2018 TYR PRO SWIM SERIES – ATLANTA
- March 1-4, 2018
- McAuley Aquatic Center
- Atlanta, GA
- LCM
- Psych Sheet
- Event Page
- SwimSquad Projections
- Friday finals heat sheet
- Live stream
- Live results
We’re back with day 2 finals of the 2018 TYR Pro Swim Series stop in Atlanta, where swimmers will race in finals of the 50 free, 200 back, 200 free, and 400 IM. The women’s 400 IM will feature a battle between U.S. National Teamers Madisyn Cox, Hali Flickinger, and Melanie Margalis. We’ll see Margalis competing in the 200 free final as well with Wang Jianjiahe. Canadian junior star Taylor Ruck will join them in the 200 free shortly after racing in the 200 back. The 50 free is headlined by Margo Geer, Olivia Smoliga, and Lia Neal.
The men’s 400 IM final is also loaded with Chase Kalisz, Will Licon, and Josh Prenot. U.S. Olympic backstrokers Ryan Murphy and Jacob Pebley will face off with Japanese backstroke star Ryosuke Irie in the men’s 200 back. Jack Conger is seeking another title tonight as the top seed in the 200 free. He’ll battle with Zane Grothe and Clark Smith in that race. Michael Andrew and Nathan Adrian will go head-to-head again in the 50 free, with Brazilian sprint stars Bruno Fratus and Marcelo Chierighini also in the mix. Andrew Abruzzo is one to watch tonight after qualifying for the A final in the 200 back, 200 free, and 400 IM. Abruzzo went a best time in the 200s in prelims and was just a tenth shy of his best to become top qualifier in the 400 IM.
WOMEN’S 400 IM:
- Pro Swim Series Record: 4:31.07- Katinka Hosszu, Santa Clara 2015
- Pool Record: 4:33.55- Elizabeth Beisel (Florida), 2016
- GOLD: Madisyn Cox, 4:37.94
- SILVER: Melanie Margalis, 4:38.13
- BRONZE: Hali Flickinger, 4:39.98
Georgia postgrad Hali Flickinger had the lead going out through the front half, but she faded on the breast leg as Texas postgrad Madisyn Cox took over. Another Georgia postgrad, Melanie Margalis, started to close the gap on freestyle, but Cox was too far ahead as she won the race with a lifetime best by almost a full second. Magalis settled for silver, while Flickinger held on for bronze. 14-year-old Mariah Denigan of the Northern Kentucky Clippers was the first swimmer shy of the podium. Denigan knocked almost 3 seconds off her lifetime best in 4:45.41.
MEN’S 400 IM:
- Pro Swim Series Record:
4:09.43- Chase Kalisz, Atlanta 2017 - Pool Record:
4:09.43- Chase Kalisz (Georgia), 2017
- GOLD: Chase Kalisz, 4:08.92
- SILVER: Josh Prenot, 4:18.58
- BRONZE: Andrew Abruzzo, 4:22.19
Chase Kalisz is the fastest he’s ever been in season. Kalisz demolished the field, winning by nearly 10 seconds with a new Pro Swim Series Record. Kalisz took the lead from the get-go, splitting 56.72 on the fly. He continued to build his lead throughout the race. Cal postgrad Josh Prenot was the only other man to break 4:20. Andrew Abruzzo picked up another best time in his first of 3 swims tonight as he won the bronze. He had the fastest closing split of the field with a 58.63 free leg.
WOMEN’S 50 FREE:
- Pro Swim Series Record: 24.17- Sarah Sjostrom, Austin 2016
- Pool Record: 24.73- Simone Manuel (Stanford), 2017
- GOLD: Margo Geer, 24.78
- SILVER: Olivia Smoliga, 25.14
- BRONZE: Farida Osman, 25.29
Indiana postgrad Margo Geer notched a new best time to win it, missing the Pool Record by justs 5 hundredths. Georgia postgrad Olivia Smoliga clipped Cal postgrad Farida Osman at the finish. Stanford postgrad Lia Neal was just 4 hundredths shy of the podium in 25.33, followed by Isabella Arcila (25.41).
MEN’S 50 FREE:
- Pro Swim Series Record: 21.56- Nathan Adrian, Minneapolis 2015
- Pool Record: 21.85- Nathan Adrian (Cal), 2011
- GOLD: Michael Andrew, 21.93
- SILVER: Nathan Adrian, 22.09
- BRONZE: Vlad Morozov, 22.11
Junior phenom Michael Andrew won this round, as he was the only swimmer to break 22 tonight. Andrew was just 8 hundredths shy of the Pool Record. Olympic sprint champ Nathan Adrian wound up 2nd, just out-touching Russian rocket Vlad Morozov. Ukrainian sprint star Andrii Govorov picked up 4th, touching in 22.34 ahead of Brazilian sprinter Bruno Fratus (22.51).
WOMEN’S 200 BACK:
- Pro Swim Series Record: 2:07.16- Meagen Nay, Santa Clara 2011
- Pool Record:
2:07.14- Missy Franklin (Colorado Stars), 2011
- GOLD: Taylor Ruck, 2:06.36
- SILVER: Federica Pellegrini, 2:11.28
- BRONZE: Jade Hannah, 2:11.49
Candian junior standout Taylor Ruck knocked half a second off her best time to dominate this race in 2:06.36. Ruck flipped in 1:01.67 for the early lead, pulling further ahead as she moved through the race and took down Missy Franklin’s Pool record. That would have been a new Junior World Record for Ruck, knocking 4 tenths off the former mark set by Australia’s Kaylee McKeown, but won’t count as such since she turns 18 before the end of 2018. Italian star Federica Pellegrini used her closing speed to out-touch Jade Hannah for the silver. SwimMAC’s Sinclair Larson swam to 4th, clipping 2 tenths off her best in 2:12.60.
