2020 PRO SWIM SERIES – KNOXVILLE
- Thursday, January 16 – Sunday, January 19, 2020
- Knoxville, TN – Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center – University of Tennessee
- Long course meters (LCM) format
- Thursday distance session: 4 PM (U.S. Eastern Time)
- Fri-Sun.: 9:30 AM Prelims / 6:30 PM Finals
- Meet site
- Live Stream
- Psych Sheets
- Live results
The 2020 Pro Swim Series Knoxville concludes tonight with day 4 finals. Swimmers are set to compete in the 200 IM, 200 back, and 100 free. We’ll also see timed finals of the 1500 free, with the fastest heat swimming tonight. The early heats competed this morning.
Olympic medalist Melanie Margalis and Worlds medalist Madisyn Cox will battle in the women’s 200 IM, while junior star Carson Foster races Pan Ams Champion Will Licon in the men’s race. The 200 back PSS Record is on watch as Regan Smith leads the way.
Olympic Champion Simone Manuel and SEC Champion Erika Brown will have a rematch in tonight’s 100 free after Brown out-touched Manuel in the 50 last night. Olympic gold medalist Ryan Held, the U.S. Open Record holder, is one to watch in the men’s 100 free alongside 50 champ Nyls Korstanje and World Champion Zach Apple.
WOMEN’S 1500 FREE
- PSS Record: Katie Ledecky, 2018, 15:20.48
- Trials Cut: 16:49.19
Top 3 Finishers
- Erica Sullivan (SAND)- 16:01.71
- Kristel Kobrich (CHI)- 16:17.86
- Amanda Nunan (TENN)- 16:33.31
Erica Sullivan completed the distance sweep tonight. Sullivan, who won the 400 free and 800 free earlier in the meet, was far ahead of the field as she touched in 16:01.71. Chilean Record holder Kristel Kobrich (16:17.86) and Amanda Nunan (16:33.31) rounded out the top 3.
MEN’S 1500 FREE
- PSS Record: Jordan Wilimovsky, 2016, 14:53.12
- Trials Cut: 15:44.89
Top 3 Finishers
- Zane Grothe (BCH)- 15:19.77
- David Heron (MVN)- 15:28.40
- Alexander Norgaard (DEN)- 15:29.92
American distance star Zane Grothe came out on top again. After winning the 400 free last night, Grothe collected another title with his 15:19.77. Alexander Norgaard, who topped Grothe in the 800 free, was trailing closely at the 400, but Grothe took off after that and the field never caught him. Norgaard faded to 3rd in 15:29.92 as he was run down by David Heron (15:28.40) on the back half.
WOMEN’S 200 IM
- PSS Record: Katinka Hosszu, 2015, 2:08.66
- Trials Cut: 2:17.39
Top 3 Finishers
- Madisyn Cox (TXLA)- 2:09.88
- Alex Walsh (NAC)- 2:10.38
- Melanie Margalis (SPA)- 2:10.42
Junior phenom Alex Walsh was out quick as she led by a second at the halfway point. Worlds medalist Madisyn Cox took over on the breast leg and brought it home for the win in 2:09.88. That’s Cox’s first time under 2:10 since 2017 and her 3rd fastest swim ever in the event.
Walsh held on for 2nd in 2:10.38, taking nearly a second off her lifetime best. Olympic medalist Melanie Margalis came through on the back half to take 3rd in 2:10.42, nearly catching Walsh. SEC Champion Meghan Small was a half second shy of her best to take 4th in 2:11.88. Another junior standout, Phoebe Bacon, was just a few tenths off her best in 5th with a 2:14.87.
MEN’S 200 IM
- PSS Record: Michael Phelps, 2012, 1:56.32
- Trials Cut: 2:04.09
Top 3 Finishers
- Carson Foster (RAYS)- 1:59.50
- Will Licon (TXLA)- 2:00.21
- Sam Stewart (UN)- 2:00.44
Carson Foster, who won the 200 free here, took his 2nd title of the meet as he led the field in 1:59.50. That’s the 2nd fastest time he’s ever done in-season. Pan Ams Champion Will Licon worked his way up from 4th to 2nd on the breast leg en route to a 2:00.21.
Sam Stewart was ahead of Licon going into the breast leg. He touched 3rd in 2:00.21, holding off Jarod Arroyo on the back half. Arroyo’s 2:00.91 for 4th is a new Puerto Rican Record.
WOMEN’S 200 BACK
- PSS Record:
Taylor Ruck, 2018, 2:06.36 - Trials Cut: 2:14.69
Top 3 Finishers
- Regan Smith (RIPT)- 2:05.94
- Isabelle Stadden (AQJT)- 2:09.32
- Lisa Bratton (AGS)- 2:10.21
World Champion Regan Smith blew away the field by over 3 seconds. Smith’s 2:05.94 was a new Pro Swim Series Record. That’s her 3rd fastest performance ever in the event. Fellow 17-year-old Isabelle Stadden was the only other swimmer to break 2:10, touching 2nd in 2:09.32 ahead of Lisa Bratton (2:10.21).
