2018 Men’s B1G Ten Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2018 MEN’S B1G CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, February 21st – Saturday, February 24th
• Prelims 11am | Finals 6:30pm
• University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (Central Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: Indiana (results)
• Championship Central
• Fan Guide
• Live Video
• Live Results
• NCAA Qualifying
• Day 4 Prelims Heat Sheet

We’re set up for an exciting battle on the final day of the 2018 Men’s B1G Ten Championships, as the Indiana Hoosiers lead the Michigan Wolverines by just 10.5 points. Any advantage gained by Michigan during swimming has been negated by Indiana’s diving, so the Wolverines will need to establish a sizable lead prior to the platform final tonight.

Day 4 prelims will feature heats in the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast and 200 fly, with early heats of the 1650 being swum this afternoon. The fastest heat of the mile, along with the 400 free relay, will be contested with finals.

Indiana’s Blake Pieroni leads the 100 free field after a blistering 1:31.14 performance in the 200 last night, while 100 winners Ian Finnerty, Gabriel Fantoni and Vini Lanza will see what they can do in their respective 200 yard races for the Hoosiers.

200 Back Prelims

• B1G Meet Record: 1:38.89, Eric Ress (IU), 2014
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:39.66
• 2017 Invite Time: 1:41.74

1. Mohamed Samy, IU, 1:40.91
2. Gabriel Fantoni, IU, 1:42.10
3. Kenneth Mende, IOWA, 1:42.36
4. Tristan Sanders, MICH, 1:42.41
5. Cam Tysoe, WISC, 1:42.49
6. James Beckman, IU, 1:42.57
7. Joseph Young, PUR, 1:42.88
8. Justin Temprano, WISC, 1:42.99

Indiana’s Mohamed Samy and Gabriel Fantoni went 1-2 in the 200 back prelims, reversing the order of their 1-2 finish in the 100 back last night with Samy leading the way. Samy had the fastest back half in the field by far, clocking a time of 1:40.91. That swim gets the sophomore under the ‘A’ cut of 1:41.74.

Fantoni (1:42.10) and Iowa’s Kenneth Mende (1:42.36) swam alongside Samy in the 5th and final heat, qualifying 2nd and 3rd overall. Michigan’s Tristan Sanders and Wisconsin’s Cam Tysoe won the other two circle-seeded heats to qualify 4th and 5th overall, while James Beckman took 6th to give Indiana three swimmers in the A-final.

100 Free Prelims

• B1G Meet Record: 41.44, Blake Pieroni (IU), 2017
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 42.11
• 2017 Invite Time: 42.76

1. Blake Pieroni, IU, 41.89
2. Bowen Becker, MINN, 41.96
3. Bruno Blaskovic, IU, 42.26
4. Paul Powers, MICH, 42.67
5. Matthew Abeysinghe, OSU, 42.89
6. Ali Khalafalla, IU / Jack Smith, IOWA, 42.93
7. –
8. James Peek, MICH, 43.09

50 and 200 free winners Blake Pieroni and Bowen Becker clashed in the last heat of the 100 free, both registering ‘A’ cuts in 41.89 and 41.96 respectively. Becker got out to the early lead, but Pieroni overtook him on the last 25 to solidify lane 4 in tonight’s final. Becker’s swim breaks Minnesota’s school record.

Indiana’s Bruno Blaskovic and Ali Khalafalla won the other two circle-seeded heats to qualify 3rd and t-6th overall, while Paul Powers of Michigan, Matthew Abeysinghe of Ohio State and Jack Smith of Iowa are right there in the mix at 4th, 5th and t-6th. Last night’s relay hero, Michigan’s James Peek, rounds out the A-finalists in 43.09.

200 Breast Prelims

• B1G Meet Record: 1:51.03, Cody Miller (IU), 2013
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:52.94
• 2017 Invite Time: 1:54.54

1. Conner McHugh, MINN, 1:51.66
2. Tommy Cope, MICH, 1:52.91
3. Ian Finnerty, IU, 1:53.22
4. Charlie Swanson, MICH, 1:53.49
5. Levi Brock, IU, 1:53.57
6. Jacob Montague, MICH, 1:54.18
7. Marat Amaltdinov, PUR, 1:55.15
8. Jeremy Babinet, MICH, 1:55.31

The swimmers in the 200 breast really stepped up this morning, with the top five qualifiers all registering personal best times. Minnesota’s Conner McHugh flew to a time of 1:51.66, moving him into top spot in the nation. He won heat 3, and Michigan’s Tommy Cope took the 4th heat in 1:52.91, qualifying 2nd and getting under the ‘A’ cut of 1:52.94.

Ian Finnerty knocked over a second off his best to qualify 3rd in 1:53.22, and Michigan’s Charlie Swanson and Hoosier Levi Brock were also under 1:54 for 4th and 5th, with Brock winning the last heat from lane 8. Jacob Montague and Jeremy Babinet made it four Wolverines in the A-final, and defending champion Marat Amaltdinov qualified 7th after missing the A-final in the 100 breast.

200 Fly Prelims

• B1G Meet Record: 1:40.37, Dylan Bosch (MICH), 2014
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:41.44
• 2017 Invite Time: 1:43.09

1. Vini Lanza, IU, 1:40.88
2. Noah Lense, OSU, 1:42.10
3. Miles Smachlo, MICH, 1:42.44
4. Henrique Painhas, OSU, 1:42.75
5. Evan White, MICH, 1:42.93
6. Michael Salazar, OSU, 1:44.35
7. Corey Gambardella, IU, 1:44.53
8. Matthew Thomas, MINN, 1:44.60

Vini Lanza continued his string of impressive swims in the 200 fly heats, clocking 1:40.88 to put him 5th in the NCAA. He gets well under the ‘A’ standard of 1:41.44, and also breaks the IU school record.

Ohio State had a strong showing with three men advancing to the final, led by Noah Lense who was 2nd overall in 1:42.10. Henrique Painhas and Michael Salazar advanced in 4th and 6th. Miles Smachlo and Evan White took 3rd and 5th for Michigan, while Corey Gambardella of Indiana and Matthew Thomas of Minnesota round out the A-finalists.