2023 SPEEDO ATLANTA CLASSIC
- Friday, May 12 – Sunday, May 14, 2023
- McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, Georgia
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- Live Stream
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap
- Day 1 Finals Heat Sheet
On Friday night, we will see our first finals session of the 2023 Speedo Atlanta Classic, where the women’s and men’s 200 free, 100 breast, 100 fly, and 400 IM will be contested.
Beginning the session in the 200 free will be a pair of Gators swimmers, Katie Ledecky and Kieran Smith. Both swimmers were the fastest in their field by a significant margin during prelims. Then, we will move on to the women’s 100 breast, which is lead by Kate Douglass. This morning, Douglass went a 1:07.49 to drop over a second off her best time.
The top seed in the men’s 100 breast is Matt Fallon, who is swimming his first meet since suffering a back injury. He clocked a 1:01.87 this morning, just over a second off his best time of 1:00.75.
Douglass will then swim the 100 fly, where she is also the top seed. In this race, she will be joined by Canadian superstar Summer McIntosh, who was the second-fastest swimmer behind Douglass. The men’s 100 fly will, of course, be headlined by Caeleb Dressel and Josh Liendo. In prelims, which was his first swim in nearly a year, Dressel clocked a 53.60 to place third overall. Liendo meanwhile holds the top seed time at 52.16.
The longest event, the 400 IM will come at the end of the night. In this race, Florida Gators Mabel Zavaros and Bobby Finke are the top seeds in their respective fields.
WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – FINALS
- American Record: 1:53.61, Allison Schmitt (2012)
- US Open Record: 1:54.13, Summer McIntosh (2023)
Top 10:
- Katie Ledecky — 1:55.63
- Isabel Ivey — 1:59.60
- Addison Sauickie — 2:00.51
- Kate McCarville/Jillian Barczyk — 2:01.27
- Sloane Reinstein — 2:01.75
- Gabby DeLoof — 2:02.05
- Abby McCulloh — 2:02.81
- Sophia Knapp — 2:03.23
- Lauren Wetherell — 2:04.37
As expected, Katie Ledecky had a considerable lead over the rest of the field of most the race, as she touched the wall first in a time of 1:55.63. This time is her third-fastest of the 2022-23 season, just behind her 1:54.96 from March and her 1:55.47 from January.
The entire top three in this race trains in the state of Florida, as Florida gator Isabel Ivey took second and Sarasota Shark Addison Sauickie was third.
Ivey was the second swimmer in the field to get under two minutes, and her time of 1:59.60 beat out her season-best of 1:59.70 from April. Sauickie clocked a 2:00.51 just under a second behind Ivey.
Winning the ‘B’ final was Virginia swimmer Maxine Parker, who swam a 2:01.28 that would have been sixth in the ‘A’ final. This swim was a best time for her, surpassing her 2:01.62 swam back in May 2021.
MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – FINALS
- American Record: 1:42.96, Michael Phelps (2008)
- US Open Record: 1:44.10, Michael Phelps (2008)
Top 10:
- Kieran Smith — 1:47.62
- Jake Mitchell — 1:48.09
- Alfonso Mestre — 1:48.16
- Zane Grothe — 1:49.43
- Joaquin Vargas — 1:49.62
- Bobby Finke — 1:51.19
- Ryan Erisman – 1:51.65
- Reese Braznell — 1:52.25
- Zach Hils — 1:52.42
- Michael Bonson — 1:53.88
Even though he added 0.78 seconds from his prelims time of 1:46.84, Kieran Smith still came out on top in the men’s 200 free and was leading from start to finish. However, his training partner Jake Mitchell was close to him the entire time, splitting 27.76/27.12 on his last 100 to put together a strong back half.
Also closing strong was Alfonso Mestre, who split 27.95/26.82 on his back half to catch up to the top two in the race on the final 50.
Mitchell’s time was his second-fastest 200 free this season, just behind his 1:47.49 from the U.S. Open. Meanwhile, Mestre beat out his season best of 1:48.90, also from the U.S. Open.
WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS
- American Record: 1:04.13, Lilly King (2017)
- US Open Record: 1:04.45, Jessica Hardy (2009)
Top 10:
- Kate Douglass — 1:07.07
- Zoie Hartman — 1:08.85
- Hazal Ozkan — 1:10.14
- Alexis Yager — 1:10.34
- Summer McIntosh — 1:10.77
- Brynn Curtis — 1:10.89
- Katie Christopherson — 1:10.98
- Josephine Fuller — 1:11.21
- Evelyn Entrekin — 1:11.74
- Nina Kucheran — 1:12.50
After dominating the field in prelims, Kate Douglass put another solid 100 breast performance at night, clocking a 1:07.07 to win by over a second. She dropped 0.35 seconds from her PB of 1:07.49 from prelims.
