2015 ABSC Speedo Long Course Sectionals
- Where: University of Georgia, Athens, GA (hosted by the Athens Bulldog Swim Club)
- When: July 9th-12th, 2015
- Psych Sheets
- Information Page (meet results will be uploaded here when available)
With the biggest meets of the summer drawing nearer, some of the best swimmers training in the U.S. will compete at ABSC’s LC Sectionals meet as a final tune-up before taper.
SwimMac Elite’s Ryan Lochte, who hasn’t had any big races since mid June, is scheduled to swim in this meet. Of the five races that he is entered in, he holds the top seed in three: the 200 IM, the 100 fly and the 200 free. He’s also set to compete in the 50 and 400 freestyles. Lochte has had a fruitful season so far, with his best swim of the year being his 1:57.20 in the 200 IM, a time that ranks him third in the world behind Japan’s Kosuke Hagino and Daiya Seto. He’ll be looking to improve upon his 23rd-ranked 100 fly (52.29) as well as crack the world’s top 25 in the 200 free. Notably, he will not swim any backstroke races, probably seeing as the 200 IM and 200 free are his only individual races at the 2015 World Championships in Kazan.
Lochte won’t be the only SwimMac Elite athlete competing this weekend, as a host of other top swimmers from the club will be joining him. Micah Lawrence (top seed in both 100 and 200 breaststroke races), Cammile Adams (top seed in 200 fly and 400 IM), Kathleen Baker, Kirsty Coventry, Tim Phillips, and more are going to be getting in their last racing before they compete at Worlds in August. One of SwimMac’s stars, Tyler Clary, is absent from the psych sheets. The last time Clary competed, according to the SWIMS database, was at the Arena Pro Swim Series at Santa Clara, though he didn’t have any season best times at that meet.
Melanie Margalis, Connor Jaeger, and Nic Fink are three other notable swimmers who will compete at Worlds for the U.S. The versatile Margalis is the top seed in the 200 IM and 200 free as well as the 2nd seed in the 100 breast, while she’ll also be racing the 50 free, 100 back, and 100 fly. Jaeger is the top seed in the 400 free, and will also compete in the 100 and 200 free as well as the 200 IM. Fink is the only sub-minute 100 breaststroker scheduled to race, and he’s the top seed in both breaststroke races. He’s also seeded to swim in the 50 free and 200 IM.
Even as you look past the big names, there is going to plenty of fast swimming from the NCAA’s top swimmers. Just from glancing at the top ends of each event on the psych sheets, it’s clear that squads from Michigan (whose college swimmers will be joined by a fantastic group of pro swimmers on Club Wolverine), Louisville, Kentucky, NC State, UNC, and the host Georgia will be duking it out for event wins and in relays. Most (if not all) of these swimmers will not be competing at the international level this summer, though if they can pop some big times here this weekend, they’ll certainly be in contention for a spot on the 2015-16 U.S. National Team roster. You can read more about the national team qualification process here.
Referring to non American swimmers like Kirsty Coventry from swimmac
Is this meet even recognized by FINA?? It’s not even listed as an official qualifying event for Kazan, so can times posted there be used as qualifying times for Kazan worlds?
What are you talking about? The World’s Team to Kazan has already been selected irrespective of how fast anybody swims at this meet.
I appreciate having these fast swimmers come. Swimming against fast swimmers makes me go faster. It gives me someone to race. Thanks!
And for all you high schoolers out there, my mom and pop can’t afford to pay for my swim meet travels over the summer. I work and earned some money so that I can compete this summer and get my trials cut. I am sorry that you are mad about the competition being fast, but hey that’s the name of the game
WHINERS!
Does everything have to be handed to you on a silver platter?
I don’t begrudge the college or pro swimmers competing at this meet. It is, however, why I have taken summer sectionals off of my event list for the summer as a club coach. I can understand why people would be upset. It really should not come as a great surprise to anyone that a bunch of college swimmers are competing. My LSC has moved towards not allowing college swimmers at the LSC meet. Not something on either side I like, but I get it.
From the standpoint of one of those college swimmers, if you can’t make second swims at sectionals, go to your state champ meet. College swimmers need an end of summer meet just as much as any HS swimmer. With regards to the pros, you should be thankful they show up to our meets. They make USA swimming want to fund them.
That makes me really mad too, as I am a senior swimmer.. Trying to get times down any way possible.. It makes me so mad when I see 23 year olds swimming in finals with 15-18 year olds!!
If you are worried about the an older swimmer at your meet, it will take the focus away from the swim your are trying to have. Just swim fast an earn your spot!
There will be A, B, C, And D finals, with D being reserved for 18 and under swimmers. I think this is a good compromise for all.