2018 U.S. Winter National Championships: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

Dressel

2018 US WINTER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

WOMEN’S 1500 FREE FINALS

  • 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 16:49.19
  1. Ashley Twichell – 16:09.80
  2. Erica Sullivan – 16:14.84
  3. Chase Travis – 16:27.15

There was no Katie Ledecky in this race (she has the 100 free tonight), but Sandpipers of Nevada’s Erica Sullivan and TAC Titans’ Ashley Twichell battled side-by-side for the entirety of the race, flipping about two tenths or less from each other on nearly ever turn. They flipped at 8:36 and change at the 800 (over ten seconds faster than the 800 free Trials cut) as Twichell maintained her very slim lead.

At the 1000, though, Sullivan flipped ahead and started splitting 32-lows instead of 32-highs as Twichell kept fighting to stay in contention, and a 50 later, Twichell sped past Sullivan as the teenager faded a bit. By 1200, Twichell’s lead grew to a second and change, and she ended up running away with it in 16:09.80. Sullivan was 16:14.84 for second, still well ahead of the rest of the field.

Behind them were Wolfpack’s Hannah Moore and NCAP 16-year-old Chase Travis, as Moore was solidly in third until Travis creeped past her around the halfway point. Travis would extend her lead the rest of the way, claiming third in 16:27.15 as Moore placed fourth at 16:32.50.

MEN’S 1500 FREE FINALS

  • 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 15:44.89
  1. Jordan Wilimovsky – 15:05.96
  2. Anton Ipsen – 15:15.32
  3. Brennan Gravley – 15:38.26

Flipping at a very strong 8:04.32 at the 800, Jordan Wilimovsky clocked the win ahead of Wolfpack’s Anton Ipsen. Wilimovsky, the Northwestern grad who is back training with Team Santa Monica, won the 400 and 800 free already at this meet and now adds the mile to his title count with his 15:05.96 tonight.

Two teenagers finished 3rd and 4th, led by Sandpipers of Nevada’s Brennan Gravley at 15:38.26. Hickory YMCA’s Ross Dant was 4th at 15:42.76, while Team Santa Monica’s Gordon Mason posted a 15:43.09 from this morning’s slower heats to vault into 5th overall.

WOMEN’S 200 BACK FINALS

  • 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:14.69
  1. Kylie Masse – 2:09.92
  2. Hali Flickinger – 2:10.77
  3. Ali Galyer – 2:11.02

Canadian star Kylie Masse broke the pool record with a 2:09.92, the first sub-2:10 performance in this event that the Greensboro Aquatic Center’s ever seen. That’s a world-leading time for Masse (with the season being considered from September of this year and on).

2018-2019 LCM WOMEN 200 BACK

ReganUSA
SMITH
07/26
2.03.35 *WR
2Margherita
PANZIERA
ITA2.05.7204/06
3Kylie
MASSE
CAN2.05.9404/05
4Kaylee
McKEOWN
AUs2.06.2607/27
5Taylor
RUCK
CAN2.06.7004/05
View Top 26»

Athens Bulldogs’ Hali Flickinger booked it the last 10 meters or so to sneak in for 2nd at 2:10.77, about a second and a half off of her PR. Kentucky’s Ali Galyer was 2:11.02 after leading the way this morning, and 16-year-old Phoebe Bacon of NCAP was just behind her and off the podium at 2:11.13.

Paige Hetrick of Bradford YMCA went 2:14.04 out of lane 8 in the B-final, notching a Trials cut as well as a lifetime best.

MEN’S 200 BACK FINALS

  • 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:02.99
  1. Jacob Pebley – 1:56.96
  2. Christopher Reid – 1:58.28
  3. Markus Thormeyer – 1:59.10

Team Elite’s Jacob Pebley absolutely torched the field, going out in 56.33 and coming back in a 1:00-mid. He clocked a 1:56.96, moving him to #3 in this season’s world rankings.

2018-2019 LCM MEN 200 BACK

EvgenyRUS
RYLOV
07/26
1.53.40
2Ryan
MURPHY
USA1.54.1207/26
3Mitchell
LARKIN
AUS1.55.0306/13
4Jiayu
XU
CHN1.55.2404/27
5Austin
KATZ
USA1.55.5707/08
View Top 26»

Christopher Reid of Crimson Tide Aquatics, the 100 back winner, took 2nd at 1:58.28, followed by HPC Vancouver’s Markus Thormeyer at 1:59.10. Also dropping under 2:00 were Athens Bulldogs’ Jay Litherland (1:59.65) and unattached Kane Follows (1:59.78).

