2019 Pro Swim Series- Clovis: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2019 CLOVIS PRO SWIM SERIES

Heading into day two of the heated Clovis PSS stop, Evie Pfeifer will contend in defending her top prelims spot against Sydney Pickrem in the 400 IM. The pair was separated by a second in prelims, but tonight will swim lane-to-lane.

In the men’s 100 fly, four-tenths separates top seed Giles Smith (52.31) and 17-year-old Luca Urlando (52.71). Also separated by three-tenths are top two 50 back seeds Justin Ress (25.14) and Matt Grevers (25.44). The women’s 100 fly top three are also tightly bunched, with four-tenths separating top seed Louise Hansson (58.22), Kendyl Stewart (58.56), and Kelsi Dahlia (58.61).

Keep an eye on 30-year-old Brandon Fischer, who led the men’s 100 breast prelims with a lifetime best of 1:01.06.

Women’s 200 Free- Finals

  • Pro Swim Series record: Katie Ledecky, 2016 – 1:54.43
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trial cut: 2:01.69

Top 3:

  1. Leah Smith (FORD)- 1:57.40
  2. Mallory Comerford (UOFL)- 1:57.93
  3. Emily Overholt (HPVC)- 1:57.97

With Leah Smith and Mallory Comerford in a tight battle heading into the 100 mark, it looked to be a great showdown. But meters into the final wall, Smith turned it on and slowly accelerated past Comerford. Into the final 15 meters, Smith established a half body-length lead while Emily Overholt challenged Comerford.

At the finish, Smith won with a new season best time of 1:57.40, remaining #26 in the world this year. Comerford also set a new season best by a few hundredths. Overholt was just off her season best of 1:57.26, which ranks #22 in the world this year.

Men’s 200 Free- Finals

  • Pro Swim Series record: Sun Yang, 2016 – 1:44.82
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trial cut: 1:50.79

Top 3:

  1. Trey Freeman (BAY)- 1:47.86
  2. Townley Haas (NOVA)- 1:48.02
  3. Luca Urlando (DART)- 1:48.58

Florida swimmer Trey Freeman established an early lead in the men’s 200 free, with the rest of the top 3 changing throughout. Heading into the finish, Townley Haas came charging towards Freeman. However, Freeman was able to hold off Haas for the win.

Freeman won with a 1:47.86, setting a new season best. Freeman’s time is also 0.16s off his lifetime best of 1:47.70 from last year’s nationals. Haas settled for second with a 1:48.02. Also taking a last-minute charge was Luca Urlando, rounding out the top 3 with a 1:48.58.

Women’s 100 Breast- Finals

  • Pro Swim Series record: Rebecca Soni, 2011 – 1:05.57
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trial cut: 1:10.99

Top 3:

  1. Sydney Pickrem (UN-GU)- 1:07.20
  2. Melissa Rodriguez (MEX)- 1:07.32
  3. Alia Atkinson (NYAC)- 1:08.00

Just as it was in prelims, the lead pack in the women’s 100 breast was tightly bunched. In the last 25 of the race, four swimmers were dead even into the finish. However, Canadian record-holder Sydney Pickrem had the hard lunge to win with a 1:07.20. Mexico’s Melissa Rodriguez just missed catching Pickrem with a 1:07.32. Fading to third was Jamaican Alia Atkinson, touching in at 1:08.00.

Pickrem smashed her personal best from the 2019 Canadian Championships, ranking 16th in the world. Rodriguez also entered the top 20 times in the world with her second place time.

Men’s 100 Breast- Finals

  • Pro Swim Series record: Adam Peaty, 2017 – 58.86
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trial cut: 1:03.29

Top 3:

  1. Brandon Fischer (LAC)- 59.86
  2. Devon Nowicki (MLA)- 1:00.97
  3. Miguel de Lara Ojeda (MEX)- 1:01.15

Establishing himself early in the race, 30-year-old Brandon Fischer blasted out from the pack. Fischer split a 27.66 on his first 50 and showed no signs of fading off. Fischer took the win with a milestone time of 59.86, dropping 1.2 seconds off his morning lifetime best.

