Ledecky, Manuel, Adrian Slated for LC Return at San Antonio PSS (Psych Sheets)

PRO SWIM SERIES SAN ANTONIO

• March 03-07, 2021
• North East ISD Blossom Athletic Complex, San Antonio, TX
• LCM
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets

The second stop of the 2021 USA Swimming Pro Swim Series is set to kick-off next Wednesday, with a slew of USA National Team members slated to appear. 

Most notably, the meet is expected to mark the return of many of the Stanford pro group to the long course pool, including Olympic gold medalists Katie Ledecky and Simone Manuel. Several other notable Stanford such as Brooke Forde and Katie Drabot will also be in attendance. 

Ledecky is currently slated to swim her traditional distance line-up of the 200, 400, 800, and 1500 freestyle events, and she is seeded 1st in all 4 events. In addition, the distance star is slated to compete in the 100 freestyle, where she is seeded 15th. Ledecky is possibly eyeing a relay spot for the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo. During the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Ledecky anchored the USA Women’s 400 freestyle relay to silver behind Australia, splitting a 52.79.

Manuel will join Ledecky in the 100 and 200 freestyle, while also competing in the 50 freestyle. The reigning Olympic champion in the 100 freestyle is currently the top seed in that event in addition to the 50 freestyle. She also holds the 3rd seed in the 200 freestyle behind Ledecky and Olympic champion Allison Schmitt. 

Forde, meanwhile, will be coming directly from the Pac-12 Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships where she’s swimming this week.

The men’s meet will feature the long course return of another USA Swimming legend: Nathan Adrian. Adrian, who trains and competes with Cal, has not appeared at a Pro Swim Series meet for almost a year. In that time, the veteran athlete has also become a father, after his daughter Parker Jacquelyn Adrian was born on February 12. The sprint star will suit up to compete in both the 100 and 50 freestyle. Adrian is currently seeded 3rd overall in the 50 freestyle and 8th overall in the 100 freestyle. 

World record-holder Caeleb Dressel will also be in attendance. Like Adrian, Dressel also just had a major life event, marrying his longtime girlfriend Meghan Haila on February 13. Dressel is slated to take on several of his non-traditional events over the weekend, including the 200 butterfly and 200 freestyle. He will also be competing in the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly, holding the top seed in both events.

With a star-studded field, the women’s backstroke events are expected to be amongst the most highly contested of the weekend. World record holder Regan Smith currently holds the top seeds in both the 100 and 200 backstroke. However, the field in both events looks extremely tight. 

In the 100 backstroke, Smith is followed by 2016 Olympic team members Kathleen Baker and Olivia Smoliga, along with US National Team member Lisa Bratton and ISL star Beata Nelson. The field also features Sherridon Dressel, age-group star Levenia Sim, sprint star Abbey Weitzel, and distance swimmer Erica Sullivan. 

In the 200, Smith’s path to victory appears slightly clearer, but she will still face Baker, Bratton, Hali Flickinger, Ali Galyer, Nelson, and Dressel, along with US Junior National team member Natalie Mannion. The aforementioned Sim is only seeded 13th with a bonus qualifying time of 2:15.45, but she could also move up considering her recent best time in the 100 backstroke. 

Smith is also slated to compete in the 100 and 200 butterfly. In the 100 butterfly, she is seeded 3rd behind Kelsi Dahlia and Katie McLaughlin, while she is seeded 2nd in the 200 butterfly behind Flickinger. 

The men’s 100 breaststroke is also expected to feature a showdown between some of the country’s top talents, along with an international veteran that could challenge for the win. Andrew Wilson holds the top seed in the event, ahead of Michael Andrew, who will be competing in his first long course meet of the season. Brazilian star Felipe Lima holds the 3rd seed in the event, and at 35, is the oldest swimmer in the field by 3 years. The 2nd-oldest swimmer in the field, 32 year-old Brandon Fischer, is seeded directly behind him. A slew of other competitors are also entered in the event, including Reece Whitley, Nic Fink, Kevin Cordes, Will Licon, and Josh Prenot. 

Whitley, like many of the PAC-12 swimmers entered in the meet, will be going to the meet directly from the PAC-12 Championships that are occurring in Texas over the course of the next week. 

Although it is impossible to name all of the talent in attendance at the meet, other notable swimmers currently entered include: Luca Urlando, Zach Harting, Tom Shields, Chase Kalisz, Lillie Nordmann, Haley Anderson, Ashley Twichell , Dean Farris, Zach Apple, Tate Jackson, Andrew Seliskar, Annie Lazor, Molly Hannis, Emily Escobedo, Bethany Galat, Jordan Wilimovsky, Mallory Comerford, Beryl Gastadello, Kasia Wasick, Zach Yeadon, and Townley Haas.