2019 Pro Swim Series – Des Moines: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2019 PRO SWIM SERIES – DES MOINES

• March 6th-9th, 2019
• Wellmark YMCA, Des Moines, Iowa
• LCM (50m), Prelims-Finals
• Live Results
• Psych Sheets
• TV/Webcast Info
• Event Schedule

The 2019 Pro Swim Series continues this morning in Des Moines, with a handful of Olympic and World champs set to compete.

The men’s 100 free is led by 2017 world champ Caeleb Dressel, in his first full Pro Swim Series as a professional. It was only about a year ago that Dressel put up otherworldly short course times at NCAAs, but he has much less reason to be fully primed this week. The 50 back pits last year’s 100 back world record-breaker Kathleen Baker against Olivia Smoliga, who broke the American 50 back record on the Pro Swim Series last year.

That’s just a taste of this morning’s events, which will also include heats of the 100 breast, 200 fly and 400 free for both men and women.

Keep refreshing this page for live, event-by-event updates of all the action from Des Moines.

Women’s 100 free – prelims

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Sanchez (HPC Ontario) – 54.87
2. Smoliga (Athens Bulldog) – 55.09
3. Hinds (Athens Bulldog) – 55.21
4. Geer (Mission Viejo) – 55.27
5. Oliveria (Pinheiros) – 55.36
6. Stewart (Team Elite) – 55.48
7. Dahlia (Cardinal Aquatic) – 55.63

Top seed Penny Oleksiak was a late scratch, but it was still a Canadian from the High Performance Center in Ontario leading prelims of the 100 free. 17-year-old Kayla Sanchez went 54.87 to lead the field by two tenths.

Athens Bulldog duo Olivia Smoliga (55.09) and Natalie Hinds (55.21) were second and third. Formerly SEC rivals, the UGA alum Smoliga and Florida alum Hinds will try to track down Sanchez tonight.

Margo Geer is fourth – she was the runner-up in Knoxville at 54.09, beating all of the other major players here this week. She’s a key factor in the hunt for the title tonight. Brazil’s Larissa Oliveira is fifth, with a handful of fly specialists (Kendyl Stewart, Kelsi Dahlia, Amanda Kendall) filling out the A final.

Men’s 100 free – prelims

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Kusch (Unattached) – 48.95
2. Pieroni (Unattached) – 49.11
3. Correia (Brazil) – 49.22
4. Held (Unattached) – 49.27
5. Chierighini (Brazil) – 49.33
6. Conger (Cavalier) – 49.50
7. Spajari (Brazil) – 49.51
8. To (Gator) – 49.61

It’s a tight field for the men’s 100 free A final. Queens University standout Marius Kusch is the top qualifier in 48.95 – he was the only swimmer under 49 seconds.

Everyone else in the field is between 49.1 and 49.6 heading into tonight. American Blake Pieroni is the second qualifier at 49.11, just ahead of Brazil’s Breno Correia. The next few spots alternate between American and Brazilian pros. For the Americans, Ryan Held is fourth and Jack Conger sixth. For Brazil, Marcelo Chierighini sits fifth and Pedro Spajari seventh.

Gator Swim Club’s Kenneth To is eight, edging out another Brazilian, Gabriel Santos, by seven one-hundredths.

The B final is also loaded up with big names. Biggest is Caeleb Dressel, the 2017 world champ who went just 50.49 this morning.

Women’s 100 breast – prelims

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Sumrall (Chatthoochee Gold) – 1:07.99
2. Lazor (Mission Viejo) – 1:08.08
3. Galat (Unattached) – 1:08.17
4. Margalis (St. Petersburg) – 1:08.94
5. Conceicao (Pinheiros) – 1:09.35
6. Renshaw (Great Britain) – 1:09.51
7. Smith (HPC Ontario) – 1:09.75
8. Bernhard (Gamecock) – 1:09.84

It should be a great 100 breast final tonight, with three American pros within two tenths this morning. Micah Sumrall leads the way in 1:07.99, followed by Annie Lazor (1:08.08) and Bethany Galat (1:08.17). All three are better-known for the 200 breast (in fact, they went 1-2-3 at U.S. Nationals in that event last summer), so tonight’s race should be a great back-half battle.

