2018 TYR PRO SWIM SERIES – AUSTIN
- Thursday, January 11 – Sunday, January 14, 2018
- Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swim Center
- Austin, TX
- Prelims 9 AM (Th-Sat) / Finals 6 PM (Th), 5:40 (Fri-Sat) / Timed Finals 8 AM (Sun) – U.S. Central Time
- Links, Schedule & Points/Money Info
- Meet site
- Live Stream
- Meet info
- Psych Sheets
The USA Swimming stats team (a great Twitter follow, @USASwimStats), has given swim fans a new set of records to follow. Because in swimming, it’s all about the numbers, and we love records.
The team has compiled a list of “series records,” including those dating back to prior to the 2015 Pro Swim Series rebrand when the series was known as the “USA Swimming Grand Prix Series.”
The list, which only includes LCM (50m) times (the series used to kick off in the fall with a short course meet in Minneapolis), has only 6 records that date back to the Grand Prix era. Most of the records are set by swimmers that are generational-type performers, and the list is riddled with World Record holders, World Junior Record holders, Olympic champions, and other major swimmers. That includes names like Katie Lededcky, Katinka Hosszu, Rebecca Soni, Lilly King, Natalie Coughlin, Emily Seebohm, and Dana Vollmer on the women’s side.
The names on the men’s list aren’t quite as prestigious, but do still include superstars like Adam Peaty, Nathan Adrian, Sun Yang, and Matt Targett. The legendary Michael Phelps, whose attendance at the series (and in-season performances) became less consistent in the 2010s when most of the records were broken, still holds 1 mark – a 1:56.32 in the 200 IM from the Indy Grand Prix in 2012. Incidentally, that meet was the first Grand Prix event after the official launch of SwimSwam in March of 2012.
Katie Ledecky, who isn’t swimming in Austin this weekend, leads all swimmers with 4 series records. Swede Sarah Sjostrom, also not swimming, has 3.
The Charlotte meet, which is no longer a part of the series, and the Santa Clara meet, which traditionally has ended the series (though Columbus holds that honor this year) have each seen the most series records broken. Santa Clara especially makes sense, given that it comes late in the series (close to taper meets) and frequently attracts high-level international competition, especially from Asia and Australia.
Where the records were broken, ranked by city, pre-2018 series:
- Santa Clara/Charlotte – 8 (TIE)
- Austin – 7 (All women, Sjostrom and Ledecky went wild at the 2016 edition)
- Indianapolis – 6 (all men’s)
- Mesa – 2
- Orlando/Atlanta/Minneapolis – 1 (TIE)
See the records below, and check out our Pro Swim Series – Austin channel for full coverage of this week’s opener.
When there are records to be broken it can make for some fast swimming. Check out the records for the #TYRProSeries pic.twitter.com/Bn8bZgNa3o
— USA Swimming Stats (@USASwimStats) January 10, 2018
What’s the Prize Money if a swimmer breaks a record?
Phelps went a 1:53 200 fly in 2007 in a Grand Prix. I don’t know of any more off the top of my head, but I would look at the 100 Fly (2009?) and maybe 400 IM pre 2008 although 4:09 in season is movin.
Yep – in Missouri, a few weeks before the World Champs where it looked like he was swimming in the kiddie pool. Won both the 200 free and 200 fly by about 3 seconds, would have won 8 golds if not for a prelim 400 MR DQ and he also had the fastest 100 free time in his 400 FR leadoff. Still think that was his best meet.
You’re right. MP swam 1.53.71 at Missouri GP in February 2007 a few weeks before the best competition of his career, the world championships in Melbourne.
But I have a better one and it should be the record for these GP. He swam 1.53.31 again in Missouri in February 2008.
About the 400 IM, his best time in GP was 4.11.30 again in Missouri in 2007 in 4.11.30.
And about the 100 fly his best time in GP was 51.52 again in MIssori but in 2008.
MIssouri GP 2008 MP Men’s 200 fly 1.53.31
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eXpvWeBlQw
I know it’s Phelps, but that is an absolutely staggering time for a Grand Prix meet. That’s faster than the winning time at Kazan (1:53.48), Rio (1:53.36), and Budapest (1:53.33).
Since Phelps went that 1:53.31 in February 2008 only 5 men have been faster (they’re also the 5 fastest ever):
Phelps himself (1:51.51 in Rome, 1:52.94 textile (but 1:52.09 in Melbourne which is the textile WR)).
Cseh (1:52.70 in Beijing, 1:52.91 textile).
Le Clos (1:52.96 textile).
Matsuda (1:52.97 in Beijing, 1:53.21 textile).
Korzeniowski (1:53.23 in Rome).
I wonder who the next person to get under that time will be. I’d bet on Milak, but it could easily be Sakai or Kenderesi.
This was the debut of the LZR Racer, and the results from this meet (Coventry broke Egerszegi’s longstanding 200 back WR, Katie Hoff was .07 off the 400 free WR) set off the poly suit blitz.
The girl records are ridiculous
Agreed, though I had no idea who Meagen Nay was. Damn Aussie.
Wow can’t believe you haven’t heard of her.
Back then I had a much more “American” and “100m distance or lower” bias than I a do now.
I still have the same bias, it’s just less so now.
2008 & 2012 Olympian.
He he go the Aussie
Most important, that she is still the national record holder I think. Quite a company listed. I was under impression that PSS is a low importance competition: just to check the current in-season form to correct the training process if needed. So unimportant that very often finalists could scratch the final race to catch the early flight to spend weekend home. And there were no penalty for that. This record list proves otherwise. Very possible that women will perform well at Austin again. We even can expect Mallory Comerford to make correction to this list of records.
If Sjostrom comes again, she could easily reset the 50/100 free, put the 50 and 100 fly well out of anyone’s reach, and possibly take the 100 back record as well now that she doesn’t have the 200 free to worry about.
she has a pb of 59 high in the 100 back
Austin is the best pool for women to perform (7 records). None on the men side.
Indy is the best place for men (6 records). None on the women side.
Does it mean anything? Most likely not 😀
Surprisingly no records held by Missy Franklin.
she was a pretty big taper swimmer
That was surprising to me too.
So is she done swimming?