Phelps: Tomorrow I just want to get out there and race (Video)

Reported by Mitch Bowmile.

MEN’S 200M BUTTERFLY SEMIFINAL

Top seed: Michael Phelps (1:56.68)
World record: 1:51.51 – Michael Phelps
American record: 1:51.51 – Michael Phelps
U.S Open record: 1:52.20 – Michael Phelps
U.S Nationals record: 1:52.20 – Michael Phelps
JR World record: 1:55.92 – Andrew Seliskar 1:52.20
2012 Winning Time: 1:53.65 – Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps cruised through the second semifinal of the men’s 200m butterfly smooth as can be in the water, dropping a 1:55.17 to lead the way through the semis into tomorrow night’s finals.

While he looked great in the pool, his turn at the 100-meter wall was off. Rather than glide in for a long touch, Phelps opted for a half stroke into the wall and came in hard. This morning he wasn’t pleased with his third turn, “third turn was bad. Awful. Killed all the momentum,” Phelps said.

At the touch tonight, Phelps looked disappointed in his swim before he even turned around and saw the time.

Although he might not be 100 per cent pleased with his turns, Phelps is still the heavy favorite heading into the final, the real race is a race for second.

Pace Clark was the second fastest this evening, dropping a 1:56.27 to win the first semifinal ahead of Cal’s Tom Shields. Shields was a 1:56.35, right on Clark’s tail. Chase Kalisz wasn’t too far behind them either sporting a 1:56.48.

The race for second will be a tight one, also in the mix is Gunnar Bentz who went a 1:56.82 in the second semifinal and Zach Harding to clocked in behind him in 1:56.99.

  1. Michael Phelps (1:55.17)
  2. Pace Clark (1:56.27)
  3. Tom Shields (1:56.35)
  4. Chase Kalisz (1:56.48)
  5. Gunnar Bentz (1:56.82)
  6. Zach Harting (1:56.99)
  7. Jack Conger (1:57.02)
  8. Andrew Seliskar (1:57.10)

For official results click here.

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teamwiess
8 years ago

The article doesn’t mention Conger at all. He was 0.8 off of the second seed tomorrow night less than an hour after swimming a huge lifetime best in the 200 free, almost making the individual event for Rio, while making the relay. Given the fact that he is swimming fast, I think he is still a favorite to make the team. He knew he just had to survive semi’s. As long as he did the proper warm down, he is good for tomorrow night. Expect a huge drop for Phelps to 153 mid. Think Conger will be close, 153 high or 154 low. I know this is blasphemous but it has been a relatively slow meet so far in terms… Read more »

JM90
8 years ago

Noone commenting on the time put up by Conger after a super quick 200free and a mental last 50? He will go way quicker tomorrow for sure!

swimdoc
Reply to  JM90
8 years ago

If he improves his time in the 200 fly the way he did in the 200 free, he’s going to be closing on Phelps in that last 25.

swimdoc
Reply to  JM90
8 years ago

If he improves his time in the 200 fly the way he did in the 200 free, he’s going to be closing on Phelps in that last 25.

Lol
8 years ago

Great job shields! Finals tomorrow will be exciting

Billabong
Reply to  Lol
8 years ago

Look like Shields is in good shape. He is going to fly in the 100m.

SwimmerFoxJet
Reply to  Billabong
8 years ago

I was impressed with his 1:56 yesterday in semis. He just needs to hold on to go a 1:55 low. I think he could go sub 51 in the 100.

Henrik
8 years ago

He wont even qualify! The Phelps train stops in Omaha!

Lazy Observer
Reply to  Henrik
8 years ago

Anything is possible. Guess we will know soon.

SwimmerFoxJet
Reply to  Henrik
8 years ago

Tell me why he won’t. He just made a 200 fly with bad turns in 1:55.1. He will probably go 1:53 or 1:52

Attila the Hunt
8 years ago

Maybe tomorrow Pace can pace the race and Phelps can use Pace to pace his swim too.

Murica
Reply to  Attila the Hunt
8 years ago

Pace is going to face a great chase in case he doesn’t aggressively pace the beginning of his race. Brace for bad taste after a poor place in this insane race in just one day. Though it pays to have mates who’ve placed, pace don’t got faith like the state that won NC 2 As.

JM90
Reply to  Murica
8 years ago

Amazing, how long did that take you?!!

Murica
Reply to  JM90
8 years ago

Like 10m. I got bars dog… Yall don’t even know

Yale19
8 years ago

Phelps’ stroke so far in the prelims and semifinals has looked amazing to me. He seems sooooo incredibly smooth and effortless. He even seems higher in the water than he normally is during tapered 200 flys. Excited for tomorrow’s final, and hoping he can bump Laszlo Cseh’s 1:52.94 to second fastest in the world this year!

Yale19
Reply to  Yale19
8 years ago

Correction: Laszlo’s 1:52.91!

Damiansport1
8 years ago

Why there is no Phelps name on tomorrow’s 100M free starting list’s? http://www.omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=000110000300000100FFFFFFFFFFFF01

Rishabh
Reply to  Damiansport1
8 years ago

Hes going to be on the relay for sure. We just arent going to have two sub 48s in 100 free finals. Phelps was 48.45 all the way back in 2014 pan pacs, when he was in terrible form. Bob Bowman knows hell be able to get to 47.95 or so at the worst by Rio.

Swim
Reply to  Rishabh
8 years ago

There should be rule if you want a spot on the relay you earn it at trials.

Rishabh
Reply to  Swim
8 years ago

15 years of supremacy isnt adequate?

JM90
Reply to  Swim
8 years ago

It is a valid point but it is Michael Phelps, one of a kind. Plus look at last years 4×100 free, granted they qualified the year earlier which seems a terrible way to do it, BUT they ‘earned it’ and definitely didn’t deliver

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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