2018 TYR PRO SWIM SERIES – ATLANTA
- March 1-4, 2018
- McAuley Aquatic Center
- Atlanta, GA
- LCM
- Psych Sheet
- SwimSquad Projections
- Friday prelims heat sheet
- Live stream
- Live results
We’re heading into day 2 prelims of the TYR Pro Swim Series stop in Atlanta, where swimmers are set to compete in prelims of the 50 free, 200 back, 200 free, and 400 IM. Jack Conger is back in action in this morning’s 200 free prelims. Conger has been having a great meet so far, putting up a best time in the 100 free prelims and becoming the 5th fastest American ever in the 100 fly with his finals performance. Nathan Adrian and Michael Andrew will battle it out in the 50 free along with Russian rocket Vlad Morozov and Brazilian sprinter Bruno Fratus. Olympic champion Ryan Murphy headlines this morning’s 200 back, while World champ Chase Kalisz headlines the 400 IM.
The women’s 50 free features ace sprinters Kelsi Dahlia Worrell, Margo Geer, Mallory Comerford, and Lia Neal. Comerford will take on a double this morning in the 50 free and 200 free. Candian junior star Taylor Ruck will double up as well, racing in the 200 back and 200 free.
WOMEN’S 50 FREE:
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Margo Geer– 25.02
- Olivia Smoliga– 25.46
- Mallory Comerford– 25.48
- Farida Osman– 25.49
- Lia Neal– 25.56
- (T-6) Anika Apostalon- 25.58
- (T-6) Kayla Sanchez– 25.58
- Isabella Arcila- 25.61
Indiana postgrad Margo Geer led the way this morning in 25.02. She’ll battle a handful of national teamers with Olivia Smoliga, Mallory Comerford, and Lia Neal in he final. Fellow Indiana postgrad Amanda Kendall was just shy of the top 8 with a 25.72, followed by Kelsi Worrell (25.79). Canadian Olympic champ Penny Oleksiak (25.80) will join them in the B final.
MEN’S 50 FREE:
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Michael Andrew– 22.16
- Nathan Adrian– 22.46
- Bruno Fratus– 22.50
- Marcelo Chierighini– 22.60
- Andrii Govorov– 22.65
- Guido Buscaglia- 22.69
- Vlad Morozov– 22.74
- Mehdi Ayoubi- 22.99
The final tonight will consist mostly of foreign sprinters, but the 2 Americans, Michael Andrew and Nathan Adrian, led the way through prelims. Brazilian sprint stars Bruno Fratus and Marcelo Chierighini followed in 3rd and 4th. Just out of the top 8 were Candian sprinter Yuri Kisil (23.01), who took bronze in last night’s 100 free, and Georgia-based Matias Koski (23.06).
WOMEN’S 200 BACK:
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Federica Pellegrini– 2:12.79
- Taylor Ruck– 2:13.02
- Jade Hannah- 2:13.63
- Sinclair Larson– 2:14.02
- Andrea Berrino- 2:16.17
- Mariah Denigan– 2:16.82
- Aela Janvier- 2:17.03
- (T-8) Erica Sullivan– 2:17.44
- (T-8) Carlotta Zofkova– 2:17.44
Italian Olympic champion Federica Pellegrini showed off her backstroke talents this morning, touching a couple of tenths ahead of Canadian junior star Taylor Ruck to become the top qualifier for finals. SwimMAC’s Sinclair Larson was the fastest American through to the final. We have a potential swimoff for 8th between National Teamer Erica Sullivan and Carlotta Zofkova.
MEN’S 200 BACK:
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Ryosuke Irie– 2:00.13
- Jacob Pebley– 2:00.51
- Ryan Murphy– 2:01.76
- Markus Thormeyer– 2:02.35
- Josiah Binneman- 2:02.84
- Andrew Abruzzo– 2:02.90
- Bradley Dunham- 2:03.05
- Ian Grum– 2:03.59
Japanese Olympic medalist Ryosuke Irie was the fastest man through, followed by U.S. Olympians Jacob Pebley and Ryan Murphy of the Cal postgrad group. The op 3 didn’t seem to expend too much energy on their swims this morning, cruising into the final. Pebley negative split his race, taking it out in 1:00.35 and coming home in 1:00.16.
After a strong performance in last night’s 800 free final, Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Andrew Abruzzo has earned a spot in the A final in this event tonight. Abruzzo made a big drop this morning, taking his former best time of 2:06.53 down to a 2:02.90 to qualify 6th.
WOMEN’S 200 FREE:
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Wang Jianjiahe– 1:57.80
- Taylor Ruck– 1:59.35
- Rebecca Smith– 1:59.45
- Melanie Margalis– 1:59.85
- Mallory Comerford– 2:00.77
- Lia Neal– 2:01.54
- Penny Oleksiak– 2:01.74
- Kayla Sanchez– 2:02.06
China’s Wang Jianjiahe, last night’s 800 free champ, was the only swimmer to break 1:59 this morning. The final is stacked with Canadian junior talent between Taylor Ruck, Rebecca Smith, Penny Oleksiak, and Kayla Sanchez. Ruck could have a tough double tonight if she chooses to swim both events. She’ll have the 200 back final minutes before this race. Only the men’s 200 back final and women’s 200 free B final will separate her races, which gives her very little time given the quick pace of finals last night.
