2017 U.S. World Trials: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2017 U.S. NATIONALS/WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TRIALS

• Tuesday, June 27th-Saturday, July 1st
• 50-Meter Course
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Meet Info
• Prelims timelines
• Broadcast schedule
• Event-by-event previews
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Stream (U.S. viewers)
• Live Stream (International viewers)
• Friday Finals Heat Sheet

Tonight’s second-to-last finals session from Indianapolis will be the lightest of all five days, with just three events scheduled.

The 400 free, 100 breast and 100 back will go off tonight, with a few individual Olympic medalists looking at their last chances to qualify for the World Championships. Among those are Katie Meili, Cody Miller and Matt Grevers. Check out a full preview of tonight’s finals here.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE FINALS

• American Record: Katie Ledecky, 3:56.46, 2016
• U.S. Open Record: Katie Ledecky, 3:58.86, 2014
• LC National Meet Record: Katie Ledecky, 3:58.86, 2014
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 4:10.57

1. Katie Ledecky, STAN, 3:58.44
2. Leah Smith, CAV, 4:03.77
3. Sierra Schmidt, CW, 4:07.92

Katie Ledecky was gone from the gun in the women’s 400 free final, toying with world record pace the entire race. In the end she fell short of her 3:56.46 from Rio, but did go 3:58.44 for a new U.S. Open and LC National Championship meet record. That is now the 3rd fastest swim in history, trailing her swim from Rio and her mark of 3:58.37 from the 2014 Pan Pacs.

After that big breakout swim in the 400 IM last night, Leah Smith had a solid showing tonight for silver in a time of 4:03.77, giving her four individual events at the World Championships. Club Wolverine’s Sierra Schmidt closed well to snag 3rd in 4:07.92, and Kaersten Meitz of Boilermaker Aquatics was 4th in 4:08.38.

The B-final was wild, as top seed coming in Geena Freriks ended up 8th despite only going eight tenths slower than prelims. Stephanie Peters got out ahead from lane 8, and held off Katie McLaughlin down the stretch to win the heat in 4:11.39. McLaughlin took 2nd in 4:11.62.

Miranda Heckman‘s 4th place finish in the C-final (4:14.46) solidifies her spot in this event at Junior Worlds, joining Leah Braswell.

MEN’S 400 FREE FINALS

• American Record: Larsen Jensen, 3:42.78, 2008
• U.S. Open Record: Larsen Jensen, 3:43.53, 2008
• LC National Meet Record: Larsen Jensen, 3:43.53, 2008
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 3:48.15

1. Zane Grothe, BAD, 3:44.43
2. Clark Smith, TXLA, 3:45.91
3. Townley Haas, NOVA, 3:46.41

As expected the men’s 400 was a three-way battle, with Longhorn teammates Clark Smith and Townley Haas duking it out with Zane Grothe, who was out in lane 1. After turning 1st at the 200, Grothe pulled away from Smith and Haas, clocking in at 3:44.43 to lower his personal best and qualify for an individual event in Budapest.

Smith and Haas battled the whole race, with Smith edging the 200 free champion by half a second in 3:45.91 to Haas’ 3:46.41. Smith qualifies himself for an individual event in Budapest after making the 4×200 relay on Wednesday.

Grant Shoults had an impressive swim in a personal best 3:48.73 to get 4th, and Mitch D’Arrigo was 5th in 3:50.61.

Jay Litherland (3:50.36) won the B-final over Patrick Callan (3:51.94), and Johnthomas Larson had a big drop in the C-final to win the heat in 3:52.99 from lane 1.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST FINALS

• American Record: Jessica Hardy, 1:04.45, 2009
• U.S. Open Record: Jessica Hardy, 1:04.45, 2009
• LC National Meet Record: Lilly King, 1:05.20, 2016
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 1:07.58

1. Lilly King, IU, 1:04.95
2. Katie Meili, NYAC, 1:05.51
3. Bethany Galat, TAMU, 1:06.72

Lilly King completes the breaststroke sweep with a win in the 100, breaking the meet record in a time of 1:04.95, just 0.02 shy of her gold medal winning time from Rio. She moves into #2 in the world for the year, and Katie Meili now sits 3rd after clocking 1:05.51 for 2nd.

