2015 Arena Pro Swim Charlotte: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2015 ARENA PRO SWIM SERIES – CHARLOTTE

• Thursday, May 14 – Sunday, May 17, 2015
• Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center, Charlotte, NC
• Friday-Sunday: Prelims 9AM/Finals 6PM (Eastern)
• Live Stream
• Live results
  • Also available via Meet Mobile – “2015 Arena Pro Swim Series at Charlotte”
• Psych Sheet
• Saturday Finals heat sheet

Women’s 200 Butterfly – FINALS

Katinka Hosszu won her third event of the meet with a fantastic time of 2:08.00. That is her best time of the season and will stand as the eighth fastest time in the world this year. 2012 US Olympian Cammile Adams picked up second place points with her time of 2:08.76, while Hali Flickinger finished third with a 2:09.07.

Kate Mills was the fourth place finisher, touching out the young Becca Mann who finished fifth at 2:10.95. Tine Bechtel was sixth with her time of 2:11.52.

The final two finishers in the women’s 200 butterfly were Cassidy Bayer and Emma Nunn.

Hannah Kukurugya won the B final with her time of 2:12.04.

Men’s 200 Butterfly – FINALS

Chase Kalisz ran down Andrew Seliskar and Gunnar Bentz to sneak in for the win in the men’s 200 butterfly. Kalisz reached in for a final time of 1:57.58. Seliskar picked up a second place finish with a 1:57.70. Both Kalisz and Seliskar managed to pull ahead of the field on the final 50. Third place went to Jack Conger with his time of 1:58.23.

Gunna Bentz had a great first half, but couldn’t hold on with the other two down the stretch. He finished fourth with a 1:58.38. Ioannis Drymonakos and Tyler Clary finished fifth and sixth with 1:59’s, while Michael Phelps and Mick Litherland finished seventh and eighth.

Michael Phelps looked as if he was was dying a slow and painful death with 75 meters to go. He joked that the piano fell on his back at the 175 during his morning swim, and it was obvious that he was feeling the piano again tonight. He was seventh with a final time of 2:00.17, which was just off his time from this morning.

Women’s 50 Freestyle – FINALS

Taking advantage of her home pool advantage, Ariana Vanderpool-Wallace dropped almost a half second from her season best time. Her time of 24.35 will tie as the third fastest swim in the world this year. Natalie Coughlin was fast with a 25.03 to finish second, but she was no where close to Vanderpool-Wallace at the finish. Chantal Van Landeghem got her hand on the wall for third place with a time of 25.05.

Katie Meili dropped a quarter of a second to finish fourth with her time of 25.31. Michelle Williams picked up fifth place with a 25.50 and Amanda Kendall was just behind her in sixth at 25.57.

Kelsi Worrell and Lauren Pitzer rounded out the A final at 25.79 and 25.81, respectively.

Madison Kennedy won the B final with a 25.25.

Men’s 50 Freestyle – FINALS

Josh Schnieder held off a talented field to win the men’s 50 freestyle with his time of 21.96. Schneider’s time is a season best for him and is currently tied for the fifth fastest performance of the year. He was also the only swimmer in the field to break 22 seconds.

World record holder Cesar Cielo finished second with a 22.05 and US Olympian Nathan Adrian added a third place points with his time of 22.19.

Finishing just off the podium was Bruno Fratus. Fratus was about a half second of his season best time with a 22.22. Marco Orsi added a fifth place finish with a 22.44.

Olympic Gold Medalist Anthony Ervin finished sixth at 22.58. Cullen Jones and Renzo Tjon A Joe rounded out the A final in seventh and eighth.

Luca Dotto won the B final with a time of 22.40.

Women’s 100 Backstroke – FINALS

With her second win of the night, and fourth on the weekend, Katinka Hosszu won the women’s 100 backstroke with the fifth fastest time in the world this year. She reached in, touching out Kathleen Baker with her time of 59.47. Baker added second place points as the only other swimmer under one minute with a 59.86.

Kirsty Coventry cut more than a half second off of her morning swim to win the bronze medal with her time of 1:00.66. Domonique Bouchard was just off the podium with a fourth place time of 1:01.20.

Olivia Smoliga was fifth at 1:01.28, finishing just ahead of Carolina Colorado in sixth at 1:01.63.

Danielle Hanus and Kylie Masse rounded out the A final in seventh and eighth.

Clara Smiddy won the B final with her time of 1:01.05.

Men’s 100 Backstroke – FINALS

One of the newest members of the Serbian National Team, Arkady Vyatchanin, dropped more than a second and a half to win the men’s 100 backstroke with his time of 53.69. That time is just outside of the top ten in the world at 11th this year. David Plummer finished second with a 53.90, and Junya Koga finished third with a 54.42.

Ryan Lochte and Eugene Godsoe were fourth and fifth in the men’s 100 backstroke. Lochte dropped a little more than a half second to improve to a time of 54.43, while Godsoe stayed above 55 seconds with a final time of 55.02.

