2022 PRO SWIMMING SERIES – WESTMONT
The last final session of the 2022 Pro Swim Series in Westmont will kick off with an 800m freestyle run marked by the distance queen. Kathy Ledecky.
Then there will be a battle in the women’s standings of the top 100 Khali Flickingerwho was the best swimmer in the preliminary competitions, and other Olympians Olivia Smoliga as well as Claire Curzan.
Shane Casas will have a rematch with the world record holder Ryan Murphywhom he beat this morning in the men’s 100m final.
The Women’s Breast 200 has an all-star team led by Olympians. Annie Lazor, Lydia Jacobyas well as Lilly King. Iceland Anton Makki takes first place in the men’s competition, followed by a 16-year-old Nick Mahabir and Olympic Nick Fink.
16 year old Leah Hayes is the top seed in the women’s 200 meters and placed second in Cathy HoffNational Age Group record this morning. This will be Flickinger’s second competition of the session, but keep an eye on the Olympians as well. Leah Smith as well as Melanie Margalis. 17 year old Nate Germontprez leading among men.
The final event of the session will be the 50th free bet, in which the best places for both men and women will be taken by Olympians from Tokyo: Michael Andrew for men and Weitzeil Abbey for women. Andrew has yet to answer the American record holder Caleb Dresselhowever, placed 7th in the preliminary competition.
Women 800 Free
Top 3:
Kathy Ledecky took control of the 4-swimmer race from the start, splitting 1:02 of the maximum and then mostly of the 1:03 of the middle to increase their lead.
Leah Smith consistently held 1:04 low and 1:03 high to stay in Ledecky’s field of vision and eventually touch the wall in 2nd.
16 year old Alex Reina came within 2 seconds of her life best to take 3rd place while Illektra Lebl it took her almost 6 seconds shy of her best ever time to finish in 4th place in 9:03.94.
Men 800 Free
- World record: Lin Zhang – 7:32.12
- American record: Bobby Fincke – 7:41.87
- US Open record: Zane Grote, 7:44.57.
- Junior world record: Mac Horton – 7:45.67.
- Pro swimming record: Michael McBroom – 7:49.96
Top 3:
It was a double in the middle of the pool between Eniart and Elkamash – similar to Thursday’s free 1500 final when Elkamash touched Eniart in the last 50 meters.
Today Elkamash pushed the 18-year-old Eniart to the best result in his life; in August he cut his swimming time by 1.3 seconds.
With this win, Elkamsh won 400 freebies, 800 freebies and 1500 freebies in this competition. He split a staggering 27.59 over the last 50 and came within 6.5 seconds of his life-best 800 free time since November 2020.
Women’s 100m backstroke
- World record: Kaylee McKeown (Australia) – 57.45
- American record: Regan Smith – 57.57
- US Open record: Regan Smith (USA) – 57.92.
- Junior world record: Regan Smith (USA) – 57.57.
- Professional swimming record: Regan Smith (USA) – 58.18.
Top 3:
Claire Curzan was 0.12 less than her best time in her life since May, but the 17-year-old has now established herself as the 12th fastest 100m backstroke in the 17-18 age group.
She was tied with Smoliga at 28.89 halfway through, but it was her last split of 50 for 30.05, half a second faster than Soliga, that secured the victory.
Men. 100 m backstroke
- World record: Ryan Murphy (USA) – 51.85
- American record: Ryan Murphy – 51.85
- US Open record: Aaron Peirsol (USA) – 51.94.
- World record among juniors: Kliment Kolesnikov (Russia) – 52.53.
- Professional swimming record: David Plummer (USA) – 52.40
Top 3:
In a sort of Murphy-Casas replay, as happened at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials, Murphy took the win tonight by a narrow margin of 0.13 seconds. It was all about the first 50; he shared 25.69 compared to Casas’ 25.92.
Casas came within 0.56 of his best time in 2019 for 2nd place, while Sam Stewart stormed home with 28.65 for 3rd place.
Women’s 200m Chest
- World record: Tatyana Shenmaker (South Africa) – 2:18.95.
- American record: Rebecca Sony – 2:19.59.
