2021 PRO SWIM SERIES – INDIANAPOLIS (#4)
- May 12 – 15, 2021
- IU Natatorium, Indianapolis, IN
- Prelims: 9 am/Finals 6 pm EST
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- Pre-Scratch Timeline
- Live Stream (USA Swimming)
- Live Stream (Olympic Channel)
- Live Results
- Wednesday Finals Heat Sheet
The women’s and men’s 1500 freestyle kicks off the fourth and final Pro Swim Series meet of 2021 in Indianapolis, with a total of four heats on the docket.
The heats will alternate women/men/women/men.
Ally McHugh and Zane Grothe enter as the top seeds.
Women’s 1500 Free Timed Final
- PSS Record: 15:20.48, Katie Ledecky (USA), 2018
- Ally McHugh (WA), 15:59.54
- Emma Nordin (SUN), 16:01.37
- Sierra Schmidt (UN), 16:06.85
Ally McHugh ran down early leader Emma Nordin over the final few hundred meters to ultimately win the fastest heat of the women’s 1500 free in 15:59.54, marking her first time under the 16-minute threshold.
McHugh, 23, came into the meet with a personal best time of 16:02.56, set at the 2018 U.S. Summer Nationals. She now takes over eighth in the world for the 2020-21 season, and is also the second-fastest American behind top-ranked Katie Ledecky.
McHugh notably negative-split the race: out in 8:01.11 at the 750 (with a 8:33.27 800 free split), and then back in 7:58.43.
Nordin, who couldn’t match McHugh’s speed over the last 100, produces a massive best time, chopping almost 10 seconds off her previous PB in 16:01.37 to rank 10th in the world this season. The 21-year-old Sun Devil had previously been 16:11.23 at the Mission Viejo PSS in April. Prior to that her best time was a 16:36.69 from 2019.
2020-2021 LCM Women 1500 Free
Ledecky
15:35.35
| 2 | Erica Sullivan | USA | 15:41.41 | 07/28 |
| 3 | Wang Jianjiahe | CHN | 15:41.49 | 07/26 |
| 4 | Sarah Kohler | GER | 15:42.91 | 07/28 |
| 5 | Maddy Gough | AUS | 15:46.13 | 06/15 |
| 6 | Simona Quadarella | ITA | 15:47.34 | 07/26 |
| 7 | Anastasia Kirpichnikova | RUS | 15:50.22 | 07/26 |
| 8 | Katie Grimes | USA | 15:52.12 | 06/15 |
| 9 | Li Bingjie | CHN | 15:52.31 | 01/02 |
| 10 | Merve Tuncel | TUR | 15:55.23 | 07/10 |
Sierra Schmidt, who recently announced a move to Arizona to train with her father until next month’s Olympic Trials, rounds out the top three in 16:06.85, lowering her previous best of 16:10.12 from 2019.
Also setting a best time was 17-year-old Mariah Denigan, who clocked 16:13.09 for fourth. Denigan had set her previous best of 16:19.29 at the same meet as McHugh – 2018 Summer Nationals.
Another 17-year-old, Blair Stoneburg, topped Heat 2 in a time of 16:37.08, good for fifth overall. Stoneburg takes five seconds off her previous best of 16:42.09 set in January.
Men’s 1500 Free Timed Final
- PSS Record: 14:53.12, Jordan Wilimovsky (USA), 2016
- Zane Grothe (BCH), 15:20.96
- Charlie Clark (OSU), 15:21.30
- Ricardo Vargas (CW), 15:23.13
It was a wild three-man race in the men’s 1500, with Ohio State’s Charlie Clark taking full advantage of getting moved up to the fastest heat after Marwan El Kamash scratched out.
Clark, originally scheduled to swim in Heat 2 with three others, went out with top seed Zane Grothe and Club Wolverine’s Ricardo Vargas and stuck with them for the entirety of the race.
However, in what came down to a mad dash on the final 50, it was Grothe getting his hand on the wall first in 15:20.96, edging out Clark (15:21.30) by just over three tenths. Final 50 splits? Grothe – 28.16, Clark – 28.26.
Grothe adds over 10 seconds to his season-best of 15:10.29, set at the first PSS of the year in San Antonio (January), while Clark smashes his old PB of 15:33.51 set at the 2019 Junior Nationals.
Vargas fell off the pace ever so slightly towards the end of the race, touching third in 15:23.13. That marks his fastest swim since August of 2019.
Jude Williams dropped a 15:28.24 from Heat 1, taking almost 10 seconds off his best time (15:37.96) to place sixth overall. Williams also gets under the Wave II Olympic Trials standard (15:35.69) for the first time. It’s his first Wave II cut, with additional Wave I cuts already established in the 400 and 800 free.
