2015 Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte: Day 2 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
• Friday PM Heat Sheets

The second night of finals at the 2015 Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte is gearing up to be one of the most exciting nights of the season thus far. After Lotte Friis and Becca Mann opened the meet with the second and third fastest times in the world in the women’s 1500 freestyle, the tone of the meet was set.

The second day of competition features the 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 50 backstroke, 100 butterfly, the 400 IM, and the 400 freestyle relay. Although the relays are typically looked over at the Arena Pro Swim Series meets, today’s relay will be an in-season treat for swim fans. American powerhouse, SwimMAC Team Elite, will face off against the men’s relays from Brazil, Italy, and Canada, along with few other college programs. On the girls side, two of the nation’s best club programs, Carmel Swim Club and SwimMAC, will go head-to-head in the 400 freestyle relay. Both relays have broken NAG relay records in the past.

The format for tonight’s session features two flights, similar to the morning session. They will run through the A and B finals of each event, and then circle around for the C and D finals after all of the first flight finishes.

Katinka Hosszu is the top seed in the women’s 200 freestyle and the 400 IM. She will most likely run away with the 400 IM, but the 200 freestyle should be a good race. Leah Smith was the only other swimmer under 2 minutes this morning, but Allison Schmitt and Shannon Vreeland will pose a threat tonight as well.

The field in the men’s 200 freestyle is loaded with both American and several foreign competitors. Five swimmers were under 1:50 this morning, but nobody was under 1:49. It will take a 1:47 to crack the top 25 in the world this year, which would be great to see tonight.

The women’s 100 breaststroke is loaded with Jessica Hardy, Katie Meili, Micah Lawrence, and Laura Sogar, among the others. The men’s 100 breaststroke is the same way, but the field is dominated by foreign athletes. The top three swimmers are all at 1:01’s.

**Cheer for SwimSwam’s Jared Anderson, he will be swimming in Lane 4 of the C final.

Junya Koga blasted through prelims of the men’s 50 backstroke to post the top time of 24.74. He was the only swimmer this morning under 25 seconds, and is the top seed by close to a full second. Olivia Smoliga is the top seeded woman in the event with her time of 28.67.

It will be a battle of the bluegrass in the women’s 100 butterfly, with three of the top four athletes coming from different programs in the state of Kentucky. Claire Donohue is the top seed, but Kelsi Worrell will be hard to beat after the spring she has had.

On the men’s side, Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte were going to be head-to-head, but a scratch from Thiago Periera shook things up. Additionally, there was a tie for ninth place before the scratch, which requires a swim off between Matthew Josa and Santo Condorelli before the start of tonight’s session. Tom Shields had the fastest time this morning and is the top seed with his time of 52.78.

In the men’s 400 IM, Chase Kalisz was the only swimmer under 4:20. He will have Gunnar Bentz and Tyler Clary to his left and right, which will create a strong race. Tyler Clary is a great front half swimmer, and Kalisz is a great back half swimmer.

Women’s 200 Freestyle – FINALS

Katinka Hosszu does it again! After posting the third fastest time in the world this morning in the 400 IM, she won the women’s 200 freestyle with a time of 1:55.89, the fourth fastest time in the world this year.

Allison Schmitt dropped nearly three seconds to pick up second place points at 1:57.24. Third place points went to Melanie Margalis with a time of 1:58.22.

Leah Smith was off her time from prelims, finishing fourth at 1:59.46. Although she didn’t drop time, she did stay under two minutes.

Hali Flickinger finished fifth and she was followed by Shannon Vreeland, Kennedy Goss, and Patricia Castro Ortega.

Cierra Runge won the B final with a final time of 2:00.58.

Men’s 200 Freestyle – FINALS

Conor Dwyer powered through the men’s 200 freestyle to win the event with the 13th fastest time in the world this year at 1:47.04. He dropped nearly two and a half seconds from his morning swim to win the race. Dion Dreesens reached in for second with a 1:47.47, the 21st fastest time in the world this year, and Marwan El Kamash snagged third place with a 1:47.73.

Ryan Lochte finished just outside of the podium with a final time of 1:48.35. Anders Nielsen was behind him in fifth at 1:49.19, and Joao De Lucca was the final swimmer under 1:50 with his time of 1:49.72 for sixth.

Connor Jaeger and Michael Wynalda rounded out the A final.

Michael Phelps won the B final with a final time of 1:49.12. Had he qualified for the A final this morning, he would have finished in fifth, just behind Lochte.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke – FINALS

Katie Meili blasted through the women’s 100 breaststroke, swimming the fourth fastest 100 breaststroke in the world this year with her time of 1:06.50.

Jessica Hardy finished second with her time of 1:06.97, and Micah Lawrence finished third at 1:07.42. Hardy’s time will stand as the seventh fastest time in the world this year, while Lawrence’s time is 16th in the world.

Alia Atkinson just missed the podium with her time of 1:07.99. Melanie Margalis added a fifth place finish after getting on the podium in the 200 freestyle.

