WATCH: Ledecky’s 15:37 1500 and Other 2023 Pro Swim Series Knoxville Day 4 Race Videos

by Spencer Penland 3

January 15th, 2023 News, Video

PRO SWIM SERIES – KNOXVILLE

In this post you’ll find race videos from the ‘A’ finals on the fourth and final day of the 2023 Pro Swim Series in Knoxville. The last day of the meet featured the 1500 free, 200 IM, 200 back, 50 breast, and 100 free. The videos in this post come from USA Swimming’s YouTube channel.

WOMEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE — FINALS

Top 3:

  1. Katie Ledecky (GSC-FL) — 15:37.99
  2. Katie Grimes (SAND-CA) — 16:15.02
  3. Claire Weinstein (SAND-CA) — 16:25.24

Katie Ledecky won her third event of this meet, putting on a dominant performance in the women’s 1500 free. Ledecky’s 15:37.99 marks a fantastic swim this early in the year.

MEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE — FINALS

  • World Record: 14:31.02 — Sun Yang, CHN (2011)
  • World Junior Record: 14:46.09 — Franko Grgic, CRO (2019)
  • American Record: 14:36.70 — Bobby Finke, USA (2022)
  • U.S. Open Record: 14:45.54 — Peter Vanderkaay, USA (2008)
  • Pro Swim Series Record: 14:53.12 — Jordan Willimovsky, USA (2016)

Top 3:

  1. Bobby Finke (SPA-FL) — 15:06.53
  2. Ahmed Hafnaoui (Tunisia) — 15:07.07
  3. Michael Brinegar (Ohio State) — 15:28.17

Bobby Finke won a very tight race over Ahemd Hafnaoui in the men’s 1500 free.

WOMEN’S 200 IM — FINALS

  • World Record: 2:06.12 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2015)
  • World Junior Record: 2:08.70 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2022)
  • American Record: 2:06.15 – Ariana Kukors (2009)
  • U.S. Open Record: 2:07.84 – Alex Walsh (2022)
  • Pro Swim Series Record: 2:08.66 – Katinka Hosszu (2015)

Top 3:

  1. Leah Smith (TXLA) — 2:13.78
  2. Bella Sims (SAND) — 2:14.32
  3. Tessa Cieplucha (TNAQ) — 2:15.12

Leah Smith won the women’s 200 IM in 2:13.78.

MEN’S 200 IM — FINALS

  • World Record: 1:54.00 – Ryan Lochte, USA (2011)
  • World Junior Record: 1:56.99 – Hubert Kos, HUN (2021)
  • American Record: 1:54.00 – Ryan Lochte (2011)
  • U.S. Open Record: 1:54.56 – Ryan Lochte (2009)
  • Pro Swim Series Record: 1:56.32 – Michael Phelps (2012)

Top 3:

  1. Finlay Knox (CAN) — 1:59.27
  2. Kieran Smith (RACT) — 1:59.85
  3. Trenton Julian (MVN) — 2:00.08

Canadian Finlay Knox beat out Kieran Smith in the men’s 200 IM.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE — FINALS

  • World Record: 2:03.35 – Regan Smith, USA (2019)
  • World Junior Record: 2:03.35 – Regan Smith, USA (2019)
  • American Record: 2:03.35 – Regan Smith (2019)
  • U.S. Open Record: 2:05.08 – Phoebe Bacon (2022)
  • Pro Swim Series Record: 2:05.94 – Regan Smith (2020)

Top 3:

  1. Kylie Masse (CAN) — 2:08.97
  2. Josephine Fuller (TENN) — 2:11.59
  3. Katie Grimes (SAND) — 2:11.96

Kylie Masse completed her sweep of the women’s backstroke events at this stop of the Pro Swim Series, winning the 200 back by a massive margin.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE — FINALS

  • World Record: 1:51.92 – Aaron Peirsol, USA (2009)
  • World Junior Record: 1:55.14 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2017)
  • American Record: 1:51.92 – Aaron Peirsol (2009)
  • U.S. Open Record: 1:53.08 – Aaron Peirsol (2009)
  • Pro Swim Series Record: 1:55.04 – Xu Jiayu (2017)

Top 3:

  1. Daniel Diehl (CUY) — 1:58.45
  2. Chase Kalisz (SUN) — 2:00.50
  3. Kieran Smith (RACT) — 2:01.96

17-year-old rising star Daniel Diehl won the men’s 200 back with a 1:58.45, touching as the only swimmer in the field under 2:00.

