2021 PRO SWIM SERIES – INDIANAPOLIS (#5)
- May 12 – 15, 2021
- IU Natatorium, Indianapolis, IN
- Prelims: 9 am/Finals 6 pm EST
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet (Updated)
- Pre-Scratch Timeline
- Live Stream (USA Swimming)
- Live Stream (Olympic Channel)
- Live Results
- Saturday Prelims Heat Sheet
The final night of the Pro Swim Series – Indianapolis finishes with four events: the 100 back, 200 breast, 50 free, and 200 IM.
In the women’s 100 back, Regan Smith enters finals seeded nearly two seconds ahead of the field. The competition for second will be tight, with Catie Deloof, Amy Bilquist, Phoebe Bacon, and Linnea Mack all finishing within .3 of each other in prelims.
The 200 breast this morning saw Emily Escobedo cruise to the top seed over Lilly King, who finished nearly three seconds behind her. King will certainly be faster tonight, making a tight race very likely.
The men’s 50 free will see a slew of Olympic hopefuls racing across the two finals. The A-final of the event includes a pair of Olympians competing in the outside lanes, with Nathan Adrian and Ryan Held both looking to improve upon their finishes from prelims. Held is currently tied for the second-fastest American during the Olympic qualifying period in the event with Michael Andrew, who chose to race the 200 IM tonight. The B-final also features the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the event, Anthony Ervin.
Kate Douglass will be in for a double tonight as she enters both the 200 IM as the top-seeded swimmer.
Women’s 100 Back Finals
- PSS Record: 58.18, Regan Smith (2020)
- Wave II Olympic Trials Cut: 1:01.49
- Regan Smith – 58.77
- Phoebe Bacon – 59.62
- Catie Deloof – 59.71
Out .2 faster than her prelims swim, Smith cruised to a win by a wide margin in the 100 back. She was still well off of her best time in the event, a 57.57 that was rattled by Australian Kaylee Mckeon this morning with her 57.63.
Phoebe Bacon had a large drop from her prelims time to take the silver in 59.62. The 2021 NCAA champion in the 200 back and bronze medalist in the 100 back, her best time is from the 2019 US Open where she hit 58.63.
Rounding out the podium in the event was Catie Deloof, who after setting a lifetime best this morning in the event dropped even further during finals. She broke 1:00 in the event for the first time to touch in 59.71.
Men’s 100 Back Finals
- PSS Record: 52.40, David Plummer (2018)
- Wave II Olympic Trials Cut: 55.51
- Hunter Armstrong – 53.69
- Matt Grevers – 54.27
- Will Grant – 54.28
Cracking into the top-10 in the world for this year, Hunter Armstrong dropped nearly a second from his swim from prelims to take first ahead of Grevers. He was out fast, hitting the wall at the 50 in 25.97. He now sits as the third fastest American in the event this year, ranked behind Justin Ress and Ryan Murphy. He easily held off 2012 Olympic gold medalist Matt Grevers to take the win with Will Grant of Harvard University rounding out the top three.
Women’s 200 Breast Final
- PSS Record: 2:20.77, Annie Lazor (2019)
- Wave II Olympic Trials Cut: 2:30.49
- Lilly King – 2:21.82
- Emily Escobedo – 2:22.81
- Ella Nelson – 2:26.81
After holding nearly a second lead in the race after the first 50, Lilly King never looked back on her way to winning the event. Escobedo was able to tighten the gap over the last 50 meters, but wasn’t able to catch King, who swam to a season-best time and held her world ranking of 5th.
While she wasn’t able to catch King, Escobedo was able to improve upon her own season-best time, as well as improving her world ranking in the event. She now sits as the 9th fastest this year.
While she well well behind the top two finishers, Ella Nelson easily took third, finishing almost two seconds ahead of 4th place swimmer Bethany Galat.
Men’s 200 Breast Final
- PSS Record: 2:08.95, Andrew Wilson (2018)
- Wave II Olympic Trials Cut: 2:15.28
- Alex Evdokimov – 2:12.10
- Anton McKee – 2:12.24
- Miquel Chavez – 2:12.74
Trailing early in the race, Alex Evdokimov of Pinnacle Racing gained through the back half of the race to take the win over Anton McKee by .14. Entering the turn at the 150, nearly the top five finishers in the event were all roughly the same, with Evdokimov closing the race faster.
Third place in the event went to Mexican National Miquel Chavez competing for Team Elite. A former Division II swimmer at Missouri S&T, Chavez touched in 2:12.74, a new lifetime best of over a second.
