2019 Pro Swim Series- Des Moines: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2019 PRO SWIM SERIES – DES MOINES

• March 6th-9th, 2019
• Wellmark YMCA, Des Moines, Iowa
• LCM (50m), Prelims-Finals
• Live Results
• Psych Sheets
• TV/Webcast Info
• Event Schedule

Day 3 of the Des Moines Pro Swim Series will feature the finals of the 200 free, 50 breast, 50 fly, 200 back, 400 IM, and SwimSquad Mixed 200 medley relays.

Three swimmers look to take on 3 swims tonight. Notably, Hali Flickinger chose to keep her A-Final swims in the 200 free, 200 back, and 400 IM. Likewise, Caeleb Dressel is keeping his A-final swims in the 200 free, 50 breast, and 50 fly, which are all back-to-back. Michael Andrew is also swimming another sprint double in the 50 breast and 50 fly as well as anchoring the mixed 200 medley relay for Team Adams.

Also from this morning, Brazilian Felipe Lima broke the Pro Swim Series record in the 50 breast with a 26.97. With U.S. Open record holder Michael Andrew in the same race, it should be a dogfight for the U.S. Open/PSS records.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE – FINALS

• World: 1:52.98 7/29/2009 Federica Pellegrini
• American: 1:53.61 7/31/2012 Allison Schmitt
• U.S. Open: 1:54.40 6/28/2012 Allison Schmitt
• Jr World: 1:56.12 8/20/2014 Shen Duo
• Pro Swim: 1:54.43 2016 Katie Ledecky
• Trial Cut: 2:01.69

1. Allison Schmitt (Sun Devil)- 1:57.70
2. Melanie Margalis (Saint Petersburg)- 1:58.02
3. Leah Smith (Tuscon Ford)- 1:58.47

Allison Schmitt took this race out fast and kept it that way, holding off Melanie Margalis for the win with the 3rd-fastest time in the world this year. Margalis’ time is now #5 in the world this year.

Also staying under 2 minutes and cracking the top time are Leah Smith, #6 in the world, and Hali Flickinger (1:58.59), now #8 in the world.

MEN’S 200 FREE – FINALS

• World: 1:42.00 7/28/2009 Paul Biedermann
• American: 1:42.96 8/12/2008 Michael Phelps
• U.S. Open: 1:44.10 7/1/2008 Michael Phelps
• Jr World: 1:46.40 8/24/2017 Ivan Girev
• Pro Swim: 1:44.82 2016 Sun Yang
• Trial Cut: 1:50.79

1. Breno Correia (Brazil)- 1:47.83
2. Blake Pieroni (UN)- 1:47.92
3. Alex Kunert (UN-Queens)- 1:47.93

In the last few meters of the race, it was only a tenth of a second separating the lead trio in a sprint finish. Breno Correia took out Blake Pieroni, who won the 100 free over Correia last night, while Pieroni took second over Alex Kunert by one one-hundredth. The trio’s finals times now rank #5-7 in the world, respectively.

Caeleb Dressel took 6th with a 1:49.68 behind Jack Conger (1:49.39),  with 1 of 3 swims down for him. Knoxville 200 free champ Joao De Lucca got bumped into the B-final, winning with a 1:49.95.

WOMEN’S 50 BREAST – FINALS

• World: 29.40 7/30/2017 Lilly King
• American: 29.40 7/30/2017 Lilly King
• U.S. Open: 29.62 6/10/2018 Lilly King
• Jr World: 29.86 8/27/2013 Ruta Meilutyte
• Pro Swim: 29.62 2018 Lilly King

1. Jhennifer Conceicao (Pinheiros)- 30.90
2. Imogen Clark (Great Britain)- 30.91
3. Annie Lazor (Mission Viejo)- 30.96

Only 0.07 seconds separated the top 3 in the 50 breast. 100 breast champion Annie Lazor was out-shined by Brit Imogen Clark and Brazilian winner Jhennifer Conceicao. Conceicao and Lazor are now #4 and #5 in the world while Clark’s prelims swim of 30.81 remains #3 in the world.

Last night in the 100 breast, Lazor won the A-final while Conceicao took 7th and Clark was 10th.

