Dressel & Huske Drop 200 Free To Focus On 100 Fly At Westmont PSS (Day 2 Prelims Scratches)

2024 PRO SWIM SERIES – WESTMONT

Thursday Prelims Heat Sheet

Thursday morning’s prelim session at the 2024 Pro Swim Series in Westmont is upon us. The 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly, and 400 IM are all on the schedule, and many swimmers have scratched out of certain events.

Caeleb Dressel, who was seeded 21st in the 200 free, has scratched the event. He is still slated to compete in the 100 butterfly, where he holds the world record. Dressel won the U.S. Open title in the 100 fly (51.31) back in December, and this will be his first long course meet since that swim. It will also be his first long course race since becoming a father.

Torri Huske is taking the same route as Dressel, opting to drop the 200 free in favor of the 100 fly. Regan Smith will feature in that 100 fly, as she’ll compete for the first time since the U.S. Open. Olympic silver medalist Kayla Sanchez, who was ranked 6th in the 200 free, has pulled out of the meet.

While on the topic of the 100 fly, Pro Swim Series record holder Shaine Casas has dropped the event. He no longer appears in any of his scheduled events, meaning he is skipping the meet entirely.

Jake Magahey, who swims collegiately for the University of Georgia, is no longer contesting the men’s 200 free. He was situated in 7th on the entry sheets, but is no longer swimming any of his events in Westmont. He will be competing at the upcoming NCAA Championships, so it seems his focus has shifted to that meet.

In the women’s 400 IM, Tess Cieplucha has opted not to compete. She was ranked 3rd on the entry lists, and recently competed at the Doha World Championships where she placed 7th overall in this same discipline. Bobby Finke is out of the men’s race, and was the 2nd seed, but that was expected as he scratched out of the meet in favor of a local meet in Florida.

Thursday Prelims, Top-20 Scratches:

Women’s 200 Freestyle

Men’s 200 Freestyle

Women’s 100 Breaststroke

  • #8 Aliz Kalmar
  • #20 Chloe Diner

Men’s 100 Breaststroke 

  • #17 Colin Zhang
  • #18 Kohen Rankin

Women’s 100 Butterfly

  • #11 Valentina Becerra Quintanilla
  • #16 Emma Harvey

Men’s 100 Butterfly

Women’s 400 IM

  • #3 Tess Cieplucha
  • #7 Alexis Yager
  • #13 Izzy Beu
  • #15 Carlotta Scarpitti

Men’s 400 IM

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Seth
7 months ago

I wonder if Dressel has any hope for the 200 free as an event he qualifies for the Olympics.
Maybe he could make the 800 free relay.

Mr Piano
Reply to  Seth
7 months ago

comment image

Last edited 7 months ago by Mr Piano
Steve Nolan
Reply to  Mr Piano
7 months ago

This is my favorite BUT MAYBE!!! event.

The endless Dressel speculation only topped by people being indignant Kaylee McKeown’s shot at swimming the relay was dashed by event order changes. (Not the fact that she’s never done it before, ofc.)

Gulliver’s Swimming Travels
7 months ago

Has Michael Cotter swum for NC State at all this season?

Admin
Reply to  Gulliver’s Swimming Travels
7 months ago

Yes, he swam the fall semester, but has been back training with TAC in the spring.

YGBSM
7 months ago

For the top-end athletes, the TYR Pro meets (and various Sectionals) are regular season meets – vice big meets. So long as the scratching occurs at meets that didn’t fill up and thus exclude others, no problem. They are preparing for Trials as they see fit.

It is concerning however, when said athletes scratch from meets that filled. Other than illness or other bona fide reason to scratch a meet that filled, athletes (and their coaches) should be making an effort at genuine entries, vice “let’s enter it for now and see how we feel”. That’s not fair to those who got locked out.

Entgegen
Reply to  YGBSM
7 months ago

I think National teamers don’t count against the cap correct? Since they get guaranteed access to the meet.

Mike
7 months ago

The only thing annoying me more than all of these scratches each meet are all of the comments whining about the scratches.

Pescatarian
Reply to  Mike
7 months ago

No. The scratches are more annoying.

phelpsfan
7 months ago

Surprised that Oleksiak is still racing

IMO
Reply to  phelpsfan
7 months ago

She’s been entered, not scratched, and no-showed several meets over the past year and half or so. At this point I assume she’s not swimming. Maybe she’ll eventually surprise us all by actually showing up.

Sub13
7 months ago

The headline is quite possibly the least surprising news in the history of the universe

Swimpop
Reply to  Sub13
7 months ago

Right after, “Penny to scratch out of meet.”

Hank
7 months ago

Casas scratched prelims and will be seeded directly into the B final

Admin
Reply to  Hank
7 months ago

😅

Pan Fan
7 months ago

At this point, “professional” swimmers scratching at “professional” swim meets has become an enduring meme.