Omar Pinzon finished with with a 55.39 to take sixth place, while Jack Conger and Guilherme Guido rounded out the A final in seventh and eighth.

Joe Patching won the B final with a time of 55.33.

Women’s 200 Breaststroke – FINALS

Another home-town swimmer, Micah Lawrence, earned first place points with her time 2:24.61, cracking the top 15 in the world this year. She held of Martha McCabe and Melanie Margalis, the second and third place finishers, with their times of 2:26.69 and 2:27.24, respectively.

Laura Sogar picked up fourth place with her time of 2:27.78. There was a small jump up to fifth place where Breeja Larson touched at 2:29.57. Katie Meili, the winner of the 100 breaststroke last night, finished sixth at 2:30.22.

Alia Atkinson and Annie Lazor were seventh and eighth, rounding out the A final.

Amanda Rutqvist won the B final with her time of 2:30.12.

Men’s 200 Breaststroke – FINALS

Josh Prenot looked incredible, dropping more than five seconds from his prelim swim to win the men’s 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:09.30. He held is back half together really well, keeping his back half within three seconds of his first 100. His time currently stands as the sixth fastest time in the world this year.

Cody Miller looked strong as well, finishing second with his time of 2:11.63. Nic Fink finished in third at 2:11.75.

The most impressive swim in the field, however, came from the fourth place finisher, Reece Whitley. Whitley destoryed the 15-16 NAG record in the 200 breaststroke by nearly two seconds. His time of 2:12.92 lowered Matt Elliott’s previous record of 2:14.67 from 2009. He is now exactly two seconds off of Kevin Cordes’ 17-18 NAG Record of 2:10.92, and his is only 15 years old.

Carlos Claverie picked up a fifth place finish with his time of 2:14.64, and Richard Funk was sixth at 2:15.87.

Thomas Dahlia and Chase Kalisz were seventh and eight to round out the A final.

Jorge Murillo Valdes won the B final with his time of 2:15.35.

Women’s 50 Butterfly – FINALS

Ariana Vanderpool-Wallace picked up her second individual victory of the night with the fifth fastest time in the world this year of 25.93.

Claire Donohue added second place points with a 26.31, the 15th fastest time in the world this year. Kelsi Worrell finished behind Donohue in third with her time of 26.71.

Amanda Kendall was just off of her prelim swim for fourth place with a 27.00. She finished just ahead of Jeserik Pinto in fifth at 27.09.

Alyssa Marsh finished sixth, dropping a little from her morning swim. Megan Bestor and Ellen Thomas finished seventh and eighth at 27.35 and 27.58, respectively.

Hellen Moffitt won the B final with her time of 27.35.

Men’s 50 Butterfly – FINALS

Cesar Cielo popped a quick 50 butterfly to win the event, posting the third fastest time in the world this year. He reached in for the wall at 23.26, dropping almost a half second from his prelim swim.

Tim Phillips had a fast 50 fly as well, finishing second with his time of 23.71. Sean Fletcher was the only other swimmer under 24 seconds for third with his time of 23.97.

Arthur Mendes picked up fourth place with a 24.10, and he was followed by Eugene Godsoe with his time of 24.17. Santo Condorelli got his hand in there for sixth, dropping slightly from his morning swim to post a 24.18.

Matthew Josa and Cullen Jones finished seventh and eighth at 24.25 and 24.35, respectively.

Marco Belotti won the B final with his time of 24.13.

Women’s 400 Freestyle – FINALS

Leah Smith continues to prove herself as one of the world’s greatest up-and-coming distance stars. She almost posted a best time, winning the women’s 400 freestyle with a time of 4:07.45. Competition for the second spot behind Ledecky is growing, and Smith has shown she won’t be making it easy on anyone else. Lotte Friis picked up second place with her time of 4:08.29. Cierra Runge was third at 4:10.82.

Becca Mann added another fourth place finish with her time of 4:11.04, finishing just ahead of Sierra Schmidt with a 4:12.22. Lindsay Vrooman was also in the pack as well, finishing sixth at 4:12.74.

Kennedy Goss and Emily Overhalt were seventh and eighth in the A final.

Katinka Hosszu doesn’t quit. She won her third race of the evening, this time taking the B final with a time of 4:12.15.

Men’s 400 Freestyle – FINALS

Connor Jaeger and Conor Dwyer went head-to-head, creating the best in-season race I’ve seen in a long time from US distance swimmers. Connor Jaeger won the race, posting the ninth ninth fastest time in the world this year at 3:46.30. That swim was the most confident looking swim I have ever seen from Jaeger in-season.

Dwyer had a strong swim as well, posting a second place time of 3:47.53. Marwan El Kamash had the next fastest time for third at 3:50.34.

Akaram Mahmoud was just behind El Kamash in fourth at 3:50.61. There was a small gap before Dion Dressens reached in for fifth with his time of 3:52.39.

Michael Klueh was sixth at 3:54.76, while Michael Weiss and Jonathan Roberts finished seventh and eighth at 3:56 and 4:00, respectively.

Zane Grothe won the B final with his time of 3:53.48