2019 Bloomington Pro Swim Series: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

Lilly King By Jack Spitser

2019 BLOOMINGTON PRO SWIM SERIES

This morning, Simone Manuel of Alto Swim Club dropped a 53.55 to lead the 100 free prelims, Nathan Adrian is back to racing with a 49.83 in prelims, and Katie Ledecky posted a 4:02.40 as only sub-4:10 finisher on the women’s side in the 400 free. Ledecky is poised to beat her 2019 PSS best of 4:01.50, while her season best from Winter Nationals sits at 4:00.35.

A point of intrigue to watch is 13-year-old Maggie Wanezek of Elmbrook Swim Club in Wisconsin. Wanezek sprinted to a time of 28.99 in the 50 back to qualify for the A final, and became the youngest swimmer under 29 seconds in American LCM history in the event. She’s the 11-12 NAG record holder in the 50 back and is continuing to progress well. Watch Kylee Alons (NC State), too– she set personal bests in the 100 free (55.89) and 50 back (28.10) this morning, and was the fastest swimmer in the 50 back in prelims.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE – FINALS

  • Pro Swim Series record: 53.12 – Sarah Sjöström (2016)
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 56.29

TOP 3

  1. Simone Manuel (Alto Swim Club) – 53.65
  2. Mallory Comerford (Louisville) – 54.11
  3. Margo Geer (Mission Viejo) – 54.18

After being the only swimmer sub-54 in the prelims, Simone Manuel got the job done tonight in the A final. She posted a 53.65, a touch off of her morning swim.

Mallory Comerford was 2nd in 54.11, pushing past Margo Geer under the flags. Comerford was 54.11, with Geer just behind in 54.18.

MEN’S 100 FREE – FINALS

  • Pro Swim Series record: 48.00 – Nathan Adrian (2016)
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 50.49

TOP 3

  1. Zach Apple (Indiana Swim Club) – 48.76
  2. Blake Pieroni (Indiana Swim Club) – 48.86
  3. Robert Howard (University of Alabama) – 49.09

Zach Apple and Blake Pieroni, both of Indiana Swim Club, swam big times in the final here. Apple was 48.76, just a tenth ahead of Pieroni (48.86). Both men have lifetime bests of 48.0, while the fastest in-season time Apple had ever gone until now was a 49.41 from prelims. Alabama alum Robert Howard was 49.09 to take third, off of his 48.67 lifetime best.

Nathan Adrian hung with the crowd, touching 4th in 49.31 in his first final back in the pool. Ali Khalafalla also got under 50 seconds, posting a 49.68 and taking 5th.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST– FINALS

  • Pro Swim Series record: 1:05.57 – Rebecca Soni (2011)
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 1:10.99
  1. Lilly King (Indiana Swim Club) – 1:05.68
  2. Annie Lazor (Mission Viejo) – 1:06.03
  3. Bethany Galat (Aggie Swim Club)/Emily Escobedo (Condor)/Madisyn Cox (Longhorn Aquatics) – 1:07.59

Lilly King, in her first final post-college, dropped a huge swim: 1:05.68 to win it. She’s only been faster in-season one other time, in 2018 at the Santa Clara PSS (1:05.68). King takes over the world #1 spot from rival Yulia Efimova, who went 1:05.99 at the Budapest stop of the FINA Champions Series.

2018-2019 LCM WOMEN 100 BREAST

LillyUSA
KING
07/23
1.04.93
2Yuliya
EFIMOVA
RUS1.05.4907/23
3Annie
LAZOR
USA1.06.0305/17
4Reona
AOKI
JPN1.06.3007/22
5Tatjana
SCHOENMAKER
RSA1.06.3207/12
View Top 26»

In 2nd was Annie Lazor, who has been training with King and has seriously upped her game. She is reportedly rested for this meet. She hit another best time here, going 1:06.03 and pushing a 1:05 after coming in with a best of 1:06.66. Lazor has shot into serious contention for a spot in both breaststrokes for Tokyo 2020.

There was a three-way tie for third between Bethany GalatEmily Escobedo, and Madisyn Cox at 1:07.59. For Escobedo and Cox, that’s a huge best time. They came in at 1:08.55 and 1:08.57, respectively.

MEN’S 100 BREAST – FINALS

  • Pro Swim Series record: 58.86 – Adam Peaty (2017)
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 1:03.29

TOP 3

  1. Cody Miller (Sandpipers of Nevada) – 59.24
  2. Michael Andrew (Race Pace Club) – 59.52
  3. Anton McKee (Iceland) – 1:00.62

A rested Cody Miller took this one in 59.24, taking five tenths off of his time in the morning. He’s coming off dealing with what he called a ‘torn-up knee’ on the live broadcast. He touched out Michael Andrew, who was 59.52, not far from his 59.38 lifetime best.

Iceland’s Anton McKee was 1:00.62 for third, with Nick Fink also under 1:01 with a 1:00.70.