Another swimmer with great endurance is fourth-place qualifier Melanie Margalis. The Georgia alum has been a terror on this tour in the past, though she’s transitioning away from her standout 400 IM and showing off her versatility so far this season.

It’s an international field tonight, with Brazil (Jhennifer Conceicao), Great Britain (Molly Renshaw) and Canada (Kierra Smith) represented. Gamecock Aquatics’ Rachel Bernhard is eighth and into the final. Also of note: U.S. National backstroke and IM champ Kathleen Baker put up an impressive 1:10.19 in this event, making the B final.

Men’s 100 breast – prelims

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Miller (Sandpipers) – 1:00.34
2. Wilby (Great Britain) – 1:00.44
3. Andrew (Race Pace) – 1:00.66
4. Lima (Unattached) – 1:00.72
5. Wilson (Athens Bulldog) – 1:00.76
6. Wich-Glasen (Unattached) – 1:01.03
7. Fink (Athens Bulldog) – 1:01.09
8. De Lara (Unattached) – 1:01.25

U.S. Olympian Cody Miller has battled injuries for the last year – he’s opened up about them in his vlog – but returned with a vengeance in prelims today. His 1:00.34 is a very solid morning swim, besting the field and giving him the top spot into tonight.

Great Britain’s James Wilby is second, a tenth back, and Michael Andrew – last summer’s national champ – is third in 1:00.66.

Brazil’s Felipe Lima is also in the mix, and Andrew Wilson of Athens Bulldog is the last man under 1:01. Wilson won this race in Knoxville (going 1:00.57) with Nic Fink (this morning’s 7th qualifier) second.

Women’s 50 back – prelims

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Baker (Team Elite) – 28.52
2. Sanchez (HPC Ontario) – 28.80
3. A. DeLoof (Team Elite) – 28.85
4. Smoliga (Athens Bulldog) – 28.99
5. Nazieblo (Unattached) – 29.01
6. Alexander (Kentucky) – 29.20
7. Stewart (Team Elite) – 29.30
8. Mack (Osprey) – 29.37

Coming off that solid off-event 100 breast swim, Team Elite’s Kathleen Baker stole the top spot in the 50 back. She was 28.52, three tenths faster than the field.

Canada’s Kayla Sanchez will look for two wins tonight. She’s the top seed in the 100 free and second here after a 28.80 morning swim. American Ali Deloof (28.85) is just behind, and American record-holder Olivia Smoliga is fourth (28.99) as the last swimmer under 29.

Former Virginia Tech standout Klaudia Nazieblo is fifth, and should challenge the 29-barrier tonight. She’s got Kentucky’s Bridgette Alexander just behind.

Men’s 50 back – prelims

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Andrew (Race Pace) – 25.00
2. Basseto (Pinheiros) – 25.69
3. Tarasevich (Cardinal) – 25.80
4. Reid (Crimson Tide) – 25.84
5. Pebley (Team Elite) – 25.97
6. Irie (Unattached) – 26.01
7. Pyle (Great Britain) – 26.10
8. Held (Unattached) – 26.14

Michael Andrew came off his 100 breast swim to easily outpace the 50 back field. He was 25.00 and leads by a good six tenths of a second into tonight.

Brazil’s Guilherme Basseto is second (25.69), a tick ahead of Russian Grigory Tarasevich, who is competing for Cardinal Aquatic. South Africa is represented in fourth with Crimson Tide’s Chris Reid. Also in the A final tonight: Japan (Ryosuke Irie, sixth) and Great Britain (Nicholas Pyle, seventh).

Other Americans in the A final: 200 back Olympian Jacob Pebley in fifth and sprint free Olympian Ryan Held in eighth.

Women’s 200 fly – prelims

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Flickinger (Athens Bulldog) – 2:07.51
2. Kingsley (Athens Bulldog) – 2:11.81
3. Large (Great Britain) – 2:13.85
4. Atkinson (Great Britain) – 2:14.73
5. Crom (Mission Viejo) – 2:14.77
6. Harvey (Club Aquatique) – 2:15.05
7. MacInnes (Great Britain) – 2:15.39
8. Mata Coco (Club Libanes) – 2:15.51

Hali Flickinger is quickly cementing her place as the class of the national field in the 200 fly. She dominated this morning in 2:07.51, only about eight tenths off the Pro Swim Series record. Incredibly, she beat the field by more than four seconds and could be in line for a blowout win tonight.

