8 things we learned from day 2 of the Pan Pacific Championships

Pan Pacs are halfway over from Australia, and day 2 brought some thrilling finishes and memorable moments. Here are 8 things we’ve learned so far:

1. Conditions are treacherous: Well, maybe treacherous is too strong a word, but it’s been clear the elements are making fast times difficult. In the men’s 100 free, both Nathan Adrian and James Magnussen were well off their bests in the final, though Cam McEvoy was fast. The women breaststrokers were another piece of evidence supporting this phenomena, with Jessica Hardy and Kanako Watanabe off season bests in taking gold and silver. Of course there were some season-bests and fast times, like Cate Campbell in the 100 free, but more often than not, athletes have been a little off their bests time-wise this week.

2. Aussie 4×100 free relay primed: Speaking of Campbell, how about the day for her and her Aussie teammates in the sprints. Cate won the open 100 in a blistering 52.72 (not quite as fast as her prelims time, but an easy win regardless), while her sister Bronte finished second. Then, in the B heat, Melanie Schlanger put up the event’s third-fastest overall time. The Aussies are already the world record-holders in the event, but they appear primed to really crush that race again this week.

3. Tough luck for Kevin Cordes: The rising future of American breaststroking, Kevin Cordes has had a tough go of it on the international stage. Some costly relay-start DQs and a tendency to be ‘off’ in finals has left fans wary of putting too much faith in the record-shattering 21-year-old. Today was the same story, with Cordes riding the top seed into the 100 breast final but losing his goggles and getting DQ’d in the night swim. It sounds like Cordes had his goggles fill up and tried to adjust or take them off at the 50 turn, leading to a disqualification. That’s more tough luck for an immensely-talented guy who’s only real downside is his inconsistency.

4. Year of the McEvoy: The men’s 100 free looked to be a battle between 2012 Olympic gold medalist Nathan Adrian and 2013 World Champ James Magnussen, with Magnussen’s young teammate Cameron McEvoy as an intriguing wild card. But if 2012 was the Year of Adrian, and 2013 of Magnussen, it appears 2014 might be McEvoy’s turn, as he beat his older rivals with the only sub-48-second swim of the meet. McEvoy was also faster than all comers at the European Championships, and appears to have arrived as the present, no longer the future, of the world freestyle scene.

5. Japan overcoming size deficiency: Some commenters noticed the differing styles in the men’s 400 IM, and it’s a real testament to how the winner won. Kosuke Hagino isn’t the biggest guy. In fact, listed at just 5’9″ and 150 pounds online, Hagino gives up a good four inches and thirty pounds to his top American challenger, Tyler Clary (listed at 6’1″, 185 lbs). And Clary’s teammate Chase Kalisz is even bigger, at 6-foot-4. But Hagino is tremendously efficient, and outdid both his competitors with a smooth stroke, while Clary and Kalisz, more power-based swimmers, seemed to be thrashing on either side. There’s no “right” way to swim – considering the balance between raw power and efficient smoothness, at least – just the best way for each individual athlete. Hagino has clearly found his niche in that spectrum.

6. Two-per-country rule under fire: We’ve heard a lot of conversation in our comments section about the Pan Pacs “two-per-country” rule, which only allows each nation to enter up to two swimmers into an A final. That leads to fast swimmers being bumped to the B final (like Schlanger in that 100 free) or even denied a finals spot entirely (think Anthony Ervin in the 100 free). On the other hand, it does give us all a chance to see some swimmers we don’t often see, and it’s exciting to have a bunch of different nationalities in the final. Overall, this writer thinks the rule is a good thing, but there’s no denying that watching Schlanger crush the B final all alone out front was probably not the policy’s highest point.

7. Lights-out Ledecky: American Katie Ledecky is already well-respected as the world’s premier distance swimmer. But she got to show off another side in the women’s 4×200 free relay, blasting a big 1:54.36 to run down Australia (their anchor was Schlanger, no slouch herself) and pull the American relay to meet and all-comers record honors. Stanford fans had to be excited to see that, perhaps a taste of what Ledecky will bring to the college scene whenever she makes her debut for the Stanford Cardinal. With her partner-in-crime Missy Franlin hobbled by a back injury, Ledecky is proving she can step up to carry the team herself.

8. Lochte’s feeling healthy: A big question mark going into nationals, Ryan Lochte has been very solid and injury free over the past few weeks, and he capitalized on his health to put up the Americans’ fastest split on the men’s 4×200 free relay. Lochte was 1:45.57, nothing earth-shattering, but a very impressive split for a guy who is approaching 30, coming off of a lengthy knee injury and who doesn’t even specialize in the 200 free.

Full day 2 finals coverage here.