MEN’S 200 BACK:
- Pro Swim Series Record: 1:55.04- Xu Jiayu, Indianapolis 2017
- Pool Record:
1:55.82- Ryan Murphy (Cal), 2016
- GOLD: Ryan Murphy, 1:55.46
- SILVER: Jacob Pebley, 1:55.85
- BRONZE: Ryosuke Irie, 1:56.77
Cal postgrads Ryan Murphy and Jacob Pebley were neck-and-neck in this race. Pebley was slightly fster up front in 56.30 to Murphy’s 56.48, but Murphy took over the lead after the 3rd 50. Murphy had the closing speed to take the win as they secured the top 2 spots in the world this year. Japanese Olympic medalist Ryosuke Irie took the bronze as the only other man to break 2:00 tonight.
WOMEN’S 200 FREE:
- Pro Swim Series Record: 1:54.43- Katie Ledecky, Austin 2016
- Pool Record: 1:54.82- Katie Ledecky (Nation’s Capital), 2016
- GOLD: Taylor Ruck, 1:56.85
- SILVER: Wang Jianjiahe, 1:57.60
- BRONZE: Rebecca Smith, 1:59.14
Another swim, another best time. Candian junior star Taylor Ruck shaved a few tenths off her best for another dominant win on 1:56.85, shortly after winning the 200 back title. Last night’s 800 free champ, Wang Jianjiahe of China, picked up another medal in 2nd place. Rebecca Smith and Penny Oleksiak, also Canadian junior standouts, battled for 3rd, with Smith clipping Oleksiak (1:59.32) for bronze.
MEN’S 200 FREE:
- Pro Swim Series Record: 1:44.82- Sun Yang, Santa Clara 2016
- Pool Record: 1:46.36- Yannick Agnel (France), 2011
- GOLD: Jack Conger, 1:46.96
- SILVER: Marwan El Kamash, 1:48.16
- BRONZE: Zane Grothe, 1:48.46
Texas postgrad Jack Conger dominated this race, flipping in 52.10 en route to a 1:46.96 victory. He was the only swimmer to break 1:48 tonight. Indiana alum Marwan El Kamash held off Indiana postgrad Zane Grothe for the silver, using his front-end speed to take the edge. Baylor’s Trey Freeman joined them under 1:50 to take 4th in 1:49.41, slightly faster than his prelims swim.
I don’t agree with the comments suggesting Ruck should go pro instead of college. Professional marketability in North America in the sport of swimming comes with Olympic Gold, World Records, and to a lesser degree World Championships. And even with some or all of this pedigree, it’s not a get rich scheme along with the fact that Swimming is arguably one of the most difficult sports to maintain and build performance. Only Phelps has really shattered the glass ceiling, and his Olympic Gold pedigree is really the catalyst.
Like it or not, we live in a culture where high school football or basketball players are more marketable in the USA than the very best athletes in the world in… Read more »
I’ve been saying it…give me another group as consistent as the CDN girls…in particular Titley’s group. What’s really impressive is that all of these girls are likely in heavy training leading up to Commonwealth Games, and still came to race. How many young CDN’s in 200 FREE A Final?
Ruck seems very comfortable…a good sign of great things to come.
Interesting swimming to come the next few months!
Does anyone else wants to know the REaL reason Penny had to leave Titley?
According to meet mobile, Molly Hannis time trialed a 29.73 50 Breast.
Kalisz crazy consistent now. Amazing to see how much his backstroke has improved in the last 2 years. I don’t know if he will break the world record of his “older brother”/mentor MP but if one guy can do it in the years to come, his name is Chase Kalisz. And for MP, I think that if someone breaks his world record, he prefers that it comes from Chase Kalisz. And it will not prevent him from sleeping well. He knows that records are made to be broken. Most important things are the titles, the gold medals. And they remain forever.
Andrew clearly the second favorite to qualify with Dressel in the 50 free for worlds next year. He… Read more »
I feel like Kalisz still hangs under the radar for most people. I am so impressed with him every time he swims. I can’t really remember the last time he had a really bad or tired looking meet. Prenot, who I love and think could get there in the 400 IM if he really focuses on it was 10 seconds back… We are spoiled with Kalisz
Yeah Kalisz is an awesome role model. I think he’s got it figured out mentally. He’s best in the world at maximizing his skills. After all those years of putting together an incredible base it seems he and his coaches are doing everything right to succeed.
Taylor Ruck… if you combine first initial with last name it’s Truck. This girl comes into the pro series and runs over everyone like a Truck. She is ridiculous. She stood out while training with SAC but training with HPC has put her on the world stage. This girl is an absolute star. Can’t wait for the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacs. She races, she goes for it, and she doesn’t back down. T-Ruck the Truck. You heard it here first.
Bring the pain! Bring the RUCKus!
Would like to see Ruck stay at HPC through 2020. Univ of Toronto is a good school. Really do something special in Tokyo.
The Texas pro men’s taper sure was hit and mostly miss. Andrew Wilson and Conger looked good, Licon OK in the 200 breast but not in the 400 IM, and Clark Smith was like the NCAAs where he couldn’t sleep. He almost broke Aaron Piersol’s 200 back record in the finals of the 200 free. I realize it wasn’t a full taper (it was pretty close based on Wilson and Conger times), but it sure wasn’t the psyche up the Texas boys were hoping for heading into NCAAs. Not sure their pro group has the best system.
I seriously doubt they were trying to peak for the Atlanta Pro-Am like they would for NCAAs or World Trials. What would be the point?
how much rest do you think they were given? Because based on licon interview it seemed like it was a decent amount.
Conger seemed to indicate it was a good amount of rest and a shave down but not a full taper