Is Anthony Ervin fully back? He’s not quite going fast enough to make the U.S. Olympic Team, maybe, but his swimming on Sunday, the final day of the 2011 Elite Pro-Am meet in Oklahoma City shows that enough time is perhaps the only thing in the way of him earning a trip to London.
In his first meet back in USA-Swimming recognized competition, the 30-year old Ervin took a victory in the 100 yard free in 42.65. That time converts to roughly a 49.2, depending on which converter you believe, in long course meters. Though he won a few events in Masters competition, those fields didn’t compare to the one he faced in Oklahoma. It included Britain’s Simon Burnett (42.73), who is probable to make the Olympic Team; and Kenya’s Jason Dunford (43.34). With a time like that, in the 100 no-less, I think the buzz really has to pick up with Ervin as a serious relay candidate for the Olympics, at least.
He went out very fast on this race, but died on the back-half (20.13-22.52), which can be covered up better in yards than meters. Still, if the speed is there, the endurance (in theory) is easier to come by.
Though that race is the most interesting to swim-bloggers, the big money races were the mens’ and womens’ miles, which doled out a $1200 cash prize to the winner. In the women’s race, FAST swimmer Emily Brunemann defended her title to take the win in a blazing 15:47.62. That completes a sweep of four individual events for her, and breaks her own Oklahoma State Record in the event by four seconds. One wonders, based on this swim, if she might add the women’s 800 to her attempts at Olympic qualifying, pending the outcome of the two rounds of open water qualifying that will come before the pool Trials.
Fellow open-water National Teamer Ashley Twichell finished not far behind in 15:52.99. The top-placing amateur was future Minnesota Gopher Samantha Harding out of Las Cruces, New Mexico. She placed 3rd overall in 16:20.74.
The men’s race was won by another FAST swimmer Robert Margalis in 15:07.07.
SwimMAC’s Eugene Godsoe generally focuses his effort on 100 meter races, but many forget that in college, in yards, he was a great 200 backstroker as well. He’s really thrived in Carolina, and that showed in his 1:40.99 to win the 200 back. Rex Tullius, who is a legend at this meet, took 2nd in 1:41.68, and David Plummer was 3rd in 1:42.65. That’s only two-tenths off of Plummer’s best time.
In the womens’ 200 fly, absent any post-grads, 14-year old Kathryn McLaughlin out of Mission Viejo put up a sterling swim of 1:59.97 to become the first swimmer in her age group to crack two minutes this season.
Is Anthony Earvin fully back? I don’t know but he swam very decent times. I think her future is more in the 50 free. The 100 free in long course will be perhaps a little too long for him. And for the relay don’t forget USA must find a fourth man who can swim 48 low to be with your big three, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Nathan Adrian. And after this last weekend Ricky Berens has won many points for this place.
Good to mention the young Kathryn McLaughlin. She’s a butterfly and freestyle specialist. With Sonia Wang she’s the best 14-year old american girl in the 200 fly. I also noticed the first day of competition she… Read more »