Douglass’ lead grew as the race went on, as she opened in 31.77 just 0.58 seconds ahead of Zoie Hartman, but then clocked a 35.30 back half to beat her by 1.78 seconds.
Hartman placed second with a 1:08.85, which marks her fastest swim since May 2021. Placing third was Hazal Ozkan, who clocked a 1:10.14.
In case you were wondering, Summer McIntosh placed fifth in a time of 1:10.77. This time just a few tenths off her best time of 1:10.39.
MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS
- American Record: 58.14, Michael Andrew (2021)
- US Open Record: 58.14, Michael Andrew (2021)
Top 10:
- Aleksas Savickas — 1:01.80
- Matt Fallon — 1:01.92
- Michael Houlie — 1:02.25
- Raphael Windmuller — 1:02.50
- Joao Victor Caballero — 1:03.24
- Britton Spann — 1:04.48
- Connor Haigh — 1:04.59
- Arie Voloschin/Daniel King — 1:04.92
- Henry Bethel — 1:06.47
Michael Houlie opened his race with a blistering 27.98 and was leading at the 50-meter mark by over a second, but he was ran down by Matt Fallon and Aleksas Savickas in the back half of the race.
Fallon, who is a known closer, looked like he was about to pass Houlie and take control of the race, but it was Savickas who got him on the touch. Savickas and Fallon split 32.74 and 32.39 respectivley on the final 50, while Houlie split 32.74.
Savickas was just over a second off his best time of 1:00.54 from the U.S. Open. Fallon, meanwhile, was 0.05 seconds slower than his prelims time.
WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – FINALS
- American Record: 55.64, Torri Huske (2022)
- US Open Record: 55.66, Torri Huske (2021)
Top 10:
- Kate Douglass — 57.19
- Summer McIntosh — 57.86
- Natalie Hinds — 58.87
- Callie Dickinson — 59.26
- Leah Gingrich — 59.78
- Addison Reese — 1:01.03
- Avery Bargeron — 1:01.56
- Amanda Ray — 1:01.65
- Lexie Mulvihill — 1:01.96
- Abigail Gibbons — 1:01.97
Kate Douglass successfully pulled off her 100 breast/100 fly double, as she won the 100 fly in a time of 57.19. This time is her fastest since 2021 Olympic trials, where she set her personal best of 56.56. In addition, it is also nearly a second faster than the 58.14 she clocked at the 2022 U.S. International Team trials.
Just like the 100 breast, Douglass’ lead grew throughout the race. She was just 0.18 seconds ahead of Natalie Hinds at the 50, but then eded up winning by 0.86 seconds.
Placing in second was Summer McIntosh, who dropped 0.06 seconds off her best time of 57.92. Natalie Hinds swam a 58.87 for third after being second at the 50 mark. She was just 0.47 seconds slower than her PB of 58.40 from June 2021.
MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – FINALS
- American Record: 49.45, Caeleb Dressel (2021)
- US Open Record: 49.76, Caeleb Dressel (2021)
Top 10:
- Josh Liendo — 51.79
- Caeleb Dressel — 52.41
- Martin Espernberger — 53.05
- Iago Moussalem — 53.30
- Jace Crawford — 53.41
- Kamal Muhammad — 53.88
- Ben Irwin — 54.10
- Sohib Khaled — 54.93
- Wesley Ng — 55.21
- Eamon Monaghan — 55.63
Josh Liendo was in control of the whole race in the men’s 100 fly, clocking a 51.79 to win. This swim marks his fastest-ever 100 fly swam at an in-season meet, beating out 51.84 from the 2022 Canadian Trials prep meet.
Caeleb Dressel was very strong on his finish, swimming just 0.02 seconds slower than Liendo on his final 50 after being in third at the halfway mark. He went a 52.41, going over a second faster than his prelims time of 53.60.
In third was Martin Espernberger, who dropped over half a second off his best time of 53.54.
