Michael Andrew Ties Phelps as 2nd Fastest American 100 IMer

2017 FINA WORLD CUP – SINGAPORE

  • Saturday, November 18th & Sunday, November 19th
  • OCBC Aquatic Centre, Singapore
  • SCM
  • Prelims 9:30am local/Finals 6pm local
  • Startlists
  • Day 1 Recap
  • Results

Reigning short course world champion in the 100m IM, Michael Andrew of the United States, lowered his own World Junior Record in the event while competing on day 1 of the Singapore World Cup stop. After bypassing prelims, Andrew crushed a new personal best of 51.65 to earn silver tonight behind Russian Vlad Morozov, while outperforming his own pervious career-fastest of 51.84 that won him the world title in Windsor.

In both his Windsor race and tonight’s event in Singapore, Andrew took out his opening 50 in identical marks of 23.57. The difference came on the back half, where the Kansas native was able to drop .19 and earn a split of 28.08 tonight compared to the 28.27 he registered last December.

Andrew had another big star from whom he could pace tonight, as Russia’s Vlad Morozov clocked 50.49 to come within .19 of his own World Record time of 50.30. For perspective, the 25-year-old former USC Trojan scored splits of 23.00 and 27.49 to win the gold tonight by over a second.

Andrew’s 51.65 now checks the teen in as the 14th fastest performer in the event of all-time, tying China’s Wang Shun. When looking exclusively at Americans, however, Andrew now slides into the spot as the 2nd fastest performer ever, sitting only behind Ryan Lochte and his 50.71 from Istanbul. Andrew’s time tonight ties legendary swimmer Michael Phelps‘ mark of 51.65 from 2011 as the #2 fastest U.S. performer of all-time.

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Dudeman
6 years ago

Everyone acknowledges that he is a great 50 swimmer in LC and that he is still improving, but they are also aware of how risky it is to put all your hopes into a 50 free, especially for the Olympics. He is really limiting his options and I think people want to see him on senior national teams but are worried that his plan and training won’t see him be as successful

crooked donald
Reply to  Dudeman
6 years ago

90 plus percent of all U.S. Olympians not named Dressel, Ledecky, Lochte, or Phelps, etc. put all their eggs in a one event basket for the Olympics. Sure, they may swim more than one event, but few make it in more than one event. You could say it’s too risky for Lilly King or Adam Peaty to just be a 100 breastroker, for Tony Ervin to just do the 50 free, for Kalisz to only make the team in the 400 IM, for Grevers to just be a 100 back guy, etc. MA is a truly gifted sprinter. He’ll get better as Ervin and Adrian are likely to get worse with age by 2020. Only Dressel is ahead of him… Read more »

Dcrabbe6
Reply to  crooked donald
6 years ago

The thing is tho,Michael andrew has the potential to be a ledecky,phelps,or dressel type swimmer. He is so versatile and if he trained a little differently(in my opionon) could make the olympics in multiple events. That’s why everyone “hates” on him.

Dudeman
Reply to  crooked donald
6 years ago

The 50 is simply a “riskier” event because of the amount of things that need to be done perfectly. MA could swim 21.7 again in 2020 and still somehow miss the Olympic team because someone snuck in ahead of him at the wall. The only example stated above that truly is risky is grevers in the 100 back because that event is so competitive and new backstroke talent emerges every Olympic cycle. Ervin is most likely done, at 39 it would be even more of a miracle to make the team again than winning Olympic gold at 35. King and peaty are the world record holders and far ahead of the rest of their respective countries and kalisz is now… Read more »

sven
Reply to  Dudeman
6 years ago

Making a little money along the way with the events he’s already good at doesn’t count as just focusing on the sprints. Kid’s swam the 400 IM like 4 times this season already. They’re clearly looking to prove something this year.

