2024 Pro Swim Series – San Antonio: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2024 TYR PRO SWIM SERIES – SAN ANTONIO

• April 10-13, 2024
• Northside Swim Center, San Antonio, TX
• LCM (50m)
• Start Times
  • Wednesday Distance: 5pm (Central Time)
  • All Prelims: 9am (Central Time)
  • Thurs-Sat Finals: 6pm (Central Time)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Livestream (also available on the USA Swimming Network app)
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap

***The livestream for today’s session is currently only available via the USA Swimming app on your device. The web version of the stream is NOT working. UPDATE: As of 9:45am Central Time, USA Swimming has fixed the web stream.***

Friday Prelims Heat Sheet

The third day of action at the 2024 Knoxville Pro Swim Series will feature four different events: the 200 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 400 IM, and 100 butterfly.

Session Preview:

The women’s 200 free is the first event of this session, and the top seed is Siobhan Haughey, who broke the Pro Swim Series record en route to 100 freestyle gold on Thursday. 2016 Olympic Champion Katie Ledecky will also be among the loaded field, and she’s coming off a win from Thursday’s 400 free (4:01.41). Simone Manuel, who’s best known for her 100 free capabilities, will also swim the event after winning it at the Westmont Pro Swim Series stop. Anna Peplowski, Paige Madden, and Erin Gemmell are additional names to look out for this morning.

Texas’ Luke Hobson (1:44.87) is the highest ranked athlete in the men’s 200 free, but Drew Kibler, Kieran Smith, Guilherme Costa, Carson Foster, and Luca Urlando will also be in the mix. Hobson recently earned a bronze medal in this distance at February’s World Championship meet but he’s known to be a taper swimmer.

The 200 backstroke entry lists both include past World Champions, as training partners Regan Smith (2019 World Champion) and Hubert Kos (2023 World Champion) headline the fields. Smith won the 200 butterfly yesterday and clocked two sub-2:06 swims on the day while Kos punched a new 100 free (48.87) best time. At the Westmont stop March, Smith broke the Pro Swim Series record in 2:03.99, just shy of her 2:03.80 U.S. Open record from last June. Smith will have double duty this morning, as she’s also entered in the beyond deep 100 fly event.

In the previously mentioned women’s 100 fly, American record holder Torri Huske is the top seed ahead of 56-second swimmers Gretchen Walsh, Claire Curzan, Kate Douglass and Regan Smith. It very well could be a mirror image preview of what we’ll see at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June, assuming all of those individuals safely advance to tonight’s A-final.

The men’s 100 fly will feature world record holder Caeleb Dressel, who secured victory in last night’s 100 free. Dressel’s time last night was 48.40, his fastest since returning to the sport in early 2023. Pro Swim Series record holder Shaine Casas will also be in the field, but he missed the 100 free finals altogether yesterday with a 40th place showing. Like R. Smith, Kos is also entered to swim the 200 back (1:54.14)/100 fly (51.33) double.

The 400 IMs are also on the docket, where Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko (4:37.36) and France’s Leon Marchand (4:02.50) are the early favorites. Gorbenko sprinted to a new lifetime best during Thursday’s 100 free (54.29) while Marchand touched 1st in the 200 fly (1:54.97).

WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:52.85, Mollie O’Callaghan (2023)
• American Record: 1:53.61, Allison Schmitt (2012)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 1:54.13, Summer McIntosh (2023)
• U.S Open Record: 1:54.13, Summer McIntosh (2023)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Katie Ledecky (GSC) – 1:56.72
2. Anna Peplowski (IU) – 1:57.93
3. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 1:58.49
4. Paige Madden (NYAC) – 1:58.81
5. Erin Gemmell (TEX) – 1:58.87
6. Simone Manuel (UN) – 1:58.90
7. Anastasia Gorbenko (UN) – 1:59.04
8. Nicole Maier (UN) – 2:00.08

Texas’ Erin Gemmell (1:58.87) took control of the first circle-seeded heat early and never looked back. She hit the 100m turn in 57.89 before closing in 1:00.98 to secure 1st place. Her time would hold up for 5th overall, meaning she will feature in tonight’s A-final. She opened her meet yesterday in the 100 free (54.59) and 400 free (4:11.16), where she set a new Texas team record in the 100m distance.

