Pickrem, Eastin, Dressel In For 200 IM, Ruck Scratches Day 3 Prelims

2018 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

Start lists show Sydney PickremElla Eastin and Caeleb Dressel all swimming the 200 IM on day 3 of Pan Pacs, with Taylor Ruck among the notable scratches out of the event.

Pickrem has scratched out of all her previous events: the 100 breast, 200 free and 400 IM, all on day 1. The Canadian should be among the favorites in the 200 IM, especially with fourth-seeded Kanako Watanabe scratching out ahead of her. Pickrem now sits fourth in seeds.

Eastin also scratched her previous two events, the 200 fly and 400 IM. She’s been fighting mononucleosis all month, but this 200 IM was the one event at U.S. Nationals in which she managed to qualify for Pan Pacs. It’s also the one event she still has 2019 travel hopes in, holding onto a World University Games spot with a chance to challenge for a Worlds spot.

Dressel broke the American record in short course earlier this year, but hasn’t ever focused on the event at a major long course meet. His primary focus today is still probably on the 100 fly, but Dressel hasn’t scratched the 200 IM, which comes after his butterfly. Dressel hasn’t been at his best this week, but that won’t make fans any less excited to see him in a major 200 IM field. He could still declare a false start, of course, and with the way he’s swimming currently, that wouldn’t be a big surprise.

Canada’s Ruck scratched out of the 200 IM. She’s got a busy schedule lined up this week, with five event entries. Ruck, too, typically focuses on other events, and the 200 IM would have been mostly just a bonus swim. Ruck won the 200 free and took bronze in the 100, plus still has the 4×100 free relay tonight and a 200 back/50 free combo on day 4. Scratching the IM allows Ruck to rest up for the 4×100 free relay, where the Americans might be vulnerable in the race for silver after losing a 4×200 free relay in which they were heavily favored on day 2.

Women’s 400 free

  • #5 Hali Flickinger (USA)
  • #19 Mabel Zavaros (CAN)

Men’s 400 free

  • None

Women’s 100 fly

  • None

Men’s 100 fly

  • None

Women’s 200 IM

Men’s 200 IM

  • None

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KeithM
6 years ago

Great to see Pickrem in there. Is she injured? Hate to fly all that way just to be a cheerleader (even if Masse, Ruck, and others are giving lots to cheer about).

GrameziPt
6 years ago

Look guys the game here is pretty simple Mr. Dressel i will believe it when i see it. I do think he has the potential to qualify for worlds and maybe earn a Silver ir bronze behind Kalizs of course

Samuel Huntington
6 years ago

Is Dressel really going to try to do 100 fly, 200 IM double??

Rafael
Reply to  Samuel Huntington
6 years ago

Well.. Conger is not swimming very well too, but if Lanza, Andrew or Morgan step up.. it can be tricky.. but Lanza also has the 200 IM.. biggest problem for Dressel might be Andrew and Morgan

Pvdh
Reply to  Rafael
6 years ago

Andrew maybe 51.5 or so. He did a big pb in 100 back but I doubt he moves much in 100 fly. Conger is DOA here. Lanza probably second

MTK
Reply to  Pvdh
6 years ago

Dead on arrival. Basically means that he’s toast.

MTK
Reply to  Samuel Huntington
6 years ago

I suppose it’s pretty much zero risk in terms of WC qualification – let’s be honest, none of Conger (51.1), MA (51.6) or Harting (52.0) are going to go 50.5.

Hswimmer
6 years ago

Dressel V Kalisz and Japanese should be a good one maybe Devine also

Justin Thompson
Reply to  Hswimmer
6 years ago

I wouldn’t expect a lot from Dressel in the 200im if he swims it based on his swims so far, but still would like to see how he does even if he’s not at his best.

KeithM
Reply to  Justin Thompson
6 years ago

I don’t expect much either. On the other hand a weight has been lifted off his shoulders by qualifying for the individual 100 at next year’s Worlds. So he may be far from peak but he can relax and just gun it now.

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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