MEN’S 200 FREE:
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Jack Conger– 1:49.03
- Zane Grothe– 1:49.29
- Marwan El Kamash– 1:49.41
- Trey Freeman– 1:49.47
- Clark Smith– 1:49.48
- Dimitrios Dimitriou- 1:50.15
- Andrew Abruzzo– 1:50.24
- Jeremy Bagshaw- 1:51.04
Texas postgrad Jack Conger is back after a strong day 1, earning the top spot for finals in this race. Conger took it out with easy speed and seemed to shut it down on the back half, so he could have another big swim in store for tonight. Fellow Texas postgrad Clark Smith and Indiana postgrad Zane Grothe were among the handful of swimmers to break 1:50 alongside Conger this morning.
We’ll see some top junior talent in this race, as Florida commit Trey Freeman of Baylor touched 4th through prelims. Shortly after his 200 back performance, Georgia commit Andrew Abruzzo threw down another best time to qualify 7th. Abruzzo shaved over half a second off his lifetime best. He’ll be tripling up this morning, as he’s slated to swim in heat 1 of the 400 IM shortly.
WOMEN’S 400 IM:
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Hali Flickinger– 4:43.28
- Madisyn Cox– 4:44.98
- Melanie Margalis– 4:47.58
- Mariah Denigan– 4:48.17
- Emma Weyant- 4:50.46
- Haley Anderson– 4:51.67
- Megan Dalke- 4:52.70
- Kaitlynn Sims- 4:53.80
Georgia postgrad Hali Flickinger is in the hunt for another medal tonight. She’ll be up against teammate Melanie Margalis and Texas postgrad Madisyn Cox. In last night’s 200 breast, Cox swam to a new lifetime best. She’s in good form at this meet and a major threat for gold tonight. 14-year-old Mariah Denigan of the Northern Kentucky Clippers shaved a few hundredths off her lifetime best to qualify 4th. Denigan is now in the A final of both this event and the 200 back tonight.
MEN’S 400 IM:
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Andrew Abruzzo– 4:23.37
- Will Licon– 4:24.36
- Chase Kalisz– 4:25.35
- Josh Prenot– 4:26.11
- Colin Eriks- 4:27.53
- Andrew Winton- 4:29.20
- Santiago Bergliaffa– 4:29.75
- Ian Grum– 4:30.44
Andrew Abruzzo was just a tenth shy of his lifetime best as he came through as the top qualifier. This was Abruzzo’s 3rd event of the morning, and he’ll be in the A final of all 3 races if he chooses to swim them all tonight. Texas postgrad Will Licon showed off his breaststroke speed this morning but seemed to swim his race this morning quite conservatively, as did World Champion Chase Kalisz of Georgia. They likely have a lot more in the tank for tonight. 16-year-old Ian Grum of Dynamo Swim Club earned his 2nd A final spot of the day as he qualified 8th.
Another great session for 15-year-old Dare Rose. 1.90s time drop in the 100 free in 50.89 on day 1. Today 2.16s time drop in the 200 free in 1.51.14.
Big talent.
What’s with Andrew Abruzzo’s and Bradley Dunham’s reaction time on that 2 back… +1.54 and +1.48 sheesh
When you consider that Women’s 200 free and Men’s 200 back are roughly equally fast (1:53s to win at 2016 Olympics), it looks like the men were really taking it easy this morning
You gotta remember that everyone in the woman’s 200 free can challenge for a spot in the final at any international competition.
Murphy, Irie and Pebley aren’t exactly scrubs…
Look at this final at W200 FR. It is like we are going to watch high school competition. 5 of 8 finalists are 17 or younger. Lia Neal (23) at her just first professional year looks like she got mistakenly to the wrong meet. Mallory Comerford (20) looks like a mature lady 😀
Well, those four Canadian teenagers did demolish the World Junior record in the 4x200m freestyle by over 5 seconds last August, and that was after Penny barely even focused on the 200 free all year because of her shoulder injury in the winter. It’s no real surprise that they all made it into the final, considering Penny’s already swam the 200m freestyle in Europe this year (where she won by 3 seconds).
What happened to Conner Dwyer? I’m pretty sure I saw his name listed as a participant in this meet?
in Manhattan..living the life of the rich and famous….
His instagram is too much.
Try not to take him too serious even if he likes nice things. He was on the Pardon My Take podcast and was pretty funny.
lol
Is Leah Smith still swimming? She was entered in this meet and in Austin but didn’t appear at either one.
I think she’s training out in Tucson now. Not sure why she was a no show.
Thank you Lauren.
Love watching Irie swim. Just a little guy. Reminds me of Daniel Roy.
One of the best back technicians for years
Go head on Pebbles with the negative split 200 back. 1:00.35 and 1:00.16. ☺ 2:00.51