2024 Speedo Atlanta Classic: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2024 SPEEDO ATLANTA CLASSIC driven by Jim Ellis Cadillac

• Wednesday, May 15th – Saturday, May 18th 2024
• McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, Georgia
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• How To Watch
• Day 1 Distance Recap
• Live Results on Meet Mobile: “2024 Speedo Atlanta Classic”

The first prelims session of the 2024 Atlanta Classic is set to feature the heats of the women’s and men’s 100 free, 100 breast, 200 fly, and 400 free at the McAuley Aquatic Center.

Tennessee’s Erika Connolly (formerly Brown) leads a competitive women’s 100 free field, featuring Florida’s Izzy Ivey sitting in #3 seed, while Florida’s Alberto Mestre currently leads the men’s prelims seeds. Ireland’s Mona McSharry enters the women’s 100 breast as top seed while Lithuania’s Aleksas Savickas takes the men’s prelims lead.

Veteran Leah Gingrich holds the women’s 200 fly upper-hand as does Austria’s Martin Espernberger on the men’s side. Into the 400 free heats, Olympic champions and Florida/Anthony Nesty trainees Katie Ledecky and Kieran Smith respectively hold the women’s and men’s top seeds. Be on the lookout for fellow Florida swimmers Bella Sims and Bobby Finke, last night’s 1500 free winner.

Thursday Prelims Heat Sheet

Thursday Prelims Livestream:

Women’s 100 Freestyle — Prelims

• FINA Olympic A Standard: 53.61
• U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Time: 55.79

Top 10 Qualifiers:

1. Catie DeLoof (NYAC), 54.26
2. Erika Connolly (TNAQ), 54.78
3. Izzy Ivey (GSC), 54.82
4. Camille Spink (UN), 55.44
5. Carmen Weiler Sastre (VT), 55.60
6. Gabby DeLoof (NYAC), 55.64
7. Cadence Vincent (BAMA), 55.68
8. Caroline Larsen (FOXJ), 55.71
9. Madi Mintenko (PPA), 55.98
10. Emma Harvey (UPSU), 56.13

The top three seeds all broke 55 seconds this morning to win their respective heats. Gator’s Izzy Ivey won the first circle-seeded heat at 54.82, with New York Athletic Club’s Catie DeLoof taking the top seed at 54.26 as Tennessee’s Erika Connolly closed the event prelims out with the No.2 seed of 54.78.

The remaining top nine qualifiers all finished under 56 seconds, led by Tennessee’s Camille Spink at 55.44, featuring NYAC’s Gabby DeLoof‘s No.6 seed of 55.64 just ahead of Virginia Tech’s Carmen Weiler Sastre (55.60).

16-year-old Madi Mintenko of Pikes Peak Aquatics also qualified in 9th at 55.98, just off her 55.29 entry.

Men’s 100 Freestyle — Prelims

• FINA Olympic A Standard: 48.34
• U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Time: 49.99

Top 10 Qualifiers:

1. Caeleb Dressel (GSC), 48.69
2. Jorge Iga (PRVT), 48.75
3. Julian Smith (FLOR), 49.15
4. Macguire McDuff (FLOR), 49.25
5. Lamar Taylor (BAH), 49.38
6. Youssef Ramadan (VT), 49.47
7. Alberto Mestre (UN), 49.59
8. Tomas Koski (ABSC), 49.71
9. Reese Branzell (ABSC), 49.79
10. Micah Chambers (UN), 49.87

Dipping under 49 seconds and taking the top men’s 100 free seed was Gator’s Caeleb Dressel at 48.69, just three-tenths off his entry time of 48.40 Also swimming under 49 seconds was Jorge Iga of Mexico at 48.75. The automatic Olympic qualification standard rests at 48.34.

Florida teammates Julian Smith (49.15) and Macguire McDuff (49.25) finished a tenth apart to close out the top four seeds.

