2020 Pro Swim Series – Knoxville: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2020 PRO SWIM SERIES – KNOXVILLE

Day 2 Finals of the 2020 Pro Swim Series Knoxville features finals of the 200 free, 100 breast, 100 fly, and 400 IM. Tonight’s events include several National Team members, including World and Olympic Medalists Regan Smith, Zach Apple, Simone Manuel, Allison Schmitt, Penny Oleksiak, Kelsi Dahlia, Ryan Held, and more.

Several of those names will appear in the first race of the night as the women’s 200 free is loaded with Olympic champions Schmitt, Manuel, Melanie Margalis, and Oleksiak. World Champion Regan Smith is also in the mix. The men’s 100 fly will also see an Olympic champion in the mix with Ryan Held going up against Dean Farris, an NCAA champion, and Giles Smith, a Pan Ams champion.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE

  • PSS Record: 1:54.43, Katie Ledecky (USA), 2016
  • Trials Cut: 2:01.69

Top 3 Finishers:

  1. Allison Schmitt (SUN)- 1:56.01
  2. Simone Manuel (ALTO)- 1:57.25
  3. Melanie Margalis (SPA)- 1:57.80

Penny Oleksiak had the early speed, but Allison Schmitt quickly took over at the halfway point. She continued to pull away as she won the race in 1:56.01. That’s her fastest time since 2018 and her 2nd fastest performance since her post-Rio return to competition.

Simone Manuel and Melanie Margalis came through on the back half to round out the top 3. Manuel’s 1:57.25 is the fastest she’s ever swum outside of a major national or international meet, while Margalis’ 1:57.80 is her fastest since 2018.

Oleksiak (1:58.74) held on for 5th, but Regan Smith ran her down for 4th on the closing leg to out-touch her in 1:58.67. That’s just 2 tenths shy of Smith’s best. The 4th fastest swim of the night, however, came from Kayla Sanchez with a 1:57.91 in the B final.

MEN’S 200 FREE

  • PSS Record: 1:44.82, Sun Yang (CHN), 2016
  • Trials Cut: 1:50.79

Top 3 Finishers:

  1. Carson Foster (RAYS)- 1:47.74
  2. Zane Grothe (BCH)- 1:49.07
  3. Jake Magahey (SA)- 1:49.29

Junior standout Carson Foster wasted no time getting ahead of the field, leading from start to finish with his dominant 1:47.74. That’s his 3rd fastest swim ever, within half a second of his best, and his fastest in-season performance by over a second.

Worlds team member Zane Grothe went from 8th at the halfway point to 2nd at the finish in 1:49.07, just out-touching National Junior teamer Jake Magahey (1:49.29). Worlds medalist Zach Apple was 2nd at the last flip, but settled for 4th in 1:49.68.

Fellow worlds medalist Andrew Seliskar won the B final with the 4th fastest time of the night. He was battling closely with Norbert Szabo (1:52.08) through the first 100, but pulled body lengths ahead as he posted a 1:49.53.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST

  • PSS Record: 1:05.57, Rebecca Soni (USA), 2011
  • Trials Cut: 1:10.99

Top 3 Finishers:

  1. Annie Lazor (MVN)- 1:06.68
  2. Emily Escobedo (COND)- 1:07.71
  3. Bethany Galat (AGS)- 1:08.08

Pan Ams champion Annie Lazor dominated this race in 1:06.68. Lazor, a short course Worlds champion, was 6 tenths shy of her lifetime best. Behind her, Emily Escobedo used her back-half speed to go from 5th to 2nd in 1:07.71. Bethany Galat, who took silver at last summer’s Pan Ams in the 200 breast behind Lazor, was 3rd here in 1:08.08.

MEN’S 100 BREAST

  • PSS Record: 58.86, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2017
  • Trials Cut: 1:03.29

Top 3 Finishers:

  1. Nic Fink (ABSC)- 1:00.00
  2. Anton McKee (PRVT)- 1:00.65
  3. (T-3) Michael Houlie (TENN)- 1:01.27
  4. (T-3) Tobias Bjerg (DEN)- 1:01.27

Michael Houlie and Thomas Bjerg were 1-2 at the half, but SEC champion breaststrokers Nic Fink and Anton McKee came through on the back half. Fink, who has competed at Worlds for Team USA, was the only man sub-32 on the closing split (31.69). He hit the wall in 1:00.00, while McKee pulled into 2nd at 1:00.65. Houlie and Bjerg wound up in a tie for 3rd at 1:01.27.