Paige daCosta, a 17-year-old out of Pleasanton Seahawks, went 2:03.26 to claim the B-final.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE FINALS

  • 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 56.29
  1. Simone Manuel – 53.38
  2. Margo Geer – 54.38
  3. Amanda Kendall – 54.52

There was no stopping Simone Manuel tonight, as she brought things home powerfully down the final meters to pull well ahead of the field with a very strong 53.38. She’ll hold onto her #2 time in the world rankings.

2018-2019 LCM WOMEN 100 FREE

SimoneUSA
MANUEL
07/26
52.04
2Cate
CAMPBELL
AUS52.1206/13
3Sarah
SJOSTROM
SWE52.2307/21
4Emma
McKEON
AUS52.4106/13
5Rikako
IKEE
JPN52.7911/17
View Top 26»

Margo Geer and Amanda Kendall, both with the IU pro group, were 2nd and 3rd at 54.38 and 54.52, respectively. Arkansas’ Anna Hopkin was a hundredth off of the podium with a 54.53, while Katie Ledecky also slipped under 55 with a 54.76.

Linnea Mack of Osprey was 56.26 to take the B final, just ahead of 15-year-old Torri Huske (56.29) of Arlington and 13-year-old Erin Gemmell (56.32) of NCAP. For Gemmell, she moves to #11 all-time in the 13-14 age group with that best time, and at just 13 years old, moves ahead of Simone Manuel’s 56.33 from 2011 when Manuel was 14.

Gemmell also now ranks #2 all-time for 13-year-olds in the 100 free with that swim — only Missy Franklin’s 56.14 is faster. Gemmell was also just .03 off of the OT cut.

MEN’S 100 FREE FINALS

  • 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 50.49
  1. Michael Chadwick – 48.57
  2. Nathan Adrian – 48.59
  3. Markus Thormeyer – 49.71

You don’t see Nathan Adrian losing the 100 free all too often, but he was just touched out by Team Elite’s Michael Chadwick at the wall, 48.57 to 48.59. Those are both great times for right now, as they rank #2 and #3 in the world rankings.

2018-2019 LCM MEN 100 FREE

2Kyle
CHALMERS
AUS47.0807/25
3Ryan
HELD
USA47.3907/31
4Vladislav
GRINEV
RUS47.4304/09
5Maxime
ROONEY
USA47.6107/31
View Top 27»

While Adrian is seemingly able to go a 48-mid in his sleep, that’s just the eighth time that Chadwick has ever been under 49, and it was right off of his best of 48.44 from this summer.

Markus Thormeyer was on the podium once more with a 49.71, while 17-year-old Destin Lasco clocked a 49.84 for 4th. That moves Lasco up to #19 in the 17-18 age group historical rankings.

Yale’s Henry Gaissert took the B-final (50.52), just three hundredths off of the Olympic Trials cut.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST FINALS

  • 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:33.29
  1. Kelsey Wog – 2:26.10
  2. Emily Escobedo – 2:27.34
  3. Micah Sumrall – 2:28.76

Kelsey Wog of Manitoba posted a very strong time of 2:26.10 to take control of this race tonight, just over two seconds off of her lifetime best. That slots in at #4 in the world rankings.

2018-2019 LCM WOMEN 200 BREAST

YuliaRUS
EFIMOVA
07/26
2.20.17
2Annie
LAZOR
USA2.20.7705/19
3Evgenia
CHIKUNOVA
RUS2.21.0707/04
4Lilly
KING
USA2.21.3905/31
5Tatjana
SCHOENMAKER
RSA2.21.7907/25
View Top 26»

Emily Escobedo of Condors took 2nd in 2:27.34, while there was a very tight battle for 3rd. Ultimately, it was 100 breast winner Micah Sumrall of Chattahoochee Gold who hit the pad in front of Longhorns’ Madisyn Cox, 2:28.76 to 2:28.83.

16-year-old Anna Keating of Machine Aquatics hit a Trials cut-worthy 2:32.62 to win the B-final.

