Weitzeil Hits 50 Free ‘A’ Cut At Day 1 Prelims Of Georgia Invite

2018 GEORGIA FALL INVITATIONAL

There were a ton of fast swims during the first preliminary session of the 2018 Georgia Fall Invite, including the fastest 50 freestyles in the country coming from Michigan’s Gus Borges and Cal’s Abbey Weitzeil. Read a full recap of prelims below.

Women’s Recap

500 Free

Rose Bi of Michigan clocked the top time in the women’s 500 in 4:39.34, putting her 6th in the country, while Cal’s Robin Neumann (4:39.90) also cracked 4:40. That’s a best time for Neumann, who previously had been 4:40.92 at the 2018 Pac-12s, and both swimmers were under last season’s NCAA invite time (4:40.50).

200 IM

Siobhan Haughey of Michigan took the top seed in the 200 IM in 1:56.45, putting her under last season’s invite time of 1:56.76. Haughey has been on a tear early this season, holding the #1 time in the country in the 200 free and #3 in the 100 free. Her best time, done at this meet last year, stands at 1:53.48, well under the ‘A’ cut of 1:54.31 that she’ll likely be shooting for tonight.

Cal first and second years Alicia Wilson and Sarah Darcel were also under 1:57 for 2nd and 3rd in 1:56.84 and 1:56.85 respectively, with Wilson’s swim being a massive personal best. This is her first season swimming yards after coming over from Great Britain, so she takes down her old best of 2:01.86 set at their dual with Texas a few weeks ago.

50 Free

Weitzeil blasted a time of 21.62 in the women’s 50, getting her under the NCAA ‘A’ standard of 21.74 and moving her past Arkansas’ Anna Hopkin (21.64) for the fastest time in the country. Weitzeil’s fastest swim ever during invite season, done last year, is 21.44.

Morgan Hill of Virginia was just .04 off her lifetime best to qualify 2nd in 22.19, and Veronica Burchill of Georgia was also under the time that qualified for NCAAs last season (22.30) in 22.20. Maggie MacNeil, a Michigan freshman who has been 22.08 already this season, hit that time right on the mark for 4th overall in 22.30.

Men’s Recap

500 Free

Felix Auboeck came into this weekend as the fastest swimmer in the country in the men’s 500, and does head into tonight’s final as the top seed, but he still lost his #1 ranking this morning as Andrew Seliskar blasted a 4:13.02 swimming exhibition.

This was Seliskar’s first time swimming the event since high school, and improves his previous personal best of 4:16.17 by over three seconds. He moves past Auboeck’s 4:13.06 from the ACC/B1G Challenge for #1 in the country.

Auboeck was a very solid 4:13.78 this morning to qualify 1st for the final, followed closely by his Wolverine teammates Ricardo Vargas (4:13.97) and Patrick Callan (4:14.00). They move to 4th and 5th in the NCAA, with Vargas recording his 3rd fastest swim ever and Callan his 2nd fastest, just .22 off his best time.

Walker Higgins of Georgia was less than a second off his lifetime best for 4th in 4:15.16, and Cal’s Trenton Julian dropped close to eight seconds to qualify 5th in 4:15.33. They were all under the NCAA invited time from last season (4:16.08).

200 IM

Seliskar then cruised to the top seed in the men’s 200 IM in 1:43.42, with a notably quick 28.94 breaststroke split. His fastest swim ever outside of an NCAA or Pac-12 Championship meet was done here in 2016, where he was 1:42.41. Last season he was about the same in 1:42.46.

His teammates Zheng Quah (1:43.82) and Mike Thomas (1:43.84) also cracked 1:44 for 2nd and 3rd, with Quah’s swim his 2nd fastest ever. They were the only three under last season’s invited time (1:44.03), while Javier Acevedo of Georgia did have a notable return to action after breaking his foot at the beginning of the season, advancing to the final and achieving a new personal best of 1:44.62 (6th overall).

50 Free

Wolverine sophomore Gus Borges threw down a time of 19.11 in the men’s 50 for the top time in the country, surpassing Robert Howard‘s 19.23 from two weeks ago. The swim also improves on his previous best time of 19.26 from the 2018 Big Tens.

Cal’s Pawel Sendyk qualified 2nd in 19.26, putting him 4th in the country, and Ryan Hoffer (19.42) and Michael Jensen (19.48) also had strong swims for 3rd and 4th. Last season it took a 19.36 to get invited to NCAAs. Zheng Quah also notably swam his first ever 50 yard free as exhibition and went 19.61.

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Cantsee
5 years ago

The Live results aren’t showing the current meet. Is there anyway to fix on mobile devices if not able to be on a computer?

Buttafly
5 years ago

Hot take: Seliskar could drop a 4:08 in the 500 if he hypothetically swam it at NCAAs

Thomas
5 years ago

I knew Seliskar could throw that down. I don’t know any good 200 LCM swimmer that can’t throw down in a 500 SCY.

Togger
5 years ago

Seli to throw everyone a curve ball line up at NCAAs: 1,650 free, 100 breast and lead off on all 5 relays.

RenéDescartes
Reply to  Togger
5 years ago

Yung_Seli downvoted this.

Swamfan
5 years ago

Seliskar’s versatility is insane. So far in his college career head finished top 5 at NCAAs in the 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 breast, and 200 fly. I’m guessing he’d also have a good shot at placing top 5 in the 500 free & 200 free. So impressive

Gaucho
5 years ago

Erika Brown 21.52 at Tennessee Invite. Going to be a great race at NCAAs.

VFL
5 years ago

Erika Brown 21.52 in Knoxville

Superfan
Reply to  VFL
5 years ago

But was that finals

VFL
Reply to  Superfan
5 years ago

Nope. Prelims this morning.

Admin
5 years ago

Seliskar training 500 free, popping a 4:13 now, is impressive. 500 free training — if you have 200 speed — is the path to 200 power. And the timing of this training is ideal, 17 months out from OTs.

Pkwater
Reply to  Gold Medal Mel Stewart
5 years ago

Yeah. It’s the Townley approach (along with most other great 200LCM freestylers) I think seeing that he went 1:43 after was also pretty amazing. If he continues on this he could be a serious (not that he wasn’t already) in a couple events come 2020

MGG
Reply to  Gold Medal Mel Stewart
5 years ago

Seliskar has always had a good 500. He went 4:16 his Senior year in HS.

Pvdh
Reply to  Gold Medal Mel Stewart
5 years ago

Think we’ll see him make big moves at worlds next year. Seeing him put it together in long course this summer was a joy

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Gold Medal Mel Stewart
5 years ago

He is on a roll and seems well prepared for a fantastic 2019 season .

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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