- US Open record: Rebecca Soni (USA) – 2:19.59.
- Junior world record: Victoria Gunes (TUR) – 2:19.64.
- Swimming professional record: Annie Lazor (US): 2:20.77
Top 3:
King came out aggressive as usual, splitting 32.24 in the first 50 meters and 0.86 off the field. But Annie Lazor held strong and pushed the other half to eventually break away and win by 2 full seconds.
It was a good swim for Lazor, just 1.52 seconds short of her swim to win the competition at the 2020 US Olympics Wave II.
Jacoby is within one second of her best time of her life since April 2021.
Men 200 Chest
- World record: Anton Chupkov (Russia) – 2:06.12
- American record: Josh Preno – 2:07.17
- US Open record: Josh Preno (USA) – 2:07.17.
- Junior world record: Haiyan Qin (China) – 2:09.39
- Professional swimming record: Andrew Wilson (USA) – 2:08.95.
Top 3:
Anton Makki left just as fast as Fink in 30.09 and then took the lead halfway through. But it was Will LeaconThe back half, in particular, was his finishing speed and the final 50-of-33.38 split that took him to the wall first.
Fink was about 5 seconds behind the time he set to win that event at the 2020 US Olympics Wave II while Lycon was only 3.25 seconds behind the time he swam that event and took 3rd place.
200 m, women
- World record: Katinka Hossu (Hungary) – 2:06.12
- American record: Ariana Cucors – 2:06.15
- US Open record: Kathleen Baker (USA) – 2:08.32.
- Junior world record: Rikako Iki (Japan) – 2:09.98.
- Professional swimming record: Katinka Hossu (Hungary): 2:08.66.
Top 3:
With a time of 2:11.22 this morning and the 4th fastest 15-16-year-old competitor of all time, Leah Hayes repeated the feat to within a tenth of a second. She was within 0.9 of Cathy Hoff’s national age group record that she set at the 2005 World Championships.
Beata Nelson had an early lead after the fly leg, but Hayes lost on the back and chest. It was a good time for Nelson, within 0.21 of the best result of her life compared to the 2020 U.S. Wave II Olympic Trials.
Margalis nearly caught up with Nelson in the back half, splitting 37.53 chest points, 1.7 seconds faster than Nelson.
Men. 200 m
- World record: Ryan Lochte (USA) – 1:54.00
- American Record: Ryan Lochte – 1:54.00
- US Open record: Ryan Lochte (USA) – 1:54.56.
- Junior world record: Haiyan Qin (China) – 1:57.06.
- Professional swimming record: Michael Phelps (USA) – 1:56.32.
Top 3:
Fresh out of the 100m/s final, Sam Stewart came within 3 seconds of his best time of his life to win the 200 IM. He earned the back and free skate lead, splitting 31.48 and 28.59 respectively.
Nate Germontprez, 17, was a full second ahead of his time in the preliminaries to finish in 3rd place. He came out with the second fastest 50-fly split in a field of 25.66, only behind 4th-place Vinny Lanza at 25.21.
Tommy Cope swallowed up their chest lead with a score of 33.90 to eventually take 2nd.
Women 50 Free
- World record: Sarah Shostrom (Sweden) – 23.67
- American record: Simone Manuel – 23.97.
- US Open record: Pernille Blume (Denmark) – 08/24
- Junior world record: Rikako Iki (Japan) – 24.33
- Professional swimming record: Sarah Shostrom (Sweden) – 24.17
Top 3:
This was Kerzan’s 4th win in the competition, meaning she won every competition she entered. It was a hectic and tight race that saw the 17-year-old Kerzan come within 0.42 of her life’s best time to win.
Her fellow Olympians Abby Weitzel and Erica Brown closed the top three as the last swimmers to the mark of 25.00.
Men 50 Free
Top 3:
Three of the Category A finalists here were participants in the U.S. 2020 Olympic Trial Finals (Dressel, Andrew and Bow Becker), creating an electric racing atmosphere. Michael Andrew came within 0.25 of the time he swam the Trials (giving him 2nd place there) to win the race tonight.
Stretched out touched 4th place finisher Caleb Dressel by 0.08 to take 3rd place behind Yang Ho.