2018 U.S. Winter Nationals: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2018 US WINTER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• November 28th-December 1st, 2018
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Psych Sheets
• Results
• Short Course Time Trial Info
• Live Stream
• Saturday Prelims & Distance Heat Sheet
• Prelims/Finals at 9 am / 5 pm ET
• LCM (50m)

The final preliminary session from Greensboro will feature the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast and 200 fly, and the 1500 freestyles will be contested later in the afternoon.

Among the big names competing this morning include Simone Manuel and Nathan Adrian in the women’s and men’s 100 free, Kylie Masse in the women’s 200 back, Hali Flickinger in both the women’s 200 back and 200 fly, and Jacob Pebley in the men’s 200 back.

Women’s 200 Back Prelims

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:14.69

1. Ali Galyer, UN, 2:10.97
2. Kylie Masse, TSC, 2:11.51
3. Hali Flickinger, ABSC, 2:12.19
4. Bridgette Alexander, KYA, 2:13.33
5. Mabel Zavaros, UN, 2:13.42
6. Phoebe Bacon, NCAP, 2:13.59
7. Kennedy Goss, GGST, 2:13.81
8. Mackenzie Glover, NCS, 2:14.71

Ali Galyer, who is currently in the midst of her junior season with Kentucky, won the first circle-seeded heat of the women’s 200 back in a time that stood up as the fastest of the morning, as she clocked 2:10.97 to lead Kentucky post-grad Bridgette Alexander (2:13.33). This is Galyer’s seventh time going sub-2:11, with all seven of the swims coming in 2018.

Last night’s 100 back winner Kylie Masse of Toronto cruised to the win in the final heat in 2:11.51, putting her 2nd, and Hali Flickinger of the Athens Bulldogs won the penultimate heat for 3rd in 2:12.19.

Men’s 200 Back Prelims

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:02.99

1. Jacob Pebley, TE, 1:59.70
2. Christopher Reid, CTA, 2:00.54
3. Kane Follows, UN, 2:00.62
4. Jay Litherland, DYNA, 2:01.58
5. Markus Thormeyer, HPVC, 2:01.88
6. Harry Homans, ABF, 2:02.67
7. Nick Vance, WCS, 2:03.28
8. Hennessey Stuart, WOLF, 2:03.73

Team Elite’s Jacob Pebley was the lone man to crack 2:00 in the 200 back this morning, solidifying the win in the final heat with a last 50 split of 29.96 as he touched in 1:59.70. Pebley is slated to race this event in a few weeks at the Short Course Worlds in Hangzhou, China. Kane Follows, a native of New Zealand, took 2nd to Pebley in the heat in 2:00.62 which stands up as a new best time by half a second. He advances to the final in 3rd.

Christopher Reid of Crimson Tide Aquatics, who was entered with a yards time, swam his first long course 200 back since the 2017 U.S. Open out of heat 4, posting the #2 time of the prelims in 2:00.54.

Jay Litherland of Dynamo and Markus Thormeyer of HPC – Vancouver won the other two circle-seeded heats in times of 2:01.58 and 2:01.88 respectively to qualify 4th and 5th.

Women’s 100 Free Prelims

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 56.29

1. Simone Manuel, ALTO, 53.50
2. Margo Geer, MVN, 54.31
3. Anna Hopkin, UARK, 54.54
4. Amanda Kendall, MVN, 55.03
5. Gabby Deloof, CW, 55.48
6. Katie Ledecky, NCAP, 55.58
7. Rebecca Smith, SCAR, 55.89
8. Grace Cooper, DLTA, 56.23

Simone Manuel was not messing around this morning as she threw down a 53.50 in the women’s 100 freestyle, the top time of the prelims by eight-tenths of a second. This marks the fastest Manuel has ever been at a non-international or National Trials meet.

Margo Geer, who currently trains in Indiana but is representing Mission Viejo, was 54.31 out of the penultimate heat for the 2nd seed overall, and Anna Hopkin from the University of Arkansas qualified 3rd from Manuel’s heat in 54.54. That’s a new personal best for the native of Great Britain, with her previous best of 54.76 coming last December at the Swim England Winter Championships.

Katie Ledecky won the first circle-seeded heat in 55.58, a time that stood up for 6th overall, while Dana Vollmer (56.25) finished 2nd in the heat but just missed a spot in the ‘A’ final in 9th.

Men’s 100 Free Prelims

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 50.49

1. Michael Chadwick, TE, 49.27
2. Nyls Korstanje, NCS, 49.99
3. Markus Thormeyer, HPVC, 50.07
4. Destin Lasco, UN, 50.08
5. Nathan Adrian, CAL, 50.27
6. Jesse Novak, TROJ, 50.34
7. Josh Fleagle, UN, 50.35
8. Carson Olafson, HPVC, 50.42

Nyls Korstanje of NC State, Michael Chadwick of Team Elite and Markus Thormeyer of HPC – Vancouver each won one of the three circle-seeded heats in the men’s 100 freestyle, and ended up with the top-3 seeds led by Chadwick’s 49.27 which was also a new pool record.

