It was the A&M women who once again pushed the pace early at the Art Adamson Invitational, as they put up impressive swims in the session’s last three events on Friday morning.
First, in the 200 free, redshirt junior Lili Ibanez was a 1:44.69 in prelims, which leaps Cal freshman Missy Franklin as the fastest time in the country this season – by nearly half-a-second.
She can’t sleep on the second seed, though. Stanford’s freshman Olympian Lia Neal was about a second behind in 1:45.72, but we really saw Neal explode in finals on the first night of this meet, so she’ll likely be under 1:45 in finals as well. Her season best coming into this meet was just a 1:50.0.
In the next women’s race, the 100 breaststroke, all eyes were on the fastest 100 yard breaststroker of all-time: Breeja Larson. She was a 58.29 (easily the best in the country this season), which leaves her about eight-tenths of a second away from her record, but keep in mind that last year, she was sub-58 at the Aggies mid-season invite in Houston.
Stanford’s Sarah Haase was the 2nd seed in 1:00.12, and SMU’s Rachel Nicol was 3rd in 1:00.51.
And finally, to close the session, Aggie senior Paige Miller was a 51.83 in the 100 backstroke, which is the second-fastest time in the country this year behind only a Liz Pelton relay leadoff from Thursday night. Felicia Lee moved to 2nd in the country with her 52.60, and Maddy Schaefer was 3rd in prelims with a 52.99.
In other women’s races, Stanford’s Maya DiRado took the top seed in the women’s 400 IM in 4:09.00, ahead of A&M’s Cammile Adams in 4:09.99. That will be a showdown of three National Team members in finals, between those two and the 3rd seed Sarah Henry in 4:11.64.
Felicia Lee earned top honors in the 100 fly in 52.86, with Miller 2nd in 52.90. Both that 100 fly and 100 back should be good matchups between those two.
Top swims from the men include A&M’s Hendrik Lindau in the 100 fly, where he was a 47.26, and TCU’s Cooper Robinson in the 100 back, where he was a 47.57.
Braden,
The fall invites are spurring conversations about what it’s going to take to get invited in each event. Is there any chance you’d be willing to post what it took in each event at last year’s big dance? Thanks
Hey Richard, good idea! Will start working on that now.
Here you are Richard:
http://swimswam.com/take-qualify-ncaas-list-cutoff-times-2013-ncaa-championships/
Paige Miller’s 100 back of 51.83 is not the fastest time in the country by a full second. Last night, Elizabeth Pelton was 51.44 leading off Cal’s medley relay and Maya Dirado was 51.90 leading off of Stanford’s relay.
You’re right, forgot about relay leadoffs at meets using alternative schedules. Updated.
Looking at the Ohio State Invite results, do you know if the 50.80 lead off from Charlotte Clarke is correct? If so, she now blows away the top time in the country! Impressive!
Confirmed. Is correct, but the name is not. The swim belonged to Courtney Bartholomew.
Link for live stream. Finals at 6 PM ET.
http://www.aggieathletics.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml?SPID=93236&db_oem_id=27300
I can only guess but I suspect Breeja is less rested than her teammates because of Duel in the Pool. Not sure why her relay split last night was a full second slower than her race today. I would not be surprised of Dorado and Adams both get their A cuts in the 400 IM, though I’d bet on Dorado to win by 2 secs.
If Maya was able to swim 1.53 yesterday in the 200 IM, she must be able to swim around 4.01/4.02 in the 400 IM final tonight.
I’m not sure she will go faster in final but I’m impressed by the 58.29 from Breeja Larson. She had “only” swum a 59.03 split yesterday in the medley relay. If she keeps her best for Duel in the Pool, it will be impressive in Glasgow.
1.43 for Lia Neal in the 200 free final? Not impossible. She has swum very well yesterday. 22.33 in the 50 free final and a great 47.15 split in the medley relay.