The men’s 200 back race video has not been posted yet.

WOMEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE — FINALS

  • World Record: 29.30 – Benedetta Pilato, ITA (2021)
  • World Junior Record: 29.30 – Benedetta Pilato, ITA (2021)
  • American Record: 29.40 – Lilly King (2017)
  • U.S. Open Record: 29.62 – Lilly King (2018)
  • Pro Swim Series Record: 29.62 – Lilly King (2018)

Top 3:

  1. Mona McSharry (TENN) — 30.56
  2. Miranda Tucker (TFA) — 31.29
  3. Sophie Angus (CAN) — 31.72

Tennessee star breaststroker Mona McSharry dominated the final of the women’s 50 breast, clocking a 30.56.

MEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE — FINALS

  • World Record: 25.95 – Adam Peaty, GBR (2017)
  • World Junior Record: 26.97 – Nicolo Martinenghi, ITA (2017)
  • American Record: 26.45 – Nic Fink (2022)
  • U.S. Open Record: 26.52 – Michael Andrew (2022)
  • Pro Swim Series Record: 26.97 – Felipe Lima (2019)

Top 3:

  1. Michael Houlie (TENN) — 27.47
  2. Tommy Cope (CW) — 27.84
  3. Miguel De Lara Ojeda (ANV) — 27.93

Swimming in his home pool, Tennessee’s Michael Houlie won the men’s 50 breast by a convincing margin.

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE — FINALS

  • World Record: 51.71 – Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2017)
  • World Junior Record: 52.70 – Penny Oleksiak, CAN (2016)
  • American Record: 52.04 – Simone Manuel (2019)
  • U.S. Open Record: 52.54 – Simone Manuel (2018)
  • Pro Swim Series Record: 53.12 – Sarah Sjostrom (2016)

Top 3:

  1. Erika Brown (TNAQ) — 54.15
  2. Olivia Smoliga (SUN) — 54.61
  3. Simone Manuel (SUN) — 54.81

Erika Brown got the better of Olivia Smoliga and Simone Manuel in the final of the women’s 100 free.

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE — FINALS

  • World Record: 46.86 – David Popovici, ROU (2022)
  • World Junior Record: 46.86 – David Popovici, ROU (2022)
  • American Record: 46.96 – Caeleb Dressel (2019)
  • U.S. Open Record: 47.39 – Caeleb Dressel (2021)/Ryan Held (2019)
  • Pro Swim Series Record: 48.00 – Nathan Adrian (2016)

Top 3:

  1. Andrej Barna (CARD) — 49.00
  2. Gui Caribe (TENN) — 49.15
  3. Javier Acevedo (CAN) — 49.56

Andrej Barna touched out standout Tennessee freshman Gui Caribe in the final of the men’s 100 free.

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Gard
1 year ago

I always felt that swimming in college was bad for Ledecky and that all this SCY slowed her down. I don’t know if that is really the reason, but ever since she left Stanford she seems faster to me.
I wonder if you guys felt the same?

Also, is it only me or does she now take longer under-waters and a faster stroke ratio than she had in the past?

For the first time in a long time, I belive we’ll see Katie break another WR.

Admin
Reply to  Gard
1 year ago

The proof is sort of in the pudding there, though it’s hard to isolate the factors. Was it SCY? Was it college? Was it the Stanford training? Was it age? Hard to know.

I think the impact of SCY can be mitigated in the right environment. Bowman might be this guy, but some coach is going to pop up where they train 8 sessions/week LCM, 1 session/week SCY to get down turns and stroke counts, and basically be prepping swimmers for international competition and just saying “go swim a couple of yards races four times a year and then never think about it again.”

I assume most pros do some amount of SCY training anyway, if only for logistics/pool space… Read more »

chickenlamp
1 year ago

If I’m interpreting the social media posts correctly, Zane Grothe has retired. Or maybe he’s just retired from swimming the mile?