2016 Olympic Champion Katie Ledecky ensured victory in the penultimate heat. She touched the wall in a final time of 1:56.72 to post the fastest morning time by over a second. Indiana’s Anna Peplowski, who had a big breakthrough last summer to make the U.S. World Championship team, hit the wall 2nd behind Ledecky at 1:57.93.

Siobhan Haughey (1:58.49) was front-and-center in the final heat, taking the lead from the very first stroke and holding it the whole way.  Paige Madden, who clocked her fastest 400m free since the Tokyo Olympics last night, touched in 1:58.81 for 2nd in the heat. Simone Manuel hit the wall in 1:58.90 for 3rd, safely advancing to the championship final in 6th position.

Jillian Cox, who swam the 800 free for Team USA at the Fukuoka World Championships, clocked a time of 2:01.63 to sit in 20th. World Championships medalist Gabby DeLoof (2:02.75) finished in 29th this morning while Olympic medalist Taylor Ruck (2:05.68) touched in 58th position.

Olympic relay Champion Leah Smith notched a morning effort of 2:01.91, good enough for 22nd and a swim in the C-final.

MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:42.00, Paul Biedermann (2009)
• American Record: 1:42.96, Michael Phelps (2008)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 1:44.82, Sun Yang (2016)
• U.S Open Record: 1:44.10, Michael Phelps (2008)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Rafael Miroslaw (IU) – 1:47.75
2. Carson Foster (RAYS) – 1:47.86
3. Lucas Henveaux (CAL) – 1:47.96
4. Murilo Sartori (UofL) – 1:48.07
5. Kieran Smith (RAC) – 1:48.40
6. Drew Kibler (NYAC) – 1:48.44
7. Luca Urlando (DART) – 1:48.45
8. Grant House (SUN) – 1:48.51

The first circle-seeded heat win was awarded to Indiana’s Rafael Miroslaw (1:47.75). The 23-year-old German native owns a best time of 1:45.83 in this distance, a time he threw down at the 2023 Berlin Open. He was 4th in Thursday’s 100 freestyle final here in San Antonio (48.63).

Former Texas training partners Carson Foster and Drew Kibler went 1-2 in the penultimate heat, as they touched in times of 1:47.86 and 1:48.44. Foster’s time held up for the 2nd faster of the morning while Kibler’s was 6th. Luca Urlando (1:48.45) and Grant House (1:48.51), who both train at Arizona State University with Kibler, slid into the final in 7th and 8th.

Top seed Luke Hobson was absent from the final heat, but the only other sub-1:45 swimmer in the field, Kieran Smith, took advantage. He finished in a time of 1:48.40 to bag a heat win, which advanced him 5th into the championship final.

Loughborough-trained Lucas Henveaux was the only other athlete under 1:48 this morning. He placed his hand on the wall in 1:47.96, the 3rd quickest mark, which was highlighted by two strong middle 50 splits of 26.88 and 27.65.

Louisville’s Murilo Sartori, 21, finished 3rd in the 10th heat but was 4th quickest overall. His time of 1:48.07 was good enough to chop 0.12 off his entry time of 1:48.19. He opened in 25.56 before splitting 27 seconds on the final three 50s.

Hunter Armstrong, who had a surprise breakthrough in this event at the 2024 World Championships with a 1:45 relay split, touched in 1:53.44 for 47th place. He will need to notch the Olympic Trials cut of 1:49.99 if he wants to race this event during taper season.

