Anton Ipsen Swims 2nd-Best 1500 of Career to Win in Columbus (Day 1)

2018 PRO SWIM SERIES – COLUMBUS

• Thursday, July 5 – Sunday, July 8, 2018
• McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, Columbus, OH
• Thursday: Timed Finals 5 PM (US Eastern Time)
• Friday-Sunday: Prelims 10 AM / Finals 6:30 PM (US Eastern Time)
• Meet site
• Meet info
• Psych sheet

The newly-Olympic women’s 1500 free and the 110-years-Olympic men’s 1500 free opened up day 1 of the 2018 TYR Pro Swim Series – Columbus. This marks the final stop of the 2018 series, and will count for many swimmers as final competitive preparations for the U.S. National Championships at the end of this month.

32-year old Chilean veteran Kristel Kobrich won the women’s 1500 running away in 16:15.72 That put her almost 7 seconds ahead of 15-year old Mariah Denigan of the Northern Kentucky Clippers, who took 2nd in 16:22.50 – a lifetime best on her account by more than 15 seconds.

Cierra Runge, who is transferring to Arizona State from Wisconsin, finished 3rd in 16:24.00, and Becca Mann, who is racing under Arizona State’s banner but has made no formal recognition of a transfer, was 4th in 16:25.59.

Women’s 1500 Free – Top 8 Finishers (Timed Final)

1. Kristel Kobrich, Chile – 16:15.72
2. Mariah Denigan – Northern Kentucky Clippers – 16:22.50
3. Cierra Runge – Arizona State Unattached – 16:24.00
4. Becca Mann – Arizona State Unattached – 16:25.59
5. Ashley Neidigh – Indiana Post-Grad – 16:31.47
6. Sophie Cattermole – Louisville – 16:34.31
7. Molly Kowal – Ohio State – 16:41.68
8. Cassy Jernberg – Schroeder YMCA – 16:44.08

The men’s 1500 free was even more lopsided, in spite of having the two most prolific 1650 yard freestylers of the last 6 months – Zane Grothe, who broke the U.S. Open Record in the event in December, and Anton Ipsen, who won the NCAA title in March.

Ipsen, who has until August 3rd before the European Championships begin (he’s Danish), won on Thursday in 15:07.40. While he and Grothe were neck-and-neck for the first 400 meters or so (were they had identical 4:00.70 splits), Ipsen exploded over the last two-thirds of the race.

Comparative splits between the two:

Ipsen’s 750/750 split was 7:33.28/7:34.12, almost an even-split, and his 800s were 8:03.55 for the first 800 meters, and 8:04.41 for the last 800 meters. Note that Ipsen’s swim came after his primary day-to-day coach changed: Gary Taylor, the new Auburn head coach, had been working with the distance program at NC State.

The time is just less than 2 seconds from Ipsen’s personal best, and is the second-fastest time of his career (behind only his Olympic 15:05.91).

Grothe’s swim, meanwhile, was well off his season-best of 15:05 from the Indianapolis Pro Swim Series, which still leaves him as the fastest American so far this season.

Men’s 1500 Free – Top 8

1. Anton Ipsen – Wolfpack Elite – 15:07.40
2. Zane Grothe – Indiana Postgrad – 15:29.68
3. Marcelo Acosta – Louisville – 15:32.29
4. T.C. Smith – Louisville – 15:54.87
5. Tyler Jones – University of Cincinnati – 16:01.73
6. Austin Mortimer – Ohio State – 16:04.84
7. Toby Van Dyke – University of Cincinnati – 16:10.81
8. Spencer Tussing – Ohio State Swim Club – 16:12.92