Worlds teamer Andrew Wilson was out in 7th, but came from behind to touch 5th with a 1:01.66.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY

  • PSS Record: 56.38, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2016
  • Trials Cut: 1:00.69

Top 3 Finishers:

  1. Amanda Kendall (MVN)- 57.65
  2. Regan Smith (RIPT)- 57.86
  3. Kelsi Dahlia (CARD)- 57.98

It was a 3-way battle between USA National Teamers. Amanda Kendall took it out with the lead in 26.91, and was able to hold off Regan Smith and Kelsi Dahlia to take the win in 57.65. That’s just a tenth shy of her lifetime best.

Smith posted her first ever sub-58, knocking a half second off her best to go from 6th at the half to 2nd at the finish in 57.86. That time is a new 17-18 National Age Group Record, breaking Katie McLaughlin’s former mark by a hundredth.

Olympic medalist Dahlia touched 3rd in 57.98, just ahead of NCAA Champ Farida Osman (58.50).

MEN’S 100 FLY

  • PSS Record: 51.00, Jack Conger (USA), 51.00
  • Trials Cut: 54.19

Top 3 Finishers:

  1. Giles Smith (SUN)- 52.56
  2. Dean Farris (HARV)- 53.07
  3. (T-3) Ryan Held (NYAC)- 53.38
  4. (T-3) Josiah Binnema (CAN)- 53.38

Though Matt Josa (53.41) and Dean Farris (53.07) were first to the wall at the 50, Pan Ams champ Giles Smith pulled ahead to win the event in 52.56. That time, however, was not the fastest of the night. In his 2nd race of the session, Andrew Seliskar put up a 52.52 to win the B final.

Farris put up another lifetime best as he touched 2nd. He’s now dropped 2 seconds from his best prior to this meet. Olympic champion Ryan Held and Josiah Binnema wound up in a tie for 3rd at 53.38. Josa ended up in 6th with a 53.41.

WOMEN’S 400 IM

  • PSS Record: 4:31.07, Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2015
  • Trials Cut: 4:51.79

Top 3 Finishers:

  1. Madisyn Cox (TXLA)- 4:39.25
  2. Hali Flickinger (SUN)- 4:41.98
  3. Alex Walsh (NAC)- 4:42.14

Madisyn Cox built her way to the lead at the halfway point and never looked back, winning by body lengths in 4:39.25. Fellow Worlds medalist Hali Flickinger ran down National Teamer Alex Walsh on the free leg to take 2nd in 4:41.98, a nail ahead of Walsh’s 4:42.14.

That was a huge drop for Walsh, taking nearly 8 seconds off her former best. Before today, she had never broken 4:51 in this event.

Canadian junior star Summer McIntosh was out quick, leading after the first 50 of backstroke, but wound up 7th overall in 4:50.43. That appears to be the fastest time ever swum by a Canadian 13 year old.

MEN’S 400 IM

  • PSS Record: 4:08.92, Chase Kalisz (USA), 2018
  • Trials Cut: 4:25.99

Top 3 Finishers:

  1. Kieran Smith (GSC)- 4:16.36
  2. Jarod Arroyo (FORK)- 4:16.67
  3. Carson Foster (RAYS)- 4:18.85

Kieran Smith set the pace early on, leading by nearly 2 seconds at the halfway point. Jarod Arroyo had cut that lead down to a tenth by the end of the breaststroke, setting up a close race to the finish. Arroyo was only 9 hundredths behind with a 50 to go, but Smith outsplit him again down the stretch to win 4:16.36 to 4:16.67.

Carson Foster, the 200 free champ, was only tenths behind after the breast leg. He fell behind their pace on the free leg, however, touching 3rd in 4:18.85.

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Aiden
4 years ago

What does pss stand for when it says pss record

Admin
Reply to  Aiden
4 years ago

Pro Swim Series.

Taa
4 years ago

Where is Chase? Seto says hi.

Swimmerinlane9
Reply to  Taa
4 years ago

Going to laugh if he was just over trained this past summer and throws down a huge time at trials/ Tokyo

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Swimmerinlane9
4 years ago

he is still not close to swim as fast as the others …….