WOMEN’S 400 IM – FINALS
- American Record: 4:31.12, Katie Anderson (Hoff) (2008)
- US Open Record: 4:28.61, Summer McIntosh (2022)
Top 10:
- Emma Weyant — 4:39.32
- Mabel Zavaros — 4:39.93
- Mia Abruzzo — 4:51.09
- Gracie Weyant — 4:51.84
- Anna Auld — 4:53.03
- Hannah Ownbey — 4:53.31
- Sienna Angove — 4:54.32
- Amanda Ray — 4:55.40
- Alex Mitchell — 4:56.28
- Madison Kolessar — 4:56.60
As she always does, Emma Weyant ran down the field by virtue of her breaststroke leg to win in a time of 4:39.32. This swim was her first time breaking 4:40 since she swam a 4;36.00 at the 2022 World Championships.
Mabel Zavaros lead Weyant by nearly three seconds at the halfway mark. Although Weyant outsplit her by three seconds on breast alone, she still managed to hold it together for the rest of the race, nearly matching Weyant’s free leg to finish second behind her in a 4:39.93.
Zavaros actually set a massive best time in this race, beating out her 4:41.52 from last April.
Placing third over ten seconds behind Zavaros and Weyant was Mia Abruzzo, who swam a 4:51.09.
MEN’S 400 IM – FINALS
- American Record: 4:03.84, Michael Phelps (2008)
- US Open Record: 4:05.25, Michael Phelps (2008)
Top 10:
- Bobby Finke — 4:16.63
- Mason Laur — 4:24.79
- Giovanni Linscheer — 4:25.92
- Jack VanDeusen — 4:31.44
- Cooper McDonald — 4:32.52
- Danny Schmidt — 4:33.26
- Peter Bretzmann — 4:33.75
- Amadeusz Knop — 4:34.16
- Nathan Jacobbe — 4:37.55
- Mason Mathias — 4:39.29
After Mason Laur led Bobby Finke by over a second at the halfway mark, Finke roared back with his trademark closing speed. He outsplit Laur 1:15.53 to 1:20.60 on breast, and then went a 58.63 final 100 (and 28.77 final 50) compared to Laur’s 1:02.98.
In the end, Finke went a 4:16.63 to win by over eight seconds. His swim was the second-fastest of his 2022-23 season, behind the 4:15.93 he clocked in March. Laur swam a 4:24.79 for second
In third was another Florida Gator Gio Linscheer, who clocked a 4:25.95.
Emma Weyant better watch out for Leah Hayes in the W 400 IM. It’s the high school teenagers who take chunks off personal best times.
It is possible for Kate to
1. Not reach her SCY success In LCM
2. Win golds at worlds and the Olympics
This could easily be Natalie C 2.0. Best scy swimmer of her generation, and a dominate LCM swimmer
I’m a huge fan. She doesn’t need to be Phelps in LCM to be considered a success.
The question once again is the W 50 FR or the W 200 IM for Kate Douglass at the 2023 Phillips 66 National Championships.
Mollie is now doing a live chat via Instagram story. When somebody asked her about the USA, she said she doesn’t care for the country or the people.
This will be moderated and probably not approved. Regardless, it is what she said, in snobbish matter of fact fashion.
I won’t be rooting for her.
What?
based
if this is true, she’s winning the idgaf war
Lol what exactly did she say? Do you have a recording of it?
This is pretty hilarious but given your massive record of anti-Australia rhetoric (let’s be honest, you were never rooting for her anyway) I suspect you’re exaggerating.
That’s a very good swim from Dressel, with some work to do before trials, he may be around that 50-51 mark, ut nonetheless, great to see him back and enjoying the sport again.
K8 bringing it…. no surprise that she is adjusting to LCM juuuuust fine…..
Make no doubt about it too, this is juuuust the beginining….
LeBron knew the whole time as well
who wins joshua liendo vs caeleb dressel 100m back LCM?? I say liendo going 56.3
Caeleb did a 55.8 100 Bk many years ago
im wondering what bobby finkes 100 breast LCM time is????
i wish ppl would stop implying that douglass can’t swim LC, let’s all just pretend that she isn’t an olympic medallist ffs
also stephen i’m a kaylee fan too but pls stop bringing her up
I was thinking same thing! They must have amnesia….the girl won a medal in 2IM and they act like she has never had success LC?
yeah exactly… like she literally won a medal already at the highest level of the sport.
is that not good enough for some ppl on here?!
There are Olympic Champions and World Record holders who regularly get dragged through the mud on here. Winning an individual Olympic medal won’t save you lol
Kate Douglass won the bronze medal in the women’s 200 meter breaststroke at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships. Kate Douglass did not even swim the 200 meter breaststroke at the USA Swimming Olympic Team Trials – Wave II.