With 871 FINA points, that should put Flickinger in a good spot for the top prelims swim of the meet, which pays out a $1500 bonus.

Her Athens Bulldog and Georgia teammate Megan Kingsley was 2:11.81 for second. Behind that, it’s a British invasion with 3 Brits in the top 7. 18-year-old Emily Large leads that group with a 2:13.85. Joining her in the final are Charlotte Atkinson and Keanna MacInnes.

15-year-old Catie Crom of Mission Viejo made the final, joining MacInnes and large as the only 18-and-unders in the A heat.

Men’s 200 fly – prelims

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Kunert (Unattached) – 1:57.36
2. Melo (Pinheiros) – 1:59.34
3. Bentz (Dynamo) – 2:00.79
4. Darragh (HPC Ontario) – 2:01.30
5. Peters (Great Britain) – 2:01.94
6. Wright (Tucson Ford) – 2:02.10
7. Szabados (Chicago Wolfpack) – 2:02.43
8. Shields (California) – 2:02.66

The only two men under two minutes this morning were Alex Kunert and Luiz Melo. The German Kunert is the runaway leader at 1:57.36, with Brazil’s Melo just behind in 1:59.34.

American Gunnar Bentz, in his first year as a pro, went 2:00.79 and sits third. Then it’s two more internationals: Mack Darragh of Canada and Jacob Peters of Great Britain. The 18-year-old Peters is one of two juniors in the A final.

U.S. National champ Justin Wright is sixth in 2:02.10, with 17-year-old Bence Szabados a few tenths behind. U.S. Olympian Tom Shields rounds out the A final in 2:02.66.

Women’s 400 free – prelims

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Li (China) – 4:08.40
2. Smith (Tucson Ford) – 4:09.77
3. Wang (China) – 4:11.55
4. Meitz (Boilermaker) – 4:12.30
5. Flickinger (Athens Bulldog) – 4:13.53
6. Margalis (Athens Bulldog) – 4:13.92
7. Goss (Granite Gators) – 4:14.09
8. Wood (Great Britain) – 4:15.48

China’s two teen sensations won both circle-seeded heats this morning, with final heat winner Li Bingjie taking the top spot into tonight’s final. Li was 4:08.40, with the 17-year-old besting American Leah Smith (4:09.77) in her heat.

Smith wound up second overall, with 16-year-old Wang Jianjiahe taking third in 4:11.55. Wang won the 1500 last night in a strong time and should be a top contender tonight.

Purdue grad Kaersten Meitz is fourth in 4:12.30, followed by Athens Bulldog teammates Hali Flickinger (4:13.53) and Melanie Margalis (4:13.92).

Men’s 400 free – prelims

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Grothe (Boulder City Henderson) – 3:52.75
2. D’Arrigo (Gator) – 3:52.87
3. Ipsen (Wolfpack) – 3:53.39
4. Bagshaw (HPC Victoria) – 3:55.57
5. Melo (Pinheiros) – 3:55.97
6. Malone (NASA Wildcat) – 3:56.34
7. Wilimovsky (Team Santa Monica) – 3:56.53
8. J. Litherland (Dynamo) – 3:57.66

Zane Grothe, last year’s Pro Swim Series distance standout, is the top qualifier for the men’s 400, beating Gator Swim Club’s Mitch D’Arrigo in a tough head-to-head battle in the final heat. Grothe was 3:52.75 and D’Arrigo 3:52.87.

NC State alum Anton Ipsen is third after winning the other circle-seeded heat. He went 3:53.39. Canada’s Jeremy Bagshaw is also into the A final, along with Brazil’s Luiz Melo.

Early leaders – top prelims swim (individual Olympic events):

Men: Marius Kusch, 100 free, 48.95 – 880 FINA points

Women: Hali Flickinger, 200 fly, 2:07.51 – 871 FINA points