MEN’S 200 BREAST FINALS

  • 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:17.89
  1. Nic Fink – 2:10.24
  2. Kevin Cordes – 2:11.34
  3. Jonathan Tybur – 2:13.77

The podium for the men’s 200 breast was in identical order to the podium for last night’s 100 breast, with Nic Fink of Athens Bulldogs going the quickest time. He was 2:10.24 for a pool record, followed by Phoenix Swim Club’s Kevin Cordes (2:11.34), who led for 150 meters and change, and Aggie Swim Club’s Jonathan Tybur.

Tybur was 2:13.77, just having enough to beat out Pinnacle Racing’s Chuck Katis at 2:13.94.

Moises Loschi (unattached) went 2:15.82 to secure the B-final victory.

WOMEN’S 200 FLY FINALS

  • 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:14.59
  1. Hali Flickinger – 2:07.22
  2. Olivia Bray – 2:11.38
  3. Charlotte Hook – 2:11.93

Hali Flickinger, a strategic expert at this event, was controlled on the front-half and let Virginia Gators’ Olivia Bray rocket out to a 1:00.9 first 100. Flickinger executed a phenomenal backhalf, though, blowing past Bray for the final turn and then hammering home over the last 50 meters. Flickinger wound up body lengths ahead for the win at 2:07.22, her sixth-best swim ever and her fastest non-summer LCM swim ever.

2018-2019 LCM WOMEN 200 FLY

HaliUSA
FLICKINGER
07/24
2.05.96
2Katie
DRABOT
USA2.06.5907/24
3Franziska
HENTKE
GER2.06.5011/21
4Katinka
HOSSZU
HUN2.06.6205/12
5Boglarka
KAPAS
HUN2.06.7807/25
View Top 26»

Bray was able to hold on for 2nd at 2:11.38, while 14-year-old Charlotte Hook of the TAC Titans got onto the podium with a 2:11.93. Athens Bulldogs’ Megan Kingsley was 2:12.61 for 4th.

It was a 2:14.60 to win the B-final for Leah Gingrich of Columbus Aquatic Club.

MEN’S 200 FLY FINALS

  • 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:01.19
  1. Ryan Vipavetz – 1:59.43
  2. Dare Rose – 1:59.98
  3. Brendan Burns – 2:01.09

This looked more like a Junior Nationals field than anything else, with six of the eight A-finalists age 18 or younger. The podium was all high schoolers, too, led by Rockville Montgomery’s Ryan Vipavetz, who was just able to hold off Dare Rose of Scarlet Aquatics, 1:59.43 to 1:59.98.

Brendan Burns of Upper Main Line YMCA was right with them coming off the final wall, but tightened up and fell to third at 2:01.09.

Canadian 16-year-old Cole Pratt (Cascade Swim Club) was 2:01.71 for the B-final win, just a tenth off of his lifetime best.

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Superfan
5 years ago

It will be interesting to see how the SC World swimmers who came to Nationals perform at SC Worlds vs those that didn’t get this final tune up! Go USA!

ERVINFORTHEWIN
5 years ago

Chadwick is still improving with this 48.5 in December – just ahead of Adrian . Bodes well for his 2019 season .

Yozhik
5 years ago

I don’t know what to think about Katie Ledecky in this meet:
100 – her 15th ever performance,
200 – her 18th,
400 – her 17th,
800 – her 21st .
The only time when we saw Katie as we are expecting her to be during this season was the end of the Spring when she went on market.
So, what is it now? Should we wait another eight months for real performance and meanwhile be satisfied with still WORLD class results but the ones that are well below her potentials. Is it what it means to be a pro?
When I go to the concert of professional singer I expect him/her to… Read more »

Barney
Reply to  Yozhik
5 years ago

Ledeck hasn’t been same since Rio and going to Stanford. Don’t down vote this, ok go ahead and do it, It’s just true. Her “only” WR since then is 1500 and that’s only because she didn’t swim it in 2016. Same with her scy times. Sorry, I doubt we will see 2016 performances ever again, more downvotes. Greatest ever – yes. Still getting better – no. Of course maybe she reads this and it’s just the incentive she needs.