Also competing: Guilherme Costa (9th — 1:48.55), Jack Dahlgren (10th — 1:48.82), Patrick Sammon (12th — 1:49.22), Henry McFadden (13th — 1:49.31), Maximus Williamson (27th — 1:50.50), Luka Mijatovic (28th — 1:50.77), and Felix Auboeck (37th — 1:52.21).

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:03.14, Kaylee McKeown (2023)
• American Record: 2:03.35, Regan Smith (2019)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 2:03.99, Regan Smith (2024)
• U.S Open Record: 2:03.80, Regan Smith (2023)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Phoebe Bacon (WISC) – 2:08.99
2. Rhyan White (WOLF) – 2:09.11
3. Kennedy Noble (NCST) – 2:10.58
4. Regan Smith (UN) – 2:10.94
5. Claire Curzan (UVA) – 2:11.78
6. Roos Rottink (MTAC) – 2:12.91
7. Aviv Barzelay (TAMU) – 2:13.38
8. Mabel Koff (NBAC) – 2:13.44

Wolfpack Elite’s Rhyan White established an advantage from the very first stroke in the penultimate heat. She flipped in 1:02.96 through the first 100 before finishing in a final time of 2:09.11. White was a Tokyo Olympian in this 200 back, and also qualified for Team USA in the event for both the 2022 and 2023 World Championship meets.

White’s best time in 2024 so far is 2:07.38, which she put on the books at the Westmont Pro Swim Series stop last month. She owns a best time of 2:05.13, which was produced at the 2022 U.S. International Team Trials.

2022 World Championships silver medalist Phoebe Bacon (2:08.99) clocked a sub-2:09 time to win the penultimate heat. Bacon owns a best time of 2:05.08 in this 200m event, and is known to be a taper swimmer, so it’s promising as we head into the remainder of the season.

Regan Smith cruised for the majority of the final heat, flipping through the first 50 in 30.31. She eventually grabbed the win in 2:10.94, the 4th fastest time of the morning. Smith is slated to swim in the 100 fly heats later in the session, so she looks to be conserving as much energy as possible. Claire Curzan, who swept the backstroke events at the World Championships two months ago, touched 2nd to Smith in 2:11.78. Curzan’s time was 5th fastest on the day and she’ll again feature in the 100 fly with Smith in about an hour.

Up-and-coming swimmer Kennedy Noble was 3rd this morning at 2:10.58. Noble, who trains with White at NC State, dropped a massive best time at the 2023 U.S. World Championship Trials (2:06.54) last June to nearly make the Worlds team. She won the Pan American Games title in this event back in October.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:51.92, Aaron Peirsol (2009)
• American Record: 1:51.92, Aaron Peirsol (2009)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 1:55.04, Xu Jiayu (2017)
• U.S Open Record: 1:53.08, Aaron Peirsol (2009)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Nico Garcia (VT) – 1:58.70
2. Jack Aikins (UVA) – 1:59.27
3. Hayden Kwan (USC) – 2:00.22
4. Hunter Tapp (NCST) – 2:00.45
5. David Gerchik (UN) – 2:00.82
6. Michael Hochwalt (SWAT) – 2:01.08
7. Gavin Keogh (FAC) – 2:01.74
8. Baylor Stanton (GA) – 2:01.99

The men’s 200 backstroke was filled with scratches as the top two seeds did not show up for their heats. Defending World Champion Hubert Kos and #2 seed Carson Foster opted to focus on other events during today’s session. Kos is swimming the 100 fly at the end of the session while Foster qualified 3rd for the 200 free final earlier this morning.

Virginia Tech’s Nico Garcia was the fastest swimmer in the pool with his time of 1:58.70. The only other man to break 2-minutes was Jack Aikins of Virginia, who glided into the wall in 1:59.27.

Hunter Tapp, who won this event at the Knoxville Pro Swim Series stop in January, checked-in at 4th overall (2:00.45). It took a time of 2:01.99 to make the A-final, and the 8th place swimmer was Baylor Stanton, who recently broke the 15-16 SCY national age group record in this 200 backstroke event.