MEN’S 50 BREAST – FINALS

• World: 25.95 7/25/2017 Adam Peaty
• American: 26.76 8/4/2015 Kevin Cordes
• U.S. Open: 26.84 7/27/2018 Michael Andrew
• Jr World: 26.97 4/4/2017 Nicolo Martinenghi
• Pro Swim: 26.97 3/8/2019 Felipe Lima

1. Felipe Lima (UN)- 27.18
2. Michael Andrew (Race Pace)- 27.22
3. Nic Fink (Athens Bulldogs)- 27.45

After nearly losing his U.S. Open record this morning, Michael Andrew was determined to win the 50 breast against Brazilian veteran Felipe Lima. However, it was Lima who threw out fast closing strokes to take out Andrew by 0.04 seconds.

Knoxville 50 breast champ and former PSS record-holder Nic Fink settled for third behind the duo. Caeleb Dressel took 7th with a 27.99 with only minutes before his 50 fly.

Winning the B-final was Cody Miller with a 28.02, with Kevin Cordes taking second in the final by 0.02.

WOMEN’S 50 FLY – FINALS

• World: 24.43 7/5/2014 Sarah Sjostrom
• American: 25.48 7/29/2017 Kelsi Dahlia (Worrell)
• U.S. Open: 25.48 8/26/2017 Rikako Ikee
• Jr World: 25.46 8/26/2017 Rikako Ikee
• Pro Swim: 25.74 4/14/2018 Kelsi Dahlia

1. Farida Osman (Pinnacle)- 25.79
2. Kelsi Dahlia (Cardinal)- 25.87
3. Kendyl Stewart (Team Elite)- 26.37

The Knoxville 2-3-4 finishers repeated the same order from January in the 50 fly. Farida Osman took advantage of the closing meters and punched the wall 0.08 seconds ahead of Kelsi Dahlia.

The Egyptian swimmer now holds the second-fastest time in the world with Dahlia right behind her. Kendyl Stewart also cracked the top 10 to take third behind the duo.

MEN’S 50 FLY – FINALS

• World: 22.27 7/1/2017 Andrii Govorov
• American: 22.76 7/23/2017 Caeleb Dressel
• U.S. Open: 22.91 7/18/2009 Bryan Lundquist
• Jr World: 23.22 8/27/2017 Michael Andrew
• Pro Swim: 23.11 2012 Matt Targett

1. Michael Andrew (Race Pace)- 23.36
2. Marius Kusch (UN-Queens)- 23.38
3. Luis Martinez (Guatemala)- 23.79

The top 2 from the 50 fly now have the top 2 times in the world this year. Just minutes after taking second in the 50 breast, Michael Andrew followed up quickly with taking an extra stroke to finish 0.02 seconds ahead of Marius Kusch. Taking third place was Knoxville champ Luiz Martinez, who just cracked the top 10 times in the world.

Caeleb Dressel had his best finish tonight, taking 5th place by 0.02 behind Ryan Held (23.97) in his third race of the session.

WOMEN’S 200 BACK – FINALS

• World: 2:04.06 8/3/2012 Missy Franklin
• American: 2:04.06 8/3/2012 Missy Franklin
• U.S. Open: 2:05.68 6/25/2013 Missy Franklin
• Jr World: 2:06.43 7/28/2018 Regan Smith
• Pro Swim: 2:06.36 2018 Taylor Ruck
• Trial Cut: 2:14.69

1. Kathleen Baker (Team Elite)- 2:08.08
2. Hali Flickinger (Athens Bulldogs)- 2:10.24
3. Olivia Smoliga (Athens Bulldogs)- 2:11.18

Taking the win was Kathleen Baker, who won by over 2 seconds with the #2 time in the world. Bulldog swimmers Hali Flickinger and Olivia Smoliga finished shortly after Baker.

Flickinger now has the 400 IM final left, where she is the top seed from prelims. At Knoxville, Flickinger was also second, but finished with a 2:08.72.