SVIRD
Reply to  Yozhik
5 years ago

This ain’t it chief

Jim C
Reply to  Yozhik
5 years ago

There are no pros in any sport who perform at the highest level each week/month during the season. Do you think soccer players perform week in and week out at the same level they do in the World Cup and the Olympics?

Kelsey
Reply to  Jim C
5 years ago

Sure, but is Ledecky a Michael Phelps quality pro? No she’s not.

Yozhik
Reply to  Jim C
5 years ago

If well paid soccer or nba or nhl or nfl player is underperforming systematically then he will have immediately bad publicity and is risking his future contracts. If tennis or golf pro perform poorly during the season he will get low ranking that will preclude his participation in prestigious tournaments or put him seeded unfavorably significantly lowering his chances for big prize. Etc, etc, etc . How is a pro swimmer stimulated to perform well outside of major meet of the season?

Jack
Reply to  Yozhik
5 years ago

Watching Ledecky post 3 world-leading times and complaining they weren’t near her world records is like asking the Yankees for your money back because you wanted to see Aaron Judge hit a home run and he only delivered a double. Or seeing a live band and being upset they didn’t do any of their album-only tracks that are too technically difficult to reliably play live.

People swim faster when they rest. And if you want to crush it in August, November’s not a time for rest. I wish swimmers were super heroes too, but they’re just really talented mortals.

Yozhik
Reply to  Jack
5 years ago

Nobody is expecting a swimmer to swim next to the personal best each time he/she is diving in the water. I’m not asking to show the second and even the third personal best times. But I’m a consumer who directly or indirectly pays for the show that is called professional swimming competition and I’m expecting my demands to the quality of this show to be satisfied. The performance of American professional swimmers at this meet left me unsatisfied.

wowok
Reply to  Yozhik
5 years ago

well we’re so sorry they didn’t specifically please you. Please check back during the Olympics or worlds and please, feel free to forget to comment on swimswam articles for any meet other than those listed above since it’s disappointing to you. Don’t forget swimming is a long term strategic game, where swimmers are made to peak at just the right times.

Yozhik
Reply to  wowok
5 years ago

I appreciate yours and your friends’ sorry and that you dislike poor or irresponsible performance as much as I do. It is indeed very frustrating to see DNS against the name of the finalist of PRO Swim Series (think of the name of the meet) because he/she doesn’t want to miss the convenient flight home. I’m glad that purpose of your and your friends respond on my posting was not an attempt of personal insult. It is nice that you understand that there’s a reason why earnings of professional swimmers with a few exceptions are so low that they cannot be even called earnings. It is great that it is clear to you that in order to change the situation… Read more »

NothingsFair
Reply to  Yozhik
5 years ago

maybe you and your friends should talk to some of the pro swimmers I know about this since, I don’t know, they are the ones doing the swimming and making choices about their performance 🙂 Glad you have the capability to see both sides

Jack
Reply to  Yozhik
5 years ago

Here’s the thing. Let’s say you buy a ticket to go see Paul McCartney. Do you imagine you’re getting his 15th or 21st best performance ever? No, you’re not. You’re getting like his 864th best performance ever. And it’s still great, because he’s a beast. The reason you’re happy when you leave the McCartney show but not when you see Ledecky this week is because Ledecky has a clock on her. You can look at the clock and objectively say, “Oh, that’s only 95% as fast as the greatest swim anyone’s ever seen. Boo.” You leave McCartney thinking, “Holy crap I can’t believe he played Penny Lane!” and unless you have a professional-level musical expertise, you probably didn’t even hear… Read more »

NothingsFair
Reply to  Jack
5 years ago

amen

Hswimmer
5 years ago

Erin Gemmell is improving very fast!!

Mike
5 years ago

Am I the only one who gets irked seeing the Russians all over the top of the leader boards? I don’t want to make any false accusations but still…

Jambo Sana
Reply to  Mike
5 years ago

Watch Icarus.

Aquajosh
Reply to  Mike
5 years ago

Have you seen Kolesnikov? He’s a gangly teenage boy who has very little discernible muscle tone. He’s built way more like Tom Dolan than Ryan Murphy. I get your suspicions, but I’m inclined to believe this kid is just wicked gifted.

About Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon studied sociology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, graduating in May of 2018. He began swimming on a club team in first grade and swam four years for Wesleyan.

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