Margo Geer swam the most impressive performance of the LA Invite thus far in the prelims of the women’s 100m freestyle; touching the wall in 53.95 to take the top seed heading into finals. That performance for Geer makes her the 11th fastest female in the world this year, and the fastest American in the 100m freestyle. She’s just one one-hundredth shy of cracking the top 10 world rankings.
Geer’s 53.95 is a personal best by 0.22 seconds, bettering the 54.17 she was at the 2015 BHP Aquatic Super Series in late January. Geer’s 2014-2015 season has been absolutely incredible in terms of best times. Going into this season, Geer’s best time was a 54.39 from the 2013 National Championships. She wasn’t able to better that last year where her season best was a 54.51 from the 2014 National Championships.
This season, Geer has been under her previous personal best a total of four times, including the swim from Fridays prelims session. With her improvements, Geer is looking as though she could be a great choice for the 4x100m freestyle relay final at worlds. She made the team as a relay-only swimmer by finishing sixth at the 2014 US Nationals in the 100m freestyle. If she does get a finals spot, she’ll likely take the place of either Shannon Vreeland or Abbey Weitzeil.
Another swimmer who will likely swim on the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay at the 2015 World Championships finished as the second seed behind Geer this morning. Simone Manuel posted a 54.52, putting her in a position to race Geer in the final.
Although Geer stole the show, the men’s 100m freestyle shows a promising final as well. Nikita Lobintsev broke 49-seconds this morning to take the top seed in 48.97 ahead of another Russian swimmer: Alexander Sukhorukov. Sukhorukov was a 49.32 behind him and ahead of American Conor Dwyer who touched in at 49.41. Lobinstev wasn’t far off his season-best time of 48.74 from Russian Nationals. That time currently ranks him 23rd in the world this season.
Continuing the trend of sub-50 swims was Vlad Morozov, the top ranked 100m freestyler this season. Morozov swam a comfortable 49.58 to take the fourth spot heading into finals.
Although it already seems jammed pack with talent, defending Olympic gold medallist Nathan Adrian and backstroke star Matt Grevers will both be in the mix tonight as well. Adrian was a 50.08 this morning to beat Grevers’ 51.13. The two are seeded fifth and sixth respectively. No American swimmer has cracked the top 25 in the men’s 100m freestyle yet this season; it will take a 48.79 to do so tonight.
Another good match up will be had in the men’s 200m fly where Tom Shields will battle with age-group star Justin Lynch. Shields was a 2:01.00 this morning to beat Lynch by a small margin. Lynch grabbed the second seed in 2:01.41.
For full meet results, click here.
So proud of Margo
Off topic but I learned today that Kylie Stewart suffered pneumonia and bronchitis before last SEC and NCAA championships.
I was a little disappointed by her performances in her freshman season but now I know that, I’m, on the contrary, really impressed she finished 5th in the 200 back in 1.51. And not 3rd in the 100 fly as the USA swimming article mentions it. They have confused Kendyl with Kylie. 🙂
http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&itemid=8977&mid=14491
Great perf from Miss Geer in prelims. Let’s see if she can go faster in final, pushed by a Simone who probably also wants to swim 53 now 3 weeks before Kazan.
I add that swimswam had announced a few days ago that Margo Geer would swim fast at that meet to secure a US top 6 time for a presence in the national team. Because she has no individual swim at worlds. Well seen.
I wonder if that means that her focus was to peak at this meet and hold on through Worlds?
Hopefully she doesn’t peak at this meet.
So , finally , who will swim on that 400 relay in kazan for the Usa ? Margo , Manuel , Missy and ?? Nathalie Caughlin ? i really don’t rememeber who qualified for Kazan for the women’s free style relays .
Jean-Michel, you need a serious update. 😉
Natalie Coughlin will not go to worlds.
I give you the US roster.
http://www.usaswimming.org/_Rainbow/Documents/136e81f2-d4e2-4e9b-b792-0a8fd0920a59/2015%20FINA%20World%20Championships.pdf
U are right ! i have been busy also in other domains of life and coudn’t take time for the updates regarding us roster for Worlds . Thanks for the link .
Great to see that from Margo. I would love to see 2 or 3 men go 48 tonight as we get closer to Worlds.