1:56-swimmer Daniel Diehl clocked-in at 2:02.87 for 15th place. He will swim out of lane one in tonight’s B-final.

WOMEN’S 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 4:25.87, Summer McIntosh (2023)
• American Record: 4:31.12, Katie Hoff (2008)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 4:31.07, Katinka Hosszu (2015)
• U.S Open Record: 4:28.61, Summer McIntosh (2022)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Anastasia Gorbenko (UN) – 4:45.94
2. Lucy Bell (STAN) – 4:47.96
3. Sydney Pickrem (AGS) – 4:48.38
4. Ella Nelson (UVA) – 4:49.15
5. Caroline Bricker (STAN) – 4:49.88
6. Giulia Goerigk (TAMU) – 4:49.89
7. Applejean Gwinn (SAND) – 4:51.34
8. Bailey Andison (CAMO) – 4:51.41

The swiftest women’s 400 IMer of the morning was Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko, who touched in 4:45.94 for the win. Greg Meehan-trained swimmer Lucy Bell punched a time of 4:47.96 for 2nd place status as we look towards tonight’s A-final. Bell’s Stanford teammate, Caroline Bricker, put up a time of 4:49.88 for 5th this morning to make it two Cardinals in the championship final.

Two-time medalist from the recent World Championships, Canada’s Sydney Pickrem, is lurking in 3rd position. She finished her heat in a time of 4:48.38 this morning but looked to be on complete cruise control. Her swim was highlighted by a very fast 1:18.76 split on the breaststroke leg.

UVA star Ella Nelson swam a similar race to Pickrem this morning. Nelson stopped the clock in 4:49.15 for 4th overall with her breaststroke portion (1:18.85) representing the standout split. She has the 200 breast and 200 IM on the docket for the rest of this competition.

Giulia Goerigk (4:49.89) and Applejean Gwinn (4:51.34) both advanced to the ‘A’- final, too.

Canadian Bailey Andison, who has been as quick as 4:38.66 in this race, was initially disqualified. She was then reinstated, meaning she’ll swim in the A-final as the 8th seed.

MEN’S 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 4:02.50, Leon Marchand (2023)
• American Record: 4:03.84, Michael Phelps (2008)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 4:07.80, Leon Marchand (2023)
• U.S Open Record: 4:05.25, Michael Phelps (2008)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Leon Marchand (UN) – 4:18.47
2. Chase Kalisz (UN) – 4:19.73
3. Jay Litherland (UN) – 4:20.37
4. Michael Hochwalt (SWAT) – 4:21.41
5. Grant Sanders (FAST) – 4:21.52
6. Robert Finke (SPA) – 4:22.55
7. Danny Berlitz (WVU) – 4:23.11
8. Tommy Bried (UofL) – 4:23.37

2nd seed Carson Foster scratched another event this morning in the form of the 400 IM. Having already qualified 3rd into the 200 free final, Foster is going all-in on that event over the 200 back and 400 IM.

World record holder Leon Marchand was the class of the morning’s field. He posted the fastest mark of the morning by over a second with his effort of 4:18.47. Marchand’s world record stands at the 4:02.50 scorcher that he clocked at the Fukuoka World Championships last July.

Chase Kalisz, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, was 2nd quickest in prelims. He posted a time of 4:19.73 in San Antonio this morning, appearing to cruise through most of the race alongside Marchand.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Jay Litherland (4:25.57) was 3nd overall this morning, with Michael Hochwalt (4:21.41) and Grant Sanders (4:21.52) in close pursuit in 4th and 5th.

Sub-4:10 competitor Bobby Finke, who holds the American record in the 800 and 1500 freestyles, was 6th at 4:22.55. He stormed home over the final 100 of freestyle in 1:00.13.