Egypt’s Youssef Ramadan of Virginia Tech (49.47) and Venezuala’s Alberto Mestre of Florida (49.59) both qualified 6th and 7th respectively into the A-final.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke — Prelims

• FINA Olympic A Standard: 1:06.79
• U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Time: 1:10.29

Top 10 Qualifiers:

1. Mona McSharry (UN), 1:06.91
2. Emelie Fast (UN), 1:08.61
3. Zoie Hartman (ABSC), 1:09.99
4. Ava DeAngelis (GW), 1:10.29
5. Lina Bank (UMIZ), 1:10.38
6. Kailee Morgan (UN), 1:10.65
7. Bradi Jones (UARK), 1:10.94
8. Grace Rainey (FLOR), 1:11.04
9. Alexis Yager (TNAQ), 1:11.20
10. Olivia Peoples (FLOR), 1:11.34

Dominating the women’s 100 breast field for the finals top seed was Tennessee’s Mona McSharry, touching in at 1:06.91. That time is both just off her entry time of 1:06.23, but within striking distance of the automatic Olympic qualification time of 1:06.79.

Humbly taking the second seed was another Tennessee trainee, Emelie Fast of Sweden, punching the wall at 1:08.61 to chop more than a second off her entry time. Georgia’s Zoie Hartman closed the sub-1:10 seeds in third at 1:09.99.

George Washington’s Ava DeAngelis came in fourth in a massive lifetime best of 1:10.29, tying the Olympic Trials cut for her first-ever qualification. Less than a tenth behind for 5th seed was Mizzou’s Lina Bank at 1:10.38.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke — Prelims

• FINA Olympic A Standard: 59.49
• U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Time: 1:02.19

Top 10 Qualifiers:

1. Evgenii Somov (AAA), 58.72
2. Henry Bethel (UNAT), 1:01.42
3. Xavier Ruiz (SJC), 1:01.48
4. Mariano Lazzerini (UPSU), 1:01.64
5. Carles Coll Marti (VT), 1:01.74
6. Michael Houlie (TNAQ), 1:01.79
7. Julian Killius (GTCH), 1:01.82
8. Miguel De Lara (PRVT), 1:01.91
9. Aleksas Savickas (FLOR), 1:02.17
10. Justin Bender (SPAC), 1:02.37

For the first time in his career, Russian native Evgenii Somov of Albany Armada has both broken one minute in the 100 breast but also swam under the automatic Olympic qualification time of 59.49. Somov hit that wall at 58.72, overwhelming his lifetime best of 1:00.11 from 2021 Russian Nationals but also setting a new Russian national record. Anton Chupkov formerly set the Russian national record at 58.83 back in 2020.

Somov now ranks 5th in the world for the 2023-2024 season.

Henry Bethel of Auburn (1:01.42) comes in as the second seed leading a slew of 1:01s, with San Juan Cariba’s Xavier Ruiz trailing by 0.06s for third at 1:01.48.

Chile’s Mariano Lazzerini of Penn State (1:01.64) comes in 4th barely ahead of Spain’s Carles Coll Marti of Virginia Tech (1:01.74) and South Africa’s Michael Houlie of Tennessee (1:01.79).

Notably, Caeleb Dressel chose to not swim his 11th-seeded entry in this event.

Women’s 200 Butterfly — Prelims

• FINA Olympic A Standard: 2:08.43
• U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Time: 2:13.69

Top 10 Qualifiers:

1. Leah Gingrich (KA), 2:11.60
2. Lilla Bognar (TG), 2:13.03
3. Deniz Ertan (SUN), 2:13.30
4. Callie Dickinson (ABSC), 2:13.70
5. Carli Cronk (AAAA), 2:13.86
6. Zoe Dixon (FLOR), 2:13.98
7. Sara Stotler (UN), 2:14.27
8. Kate McCarville (UN), 2:14.97
9. Lainy Kruger (FLOR), 2:15.01
10. Mia Abruzzo (PWAC), 2:15.53

Keystone Aquatics veteran Leah Gingrich easily takes the women’s 200 fly top seed at 2:11.60. Gingrich comes in as the only pre-seeded sub-2:10 swimmer at 2:09.41.

The remaining top six qualifiers swam at 2:13-point, led by second seed Lilla Bognar at 2:13.03 and third seed ASU’s Deniz Ertan of Turkey at 2:13.30. 17-year-old Bognar’s time marked her first Olympic Trials cut in this event.

Georgia’s Callie Dickinson (2:13.70), Alamo Area’s Carli Cronk (2:13.86), and Florida’s Zoe Dixon (2:13.98) closed out the 2:13-point qualifiers.

