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 continues this morning with day 4 prelims. 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 with finals.
World Record holder Regan Smith will take on the 200 back today, putting the PSS Record on watch. Olympic Champion Simone Manuel is entered in the 100 free, while Olympic medalist Melanie Margalis will swim the 200 IM.
On the men’s side, U.S. Open Record holder Ryan Held is set to swim the 100 free. All-American Will Licon (200 IM) and junior standout Wyatt Davis (200 back) are among the men to watch in their respective events.
WOMEN’S 200 IM
- PSS Record: Katinka Hosszu, 2015, 2:08.66
- Trials Cut: 2:17.39
Top 8 Qualifiers
- Melanie Margalis (SPA)- 2:13.32
- Meghan Small (TENN)- 2:13.33
- Madisyn Cox (TXLA)- 2:13.51
- Alex Walsh (NAC)- 2:14.58
- Tess Cieplucha (TENN)- 2:15.32
- Megan Kingsley (ABSC)- 2:16.78
- Meaghan Raab (NAC)- 2:16.82
- Phoebe Bacon (NCAP)- 2:16.95
Olympic medalist Melanie Margalis cruised to victory in the final heat, taking top seed in 2:13.32. Meghan Small was just a hundredth behind with her 2:13.33 from heat 5, where she held off Worlds medalist Madisyn Cox (2:13.51). Cox won the 400 IM earlier in the meet.
Teenage Phenom Alex Walsh dominated heat 4 in 2:14.58. Another junior standout, Phoebe Bacon, will join her in the final at 8th in 2:16.95.
MEN’S 200 IM
- PSS Record: Michael Phelps, 2012, 1:56.32
- Trials Cut: 2:04.09
Top 8 Qualifiers
- Carson Foster (RAYS)- 2:01.80
- Will Licon (TXLA)- 2:02.45
- Norbert Szabo (UN)- 2:02.73
- Sam Stewart (UN)- 2:02.85
- Jarod Arroyo (FORK)- 2:03.10
- Nic Fink (ABSC)- 2:04.43
- Mack Darragh (CAN)- 2:04.50
- Baylor Nelson (MAC)- 2:04.68
Junior star Carson Foster, who won the 200 free earlier in the meet, leads the way after winning the final heat in 2:01.80. Tonight, he’ll battle with Pan Ams champion Will Licon (2:02.45). Licon was the winner of last night’s 200 breast.
The 100 breast champion will also be in the mix as Nic Fink qualified 6th in 2:04.43. Mack Darragh, the 200 fly champion, took 7th seed with his 2:04.50.
WOMEN’S 200 BACK
- PSS Record: Taylor Ruck, 2018, 2:06.36
- Trials Cut: 2:14.69
Top 8 Qualifiers
- Regan Smith (RIPT)- 2:10.12
- Lisa Bratton (AGS)- 2:10.17
- Asia Seidt (KYA)- 2:10.53
- Isabelle Stadden (AQJT)- 2:11.60
- Jade Hannah (CAN)- 2:11.81
- Hali Flickinger (SUN)- 2:11.84
- Caitlin Brooks (UN)- 2:12.26
- Sonnele Oeztuerk (AU)- 2:12.41
Regan Smith put up a smooth 2:10.12 this morning to win the final heat over fellow junior standout Isabelle Stadden (2:11.60). Last night, Smith took down the Pro Swim Series Record in the 100 back. She’s the World Record holder in both backstrokes, putting the PSS Record on watch here tonight.
Taylor Ruck, who owns the current PSS Record, will be in the B final after putting up a 2:12.99 for 13th. After qualifying for the 200 IM final, 17-year-old Phoebe Bacon wound up 14th here in 2:13.81. Bacon finished 2nd in last night’s 200 back.