WOMEN’S 50 BACK – FINALS

  • Pro Swim Series record: 27.43 – Olivia Smoliga (2018)

TOP 3

  1. Regan Smith (Riptide) – 28.08
  2. Kylee Alons (Unattached) – 28.21
  3. Elise Haan (Unattached) – 28.37

Regan Smith of Riptide swam .36 better than in prelims to take this race in 28.08. Kylee Alons, the top seed in the morning, added a tenth but still took second in 28.21, with her NC State teammate Elise Haan in third at 28.37.

Isabelle Stadden of Aquajets grabbed 4th in 28.57, one of three Minnesota teenagers in the A and B finals. 13-year-old Maggie Wanezek, who became the youngest swimmer to break 29 seconds in this race this morning at 28.99, was 29.21 for 7th. Reigning NCAA 100 and 200 backstroke champion Beata Nelson was 28.72 to take 6th, dropping almost half a second from prelims. That’s .08 off of her best from last summer’s National Champs.

16-year-old Abby Kapeller of Aquajets broke 29 for the first time in her life to win the B final in 28.70.

MEN’S 50 BACK – FINALS

TOP 3

  1. Michael Andrew (Race Pace Club) – 24.91
  2. Grigory Tarasevich (Cardinal Aquatics) – 25.10
  3. Gabriel Fantoni (Indiana Swim Club) – 25.34

Michael Andrew hopped in the pool about fifteen minutes after his 100 breast, clocking another sub-25 performance. He was 24.91, not far off of his 24.66 season best, which is also the PSS record.

Grigory Tarasevich was 25.10 for 2nd, with Gabriel Fantoni getting a big Indiana team on the podium once again with a third-place finish at 25.34.

Hunter Armstrong of Canton City Schools was 25.51 for fourth. That’s a new lifetime best for the 18-year-old, who came in with a 25.93 best.

WOMEN’S 200 FLY – FINALS

  • Pro Swim Series record: 2:06.76 – Cammile Adams (2012)
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 2:14.59

TOP 3

  1. Katie Drabot (Unattached) – 2:08.57
  2. Regan Smith (Riptide) – 2:08.58
  3. Ella Eastin (Alto Swim Club) – 2:09.92

Regan Smith was back after her win in the 50 back, going head-to-head with Stanford standouts Ella Eastin and Katie Drabot. Drabot led the prelims, but Smith turned things on in the last 50 and made this a close race. Drabot wouldn’t be beaten, and in what looked like a tie, she had enough momentum to clock the win at 2:08.57, edging Smith by a hundredth.

Eastin grabbed third, finishing under 2:10 in 2:09.92, with Kentucky Aquatics’ Asia Seidt going 2:10.94 to take 4th.

Drabot slices around a tenth from her season best, and she and Smith sit 16th and 17th in the world rankings, respectively.

MEN’S 200 FLY – FINALS

  • Pro Swim Series record: 1:55.29 – Li Zhuhao (2017)
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 2:01.19

TOP 3

  1. Jay Litherland (Dynamo Swim Club) – 1:57.99
  2. Corey Gambardella (Indiana Swim Club) – 1:58.49
  3. Carson Foster (Mason Manta Rays) – 1:59.32

Jay Litherland had a great swim, clocking a lifetime best 1:57.99 to win this race. His old best was a 1:58.04. Also setting a personal best was second place Corey Gambardella, who had never broken 2:00 until this race. After a 2:00 in the morning, he was 1:58.49 to take a huge chunk of time off.

17-year-old Carson Foster also broke 2:00 with a 1:59.32, while 16-year-old Jean-pierre Khouzam of Dayton Raiders was two tenths from his best with a 2:00.72 to take fourth.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE – FINALS

  • Pro Swim Series record: 3:57.94 – Katie Ledecky (2018)
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 4:16.89

TOP 3

  1. Katie Ledecky (Alto Swim Club) – 3:59.95
  2. Madisyn Cox (Longhorn Aquatics) – 4:10.21
  3. Brooke Forde (Unattached) – 4:11.91

Katie Ledecky was out a full second faster at the 200 mark tonight than this morning, flipping at 1:59.4. She held very strong, and wound up under 4:00 at the final touch: 3:59.95. That’s a season best and her third-best in-season time ever, and it’s just off of Ariarne Titmus‘s world #1 time.

2018-2019 LCM WOMEN 400 FREE

AriarneAUS
TITMUS
07/21
3.58.76
2Katie
LEDECKY
USA3.59.2806/08
3Leah
SMITH
USA4.01.2907/21
4Anja
KESELY
HUN4.01.3107/21
5Bingjie
LI
CHN4.03.2903/07
View Top 26»

SPLITS

28.3 30.1 (58.4) 30.3 30.6 (1:59.4) 30.6 30.2 (3:00.2) 30.2 29.4 (3:59.95)

Ledecky was 59.72 in the final 100 and never went above 1:01 on any of her four 100s.