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 55.48, Sarah Sjostrom (2016)
• American Record: 55.64, Torri Huske (2022)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 56.13, Torri Huske (2024)
• U.S Open Record: 55.66, Torri Huske (2021)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 56.41
2. Regan Smith (UN) – 57.11
3. Torri Huske (AAC) – 57.45
4. Claire Curzan (UVA) – 58.23
5. Alex Walsh (UVA) – 58.70
6. Kelly Pash (TEX) – 58.75
7. Beata Nelson (WISC) – 58.97
8. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 59.21

The fastest qualifier in the women’s 100 butterfly was Gretchen Walsh, who led from start to finish in the final heat. She split 26.22/30.19 for a final time of 56.41, just 0.07 outside of her best time of 56.34 from June. The closest pursuer to G. Walsh this morning was Regan Smith, who touched in 57.11 for 2nd in the heat and 2nd overall. Smith will have double duty tonight as she’s also competing in the 200 back final.

3rd overall this morning went to American record holder Torri Huske, who showcased a different race strategy that we usually see from her. She opened in 26.94 before closing in a strong 30.51. Huske usually has a larger gap between the two 50 splits, so look for her to be out significantly faster in tonight’s championship final.

Claire Curzan (58.23), Alex Walsh (58.70), Kelly Pash (58.75), and Beata Nelson (58.97) also cracked 59-seconds to earn an A-final berth. Curzan, like Smith, has the 200 backstroke/100 fly double to deal with later today.

Siobhan Haughey, who snagged the Pro Swim Series record in yesterday’s 100 free final, touched in 59.21 to advance 8th overall. Haughey’s versatility has been on full display over the past few months, as she’s medaled at the World level in both freestyle and breaststroke. Haughey seems to have the capability to clock a really fast 200 IM too, but she hasn’t swam the event in quite some time.

56-second swimmer Kate Douglass touched 14th this morning at 1:00.05. She will have the opportunity to swim in the B-final.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 49.45, Caeleb Dressel (2021)
• American Record: 49.45, Caeleb Dressel (2021)
• Pro Swim Series Record: 50.80, Shaine Casas (2023)
• U.S Open Record: 49.76, Caeleb Dressel (2021)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Hubert Kos (UN) – 51.23
2. Caeleb Dressel (GSC) – 51.41
3. Eric Friese (GSC) – 51.93
4. Bjoern Kammann (TENN) – 52.14
5. Youssef Ramadan (VT) – 52.39
6. Tobias Schulrath (GER) – 52.40
7. Zach Harting (CARD) – 52.48
8. Finn Brooks (IU) – 52.49

Caeleb Dressel swam to victory in the final heat, clocking the 2nd fastest time of the morning (51.41). As we’ve seen over the past few months, he deployed a strong back half strategy, opening in 24.50 before charging home in 26.91 over the final 50 meters. Dressel’s prelim swim was almost a full second faster than he clocked during the Westmont Pro Swim Series heats last month (52.31).

Hubert Kos, who trains with Bob Bowman but represents Hungary on the international scene, secured a new personal best time at 51.23. He cut exactly a tenth off his previous benchmark of 51.33. Kos opened in 24.13 before closing in 27.10, and it’s looking to be a great battle between him and Dressel in tonight’s A-final.

Dressel’s teammate Eric Friese, who represents Germany, also broke 52-seconds with his 51.93 clocking. Bjoern Kammann (52.14), Youssef Ramadan (52.39), Tobias Schulrath (52.40), Zach Harting (52.48), and Finn Brooks (52.49) all made the cut for A-final qualfication.

Also competing: Kaii Winkler (9th — 52.51), Ilya Kharun (10th — 52.57), Trenton Julian (11th — 52.66), Santo Condorelli (12th — 52.75), Ryan Held (15th — 53.11), Jonny Kulow (16th — 53.43), Kayky Mota (19th — 53.48), Michael Andrew (=26th — 53.95), and Shaine Casas (=26th — 53.95).