, 2015
  • Meet Record: 1:40.08, Ryan Lochte, 2007
  • Pool Record: 1:42.60, Ryan Lochte, 2010
  1. Chase Kalisz, ABSC, 1:43.16
  2. Reece Whitley, PCAC, 1:43.86
  3. Michael Andrew, RPC, 1:44.27
  4. Josh Prenot, CAL, 1:44.70
  5. Ryan Murphy, CAL, 1:44.83
  6. Nicolas Fink, 1:45.16
  7. Nick Zito, WEST, 1:45.74
  8. Carlos Claverie, UOFL, 1:46.10

In the loaded men’s 200 IM field, it was Josh Prenot of Cal who set the early pace with a 1:44.70 in the first circle-seeded heat. Carlos Claverie (1:46.10) was not far behind, but Nick Zito‘s 1:45.74 from heat 3 still stood up as the #2 time with two heats remaining.

Reece Whitley then hit 1:43.86 in heat 5, tying Caeleb Dressel for #10 all-time in the 17-18 age group. He beat out Ryan Murphy (1:44.83) and Nicolas Fink (1:45.16), with Jacob Pebley 4th in 1:46.59.

Chase Kalisz and Michael Andrew proceeded to have a great battle in the last heat, with Kalisz claiming the top time of the morning in 1:43.16. Andrew touched in 1:44.27, good for 3rd overall. Whitley, Prenot, Murphy, Fink, Zito and Claverie end up moving on, with Pebley on the outside looking in in 9th.

Women’s 50 Free Prelims

  • American Record: 21.12, Abbey Weitzeil, 2016
  • U.S. Open Record: 21.12, Abbey Weitzeil, 2016
  • Meet Record: 21.46, Natalie Coughlin, 2007
  • Pool Record: 21.69, Lara Jackson, 2008
  1. Kelsi Worrell, CARD, 21.73
  2. Margo Geer, UN, 21.93
  3. Mallory Comerford, UOFL, 22.03
  4. Olivia Smoliga, UOFL, 22.19
  5. Casey Fanz, UOFL, 22.24
  6. Lainey Visscher, UOFL, 22.42
  7. Aliena Schmidtke, UN, 22.46
  8. Freya Rayner, OSU, 22.50

Entered with a long course time, Kelsi Worrell swam out of lane 8 in the 4th of six heats in the women’s 50 free, providing some outside smoke with a blazing time of 21.73. That swim misses the nine-year-old pool record set by Lara Jackson by just .04.

Margo Geer (21.93) and Mallory Comerford (22.03) went 1-2 in heat 5, and Olivia Smoliga (22.19) took heat six as those four head into finals with the top four spots. Louisville teammates Casey Fanz (22.24) and Lainey Visscher (22.42) both had strong swims to qualify 5th and 6th.

Men’s 50 Free Prelims

  1. Nathan Adrian, CAL, 19.42
  2. Kasey Foley, LTNV, 19.57
  3. Andrej Barna, UOFL, 19.61
  4. Michael Andrew, RPC / Matias Koski, UN, 19.67
  5. Michael Chadwick, UMIZ, 19.70
  6. Joshua Fleagle, UN, 19.76
  7. Corey Main, GSC, 19.92

Nathan Adrian threw down a solid time of 19.42 from heat 4 in the men’s 50 free, a time that would ultimately stand up as the fastest of the morning.

Kasey Foley from Lifetime Nevada ripped a 19.57 in the last heat, out-touching top seed Michael Chadwick (19.70) for 2nd overall. Andrej Barna (19.61) did likewise in the previous heat, out-touching Michael Andrew (19.67) for 3rd overall. Matias Koski was also a 19.67 from heat 2, tying Andrew for 4th overall.

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Carlo
6 years ago

No one on the men,s side compares to phelps. On the men,s side it,s very difficult to dominate let alone win just a medal at the Olympics when you,re in your teens. Phelps won “four” individual gold medals and “six” overall Olympic gold medals at 19. It,s rare to see that with the men.
On the women,s side, it,s more common to see teen girls dominate at a high level in swimming when they are in their teens.

Men usually develop later in swimming. Even phelp,s greatest rival ryan lochte developed later into his career. Dressel is already 21 and by the time the next olympics comes he,ll be 24. Phelps is a rare breed.

Swimmer
6 years ago

Koski has accomplished every milers deepest wishes by A finaling in the 50 free

Uberfan
Reply to  Swimmer
6 years ago

He has really good front end speed 42.56 100. But look at someone like Quintero who was also a good sprinter or Haas who can probably go a 19.22 or below

bill
6 years ago

omega timing swimming results never work how have they not noticed

Captain Ahab
6 years ago

Reece Whitley could possibly be the next Michael Phelps. Once head coach David Durden and coach Nort Thornton put some serious training and weight lifting on him. It might be beautiful results.

Maverick
Reply to  Captain Ahab
6 years ago

Did you really just say he might be the next Michael Phelps?

Swimmer1
Reply to  Maverick
6 years ago

I love it when people get set straight when comparing ANYONE to the GOAT. He will NEVER. EVER. Be replaced as the greatest swimmer of all time.
That said, I’m beyond excited to see what Calaeb Dressel is going to bring to the sport because although not the “next” anyone….he’s phenomenal in his own right. And yes, there are some amazing up and comers that are keeping the sport more exciting than ever.

E+Gamble
Reply to  Captain Ahab
6 years ago

Michael Phelps was in his first Olympic games at the age of 15. And in the next Olympic games he won six gold medals. We need to just stop with the Michael Phelps comparisons.

eagleswim
Reply to  Captain Ahab
6 years ago

reece is about the same age phelps was when he won 4 gold and two silver medals and broke 5 world records in barcelona.

Coach John
Reply to  Captain Ahab
6 years ago

… you new here? sounds like it!

Maverick
Reply to  Captain Ahab
6 years ago

Reece turns 18 in just over a month. At the age of 17 Phelps had broken multiple World records, and won multiple gold medals on a senior international stage. At the age of 18… Just look at what he did in Barcelona… (if Athens trials wouldve been 2 weeks earlier then we could count that as part of his success at 18, where he qualified for the OLYMPICS in 6 individual events!!!!

Reece swims 3 events. Phelps had international success in 9…

(Not bashing Reece, he is extremely talented and fast in his events and will probably find success, but nothing close to MP)

Dylan
Reply to  Captain Ahab
6 years ago

Well said

Uberfan
6 years ago

One cal commit two cal alums in the 200 IM final

Go Bearcats
6 years ago

So much hype for 2IM final!!!

Tom
6 years ago

How can i watch

Buckeye1
Reply to  Tom
6 years ago

usa swimming website home page

Dudeman
6 years ago

Wow that’s a great swim from Whitley for the morning, gonna be an exciting finals race

dmswim
Reply to  Dudeman
6 years ago

It’s a stacked field of guys who aren’t necessarily IM specialists (other than Kalisz), but are great racers. I can’t wait for the final!

Coach Mary
Reply to  dmswim
6 years ago

Andrew is an IM er

dmswim
Reply to  Coach Mary
6 years ago

He is, but after last summer, I would argue his best event is the 50 free.

Dee
Reply to  Coach Mary
6 years ago

He reminds me of Alice Tait (Mills). Silver in the 50 free and 200IM at the 2003 Worlds. It’s a very rare combination.

Swimmer
Reply to  Dee
6 years ago

George Bovell was also a 200IM-50 Free specialist, although the 50 came later in this career.

Dee
Reply to  Swimmer
6 years ago

Liam Tancock did 50bk/200im for a time too – Did a 50bk WR and a 1.57im in the same season I think.

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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