Dudeman
Reply to  sven
6 years ago

I completely agree, especially in swimming where there aren’t many chances to make significant money if you aren’t a superstar with a household name. I mentioned in a previous comment I thought it was good he was trying new things and switching up his races/training. I was just responding to the comment roughly saying “he’s a pure sprinter and 2nd in the US in the 50 free so he’s fine for the Olympics in 2020”. All the 400IM’s will be helpful for his 200IM and it would be great to see him have a breakout 200IM or 100 breast in the coming years. MA excels in the sprints and has a real shot there, but could also be extremely successful… Read more »

Snarky
6 years ago

I quit doing the 100 IM when I was 13.

crooked donald
Reply to  Snarky
6 years ago

He turned pro when he was 14.

E+Gamble
6 years ago

Congratulations Michael Andrew on a job well done. But.. I think the road to you making the 200 IM in 2020 just got even tougher with Caeleb swimming an unshaven SCY 1:40.6. I don’t think Caeleb is just having fun now with the 200 IM. He’s a man on a Tokyo 2020 mission. ?

crooked donald
Reply to  E+Gamble
6 years ago

MA’s road to Tokyo is the 50 free. Three 21.7’s at Jr. Worlds, putting him ahead of Adrian as the #2 U.S. sprinter, makes trying to drop 4 seconds in the 200 IM to make the team seem stupid. He’s a sprinter, and the rest of us need to get over that.

Scott Morgan
6 years ago

lol

Danjohnrob
6 years ago

Only .36 away from a World Record! You can do it, Michael! Keep up the good work!

Michael
Reply to  Danjohnrob
6 years ago

Math is hard for some people.

ArtVanDeLegh10
Reply to  Michael
6 years ago

I was going to comment on this earlier. I’m glad I didn’t because your comment is great.

Typhoon
6 years ago

Do you think the fastest swimmers have kind of small heads? MA’s head seems kinda small from this angle.

crooked donald
Reply to  Typhoon
6 years ago

Boom. You’ve cracked the mystery. WADA is considering cracking down on head vises.

Dudeman
6 years ago

Good to see that he is improving and seems to be trying new things in his training. The only issue, which I’m sure will be repeated in the comments, is that it’s a 100 IM. Yes the time is crazy fast and tying MP in any event is an accomplishment but it doesn’t really count to most of the swimming world as a “real” event.

crooked donald
Reply to  Dudeman
6 years ago

Same can be said about “most of the swimming world” for SCY times. So, in other words, David Nolan never really swam.

Dudeman
Reply to  crooked donald
6 years ago

In the world of swimming (LCM) outside the USA/college swimming I don’t know if many people would know David Nolan’s name. He, like MA is/was an amazing swimmer, that isn’t the argument i’m trying to make. I’m trying to say in the world of swimming SCY and SCM doesn’t really count and is seen more as a fun thing/novelty for the swimmers. People can be successful there but LCM is where it counts and where people are remembered around the world.

Billabong
Reply to  Dudeman
6 years ago

Dudeman, MA said exactly that two years ago, and got a load of stick from the college swimming fans. That is also one of the reasons he is not bothering with college. He thinks SCY is a joke.

Snarky
Reply to  Billabong
6 years ago

If I recall dad made that decision for him when he went “pro” at age 14. It’s easy to claim that decision was because short course is irrelevant after that decision was made for you.

Dcrabbe6
6 years ago

Pumped he can swim that at the olympics..oh wait

Joel Lin
Reply to  Dcrabbe6
6 years ago

Well, you’re right. This is good for kicks & Grand Prix season prize money. But the full flower of Andrew’s international career will be 2020 & 2024. There isn’t a 100 IM long course. The 50 fly, back & breast won’t be events in 2020 or 2024. We know that…that die is cast. And yet, what are the 4 events Andrew seems to target most? 100 IM short course, and 50 fly, back, breast.

He’s got to make his focus on Olympic events. I know he’s really sharp at these, but come next long course season and in 2019, Andrew really needs a more focused events plan.

crooked donald
Reply to  Dcrabbe6
6 years ago

Second-ranked American in the 50 LCM free last summer (ahead of Adrian), so I guess he could use that as a fallback.

Billabong
Reply to  crooked donald
6 years ago

Well said. Argument over

Snarky
Reply to  crooked donald
6 years ago

He has to swim it three times at Trials.

About Retta Race

Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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