After setting the Jordanian national record in the event this morning, Amro Al-Wir took the event out fast, before the being caught by the rest of the field. His national record was set this morning in prelims, when he touched in 2:12.40.
Women’s 50 Free Final
- PSS Record: 24.17, Sarah Sjostrom (2016)
- Wave II Olympic Trials Cut: 25.65
- Kate Douglass – 24.54
- Erika Brown – 24.87
- Catie Deloof – 25.05
In her first event of the night, Kate Douglass cruised to the win in 24.54, easily ahead of Erika Brown and Catie Deloof. That swim knocks over a tenth off of her time from this morning and is a new lifetime best for her in the event. Her time passes Erika Brown to enter the top-10 for all-time American swims, ranking 10th.
Both Brown and Deloof also shaved time off their prelims swims, with Brown dropping nearly half a second for the silver medal. She was still slightly off her best in the event, a 24.57 from the Pro Swim Series in Knoxville last year.
Men’s 50 Free Finals
- PSS Record: 21.51, Caeleb Dressel (2020)
- Wave II Olympic Trials Cut: 22.71
- Nathan Adrian – 22.13
- Koko Bratanov – 22.25
- Michael Chadwick – 22.29
After a slow breakout, United States national team staple Nathan Adrian powered to the win, running down the field over the last 15 meters.
Finishing right behind Adrian was Texax A&M swimmer Koko Bratanov and Michael Chadwick. While Chadwick was slightly off of his best in the event, Bratanov was nearly a half-second faster.
Women’s 200 IM Finals
- PSS Record: 2:08.66, Katinka Hosszu (2015)
- Wave II Olympic Trials Cut: 2:15.26
- Alex Walsh – 2:10.67
- Kate Douglass – 2:10.74
- Beata Nelson – 2:13.01
In her second event of the night, Douglass took the race out fast, touching first after the fly. After falling to 4th during the backstroke. She was able to regain second during the breaststroke leg but ultimately wasn’t able to run down Walsh, who held on for the win. While Walsh was slightly off of her lifetime best, Douglass dropped over half of a second from her lifetime best, a 2:11.47 that she swam this morning in prelims. Beata Nelson rounded out the top three, with the former Wisconsin Badger dropping .36 from her lifetime best from 2019.
Men’s 200 IM Final
- PSS Record: 1:56.32, Michael Phelps (2012)
- Wave II Olympic Trials Cut: 2:03.02
- Michael Andrew – 1:56.84
- Grant House – 2:00.30
- Angel Martinez – 2:00.55
Narrowly missing his lifetime best and only half of a second off of Michael Phelps’ Pro Swim Series record, Michael Andrew won handily, leading the race from start to finish. With his time he now sits as the 4th ranked swimmer in the event worldwide this year.
Following Andrew into the wall was Grant House, who touched just off of his best time of 2:00.05 from 2018. Fromer Texas A&M Aggie Angel Martinez was just behind him, setting a new personal best of 2:00.55. His previous best was 2:01.46 just just two weeks ago.
Women’s 800 Free Final
- PSS Record: 8:06.68, Katie Ledecky (2016)
- Wave II Olympic Trials Cut: 8:44.01
- Ally McHugh – 8:26.24
- Emma Nordin – 8:27:44
- Sierra Schmidt – 8:27.54
After trailing early in the race to Nordin, Ally McHugh broke out over the last 400 meters to win a tight race between the top three and Leah Smith, who took fourth. With her swim, McHugh now ranks as the 11th fastest performer in the world this year.
After leading early, Nordin wasn’t able to keep up as McHugh swam past her in the back half of the race. Nordin was able to hold off Sierra Schmidt, who was just .1 behind her, as well as Leah Smith, who finished only .06 off the podium.
Men’s 800 Free Final
- PSS Record: 7:49.94, Michael McBroom (2014)
- Wave II Olympic Trials Cut: 8:08.95
- Marwan El Kamash – 7:53.28
- Alfonso Mestre – 7:55.69
- Zane Grothe – 7:59.33
After Mestre raced to a large lead early on, it was Marwan El Kamash who came back strong, taking the win over Mestre and Grothe in the FINA Olympic A time of 7:53.28. That time is just over a second off of his lifetime best in the race, a 7:52.19 from last November’s US Open.
Although he fell off significantly after leading early, Mestre still was able to shave over a second off of his lifetime best in the event. Zane Grothe, who took 11th in the event at the 2019 World Championships, finished in 3rd.