Men’s 200 Butterfly — Prelims

• FINA Olympic A Standard: 1:55.78
• U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Time: 2:00.49

Top 10 Qualifiers:

1. Martin Espernberger (UN), 1:56.77
2. Mason Laur (FLOR), 1:57.46
3. Jack Dahlgren (TRI), 1:59.37
4. Tommy Hagar (BAMA), 2:01.92
5. Sean Sullivan (FLOR), 2:02.07
6. Mason Mathias (UNAT), 2:02.40
7. Aidan Crisci (UN), 2:02.73
8. Carlos Vasquez (PRVT), 2:02.83
9. Luke Dinges (UN)/Connor Rodgers (GW), 2:03.06
10. –

Austria’s Martin Espernberger of Tennessee leads the sub-2:00 top three men’s 200 fly qualifiers at 1:56.77, with Mason Laur of Florida trailing close behind at 1:57.46. Jack Dahlgren of Team Triumph clocked 1:59.37 for third seed into finals.

Touching less than half a second apart for the remaining top six seeds were Alabama’s Tommy Hagar (2:01.92), Florida’s Sean Sullivan (2:02.07), and Auburn’s Mason Mathias (2:02.40).

Women’s 400 Freestyle — Prelims

• FINA Olympic A Standard: 4:07.90
• U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Time: 4:15.49

Top 10 Qualifiers:

1. Katie Ledecky (GSC), 4:05.77
2. Madi Mintenko (PPA), 4:11.13
3. Emma Weyant (FLOR), 4:12.09
4. Bella Sims (FLOR), 4:12.30
5. Rachel Stege (ABSC), 4:13.71
6. Abigail McCulloh (SA), 4:13.79
7. Sloane Reinstein (PASA), 4:14.23
8. Ashley Twichell (TAC), 4:14.46
9. Dune Coetzee (ABSC), 4:14.51
10. Shea Furse (ABSC), 4:15.98

Freestyle ace Katie Ledecky of Florida’s Gator Swim Club comfortably takes the women’s 400 free top seed at 4:05.77. Ledecky’s season best rests at 4:01.41 from last month’s San Antonio Pro Swim Series.

Coming in for second was 16-year-old Madi Mintenko of Pikes Peak Aquatics at 4:11.13, just ahead of Florida teammates Emma Weyant (4:12.09) and Bella Sims (4:12.30).

Georgia’s Rachel Stege took fifth this morning at 4:13.71, just 0.08s ahead of SwimAtlanta’s Abigail McCulloh (4:13.79). Georgia alum Sloane Reinstein of PASA (4:14.23) came in tenths ahead of American Olympian Ashley Twichell of TAC Titans (4:14.46) and South African Olympian Dune Coetzee of Georgia (4:14.51).

Men’s 400 Freestyle — Prelims

• FINA Olympic A Standard: 3:46.78
• U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Time: 3:55.59

Top 10 Qualifiers:

1. Alfonso Mestre (GSC), 3:51.57
2. Kieran Smith (RAC), 3:51.73
3. Jake Mitchell (FLOR), 3:52.87
4. Bobby Finke (SPA), 3:53.27
5. Rafael Ponce de Leon (UN), 3:55.07
6. Joaquin Vargas (UN), 3:56.31
7. Aryan Nehra (FLOR)/Giovanni Linscheer (FLOR), 3:57.36
8. –
9. Sam Powe (MCC), 3:58.11
10. Mason Mathias (UNAT), 3:58.17

Venezuelan native Alfonso Mestre of Gator Swim Club, and Alberto Mestre‘s brother, takes the men’s 400 free top seed at 3:51.57. However, not even two-tenths behind is American Olympian and Florida Gator Kieran Smith of Ridgefield at 3:51.73.

Coming in as third seed will be another Florida Gator, Jake Mitchell (3:52.87). Fellow US Olympian and Florida teammate Bobby Finke comes in at 3:53.27 for fourth. That makes the top four finals seeds all Anthony Nesty-trained swimmers.

Tennessee teammates and Peruvian natives Rafael Ponce de Leon (3:55.07) and Joaquin Vargas (3:56.31) round out the top six seeds. Auburn’s Mason Mathias also makes his second A-final, placing 10th this morning at 3:58.17.