PRO SWIM SERIES – KNOXVILLE
The final session of the Knoxville Pro Series begins tonight with the 1500 Free, 200 IM, 200 Back, 50 Breast and 100 Free finals.
The night begins with the 1500 free races where Florida Gator is a training partner Katie Ledecky and Bobby Finke will be headlining. While Ledecky is a favorite to win her race, Finke could see a challenge Ahmed Hafnaouiwho beat him free in both the 400 and 800.
The women’s 200 backstroke is another race to watch, featuring the Olympic silver medalist Kylie Mass compete against the rising star Katie Grimes, as well as Tennessee swimmer Josephine Fuller (who was just 0.01 seconds off Masse’s time in the heats). Also keep an eye out for the men’s 100m where Andrei Barna will try to fend off swimmers like Drew Kibler and Gui Caribe
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WOMEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE – FINALS
The best 3:
No wonder, Katie Ledecky won the 1500 Free by 38 seconds in a time of 15:37.99 – the 14th fastest swim ever. She swam just under 15:37.34 to win Olympic gold in 2020. The time is also faster than the season for all of 2022. She has been fairly consistent with her splits, lasting 31 seconds before closing at 30.71.
Behind Ledecky were teammates from Sandpiper Katie Grimes and Clare Weinsteinwho finished second and third with times of 16:15.02 and 16:25.24, ten seconds apart.
MEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE – FINALS
- World Record: 14:31.02 – Sun Yang, CHN (2011)
- Junior World Record: 14:46.09 — Franko Grgic, CRO (2019)
- American Record: 14:36.70 — Bobby FinkeUnited States (2022)
- US Open record: 14:45.54 – Peter Vanderkaay, USA (2008)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 14:53.12 – Jordan Willimovsky, USA (2016)
The best 3:
Bobby Finke avenged his loss Ahmed Hafnaoui free in the 800 by shutting him down in typical fashion on the last lap of the 1500 free Bobby Finke-Style. After riding side by side for most of the race, Hafnaoui pulled slightly ahead at the 1400 meter mark. However, Finke beat Hafnoui 27.04 to 27.99 in the last 50 to claim the win.
Finke and Hafnaoui were never more than half a second apart throughout the race.
came third Michael Brinegarwho was almost 20 seconds behind and clocked a time of 15:28.17.
WOMEN 200 IM – FINALS
- World record: 2:06.12 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2015)
- Junior World Record: 2:08.70 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2022)
- American Record: 2:06.15 – Ariana Kukors (2009)
- US Open record: 2:07.84 – Alex Walsh (2022)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 2:08.66 – Katinka Hosszu (2015)
The best 3:
Bella Sims opened things up with a 28.49 fly leg and 33.07 back leg to lead by almost two seconds at the 100 mark, however Leah Smith moved forward with a 42.37 sternum (compared to Sims’ 42.37) to take the lead.
Smith’s 30.93 free leg was enough to hold her lead, but Sims caught up behind her with 30.39. Smith hit the wall first in 2:13.78 while Sims clocked a time of 2:14.32.
In aa was a wide third Tessa Cieplucha, which took place on 2;15.12. She had a strong 38.96 split on her chest, second fastest in the field behind her Alexis Jager38.63
MEN 200 IN – FINALS
- World Record: 1:54.00 – Ryan Lochte, USA (2011)
- Junior World Record: 1:56.99 – Hubert Kos, HUN (2021)
- American Record: 1:54.00 – Ryan Lochte (2011)
- US Open record: 1:54.56 – Ryan Lochte (2009)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 1:56.32 – Michael Phelps (2012)
The best 3:
Finley Knox took an early lead, splitting the fastest fly (25.22) and reverse times (30.48) in the field and led this race from start to finish. However, Trenton Julian caught him at the end of the backstroke leg split and tied 30.87, staying close behind Knox for most of the race.
That being said, Julian was shut down Kieran Smith in the breaststroke when he shared 34.84 compared to Julian’s 35.50 and Knox’s 35.11 to join Knox as the only two under-two-minute swimmers in the field.
The podium was just missing Daniel Sosthe top seed from the heats as he finished fourth in 2:00.30.