Madisyn Cox took 2nd in 4:10.21, with Brooke Forde (4:11.91) touching out Hannah Moore (4:11.95). Moore won the mile last night. That’s a lifetime best for Cox by over a second; she was 4:11.58 coming in. Forde takes .02 from her old best.

MEN’S 400 FREE – FINALS

  • Pro Swim Series record: 3:43.55 – Sun Yang (2016)
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 3:57.29

TOP 3

  1. Zane Grothe (Boulder City Henderson) – 3:48.27
  2. Felix Auboeck (Michigan) – 3:52.69
  3. Johannes Calloni (Unattached) – 3:54.21

After winning the mile last night, Zane Grothe turned in a time of 3:48.27 to take the win here. He hasn’t been this fast in-season since he was 3:47.99 at the Bucceto Open in early June of 2017.

Felix Auboeck was 3:52.69 for second, ahead of Johannes Calloni (3:54.21).

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Yozhik
4 years ago

The current ratings in women 400FR shown in the article is inaccurate. It doesn’t include Wang Jianjiahe 4:03.77 result swum on 3/24/2019 at Chinese Nationals. That makes her #4 and Kesely #5.
Source- FINA.

Foreign Embassy
4 years ago

Regan smith came back faster last 50 in the 2fly than Shields…15 min after winning the 50 back. Let that sink in….

Leisurely1:29
Reply to  Foreign Embassy
4 years ago

underrated comment

Yozhik
Reply to  Leisurely1:29
4 years ago

Haven’t we had already similar discussion back in 2012?
*****
Three farmers are arguing who has the largest farm.
The first one says. I can go out from my home in the early morning and go until dusk and still won’t reach the boundaries of my farm.
The second one says: It’s nothing. I can drive my truck all day long and won’t reach the end of my farm.
The third one replies: Yeah, I also used to have such a truck 😀

Austinpoolboy
Reply to  Foreign Embassy
4 years ago

She wasn’t carrying a piano, so not a fair comparison

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Foreign Embassy
4 years ago

The Olympic 400 IM winner for women in London came back in the last 100 the same as the winner for men (Lochte). It happens.

Yozhik
4 years ago

Surprisingly, the very slow second half for all finalists in women 100 free. Only one swimmer under 28sec (Commerford: 27.80). I’m taking it as indicator that no rest was taken from in-season training for this meet.

Tea rex
4 years ago

I was just wondering where J Litherland had been…
Surprised he’s not in Atlanta this weekend, but that was a great 2 Fly

Mellon
4 years ago

I wonder what times Ruck and Carson went in 100 free. I can not attain the live results.

spectatorn
Reply to  Mellon
4 years ago

looks like 100 free results are up
7 Taylor Ruck 18 Unattached 55.57 55.74 798
r:+0.71 26.93 55.74 (28.81)

9 Carson Foster 17 Mason Manta Rays 50.39 50.58 797
r:+0.62 24.44 50.58 (26.14)

Mellon
Reply to  spectatorn
4 years ago

Thank you.

Samuel Huntington
4 years ago

Katie, fantastic

Yozhik
Reply to  Samuel Huntington
4 years ago

I was wondering why there was no smile on Katie’s face at the end of the race.
The 30.27 – 29.45 finish explains.
For example, the finish of Titmus in the most recent under 4min race was
30.53 – 29.79
In PanPac race last season Katie was slower at the finish than Ariarne and won because of advantage made at first 200..
It looks like new tactics was tried today. During last years at in-season meets she emphasised on fast first 150-200 meters with more or less steady speed at the rest of the distance.
Today there was pretty impressive finish 30.20 – 30.27 – 29.45

Yozhik
Reply to  Yozhik
4 years ago

On the span of almost 6 years Katie Ledecky was 16 times under 4 minutes in 400 race:
7 – 3:59; 7 – 3.58; 1 – 3.57; 1 – 3:56. And all of them are different by their strategy. Today’s one (#16) has the slowest first 200 (1:59.43). The craziest start was last season at Nationals – 1:56.94. That was her #11 (3:59.09). After so many races and thousands miles in training she is still searching.

Anonymous
4 years ago

Karl I thought Cody injured his tendons to his knee not his ligaments.

Fly
Reply to  Anonymous
4 years ago

I believe the issue was with microtears in his ACL and MCL, but idk

Anonymous
Reply to  Fly
4 years ago

Ok found the vlog that he says he had microtears in the medial collateral ligaments in both knees. I am so happy he has been able to manage and recover from that.

DRUKSTOP
4 years ago

Back to taking multiple dolphin kicks

Rsquad
Reply to  DRUKSTOP
4 years ago

I haven’t seen him do the multiple kicks in the last few races— I admit that I did notice 3 (or 4) off the wall tonight.

Anonymous
Reply to  DRUKSTOP
4 years ago

Agree off the turn looked like 4 small extra kicks

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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