Meili’s swim gets her on the World Championship team. The Olympic bronze medalist looked phenomenal tonight, specifically on the back half, closing just 0.06 slower than King in 34.86. 200 breast Worlds qualifier Bethany Galat took 3rd in 1:06.72, and 2016 Olympian Molly Hannis was 4th in 1:07.11.

Melanie Margalis won the B-final in 1:07.87, while Emily Weiss earned a spot in this event at Junior Worlds placing 2nd in 1:07.99. She also moves to 5th all-time in the 15-16 age group. Vanessa Pearl won the C-final for the second time this week, putting up a time of 1:09.49 over Ema Rajic (1:09.62).

MEN’S 100 BREAST FINALS

• American Record: Cody Miller, 58.87, 2016
• U.S. Open Record: Adam Peaty, 58.86, 2017
• LC National Meet Record: Kevin Cordes, 58.94, 2016
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 1:00.35

1. Kevin Cordes, UN, 58.74
2. Cody Miller, BAD, 59.11
3. Nicolas Fink, ABSC, 59.40

Kevin Cordes did it again, completing the breaststroke sweep with a new American & U.S. Open Record of 58.74. He lowers Cody Miller‘s American Record of 58.87 done when he won bronze in Rio, and also lowers Adam Peaty‘s U.S. Open Record of 58.86 done earlier this year.

Miller touched 2nd in 59.11, earning him a berth on the World Championship team. Cordes is now 2nd in the world, and Miller is 4th. Peaty leads by nearly a second in 57.79.

Nicolas Fink had another strong swim to get 3rd in 59.40, and Andrew Wilson was 4th in 59.65. Michigan’s Jacob Montague moved up a few spots for 5th in 1:00.39, ahead of Will Licon (1:00.67) and Josh Prenot (1:00.79).

The B-final went to Indiana’s Ian Finnerty, and the C-final went to King Aquatics’ Daniel Roy in 1:02.02.

WOMEN’S 100 BACK FINALS

• American Record: Missy Franklin, 58.33, 2012
• U.S. Open Record: Missy Franklin, 58.67, 2013
• LC National Meet Record: Missy Franklin, 58.67, 2013
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 1:00.61

1. Kathleen Baker, CAL, 58.57
2. Olivia Smoliga, ABSC, 59.17
3. Hannah Stevens, UMIZ, 59.74

Cal’s Kathleen Baker put up a new meet & U.S. Open Record of 58.57 to win the women’s 100 back, improving her personal best that she posted winning the Olympic silver last year. Both records she broke were previously held by Missy Franklin at 58.67 from 2013. She now sits 2nd in the world for the year, trailing Canada’s Kylie Masse (58.21).

Olivia Smoliga of the Athens Bulldogs gets her individual event in Budapest with a 2nd place finish in 59.17, and 50 back winner Hannah Stevens took 3rd in 59.74. Ali DeLoof (59.77) and Regan Smith (59.85) also broke a minute.

Elise Haan won the B-final in 1:00.02, and Grace Ariola‘s 3rd place finish (1:00.66) gets her on the Junior Worlds team in this event. Alex Walsh won the C-final in 1:01.10.

MEN’S 100 BACK FINALS

• American Record: Ryan Murphy, 51.85, 2016
• U.S. Open Record: Aaron Peirsol, 51.94, 2009
• LC National Meet Record: Aaron Peirsol, 51.94, 2009
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 54.06

1. Matt Grevers, FORD, 52.71
2. Ryan Murphy, CAL, 53.02
3. Justin Ress, WOLF, 53.38

With the pressure on, Matt Grevers delivered in the men’s 100 back final. The 2012 Olympic gold medalist came through with the win in a time of 52.71, out-splitting everyone on both the first and second 50. This was a big redemption swim for the veteran, as he missed the 2016 Olympic team in this event last year with a 3rd place finish in Omaha. He moves into #2 in the world for the year.

2016 Olympic champion Ryan Murphy took 2nd in 53.02, and though he’s probably not thrilled with the time, adds a second event to his World Championship schedule. He’s now 3rd in the world.

50 back winner Justin Ress took 3rd in 53.38, just off his PB from the morning, and Murphy’s Cal teammate Jacob Pebley was 4th in 53.81.

Robert Owen (55.15) and Bryce Mefford (55.41) won the B and C-finals respectively.