None of the men broke the women’s 1500 free PSS record. Not that it’s news, but good LORD Katie is a monster.
only thing weaker than the US men’s 100 breast field…..is the distance freestyle field
Men’s IM field is also vulnerable
Grothe’s time here is 0.48 slower than the women’s WR, I don’t see him making any finals at the Olympics unless he gets close to his PBs
He’s not making the team in the 1500… Finley and wilimovsky are definitely ahead and at least dinked is a real medal contender. Don’t know if Zane will make the 800, either.
You mean Bobby Finke
autocorrect!
I think Fink and Wilson will be under 59 this summer but definitely no threats to Peaty, Kamminga and Shimanovich.
After I saw the results I wondered what happened to the US mens distance swimmers. The men’s 1500 seems to be in a death spiral for some odd reason.
Obligatory charlie clark is a unit comment
Apart from Ledecky only 6 U.S. swimmers (including Janet Evans 23 years ago) were ever under 16 minutes. And 3 of them are long retired. 6 of 31 worldwide. Isn’t it a time for American swimmers to be more competitive in this event? There are no more excuses that this is not an Olympic event.
By the time the 2024 Olympics roll around this race will become more and more competitive because of it being added to this year’s Olympics
It’s just three years away. I don’t think some radical things can happen during such a short period of time.
Americans are blessed having Katie Ledecky, but at the same time her presence creates an illusion that everything is fine in American women swimming. In all her events americans won’t even have the second finalist. From 200 through 1500.
Balderdash!
Leah Smith finished third (4:01.29) in the women’s 400 meter freestyle at the 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships.
Leah Smith finished fifth (8:17.10) in the women’s 800 meter freestyle at the 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships.
Ashley Twichell finished fourth (15:54.19) in the women’s 1500 meter freestyle at the 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships.
You don’t have a freakin’ clue what you are talking about.
Poppycock!
How many females from the good ol’ USA are currently ranked in Top 25 Speedo World Swimming Rankings (2020-2021 LCM Women 1500 Free)?
Those mid season rankings don’t matter on the blocks at the Olympics
The point went way over your head.
Who actually says “Top 25 SPEEDO world rankings”? Unless you work for Speedo. Or you are being paid advertising dollars by Speedo…Mel, Coleman, is that you?
Are you sure about this? I think there have been more women in the US under 16 minutes, It is true that some are retired. Besides KL, here some names I can come up with (current and retired): Leah Smith, Erica Sullivan, Ashley Twichell, Haley Anderson ,possibly Kensey McMahon, now Ally McHugh, Janet Evans, Katie Hoff, Haley Piersol and possibly Kate Ziegler. There may be a few more. I really should research this, though because now I am curious
From memory , Katie Ziegler had the WR at about 15.42 before the supersuit Italian lady ..
Katie Ledecky broke Kate Ziegler’s world record.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_record_progression_1500_metres_freestyle#Long_course_2
Maybe the Italian girl won Worlds 2009.. Still .my memory is better than. Old Swimmer as I knew about Katie Z . She belonged to a club called something like Bluefish?
You do have a great memory. Kate Ziegler swam for The Fish which is headquartered in McClean Virginia. BlueFish Swim Club is located in Rhode Island and was where Elizabeth Beisel swam growing up.
Who is this supersuit Italian lady?
Alessia Filippi
Yes, I’m sure. The source is USASWIMMING.ORG If you have some difficulties navigating this official site of USA Swimming I can provide direct link and navigation instructions.
But you just got snatched sooooo maybe you’re having trouble navigating the site?
It’s a ridiculous argument.
https://www.usaswimming.org/times/data-hub/yearly-top-performers
Type List: 2021 Top Performers
Gender: Women
Course: LCM
Event: 1500 FR
Show Details
You may need to wait a day or two for USA Swimming to update the list.
Ledecky, Ziegler, Evans, Twichell, Sullivan, Piersol and now McHugh is number 7 in the USA all-time rankings to go sub 16.00.
Another 8 Americans are between 16.00 and 16.06.
Kim Linehan, Janet Evans and Katie Ledecky have kept the WR in the USA since 1979.
You meant 33 years ago for Evans.
Charlie Clark is crazzzzzyyyy
Let’s give these gals a nice applause!
Downvote for Zane going under 7 mins in the 800, upvote for zane going over 7 mins in the 800
I see what you are doing here
U mean 8?
I feel reasonably confident Zane won’t break the already absurd WR by 33 seconds.