Fischer now ranks as the third-fastest American this year behind Michael Andrew and Cody Miller. Fischer has also entered the top 25 times in the world this year.

Taking second place with a season best time was Devon Nowicki with a 1:00.97, entering the top 10 times in the US. Mexico’s Miguel de Lara Ojeda took third with a 1:01.15.

Women’s 50 Back- Finals

  • Pro Swim Series record: Olivia Smoliga, 2018 – 27.43

Top 3:

  1. Ali DeLoof (TE)- 28.05
  2. Amy Bilquist (SAC)- 28.44
  3. Isabelle Stadden (AQJT)- 28.64

Remaining comfortably ahead of Amy Bilquist and Isabelle Stadden to win was Ali DeLoof, establishing a season best time of 28.05. DeLoof remains the 4th-fastest American this year and moves to the 23rd-fastest time in the world.

Rounding out the top three was Bilquist and Stadden, who were right off their prelims season best times. There morning times remain the #10 and #11 times in the US this year.

Men’s 50 Back- Finals

  • Pro Swim Series record: Michael Andrew, 2019 – 24.66

Top 3:

  1. Justin Ress (WOLF)- 25.05
  2. Matt Grevers (FORD)- 25.21
  3. Chris Staka (ACSC)- 25.57

In epic face-off of the elite NCAA swimmer and Olympic champion, it was Justin Ress who took out Matt Grevers at the wall. Despite hitting the lane line, Ress won with a 25.05. Grevers settled for second with a 25.21. Taking third place was Chris Staka, touching in a few hundredths off his prelims time with a 25.57.

Ress remains the 5th-fastest swimmer in the world with a 24.68 while Grevers holds the #7 time with a 24.78. The pair also are #2 and #3 in the US this year behind Michael Andrew.

Women’s 100 Fly- Finals

  • Pro Swim Series record: Sarah Sjostrom, 2016 – 56.38
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trial cut:  1:00.69

Top 3:

  1. Louise Hansson (TROJ)- 57.36
  2. Kelsi Dahlia (CARD)- 57.45
  3. Kendyl Stewart (TE)- 58.35

Kelsi Dahlia stormed out from the blocks and touched first at the first 50 ahead of Louise Hansson and Kendyl Stewart. It looked like Dahlia had it in the bag until Hansson began to sneak on her into the finishing strokes. At the touch, Hansson surprised Dahlia and touched her out by less than a tenth.

Hansson’s winning time of 57.36 is just 1/100 off her season best from the Canadian Swimming Trials, the 5th-fastest time in the world. Dahlia set a new season best with a 57.45, the fastest American time this year. Dahlia now moves to 6th in the world behind Hansson. Stewart took third behind the duo with a 58.35.

Men’s 100 Fly- Finals

  • Pro Swim Series record: Jack Conger, 2018 – 51.00
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trial cut: 54.19

Top 3:

  1. Luca Urlando (DART)- 52.20
  2. Giles Smith (PSC)- 52.63
  3. Ryan Coetzee (TNAQ)- 53.57

Off the turn, Giles Smith and Ryan Coetzee looked to have a face-off for the final 50. But, Luca Urlando popped up from his underwater next to the duo and continued to accelerate. At the finish, the teenager overtook the veteran Smith with a 52.20. Smith settled for second with a 52.63 while Coetzee took third in a 53.57.

Both Urlando and Smith remain in the top 5 American times this year. Urlando also stays at #19 in the world this year with his time of 52.04 from Mel Zajac. Coetzee stays at #14 in the world with his South African Nationals time of 51.85.

Women’s 400 IM- Finals

  • Pro Swim Series record: Katinka Hosszu, 2015 – 4:31.07
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trial cut: 4:51.79

Top 3:

  1. Sydney Pickrem (UN-GC)- 4:40.64
  2. Emily Overholt (HPVC)- 4:44.23
  3. Evie Pfeifer (UT)- 4:44.51

After swimming to a strong lead after the front half, Sydney Pickrem took off in the breaststroke and continually established dominance. The Canadian cruised to a 4:40.64, dropping 8 seconds from prelims.