WOMEN’S 200 RETURN – FINALS
- World record: 2:03.35 – ReganSmithUnited States (2019)
- Junior World Record: 2:03.35 – ReganSmithUnited States (2019)
- American record: 2:03.35 – ReganSmith (2019)
- US Open record: 2:05.08 – Phoebe Bacon (2022)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 2:05.94 – ReganSmith (2020)
The best 3:
Unlike in the preliminary rounds, where she held the top seed by just 0.01 seconds, Kylie Mass dominated in the final. She won with a time of 2:08.97 by almost three seconds, making her the only swimmer in the sub-2:10 field.
Masse, who has had a slightly declining year in the 200 back, was less than a second slower than the 2:08.00 she clocked to finish fifth at the 2022 World Championships.
Second went to Josephine Fuller, who was 0.08 seconds off her pre-lap time. She was followed Katie Grimeswho took on a grueling double and placed third in the 200 backstroke in the same session in which she freeswimmed the 1500.
200 SETBACK MEN – FINALS
- World record: 1:51.92 – Aaron Peirsol, USA (2009)
- Junior World Record: 1:55.14 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2017)
- American Record: 1:51.92 – Aaron Peirsol (2009)
- US Open record: 1:53.08 – Aaron Peirsol (2009)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 1:55.04 – Xu Jiayu (2017)
The best 3:
Like Kylie Mass in the women’s race, Daniel Diehl dominated the men’s 200 backstroke and clocked the only sub-two-minute time in the entire field. He was just over two seconds slower than his personal best of 1:56.41 set a month ago at the 2022 US Open.
Chase Kalisz took a clear second while Kieran Smith came third. Smith had just pulled off a grueling double by going the 200 IM and 200 back events back-to-back.
WOMEN 50 BREAST BEAT – FINALS
- World Record: 29.30 – Benedetta Pilato, ITA (2021)
- Junior World Record: 29.30 – Benedetta Pilato, ITA (2021)
- American Record: 29.40 – Lilly King (2017)
- US Open Record: 29.62 – Lilly King (2018)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 29.62 – Lilly King (2018)
The best 3:
Mona McSharry made it to a breaststroke at this Pro Series meet and has had wins in the 100, 200 and now 50 breaststroke races. Her time of 30.56 was a personal best for her, improving on the 30.87 she swam in 2018.
In the second was Miranda Tuckerwho was just 0.02 seconds off her 2019 best of 31.27. She was third Sophia Anguswho swam a 31.72 for third place.
MEN 50 BREAST BEAT – FINALS
- World Record: 25.95 – Adam Peaty, GBR (2017)
- Junior World Record: 26.97 – Nicolo Martinenghi, ITA (2017)
- American Record: 26.45 – Nic Fink (2022)
- US Open record: 26.52 – Michael Andrew (2022)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 26.97 – Felipe Lima (2019)
The best 3:
Michael Houlie made it a Tennessee sweep in the 50 chest as he won the men’s race with a time of 27.47. He finished four tenths ahead Tommy Cope, who was just 0.03 seconds off his personal best of 27.81. This PB was from his opening of the 100 breaststroke at the 2022 US World Championships trials meeting.
The Mexican swimmer came third Miguel De Lara Ojedawho was less than a tenth away from Cope in third.
WOMEN 100 FREESTYLE FINALS
The best 3:
Top seeded after the preliminary rounds Farrope Abbey scratched the event, second seed Erica Brown took the win and split 25.84/28.31 en route to a 54.15 finishing time.
Behind Brown were ASU training partners Olivia Smoliga and Simon Manuel, who posted times of 54.61 and 54.81 respectively. Smoliga was 0.22 seconds ahead of Manuel at 50, but Manuel was 0.02 seconds faster than Smoliga in the back half. Today Smoliga swam her first 100 free swimmers since the US Trials and Manuel swam her first since the Tokyo Olympics.
Above all, ReganSmith won the B final with 55.53.
MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – FINALS
- World Record: 46.86 – David Popovici, ROU (2022)
- Junior World Record: 46.86 – David Popovici, ROU (2022)
- American Record: 46.96 – Caeleb Dressel (2019)
- US Open Record: 47.39 – Caeleb Dressel (2021)/Ryan Held (2019)
- Pro Swim Series Record: 48.00 – Nathan Adrian (2016)
The best 3:
Andrej Barna cut his preliminary time by 0.03 seconds and won in a time of 49.00. He was second to Gui Caribe at the 50 and opened at 23.56 compared to Caribe’s 23.46, but he beat Caribe at 25.44 to 25.69 in the back half.
Barna and Caribe finished just 0.15 seconds apart and were Canadian swimmers Javier Acevedo He was third with 49.56.