Michael Phelps continues to lengthen his event ranges post-comeback, entering the 200 butterfly at the Arena Pro Swim Series Charlotte meet. Barring a scratch, that would be Phelps’ first 200 fly since the London 2012 Olympics.
Phelps, of course, swam the 400 free at the Mesa stop of the Arena Pro Swim Series, and with the reputations of him and coach Bob Bowman to be aggressive with swimming longer races at mid-season meets, it seems very likely we’ll see Phelps go through with his 200 fly entry.
The decorated Olympian is entered in 6 different races over the three-day meet: the 100 and 200 flys, the 100 and 200 frees, the 200 IM and the 100 backstroke.
Beyond Phelps, this meet is absolutely loaded with big names. Ryan Lochte is entered in 8 different races, though he’ll have to drop at least one to get under the Pro Swim Series cap of 7. The meet takes place right in Lochte’s backyard, and a number of his SwimMAC teammates will be joining him, including Tyler Clary, Ariana Vanderpool-Wallace, Micah Lawrence and Katie Meili.
You can find the full psych sheets here.
Series points leader Conor Dwyer of Trojan will look to hold off Clary on the men’s side. Dwyer is entered in 5 races – both IMs and the 100, 200 and 400 frees. Clary, meanwhile, is in 4 different races: the 200 free, fly and back, plus the 400 IM.
On the women’s side, Elizabeth Beisel leads the points, and, as has been her strategy all year, entered herself in more events than she can swim, and can choose her entries based on the competition. Beisel is in 8 events, including the 400 and 800 free, which are underrated scoring threats for the well-known IMer.
Beisel will look to hold off last year’s points winner Katinka Hosszu, who leads the field with no less than 17 event entries. Hosszu will have to cut that number in half and then some to get under the cap, but will have her pick of events to maximize her cash earnings.
The Charlotte stop of the Arena Pro Swim Series begins next Thursday, May 14th at the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center, and runs through Sunday, May 17th.
Excited to see what King Cong can do, especially in the 200 fly.
Anyone else think it would be cool to see Anthony Ervin throw in a 50 back every once in a while? I know in his comeback he has concentrated on free but he was a quick backstroker in college.
I LOVE that nickname, “King Cong”! I would love to see him emerge as a “king” on the international level in the next year!
Ervin was a 23.81 on the way to a 49.02 in the SCY 100 back at USMS Nationals a few weeks ago. Presuming he took the race more seriously at Pro meet, I’d love to see how he would do in a LCM 50 back!
Let the swimming talk. We will all know a lot more when the meet is over.
Glad to see Phelps going back to his first stroke. This should be a fun.
I’m going to make a few time and placement predictions.
Michael Phelps: (there’s going to be more competition in the 100 free and the 100 fly, so I’m expecting faster times by a lot.)
100 Free- 49.3
200 Free- 1:49.5
100 Fly- 51.90
200 Fly- 1:57.6
200 IM- 1:59.7
100 Back- 54.00
Jack Conger- (I’m not that sure about Jack’s times, because he swims fairly good times in-season, but I think he has a chance to take the 100 Fly)
200 Free- 1:48.5
100 Back- 53.70
200 Back- 1:57.40
100 Fly- 51.50/51.90
200 Fly- 1:56.20
Andrew Seliskar-
100 Free- 49.80
100 Breast- 1:00.7
200 Breast- 2:11.9
100 Fly- 52.80
200 Fly- 1:55.70
200 IM- 1:59.30
400 IM- 4:16.40
Haha if you’ve ever been to this meet before, you’ll realize there is little chance that anyone is going to go times like that.
I think last year Seliskar went like a 4:26 in his 400 im
Well, but we will have Pereira and Clary on 400 IM.. at least a 4:14 4:15 can be expected..
Seliskar last year at the same meet:
2.07.39 in the 200 back
1.05.27 in the 100 breast
2.18.69 in the 200 breast
1.57.40 in the 200 fly
2.03.55 in the 200 IM
4.19.72 in the 400 IM
My predictions:
100 fly: 52.00
200 fly:159.9
100 back 54.9
200 IM 1:59.5
100 free 49.5
200 free 1:49.6
kirsty coventry entered in the 50back 200back and 200im. i wonder why she isnt entered in the 100m back as well
Tom Shields. More to prove. On the USA swimming website.
http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&itemid=8856&mid=14491
I see Cierra Runge in the psych sheets which is not the case of other Cal girls.
I presume that, unlike her training partners at Cal, she doesn’t train there during the long course season and is back at NBAC (then in Arizona) with Bob Bowman?
Also happy to see Reece Whitley, Cassidy Bayer and Allie Szekely entering that meet. 😎
Overall, most of the next US generation will be there: Dressel, Conger, Seliskar, Bentz, Haas, Bilquist and many others.
Time for some of them to really take the power and stop living in the shadow of the veterans.
They have the talent to do it.
First time ever Dressel and Santana will race each other..
And first time is a long time Cielo x Adrian on 50/100 free