Reported by Mitch Bowmile.
MEN’S 200M FREESTYLE
2016 Top seed: Ryan Lochte (1:45.36)
World record: 1:42.00 – Paul Biedermann
American record: 1:42.96 – Michael Phelps
U.S Open record: 1:44.10 – Michael Phelps
U.S Nationals record: 1:44.10 – Michael Phelps
JR World record: 1:47.10 – Maxime Rooney
2012 Winning Time: 1:45.70 – Michael Phelps
Conor Dwyer made sure to put himself way in front of everyone else this morning with a swift 1:46.65 performance to give him the number one seed. Racing right beside him in heat 10 was Texas standout Jack Conger who moved up on Dwyer on the last 100 to take the second overall seed in 1:47.25.
The two bettered the 1:47.68 performance from Clark Smith in heat nine; a time which gave him the third overall seed ahead of Townley Haas.
Much like the Dwyer-Conger showdown, heat 11 featured Haas chasing down mulit-time Olympic medallist Ryan Lochte. Lochte had control of the race for 190 meters, but on the final 10 Haas charged him down. A long slow finish by Lochte gave the heat 11 win to Haas in 1:47.74 as Lochte finished in 1:47.77.
Gunnar Bentz, Blake Pieroni, and Tyler Clary make up the remaining top eight.
The most notable absent name from the top 16 is Texas swimmer Clay Youngquist, who was a member of the 2015 World Championship team for the states although he didn’t swim at the meet.
Only two swimmers from the London 2012 4x200m freestyle relay (Lochte and Dwyer) will compete in these semifinals.
TOP 16
- Conor Dwyer (1:46.65)
- Jack Conger (1:47.25)
- Clark Smith (1:47.68)
- Townley Haas (1:47.74)
- Ryan Lochte (1:47.77)
- Gunnar Bentz (1:47.85)
- Blake Pieroni (1:47.93)
- Tyler Clary (1:48.11)
- Reed Malone (1:48.24)
- Michael Weiss (1:48.28)
- Zane Grothe (1:48.29)
- Michael Wynalda (1:48.30)
- Michael Klueh (1:48.48)
- Maxime Rooney (1:48.57)
- Connor Jaeger (1:48.59)
- Jonathan Roberts (1:48.63)
For official results click here.