Though it took a 2:10 to place 3rd, the top 3 times of the night were all under 2:10 and all done by 17 year olds. Shortly after the 200 IM, Phoebe Bacon returned to win the B final in 2:09.57. She finished just ahead of Taylor Ruck (2:10.34), who formerly held the Pro Swim Series Record in this event.
MEN’S 200 BACK
- PSS Record: Xu Jiayu, 2017, 1:55.04
- Trials Cut: 2:02.99
Top 3 Finishers
- Javier Acevedo (AJAX)- 1:59.50
- (T-2) Andy Song (Cal)- 2:01.34
- (T-2) Joey Reilman (TNAQ)- 2:01.34
Javier Acevedo (1:59.50) won this one by body lengths, posting the only sub-2:00 of the field. Notably, he was in 3rd place up until the final 50, as he hammered home in 30.11 to outsplit anyone by over a second.
Joey Reilman, who had led the whole race until the final 50, held on for 2nd in 2:01.34. With a final charge, Andy Song ran him down on the closing split to tie him for 2nd place, also touching in 2:01.34.
WOMEN’S 100 FREE
- PSS Record: Sarah Sjostrom, 2016, 53.12
- Trials Cut: 56.29
Top 3 Finishers
- Penny Oleksiak (CAN)- 53.41
- Simone Manuel (ALTO)- 53.44
- Erika Brown (TENN)- 53.49
Erika Brown flipped with a slight lead over Simone Manuel, but neither got their hand to the wall first. Penny Oleksiak, who was tied for 4th at the flip, came from behind to clip them at the finish in 53.41. Oleksiak and Manuel are no strangers to a close come-from-behind finish. The pair tied for Olympic gold in 2016 as they ran down the leaders.
Manuel was just 3 hundredths back for 2nd in 53.44. Brown settled for 3rd, just a few hundredths behind Manuel and a few hundredths shy of her lifetime best in 53.49. Canadian 17-year-old Kayla Sanchez was also under 54 to take 4th in 53.74.
Worlds medalist Margo Geer, who was tied with Oleksiak at the flip, finished 5th with a 54.49. NCAA Champion Mallory Comerford was a tenth back in 54.59. French Olympian Marie Wattel (54.79) and Olympic gold medalist Allison Schmitt (54.87) closed out the top 8.
Notably, SEC Champion Natalie Hinds, a postgrad training at Georgia, was just 2 hundredths shy of her lifetime best to win the B final. Hinds put up the 5th fastest time of the night in 54.36.
MEN’S 100 FREE
- PSS Record: Nathan Adrian, 2016, 48.00
- Trials Cut: 50.49
Top 3 Finishers
- Zach Apple (MVN)- 48.98
- Ryan Held (NYAC)- 49.09
- Yuri Kisil (CAN)- 49.48
50 free champ Nyls Korstanje took it out with the lead, but World Champion Zach Apple and Olympic Champion Ryan Held pulled ahead to battle for the win. Apple had the closing speed to win it, out-touching Held 48.98 to 49.09.
Canadian Olympian Yuri Kisil touched 3rd in 49.48, while Korstanje landed 4th in 49.52. Mikel Schreuders was just a few hundredths back in 49.58. U.S. National Teamers Dean Farris (49.74) and Justin Ress (49.81) were 6th and 7th.
Yawn! Wake me when we get to the Olympic Trials.
Wake up. OT’s hasn’t arrived yet, but you’ve been sleeping for 7 months.
Hinds creeping into that Darkhorse slot.
Oh that would be phenomenal!
Her long course has improved dramatically in the last few months.
I didn’t expect that.
While I’m always rooting for Simone to win, I think these two close losses will be great fuel to her fire. She hates to lose.
Don’t worry. Simone lets others beat her in season. And then she wins when it counts.
In the commentary, it mentions that Alex Walsh took a second off her lifetime best. Granted she entered at 211, she was second at the US Open with a new 17-18 NAG at 209.0 so while impressive and her second fastest time ever, not a new best time tonight.
Oleksiak really likes Olympic year, doesn’t she… Impressive!
She shows up when it matters. She will be a factor in lots of events this year.
Her events are uber competitive and her PBS as they stand now won’t be good enough for podium. Question is — how low can she go?
Depends who shows up with their PBs. If past is prologue, it won’t be Sjostrom or Cate, Manuel will be there. The final, as usual, won’t be as fast as the fastest times.
So proud of Farris swimming butterfly against these boys tonight! Braver than the marines!
I heard Dean tested positive for having traces of blood in his testosterone stream.
Held swimming for NYAC, but wearing an Alabama cap…. not his alma mater….
He currently trains at Alabama
Does training at Bama mean you have to wear their gear? I’m sure he’s not training there for free. Support the Pack
He can support the ‘Pack’ but is wiser to support himself as NYAC pays him!
I’m cool with that too. Put that on his swim cap
Yasss Penny