2020 PRO SWIM SERIES – DES MOINES
- March 4-7, 2020
- Des Moines, Iowa
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Info
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Saturday Prelims Heat Sheet
The 2020 Pro Swim Series at Des Moines continues with prelims of the 800 free, 100 back, 200 breast, 200 IM, and 50 free. Top seed Katie Ledecky, a Stanford pro, is out for the final day of competition. Ledecky, who won the 1500 free, 400 free, and 200 free here, has scratched the 800 free. At this meet, Ledecky swam her 4th fastest 200 free ever with a 1:54.59. She raced to a 3:59.66 in the 400 free and a 15:29.51 in the mile. Her mile time was the 5th fastest performance in history.
Open water World Champion Ashley Twichell also scratched the 800 free. Twichell is competing at Cary Sectionals this weekend instead of the Pro Swim Series. Ally McHugh, a U.S. National Champion, scratched the 800 free but will still swim the 200 IM. U.S. Olympian Clark Smith scratched out of the men’s race.
Texas postgrad Madisyn Cox, a U.S. World Championships medalist, has scratched out of the 200 breast. Cox was the 5th seed there. She will, however, swim the 200 IM as the 2nd seed behind Melanie Margalis. In tonight’s 400 IM, Margalis took the gold, with Cox touching 2nd.
Many of the scratches for day 4 came from swimmers who were initially entered in the meet, but didn’t end up making the trip to Des Moines. For example, top seed Josh Prenot was the top seed in the 200 breast. He hasn’t been swimming at this meet, however, and won’t make an appearance on Saturday. Anton McKee also scratched out, as did 100 yard breast American Record holder Ian Finnerty.
OTHER NOTABLE DAY 4 SCRATCHES
- Simone Manuel and Ella Eastin are out of the 100 back. Manuel will swim the 50 free, but Eastin won’t be swimming on Saturday. In the men’s 100 back, 5th seed Mark Nikolaev scratched out. He hasn’t been swimming at this meet.
- That means Eastin is out in the 200 IM as well, where she was the #2 seed. Bailey Andison, the 4th seed, is also out. Northwestern’s Calypso Sheridan, the 5th seed, hasn’t been swimming here. She’s got NCAAs coming up this month. 8th seed Andreas Vazaios is out of the men’s event.
- Kristian Gkolomeev, an NCAA Champion sprinter, scratched from the #2 seed in the 50 free.
Katie isn’t a post grad yet
Stanford has cancelled all classes to online only . Will they still operate their swim programme ?
Imagine they will, since NCAA basketball tournaments are still going on, even if it may be with no spectators. This is going to be the trend for most universities —- shift to online classes, especially with Spring break coming soon. They don’t want to have to account for the travel plans of every student when they return. Basically faculty now at many schools are having to register any travel (personal or professional) with the University for tracking, and get approval.