2016 Arena Pro Swim Series – Santa Clara: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap

2016 ARENA PRO SWIM SERIES AT SANTA CLARA

• Friday, June 3 – Sunday, June 5, 2016
• George F. Haines International Aquatic Center / Santa Clara, CA
• Prelims 9AM / Finals 5PM (U.S. Pacific Time)
• Meet Website
• Live Stream
• Psych Sheet
• Friday AM Heat Sheet
• Live Results
• Live Results also on Meet Mobile (‘2016 Arena Pro Swim Series’)

WOMEN’S 200 FREE PRELIMS

Top 9

1. Emma McKeon, St. Peters, 1:57.57
2. Bronte Barratt, St. Peters, 1:58.61
3. Chelsea Chenault, Trojan, 1:59.68 (TIE)
4. Ella Eastin, Unattached, 1:59.68 (TIE)
5. Maya Dirado, Stanford, 1:59.75
6. Madison Wilson, St. Peters, 1:59.87
7. Madeline Groves, St. Peters, 2:00.21
8. Jessica Ashwood, Chandler, 2:00.45
9. Camille Cheng, California Aquatics, 2:00.79

Australian Emma McKeon blasted a 56.48 in her first 100, finishing up in 1:57.57 to take the top time heading into finals. Her St. Peters teammate Bronte Barratt took 2nd this morning with a 1:58.61.

After the two Aussies came a slew of 1:59’s, headed by Ella Eastin and Chelsea Chenault. After her incredible NCAA performances, Eastin’s 1:59.68 (which tied with Chenault this morning) is a drop of over a full second. She hasn’t hit a best time in that event since 2013, and with the Olympic Trials approaching quickly, Eastin is looking more and more solid in long course. This should bode well for her IM’s, too.

Chenault beat out both Madeline Groves and Brittany Elmslie in her heat, with Groves sneaking into the A final at 2:00.21. Maya Dirado and Madison Wilson also joined the party under two minutes.

Australian Emily Seebohm, a likely candidate to swim on the Aussie 400 free relay this summer in Rio, went for the 100 free split in this race. She touched at 55.00.

MEN’S 200 FREE PRELIMS

Top 9

1. Sun Yang, Zhejiang Sports, 1:46.34
2. Conor Dwyer, Trojan, 1:48.90
3. Maxime Rooney, Pleasanton Seahawks, 1:49.66
4. Zhi Yong Qian, Zhejiang Sports, 1:49.84
5. David McKeon, Chandler, 1:50.05
6. Kyle Chalmers, Marion Swimming, 1:50.31 (TIE)
7. Long Gutierrez, Cal Aquatics, 1:50.31 (TIE)
8. Markus Thormeyer, UBC Dolphins, 1:50.54
9. Liam Egan, Unattached, 1:51.15

China’s Sun Yang blasted a 1:46.34 this morning to take the top time by a long shot. Sun looked very powerful, touching well ahead of teenager Maxime Rooney (1:49.66) in the final heat. Sun’s teammate Zhi Yong Qian grabbed fourth with a 1:49.84.

The penultimate heat went to Conor Dwyer, who handled the field with a 1:48.90. That’s off of his 1:46.61 from the Mesa Pro Swim Series stop, which ties him for #13 in the world this year.

Aussies David McKeon (1:50.05) and Kyle Chalmers (1:50.31) made it into the A final, with the teenager Chalmers tying with Cal’s Long Gutierrez. This is the first matchup of the week for Rooney and Chalmers, two rising freestyle talents from the U.S. and Australia, respectively.

Another teenager, Canada’s Markus Thormeyer with the UBC Dolphins, finished 8th this mornign at 1:50.54.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST PRELIMS

Top 9

1. Sarah Haase, Stanford, 1:06.31
2. Jessica Hardy, Trojan, 1:08.41
3. Georgia Bohl, St. Peters, 1:08.96
4. Martha McCabe, Toronto, 1:10.45
5. Grace Zhao, PASA, 1:11.87
6. Danielle Herrmann, Clovis Swim Club, 1:11.98
7. Maija Roses, Cal Aquatics, 1:12.04
8. MC Schillinger, Unattached, 1:12.12
9. Heidi Poppe, Unattached, 1:12.89

Top seed Yulia Efimova, who’s been under a lot of heat regarding her alleged doping offense this year, did not race here.

Instead, Stanford’s Sarah Haase put American breaststrokers on notice with a 1:06.31, taking over a second off of her previous best of 1:07.53 from April. She had never broken 1:08 before this spring. Haase might have been overshadowed by Lilly King in SCY at the NCAA Champs, but she has been steadily improving over the last few years. Posting a 1:06-low with just three weeks out from Trials definitely sends a big message to the rest of a very packed field in the women’s 100 breast.

Haase now ranks 8th in the world this year, with King and Molly Hannis being the only Americans ahead of her.

Jessica Hardy put up a 1:08.41 in heat six, after splitting a 31.69 on the front half. She touched ahead of rising Australian breaststroke star Georgia Bohl (1:08.96), who won heat 7 after Hardy’s race.

Haase, Hardy, and Bohl were the only competitors under 1:10. Canada’s Martha McCabe from the Toronto Swim Club grabbed 4th at 1:10.45.