In an effort to make up from her front half, Evie Pfeifer slowly crept up on Canadian Emily Overholt. However, it became a Canada 1-2 finish when Overholt held off Pfeifer with a 4:44.23. Pfeifer settled for third with a 4:44.51, which was a 2 second drop from this morning.

Pickrem remains the third-fastest swimmer in the world this year in the event with her Candian Swimming Trials time of 4:35.15. Overholt also remains the #11 time in the world with her 4:37.88 from the same meet. Pfeifer swam just behind her season best of 4:44.20, which is in the top 15 American times this year.

Men’s 400 IM- Finals

  • Pro Swim Series record: Chase Kalisz, 2018 – 4:08.92
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trial cut: 4:25.99

Top 3:

  1. Jarod Arroyo (FORK)- 4:21.65
  2. Erick Gordillo (GUA)- 4:27.00
  3. Brodie Young (UBCT)- 4:28.18

18-year-old Puerto Rican Jarod Arroyo had a slight lead over Guatemalen Erick Gordillo after the front half of the race. After the breaststroke, Arroyo took off in the freestyle extending meters ahead of Gordillo. Taking the race home in a 1:00.57, Arroyo won with a 4:21.65. Gordillo took second in a 4:27.00 while Brodie Young rounded out the top three with a 4:28.18.

His time is just tenths off his lifetime best of 4:20.90. Ranking him in the 18 & under world rankings, he is now 7th.

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swimswamswum
5 years ago

This was a statement night for Pickrem! She swam both 100 breast and 400 IM (didn’t scratch like a few others to focus on a single event) and yet managed to win BOTH… wow, really impressive!

MLAFORMAT
5 years ago

Interesting that Ress barely hitting the lane line was such a big story even though it actually looked like Chris Staka from lane 3 was starting to reel him in until he whacked the lane line badly and visibly slowed down to move away. (Staka was 25.0 last weekend)

DrSwimPhil
Reply to  MLAFORMAT
5 years ago

That would require Rowdy talking about more than 2 swimmers in the field. I think that’s not in his contract.

Go watch the men’s 400IM final again if you can. The first mention Rowdy makes about the race in front of him is “oh wow, Arroyo is way ahead” at about the 385m mark.

Samesame
5 years ago

Anyone know where to find the 18 and under world rankings ? Never can find them .

Love to Swim
Reply to  Samesame
5 years ago

There is no such thing as 18 and under world rankings

Samesame
Reply to  Love to Swim
5 years ago

Oh ok . It was mentioned in the article .

Admin
Reply to  Samesame
5 years ago

There are 18 & under World Rankings. USA Swimming uses them to select certain junior travel teams. They’re not really ‘published’ regularly, but can more-or-less be deduced from the SWIMS database by limiting ages.

Wanna sprite?
5 years ago

Y’all doubted Nowicki

A$AP Pocky
5 years ago

Boardman gets paid Brandon Fischer

We The North
Reply to  A$AP Pocky
5 years ago

Underrated comment. Bravo.

UCswim
5 years ago

52.2 in high school is very fast

Tm71
Reply to  UCswim
5 years ago

So the oldest and the youngest had the best performances this evening

Captain Ahab
5 years ago

Gianluca Urlando really has some good glide and power in his butterfly. Giles Smith is lifting his head too high on his breath for butterfly.

Captain Ahab
5 years ago

It looked like Justin Ress was pulling on the lane line in the 50 meter backstroke.

About Nick Pecoraro

Nick Pecoraro

Nick has had the passion for swimming since his first dive in the water in middle school, immediately falling for breaststroke. Nick had expanded to IM events in his late teens, helping foster a short, but memorable NCAA Div III swim experience at Calvin University. While working on his B.A. …

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