What happened to Cody Miller?
Wait- did Devine no show the 200IM and the first alternate actually got to swim??
Michael Andrews had a SUPERB meet!
Each of his swims was, as it were, making a statement about international rankings — and yes,
He is now part of the mix at the very top of the heap!
All the naysayers will continue to attack him as an outsider and and oddball!
Rather, he should be embraced as “the real deal” and the future [in part] of TEAM USA and men’s swimming!
I suggest he will bring TEAM USA glory in Tokyo, one way or the other!
Superb would’ve been doing a 21.4 on his 50 free time trial (not 21.9) and doing a PB in the 200 IM. He had an extremely good meet, but you don’t get superb unless you go PBs across the board, and don’t drop off 0.5 sec from your PB 50 free. The best part of his meet is that he had the b’s to blast prelims and finals. Other than that, I agree with all your exclamation marks!!!!!!!
MA could improve a ton from his swim…on his underwater. No butterfly kick on his beast nor freestyle underwater at all. He could improve at least 0.5-1 if he puts his 7work during the stroke transition.
He shaved for this meet I think he will have a hard time going faster in his events next month. Why shave 4 weeks out.
I think he shaves every meet.
Yes his turns, underwaters, and breakouts still look like the skills of an inexperienced swimmer. Even his breaststroke pull out is weak. If he can nail those details, I think he can get down to 1:55.
Yes, right on. When I saw his transition from back to breast, I was very surprised that he didn’t do his 1 butterfly kick. He just did 1 pull. And when his transition from breast to free, he didn’t do any butterfly underwater kicks out, just pushed and swam up. He covered such a long distance of swimming, by the time he got under the flag, he was exhausted. But it was a good swim nevertheless. He could have broken Phelps’ PSS record actually.
He’s dying for air. His back to breast transition turn is very long with his head in the water, and then his breast tempo is relatively slow. He should switch up some of his USRPT 50’s to mid-pool to mid-pool through the turn to get that oxygen debt feeling. He also really needs to develop a lope on his free. He’s practically straight arm underwater, and he way over kicks the first 25 of free — his feet were coming way out of the water.
I think Michael Andrew’s best possible 200 IM right now is about 1:56.0.
He should swim the butterfly a tad slower so he doesn’t get so exhausted on the free.
1:56.0 might be good enough to make the team.
It’s going to be tight in the 2IM. Lochte is a lock down selection meet guy. He’s never missed since 2003. He will be there flags in. It’s going to be a heck of a race for the 2 spots.
MA’s free HAS improved, 29.4 the last 50 rather than 32 or 33 like before or even 29.88 this morning. He even admitted post-race that he thought he was slower & thanked Rowdy for the split info. tnp101 commented that if he improves his underwaters he could improve at least 0.5-1 if he puts his work during the stroke transition. If he could just l e n g t h e n his stroke out rather than trex.
The free was low 30 before, never 32 or 33. The improvement is quite obvious, but not as big as his 100 breast and fly. He would’ve got another PB with low 1:56 if back was as fast as Des Moines last year (fly and breast splits were about the same.)
Yup even he said that his back was a little slow than he expected
He also said he wasn’t in the right frame of mind ,maybe mental exhaustion
But I am thinking if this is happening here wouldn’t it be more at trials??
The big thing will be whether he paces himself through prelims, semis for all his races. To his credit now, he blasts prelims and finals for all his races. The only other person who did that at this meet was Regan Smith. He’s not going to need a 1:57 low to make semis at Trials. Really wish someone like Phelps or Aaron Peirsol, who were masters at doing just enough, would mentor him, as Tony Ervin has. Don’t see it coming from Phelps, which is a shame.
The piano came for Mestre in those last 50 meters
True, especially compared to Marwan el Kamash who was on his game that last 50
Kate Douglass swam a 29.65 free split in the 200 IM. That is extremely fast.
Walsh and Douglass are the new Phelps and Lochte in the 200 IM. They race each other so hard.
Douglass needs a faster back split. She lost 2.5 seconds to Walsh on the backstroke.
They’re the new Phelps and Lochte, except a mile away from the world record.
Kate Douglass 29.6 on her free leg….
Kate Douglass weakest stroke is the back during the college season she was ranked in the top three in the fly,breast, and free that’s how good she is so her 2: 10 today was not surprising if she can just work on her backstroke I think she can go 2:07
She was only two tenths slower than Andrew coming home yet everyone is raving about Andrew’s improvement