Lilly King finished sixth at 1:09.08, while Molly Hannis and Laura Sogar rounded out the A final in seventh and eighth, respectively.

Breeja Larson won the B final with her times of 1:08.72.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke – FINALS

Cody Miller threw down a big in-season 100 breaststroke to win with a final time of 1:01.04. He touched out Richard Funk for second by .05 seconds. Funk finished with a final time of 1:01.09. Felipe Lima picked up third place points with his time of 1:01.34.

Just outside the podium with a time of 1:01.62 was Josh Prenot. Jorge Murillo Valdes finished fifth at 1:02.02, and Nic Fink was sixth with his time of 1:02.12.

Brad Craig and Carlos Claverie rounded out the A final in seventh and eighth.

15 year old Reece Whitley buzzed the 15-16 NAG record with a lifetime best time of 1:01.86 to win the B final. Michael Andrew broke the record earlier this year with his time 1:01.67.

Women’s 50 Backstroke – FINALS

Kirsty Coventry broke the Zimbabwean National Record in the women’s 50 freestyle with her time of 28.23. Her time stand as the 12th fastest time in the world this year. Ali DeLoof finished second with her time of 28.57, and Olivia Smoliga added a third place finish at 28.64.

Danielle Hanus just missed the podium at 28.91. She was just ahead of Kathleen Baker at 28.92 and Domonique Bouchard at 28.94.

Clara Smiddy and Hellen Moffitt rounded out the A final in seventh and eighth.

Emma Ball won the B final with her time of 28.85.

Men’s 50 Backstroke – FINALS

Junya Koga defended his morning swim with an almost identical time. He was .01 slower than his morning swim with a wining time of 24.75. David Plummer and Miguel Ortiz tied for second place at 25.31 and will split second and third place points.

Nic Graesser finished just outside of the podium with a 25.56, and Guilherme Guido was fifth with his time of 25.82.

There was another tie for sixth and seventh between Kyle Darmody and Joe Patching at 25.96.

Jeff Swanston rounded out the A final of the men’s 50 backstroke with his time of 26.18.

Javier Acevedo won the B final with his time of 25.82.

Women’s 100 Butterfly – FINALS

Kelsi Worrell continued her meteoric rise to the top of the heap in women’s butterflying in the United States with a 58.86 to win the race in Charlotte. That’s not quite as fast as she was in Mesa a month ago, but she now has three of her four career best times in this event in the six weeks since the NCAA season ended.

Men’s 100 Buttefly – FINALS

Tom Shields dropped .66 seconds to win a loaded 100 butterfly with his time of 52.12, which is a slight improvement from his previous season best of 52.15. Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps finished second and third at 52.52 and 52.59, respectively.

The young Andrew Seliskar picked up a fourth place finish with his time of 52.88. Matthew Josa won the swim off earlier in the session to advance to the final. He took advantage of his A final apperance, finishing fifth with a time of 53.00.

Albert Subirats picked up sixth place with his time of 53.18, while Jack Conger and Santo Condorelli finished seventh and eighth.

Arthur Mendes won the B final with his time of 53.50.

Women’s 400 IM – FINALS

Picking up her second win of the night, Katinka Hosszu hammered through the freestyle leg with a 1:01.99 to swim the third fastest time in the world for the second time today at 4:35.19.

Caitlin Leverenz added second place points to her, moving her one step closer the BMW prize. She touched the wall at 4:39.46. Cammile Adams finished third at 4:43.38.

Becca Mann added a fourth place finish at 4:43.67, and Emily Overhalt was fifth at 4:44.14.

Kate Mills finished sixth, while Hali Flickinger and Tanja Kylliainen rounded out the A final in seventh and eighth.

Emily Cameron won the B final with his time of 4:46.83.

Men’s 400 IM – FINALS

Chase Kalisz ran away with the men’s 400 IM, posting the 12th fastest time in the world this year of 4:14.56. He dropped nearly five seconds from his prelim swim. Jay Litherland finished second with a 4:19.59, and Josh Prenot finished third at 4:19.63.

Ioannis Drymonakos was fourth a 4:20.26, while Andrew Seliskar finished fifth at 4:21.92 and Jonathan Roberts was sixth at 4:22.32.

Tyler Clary and Gunnar Bentz rounded out the A final in seventh and eighth with their time of 4:26.06 and 4:26.58, respectively.

Michael Weiss won the B final with his time of 4:23.72.

Women’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay – FINALS

The Canadian team of Chantal Van Landeghem, Sandrine Mainville, Michelle Williams, and Penny Oleksiak combined for a winning time of 3:41.13. They edged out the home team, SwimMAC, by four seconds with their time of 3:45.82.

Men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay – FINALS

Italy held off the Brazilian relay in a close race, posting the fastest time in the world this year. The team of Luca Dotto, Marco Orsi, Michele Santucci, and Marco Belotti combined for a winning time of 3:16.91. Brazil finished second with their time of 3:17.56. SwimMAC finished third with a final time of 3:21.18.