2018 U.S. Nationals: Day 1 Distance Heats Live Recap

2018 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, July 25 – Sunday, July 29, 2018
• William Woollett Aquatics Center, Irvine, CA
• Prelims 9 AM / Finals 6 PM (U.S. Pacific Time)
• Meet website
• Meet information
• Event Order
• Full selection procedures
• Psych Sheet
• SwimSwam Previews Index
• TV Schedule
• Pick ‘Em Contest
• Omega Results
• Live Stream
• Wednesday Prelims Heat Sheet

We’re getting the ball rolling on the first distance free races at the 2018 U.S. Nationals in Irvine, California. This afternoon will bring 6 heats each of the women’s 800 free and men’s 1500 free, while the 7th and fastest heat will swim with finals. A few of the swimmers to watch in the afternoon heats are Purdue All-American Kaersten Meitz, Stanford All-American Megan Byrnes, Winter Nationals distance champion Ashley Neidigh, Olympic trials finalist Chris Wieser, Stanford’s Matthew Hirschberger, and Cal’s Nick Norman.

WOMEN’S 800 FREE:

• World Record: 8:04.79- Katie Ledecky, 2016
• American Record: 8:04.79- Katie Ledecky, 2016
• Championship Record: 8:10.32- Katie Ledecky, 2016
• U.S. Open Record: 8:06.68- Katie Ledecky, 2016

Top 8 Through Afternoon Heats:

1. Mariah Denigan– 8:28.15
2. Megan Byrnes– 8:31.07
3. Taylor Ault– 8:34.25
4. Cassy Jernberg– 8:35.48
5. Kaersten Meitz– 8:35.73
6. Katy Campbell– 8:35.74
7. Molly Kowal– 8:35.94
8. Ashley Neidigh– 8:36.57

Team Santa Monica’s Katy Campbell won heat 2 in 8:35.74, marking her fastest swim since she set her lifetime best 8:30.46 in 2014. At that 2014 Nationals, also in Irvine, Campbell won the 1500 free, qualifying to represent the U.S. at 2015 Worlds. Molly Kowal finished just behind Campbell’s time to win heat 3, touching in 8:35.94.

In heat 5, 15-year-old Mariah Denigan took over the leaderboard as she finished 7 second ahead of the field in a lifetime best 8:28.15. That time would have had her seeded 5th heading into this meet, so she’s got a shot at a top 8 finish. Since the start of the 2018 season, she’s now dropped 11 seconds. Behind her, Indiana’s Cassy Jernberg dropped 4 seconds to take 2nd in the heat at 8:35.48.

In the final afternoon heat, Megan Byrnes came from behind and built a 3-second lead to win the heat in 8:31.07, a best time by half a second. Florida’s Taylor Ault broke 8:35 for the first time, touching behind Byrnes in 8:34.25.

MEN’S 1500 FREE:

• World Record: 14:31.02- Sun Yang, 2012
• American Record: 14:39.38- Connor Jaeger, 2016
• Championship Record: 14:45.54- Peter Vanderkaay, 2008
• U.S. Open Record: 14:45.54- Peter Vanderkaay, 2008

Top 8 Through Afternoon Heats:

1. Nick Norman– 15:08.81
2. Chris Wieser– 15:12.01
3. Zach Yeadon- 15:21.21
4. Ben Lawless- 15:21.48
5. Chris Yeager- 15:22.76
6. Mikey Calvillo– 15:23.03
7. Arik Katz– 15:23.13
8. Greg Reed– 15:24.19

Will Roberts of Michigan set the pace out of heat 2 in 15:29.75. That was a best by nearly 20 seconds. He was entered with a yards time, but had a meters best of 15:48.59 from 2017 nationals.

Greg Reed dominated heat 3, finishing body lengths ahead of the field to overtake the lead in 15:24.19 shredding his former best 15:42.70 by nearly 20 seconds as well. Mikey Calvillo and Arik Katz pushed each other to the 2 fastest times through heat 5, touching in 15:23.03 and 15:23.13 respectively. That was a 5 second drop for Calvillo and a big, nearly 20-second drop from 16-year-old Katz.

In the final afternoon heat, Cal’s Nick Norman dropped 8 seconds off his time to lead the way headed into the circle seeded heats in 15:08.81. Throughout this season, he’s taken 20 seconds off his best time. Olympic Trials finalist Chris Wieser had his best swim by far since 2016. His best is a 15:09.70 from Trials, but the fastest he had been since then was a 15:23.97 last summer. Today, he took 2nd in the heat behind Norman in 15:12.01.