McKenzie Coan AR Highlights Para Swimming World Series in Indianapolis

2018 World Para Swimming World Series – Indianapolis

  • Thursday, April 19th – Saturday, April 21st
  • IUPUI Natatorium, Indianapolis, Indiana
  • LCM
  • Full results

The second stop of the 2018 World Para Swimming World Series took place in Indianapolis last weekend, with a number of American and Canadian records falling.

The World Para Swimming scoring system is complicated, but essentially, the system aims to set a level playing field for the scoring of mixed class events. Often, the objectively fastest time does not win, but rather, the time that is the fastest relative to the “trend” of times in a specific event and class wins. Click here to learn more about the ins-and-outs of the process.

On day one of the meet, Canada’s Angela Marina (S14) took gold in the women’s 200 free, setting a new Canadian record in 2:18.65 (1:07.94/1:10.71).

American 21-year-old McKenzie Coan kicked off her meet with an American Record in the S7 400m free. She took fourth in a time of 5:09.49, splitting 1:13.99/1:18.76/1:19.18/1:17.56.

Samantha Tubbs set a new SB9 American record in the 100 breast, going 1:24.88 (40.43/44.45).

On night two, Gia Pergolini took down the American and Pan Am records in the S13 100 back, going 1:08.71 (32.40/36.31). Alyss Gialamas downed the S5 record in the same race, going 1:43.54 (49.70/53.84). Later in the night, in the S3 50 free, Leanne Smith set American and Pan Am records, going 50.60.

Leanne Smith picked up Saturday right where she left off Friday night, once again setting  American and Pan Am records in the S3 100 free (1:47.07) She impressively set another American record in the S3 50 fly in the event directly after, going 1:00.4.

Evan Austin set new American and Pan Am records in the S7 50 fly in prelims Saturday, going 29.97. He went 30.45 in finals. American S8 swimmer Robert Griswold took down an American and Pan Am record in the 100 fly, going 1:03.13 (33.10/39.44). Also that race, Canadian S14 swimmer Gordie Michie took third, setting a new Canadian record in 1:01.43 (28.59/32.84).

Other Notable Performances

  • Afghan-born S5 Mohammad Abas Karimi, who at the 2017 FINA World Championships became the first refugee swimmer to make a Worlds podium, took gold in the 50 back (42.90).
  • The United States’ Jessica Long picked up gold medals in the 400 free (4:50.66), 200 IM (2:43.90) and a silver in the 100 breast (1:34.94).
  • US women swept the 50 free, with Michelle Konkoly winning gold in 29.36, McKenzie Coan silver in 33.07, and Martha Ruether bronze in 28.05.
  • Michelle Konkoly, McKenzie Coan, and Becca Meyers swept the 100 free, going 1:03.03, 1:09.87, and 1:01.55, respectively.
  • S9 swimmer Takuro Yamada (Japan) was the only non-American to win an event Saturday, topping the 100 free in 59.20.
  • Ireland’s S9 swimmer Ellen Keane was third in the 100 fly (1:11.65), second in the 200 IM (2:40.28), and third in the 100 breast (1:23.06).
  • 16-year-old American Lawrence Sapp (S14) narrowly beat 15-year-old South Korean Junho Ko (S14), winning the 100 fly in 1:00.14 to Ko’s 1:00.82.
  • On top of his bronze medal in the 100 fly, Gordie Michie took third in the 100 back (1:06.18), silver in the 200 IM (2:22.45), and silver in the 100 breast (1:13.40).

The next World Series stop will be in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from April 26th-28th.

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SwimFan
5 years ago

Congrats to McKenzie! Always fun to see updates on her swimming! She is one of the most consistent athletes and watching her joy in competing is so much fun. Also, does anyone know what all happened with classifications at this meet? I am curious if anyone’s class changed? Or was it not offered at this competition?

PAA
Reply to  SwimFan
5 years ago

Michelle Konkoly – from S9/Sb8/SM9 to S10/SB9/SM10
Julian Gaffney – from S8/SB6/SM8 to S7/SB6/SM7
Mckenzie Coan – Unchanged
Evan Austin – Unchanged
Jessica Long – Unchanged
Cortney Jordan – Unchanged
Ellie Simmonds – Unchanged
Hannah Aspen – Unchanged

Mary
Reply to  PAA
5 years ago

Is that definite for Konkoly and was she made a confirmed?

Ol' Longhorn
5 years ago

Is McKenzie related to the late Andy Coan?

SwimFan
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
5 years ago

I did some digging and McKenzie is from the south and Andy was also from the south and swam at the University of Tennessee. He was a freestyler, she is primarily a freestyler! Though, in her personal bios nothing of any sort indicated that they are related but you never know, they could be!

Admin
Reply to  SwimFan
5 years ago

I’m about 90% certain that she’s not related, but I just sent her a note to confirm.

Admin
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
5 years ago

Confirmed – no relation.

ParaSwimFan
5 years ago

American girls are looking strong heading into the build up for Tokyo! Can’t wait to see what happens there

About Torrey Hart

Torrey Hart

Torrey is from Oakland, CA, and majored in media studies and American studies at Claremont McKenna College, where she swam distance freestyle for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps team. Outside of SwimSwam, she has bylines at Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, SB Nation, and The Student Life newspaper.

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