MEN’S 100 BREAST PRELIMS

Top 9

1. Josh Prenot, Cal Aquatics, 1:01.11
2. Azad Al-Barazi, Trojan, 1:01.89
3. Jimmy Deiparine, Unattached, 1:02.08
4. Tales Cerdeira, Brazilian Swimming, 1:02.11
5. BJ Johnson, PASA, 1:02.29 (TIE)
6. Marcus Titus, Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics, 1:02.29 (TIE)
7. Thiago Pereira, Brazilian Swimming, 1:02.42
8. Chuck Katis, Cal Aquatics, 1:02.66
9. Connor Hoppe, Cal Aquatics, 1:02.70

It was Josh Prenot for the top time this morning in the men’s 100 breast. Prenot, who excels more so in the 200 breast, was still able to come away with the top time out of the field.

Trojan’s Azad Al-Barazi also got under 1:02 with a 1:01.89 to finish 2nd in prelims. Jimmy Deiparine (1:02.08) grabbed 3rd in a new Filipino record.

Brazil has a contingent of swimmers here, and Tales Cerdeira and Thiago Pereira both made it into tonight’s A final. Marcus Titus and BJ Johnson, two American breaststroke veterans, tied for 5th at 1:02.29.

Cal’s Chuck Katis swam a 1:02.66 to take the final heat.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY PRELIMS

Top 9

1. Noemie Thomas, UBC Dolphins, 58.37
2. Emma McKeon, St. Peters, 58.74
3. Madeline Groves, St. Peters, 59.22
4. Farida Osman, Cal Aquatics, 59.33
5. Janet Hu, Unattached, 59.48
6. Felicia Lee, Stanford, 59.75
7. Maya Dirado, Stanford, 59.79
8. Ella Eastin, Unattached, 1:00.17
9. Ally Howe, Unattached, 1:00.23

Dana Vollmer, who was initially entered to swim here, scratched the race before prelims. Taking top honors today was Noemie Thomas with a 58.37, ahead of the 200 free prelims winner Emma McKeon (58.74).

McKeon’s teammate Madeline Groves, who also made the 200 free A final tonight, grabbed 3rd in 59.22. Cal’s Farida Osman touched 4th in 59.33.

The rest of the A final will be made up of current or former Stanford swimmers. Janet Hu ventured under the minute barrier for the first time ever, touching 5th in 59.48. Felicia Lee touched 6th (59.75) ahead of 200 free top 8 finishers Dirado and Eastin.

MEN’S 100 FLY PRELIMS

Top 9

1. Seth Stubblefield, Cal Aquatics, 52.58
2. Tom Shields, Cal Aquatics, 52.66
3. Justin Lynch, Cal Aquatics, 52.91
4. Giles Smith, Phoenix Swim Club, 53.32
5. Marcos Antonio Macedo, Brazilian Swimming, 53.35
6. Kaio Almeida, Brazilian Swimming, 53.53
7. Andrew Liang, Unattached, 53.62
8. Kyler VanSwol, Santa Clara Swim Club, 53.64
9. Long Gutierrez, Cal Aquatics, 53.93

The top three finishers in this race hailed from Cal Aquatics, led by Seth Stubblefield at 52.58. Tom Shields, seen as a slight favorite for the second 100 fly spot behind Michael Phelps on the USA Olympic Team, touched 2nd in 52.66.

Justin Lynch picked up 3rd with his 52.91. Touching in fourth was Giles Smith at 53.32.

Two Brazilians made it into the A final tonight– Marcos Antonio Macedo (53.35) and Kaio Almeida (53.53).

WOMEN’S 400 IM PRELIMS

Top 9

1. Caitlin Leverenz, Cal Aquatics, 4:41.10
2. Keryn McMaster, Chandler, 4:42.17
3. Celina Li, Cal Aquatics, 4:50.95
4. Sarah Darcel, Island Swimming, 4:51.89
5. Sarah-Lee Hevey, Team Quebec, 4:53.40
6. Chenoa Devine, DART, 4:54.86
7. Miranda Heckman, Pleasanton Seahawks, 4:55.03
8. Leah Stevens, Unattached, 4:56.05
9. Chloe Isleta, PASA, 4:58.26

Caitlin Leverenz and Keryn McMaster were the hard-hitters this morning in the 400 IM. It was Leverenz in the final heat who got it done with a 4:41.10. McMaster won the preceding heat in 4:42.17, and the pair was well ahead of any other competitor.

Taking third this morning was Celina Li of Cal Aquatics in 4:50.95, just about a second ahead of 17-year-old Sarah Darcel (4:51.89).

MEN’S 400 IM PRELIMS

Top 8

1. Abrahm Devine, Unattached, 4:20.88
2. Mitchell Larkin, St. Peters, 4:23.34
3. Max Williamson, Unattached, 4:24.30
4. Ken Takahashi, Cal Aquatics, 4:24.86
5. Jared Gilliland, Chandler, 4:26.07
6. Brandonn Almeida, Brazilian Swimming, 4:26.85
7. Robert Hill, Chena Swim Club, 4:27.10
8. Christopher Jhong, Pleasanton Seahawks, 4:28.41
9. Andrew Seliskar, Cal Aquatics, 4:29.99

Rising Stanford sophomore Abrahm Devine pulled out a strong 4:20.88, decimating a field that included rising Cal sophomore Andrew Seliskar. He ended up as the top seed after the heats were finished. Seliskar, meanwhile, just made it into the A final with a 4:29.99 in prelims.

2015 100 and 200 back World Champion Mitchell Larkin proved his chops in the IM, posting a solid time of 4:23.34 in prelims. The Australian cruised to the wall at the finish, suggesting he has more in the tank if he so chooses to race this event tonight.

Max Williamson (4:24.30) and Ken Takahashi (4:24.86) touched right behind Larkin. Australian Jared Gilliland and Brazilian teenager Brandonn Almeida both made it into the A final, as well.