MEN’S 200 BACK
- PSS Record: Xu Jiayu, 2017, 1:55.04
- Trials Cut: 2:02.99
Top 8 Qualifiers
- Andy Song (CAL)- 2:01.89
- Javier Acevedo (AJAX)- 2:02.53
- Joey Reilman (TNAQ)- 2:03.30
- Yeziel Morales (AZFL)- 2:03.50
- Richie Stokes (UCSC)- 2:03.71
- Wyatt Davis (CSC)- 2:04.28
- Matthew Garcia (TENN)- 2:04.95
- Harrison Lierz (EA)- 2:05.15
Andy Song led the way with his 2:01.89 from the final heat. Javier Acevedo, who took 2nd in the 100 back last night, is the 2nd seed after winning heat 5 in 2:02.53.
Joey Reilman won heat 4 in 2:03.30, building his lead up front and shutting it down on the final 50. He did just enough to hold off Yeziel Morales (2:03.50). Junior standout Wyatt Davis will be in the mix tonight after qualifying 6th in 2:04.28.
WOMEN’S 100 FREE
- PSS Record: Sarah Sjostrom, 2016, 53.12
- Trials Cut: 56.29
Top 8 Qualifiers
- Simone Manuel (ALTO)- 53.49
- Erika Brown (TENN)- 53.94
- (T-3) Kayla Sanchez (CAN)- 54.37
- (T-3) Penny Oleksiak (CAN)- 54.37
- Margo Geer (MVN)- 54.39
- Allison Schmitt (SUN)- 54.68
- Marie Wattel (LU)- 54.70
- Mallory Comerford (CARD)- 54.84
World and Olympic Champion Simone Manuel was just a few tenths off the Pro Swim Series Record as she took top seed for the final in 53.49. Erika Brown, who out-touched Manuel in last night’s 50 free final, swam her 3rd fastest time ever in this event in 53.94.
Canadian stars Penny Oleksiak and Kayla Sanchez tied for 3rd seed in 54.37. Worlds medalist Margo Geer (54.39) and Olympic champion Allison Schmitt (54.68) are also among the finalists. French star Marie Wattel (54.70) qualified 7th. NCAA champion Mallory Comerford, a former American Record holder in this event, took 8th in 54.84.
MEN’S 100 FREE
- PSS Record: Nathan Adrian, 2016, 48.00
- Trials Cut: 50.49
Top 8 Qualifiers
- Nyls Korstanje (NCS)- 49.23
- Zach Apple (MVN)- 49.45
- Ryan Held (NYAC)- 49.47
- Yuri Kisil (CAN)- 49.71
- Dean Farris (HARV)- 49.89
- Mikel Schreuders (UN)- 49.95
- Kieran Smith (GSC)- 49.99
- Justin Ress (WOLF)- 50.11
Nyls Korstanje, the 50 free champion, leads the way in 49.23. Several National Teamers will battle in this final. World champion Zach Apple (49.45) and Olympic Champion Ryan Held (49.47) rounded out the top 3 seeds. NCAA Champion Dean Farris (49.89) is the 5th seed.
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Does anyone know why Pieroni, Miller, and King aren’t at this meet when a lot of the other IU pros are? I know Finnerty is sick but that doesn’t explain the rest of them
Foster not doing the double today . Too close together probably .
World Champion and Olympic Champion for Zapple and Held are for relays. A bit misleading when talking about the individual 100 free.
Still world and olympic champions
simone is angry
Yes, she does have that Phelpsian never-poke-a-sleeping-dragon thing.
Excited to see how Bacon does in the 2IM tonight. She’s got some decent breastroke chops that might help her out here
Betting Simone scratches the final to head home. That was a pretty fast morning swim for her this time of year.
I’m betting she goes 52.8 in the final😉😉😉
Licon is starting to look good. More like his NCAAs era self. I like his chances for OTs in the 2 breast and maybe makes a run at the 2 IM, though a lot less likely.
I’ve always thought the 200 IM should be Licon’s best LCM event because his breast is fairly pullout dominant and that costs him when he races more balanced breaststrokers in the big pool. 2:08 in the 200 breast is great, don’t get me wrong, but given how good he was in both short course IMs, I figured he’d be able to push Kalisz at Trials. Obviously, he and his coaches know way better than me, but I’m still holding out hope that he’ll figure that event out by June.