Korstanje, a Dutch native who swam a personal best of 48.87 this past summer at the European Championships, joined Chadwick under 50 seconds in 49.99, while Thormeyer (50.07) edged out Nathan Adrian (50.27) of Cal in the final heat as they qualified 3rd and 5th.

In 4th, 17-year-old Destin Lasco had the 3rd fastest swim of his career in 50.08, trailing only his 49.40 and 49.66 swims at Summer Nationals in July.

Women’s 200 Breast Prelims

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:33.29

1. Kelsey Wog, UMAN, 2:29.43
2. Micah Sumrall, GOLD, 2:29.62
3. Emily Escobedo, COND, 2:30.26
4. Madisyn Cox, TXLA, 2:30.84
5. Sophie Hansson, NCS, 2:31.08
6. Ashley McCauley, MOR, 2:31.64
7. Bailey Bonnett, UN, 2:33.49
8. Hanna Newby, AESC, 2:33.58

Kelsey Wog of the University of Manitoba cruised to the win in heat seven of eight in the women’s 200 breast, clocking in at 2:29.43 which held up as the fastest of the morning. Her swim was also a new pool record.

2018 Pan Pac gold medalist Micah Sumrall was also under 2:30 to win the last heat in 2:29.62, and Emily Escobedo won the first circle-seeded heat for 3rd overall in 2:30.26.

Men’s 200 Breast Prelims

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:17.89

1. Kevin Cordes, PSC, 2:12.18
2. Nic Fink, ABSC, 2:13.03
3. Jonathan Tybur, AGS, 2:14.60
4. Chuck Katis, PRVT, 2:15.13
5. Scott Tolman, UN, 2:16.02
6. Matt Fallon, SVY, 2:16.32
7. Eli Wall, TSC, 2:16.33
8. Alex Evdokimov, PRVT, 2:16.57

Kevin Cordes of the Phoenix Swim Club cleared heat six of the men’s 200 breast by over four seconds in 2:12.18, giving him a new pool record and putting him 1st overall heading into tonight’s final. Nic Fink of the Athens Bulldogs, who out-touched Cordes last night to win the 100 breast, won the final heat for 2nd in 2:13.03, and Jonathan Tybur of the Aggie Swim Club won the first circle-seeded heat in 2:14.60 for the 3rd seed.

Chuck Katis, a former Cal Bear who now swims for Pinnacle Racing, had his fastest swim on record since 2015 to qualify 4th in 2:15.13.

Women’s 200 Fly Prelims

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:14.59

1. Hali Flickinger, ABSC, 2:08.04
2. Olivia Bray, GATR, 2:12.54
3. Alicia Finnigan, UB, 2:12.97
4. Charlotte Hook, TAC, 2:13.05
5. Bryanna Cameron, UNC, 2:13.57
6. Megan Kingsley, ABSC, 2:13.58
7. Mabel Zavaros, UN, 2:14.07
8. Meg Bailey, UN, 2:14.13

Hali Flickinger absolutely crushed everyone in the women’s 200 fly heats this morning, popping off an impressive 2:08.04 to take the top seed into the final by four and a half seconds. The swim is less than two-tenths off her fastest ever outside of an international meet, Trials meet or Summer Nationals (2:07.88 at Bulldog Grand Slam in July). Flickinger is coming off setting a massive personal best of 2:05.87 this summer at Nationals.

Alicia Finnigan of Liberty Aquatics was 3rd overall from Flickinger’s heat in 2:12.97, her fastest swim outside of the 2017 and 2018 Summer Nationals. 14-year-old Charlotte Hook was 3rd in the heat and advanced 4th overall in 2:14.05.

Olivia Bray, who moved to #3 all-time in the 17-18 age group last night in the 100 fly (where she placed 2nd), won heat four for the 2nd seed, and Florida freshman Mabel Zavaros won heat five in what ended up being the 7th fastest time of 2:14.07.

Men’s 200 Fly Prelims

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:01.19

1. Dare Rose, SCAR, 2:00.60
2. Ryan Vipavetz, RMSC, 2:01.09
3. Zach Brown, NCS, 2:01.56
4. Alex Colson, RMSC, 2:02.12
5. Brendan Burns, UMLY, 2:02.21
6. Clay Hering, GTCH, 2:02.38
7. Noah Bowers, GATR, 2:02.52
8. Harry Homans, ABF, 2:02.85

16-year-old Dare Rose of Scarlet Aquatics defended his top seed coming in as he posted the fastest time of the morning from heat five of the men’s 200 fly in 2:00.60, less than two seconds off his personal best set at Nationals in July (1:58.97).

Ryan Vipavetz (2:01.09) went 1-2 with Rockville Montgomery teammate Alex Colson (2:02.12) in the fourth heat for the #2 and #4 fastest times, and Zach Brown of NC State won the first circle-seeded heat for 3rd overall in 2:01.56.