MEN’S 200 BACK – FINALS

• World: 1:51.92 7/31/2009 Aaron Peirsol
• American: 1:51.92 7/31/2009 Aaron Peirsol
• U.S. Open: 1:53.08 7/11/2009 Aaron Peirsol
• Jr World: 1:55.14 6/28/2017 Kliment Kolesnikov
• Pro Swim: 1:55.04 2017 Xu Jiayu
• Trial Cut: 2:02.99

1. Jacob Pebley (Team Elite)- 1:57.12
2. Ryosuke Irie (UN-Team Elite)- 1:57.26
3. Grigory Tarasevich (Cardinal)- 1:58.45

Team Elite training-mates Jacob Pebley and Ryosuke Irie had a thrilling race on the last 50 of the 200 back. Yet it was Pebley who lunged stronger into the wall over Olympic medalist Irie. The duo are now #2 and #3 in the world this year. At this time last year, at the Atlanta Pro Swim Series, Pebley and Irie were at 1:55.85 and 1:56.77, respectively.

Taking the #4 time in the world this year was Grigory Tarasevich, who finished in third place. Dropping almost 3 seconds from prelims was fifth-place finisher Cole Pratt, who is now #26 on the all-time 15-16 ranks with a 2:01.87.

WOMEN’S 400 IM – FINALS

• World: 4:26.36 8/6/2016 Katinka Hosszu
• American: 4:31.12 6/29/2008 Katie Hoff
• U.S. Open: 4:31.07 6/19/2015 Katinka Hosszu
• Jr World: 4:39.01 8/25/2015 Rosie Rudin
• Pro Swim: 4:31.07 2015 Katinka Hosszu
• Trial Cut: 4:51.79

1. Hali Flickinger (Athens Bulldogs)- 4:38.84
2. Bethany Galat (UN-Aggie)- 4:43.64
3. Calypso Sheridan (Northwestern)- 4:44.04

With only minutes after her 200 back final, Hali Flickinger made a statement as she won the 400 IM after 400 meters of racing beforehand. She took off in the free leg in a 1:02.67 to pull away from Bethany Galat, whose free split was 1:06.46, and score the #3 time in the world this year. Flickinger’s time also marked a personal best, making the end of her triple event lineup all the more impressive.

Taking third in the final was Northwestern’s Calypso Sheridan, who will be racing at the NCAA Championships in just less than 2 weeks in both IMs and the 200 breast.

MEN’S 400 IM – FINALS

• World: 4:03.84 8/10/2008 Michael Phelps
• American: 4:03.84 8/10/2008 Michael Phelps
• U.S. Open: 4:05.25 6/29/2008 Michael Phelps
• Jr World: 4:14.00 6/26/2016 Sean Grieshop
• Pro Swim: 4:08.92 2018 Chase Kalisz
• Trial Cut: 4:25.99

1. Jay Litherland (Dynamo)- 4:17.28
2. Brandon Cruz de Almeida (Sccp Brazil)- 4:17.65
3. Gunnar Bentz (Dynamo)- 4:20.37

Coming hot on the free leg to take out Brazilian Brandon Cruz de Almeida was Olympian Jay Litherland. After both dropping nearly 10 seconds from prelims, the duo’s finals times are now #4 and #5 in the world this year. Litherland knocked 5 seconds off his Knoxville time of 4:22.57, which took fourth.

Cracking the top 10 in the world was Gunnar Bentz, who took third place. Florida post-grad Mark Szaranek took fourth in a 4:24.39.

MIXED 200 MEDLEY RELAY- SWIMSQUAD

Winning Relay: Adams Squad (Jacob Pebley, Micah Sumrall, Kelsi Dahlia, Michael Andrew)

Taking an interesting start was Nic Fink, who led off the backstroke leg for the DiRado squad. Ultimately, putting a breaststroker for backstroke resulted in the DiRado Squad taking fourth.

Meanwhile, Jay Litherland led off the Jaeger Squad minutes after his 400 IM win. Despite almost cooling down on his 50, the squad was still in contention.

Into the free leg, it was down to Zane Grothe for the Beisel Squad and Michael Andrew for the Adams Squad. With it being distance versus sprint swimmer, Andrew prevailed in the last 25 meters to win it for Adams.