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TheTroubleWithX
9 years ago

Just to add more drama to the US men’s breaststroke…the 200 breast is immediately before the medley relay. Cordes, Fink, and Miller are all also slated to swim the 200 breaststroke. Do you hope Prenot and two others make the final, and the slowest in the 200 swims the medley relay? Or does someone pull off the double, with 15-30 minutes rest? Cordes needs to focus on the 200 to get a spot on the Worlds team. This is going to be interesting.

morethanthat
9 years ago

I agree that Japan does an excellent job producing great swimmers especially with their small talent pool. I also agree many of them have very good technique. I’d also add that a large percentage of Japanese people are extremely light boned just as most great swimmers are. Being bird boned like Hagino makes him appear to hold even more water than he does because he rides so high in the water thus making his drag component go way down. It’s the same reason big, strong guys went so much faster in the super suits. They finally got to feel what it’s like to float like the bird boned. Drag is exponentially proportional to how high the body rides in the… Read more »

HG
Reply to  morethanthat
9 years ago

Agree . The full frontal impact of increased muscle mass can be detrimental. Also big arms are heavy arms . Some of it is just a part of maturing physically ( often delayed by hard work & the denial of sleep 4-6am ) .

Ledecky at this time is in the ‘perfect window’ still slim , rangy & light , power to weight ratio . Japanese swimmers reach their height max quite early & can work on the fine tuning of musculature. It is no accident they have had a string of super men’s gymnasts including a 17 year old world floor champ. In 2005 I arrived early at the venue & got to sit outside next to the… Read more »

HG
9 years ago

The astute poster commenting on Hagino ( that would be me!) .We are lucky to get to get to see all the Japenese juniors as they have been coming since the 70s . ( we had to discourage TheIttoman Club because they literally won everything ) .The reasons they did not progress to senior domination was due to their school tutoring methodology which came down on them like a hammer . They’ ve since introduced reforms & with the falling birthdate , higher education spots are not as competitive . So they can keep swimming ( eg the Japan High School comp is ridiculous fast) .

In 2009 there was a Snr/jnr dual meet where the Japanese were sporting… Read more »

SVIRD
9 years ago

Really disappointed I couldn’t see the 8×200 relays. I haven’t seen an exciting 4×200 on the international scene in quite a while, and last night there were 2 great races!

mballenger
9 years ago

It looks like Cordes started the pull down, ripped off his googles, and then returned his arms to a streamline and started the pull down again

Danjohnrob
9 years ago

Very detailed, well-written synopsis, Jared! 🙂

Question: Did McLaughlin break the Junior World Record in the 200 fly on night one? Did Manuel break the 100 free JWR on night two? A commenter under another article made that statement about Katie. A knowledgeable person said Simone did not, but it looks like Troy started to write that she did and then fell asleep or something, LOL, because he didn’t finish.

Could somebody clarify those things when they have the time? There have been so many JWR changes this week I suppose we need a complete update at some point in the future. Thank you!

whoknows
Reply to  Danjohnrob
9 years ago

Age is determined by age on December 31 of the competition year. Girls’ records max out at 17 years.

Danjohnrob
Reply to  Jared Anderson
9 years ago

Thank you Whoknows, I have a mental block about that, I think because I feel it is unfair and I hate unfairness!

As always Jared, you’re the MAN! I could have tried to find out their ages, etc myself, but asking you is so much easier! I’m becoming dependent upon you guys! 🙂

HG
Reply to  Danjohnrob
9 years ago

A sane organisation ( yes there are none) would give Mary T the record . Born 1964 – Wr of 2.5.8 in 1981 . Hoorah – jackpot – the art of counting .

liquidassets
Reply to  HG
9 years ago

Thanks for remembering, HG!!!

World junior bests, very old-school textile: Meagher 57.93 1981, 2:05.93 1981.

(crazy techsuits: Sjostrom 56.09 2009 at age 15, Jiao 2:04.72, 2008)

The young girls are amazing and exciting, yet the middle-aged and geriatric Mary T. fans still have a few bragging rights left!! 😉

Huddie
Reply to  HG
9 years ago

Mary T. will always be Madam Butterfly! ! So far ahead of her peers! …..And to really show my age, so was Catie Ball, 200 Breaststroker in 1968 who was so much faster than everyone else, but got mono or something before Mexico City Games and had to skip them.

dees
9 years ago

ledecky’s talked about going down to the 200 and maybe even 100 so she can swim a relay… she’s showing she really values the intensity of that experience, probably more than those usually expected to swim them. great work by her.

Lane Four
9 years ago

What are the times for the meet this weekend on NBC????

Reply to  Lane Four
9 years ago

sat 330 pm edt
sun 1 pm edt

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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