Bobo Gigi
4 years ago

Cool to see Allison Schmitt swim so well. It doesn’t mean anything for the summer but it gives her much confidence. And if she can peak in Tokyo and be in a 1.54 high/1.55 low shape then it’s a game changer for the US relay.
Simone is looking good. Looks like she wants to be part of the 4X200 free relay in Tokyo.
Very nice in-season 57.86 for Regan Smith in the 100 fly, especially just after swimming a 200 free. I just hope she doesn’t plan to swim the 100 fly in Tokyo.
Very slow men’s 100 fly.
Nice time drop for Alex Walsh in the 400 IM. She has clearly improved her endurance in… Read more »

Bobo Gigi
4 years ago

Finnerty 1.04.77! 🙄
Definitely not a fast unrested swimmer.
I will not be shocked if he finishes top 2 at trials and swims sub 59.
Very open event at trials. Anything can happen.
Good luck predicting the outcome.
Even harder to predict than the Dem primary. 😆

Anonymoose
Reply to  Bobo Gigi
4 years ago

In codys vlog they said Ian is sick I think

Yozhik
4 years ago

Pretty unusual splits of Melanie Margalis in 200FR final:
28.42 – 30.29 – 29.96 – 29.13. Distinctively negative with the very fast finish. Not only her last fifty was the fastest in this race, it is very fast by any measures. Has it just happened this way or that is how she is going to approach racing of this event. Does it make any sense? There is an example when it did.
The only 1:54 swim of Femke Heemskirk (1:54.6) was done with negative splits. With her usual fast start she was at best 1:55 middle.

Troyy
Reply to  Yozhik
4 years ago

Neither of those were negative split.

Yozhik
Reply to  Troyy
4 years ago

What are negative splits then?

Troyy
Reply to  Yozhik
4 years ago

Second half of the race faster than the first half.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Troyy
4 years ago

indeed , so simple to understand

Speed Racer
4 years ago

Dear Rowdy,
If you are not going to bother to do a little research on swimmers in finals maybe you should go ahead and turn over the mic. We are all sick and tired of you blabbing on and on. Pay attention to the race. You have one job… to call the race.

Sincerely,
Swim Fans Everywhere

DLSwim
Reply to  Speed Racer
4 years ago

Too harsh.

Texas Tap Water
Reply to  Speed Racer
4 years ago

Seconded

Swimmer
Reply to  Speed Racer
4 years ago

Wasn’t able to watch the session, what did Rowdy do?

Cate
Reply to  Swimmer
4 years ago

Nothing

PhillyMark
Reply to  Swimmer
4 years ago

The only thing i noticed was he talked about Carson Foster the 1st 300 of the 400 IM and didnt really mention Kieran Smith, who was in the lead the whole time

Cate
Reply to  Speed Racer
4 years ago

Do you believe you represent swim fans everywhere?

Cate
Reply to  Speed Racer
4 years ago

You forgot that he has a gold medal

Troyy
Reply to  Speed Racer
4 years ago

Tone of voice is worse. Constantly sounds on the verge of hysteria.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Speed Racer
4 years ago

agreed

leisurely1:29
Reply to  Speed Racer
4 years ago

…but he was breathing to his right!

Sccoach
Reply to  Speed Racer
4 years ago

Totally agreed. Rowdy sucks. It’s an early season meet, hardly anyone is watching, give more than 1 or 2 people per race some attention. Go back to doing schtick at trials and international meets when it’s likely that only a few people per event have a shot.

It’s just so lame that we have to deal with one guy commenting the majority of Swim meets for almost our whole lifetime and he has publicly said that he knows he does stuff that annoys a part of the audience and he continues to do it anyways

marklewis
4 years ago

Kieran Smith is swimming really well this season. He’ll be in multiple finals at the OTs this summer.

Kevin
4 years ago

So happy for Schmitt!!

Swammer
Reply to  Kevin
4 years ago

Yikes, what’s with the downvotes on the Schmitt comments??

Marley09
Reply to  Swammer
4 years ago

I’m confused too. I thought we loved her almost as much as we do Dean.

Texas Tap Water
Reply to  Swammer
4 years ago

Probably because people are skeptical about “Schmitt is back”

Remember last year?

Cate
Reply to  Texas Tap Water
4 years ago

No, it’s because people are jerks.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Cate
4 years ago

thats true

CAN33
Reply to  Cate
4 years ago

Enjoy all of your posts. Keep them coming!

About Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh is a former NCAA swimmer at the University of Arizona (2013-2015) and the University of Florida (2011-2013). While her college swimming career left a bit to be desired, her Snapchat chin selfies and hot takes on Twitter do not disappoint. She's also a high school graduate of The …

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