2017 Arena Pro Swim Series – Indianapolis: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2017 ARENA PRO SWIM SERIES – INDIANAPOLIS

• Thursday, March 2nd-Saturday, March 4th
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Psych Sheets
• Live video
• Saturday finals heat sheet
• Live Results

The final day of the Indianapolis leg of the 2017 Arena Pro Swim Series will feature 200 fly, 100 breast, 100 back, 200 IM, the women’s 800, and the men’s 1500 free.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERLY – FINAL

• U.S. Open Record: 2:05.96, Mary Meagher, 1981

1. Hali Flickinger, Athens Bulldog, 2:09.49
2. Cassidy Bayer, NCAP, 2:10.16
3. Hannah Saiz, Schroeder YMCA, 2:11.32

Hali Flickinger was out first at the 100 wall, and never let up. Cassidy Bayer was just behind, though, and looked as if she might catch her halfway through the final 50. But Flickinger poured it on over the final 25 and hit the wall in 2:09.49. Hannah Saiz placed third in 2:11.32, a mere .07 ahead of Taylor Pike (2:11.39).

Flickinger’s time ranks 10th in the world so far this year.

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• U.S. Open Record: 1:52.20, Michael Phelps, 2008

1. Zhuhao Li, China, 1:55.29
2. Daiya Seto, Japan, 1:56.45
3. James Guy, Great Britain, 1:57.06

Zhuhao Li was out in front over the first 50, followed by Daiya Seto, but at the 100 James Guy moved into second. Li built up a one-second lead by the 150 wall, and was able to maintain his position to the end. Li finished in 1:55.29 for the #3 time in the world so far this year. Seto came back over the second half to overtake Guy; he finished second in 1:56.45. Guy earned the bronze medal with 1:57.06.

All three posted world top-ten times.

In the B final, 14-year-old Dare Rose of Scarlet Aquatics dropped 4.1 seconds to move to #11 on the all-time list for 13-14 boys with 2:04.58.

WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• U.S. Open Record: 1:04.45, Jessica Hardy, 2009

1. Molly Hannis, unattached, 1:06.47
2. Katie Meili, New York Athletic Club, 1:07.00
3. Hrafnhildur Luthersdottir, Iceland, 1:07.94

Sarah Vasey, Katie Meili, and Hilda Luthersdottir turned together at the 50 wall, but the second half of the race belong to Molly Hannis. She split 32.14-34.33, coming back more than a second faster than Meili and more than 2 seconds faster than the rest of the field. Meili ended up second with 1:07.00; Luthersdottir went 1:07.94 for third.

Hannis cranked out the world’s top time with her win.

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• U.S. Open Record: 58.94, Kevin Cordes, 2016

1. Adam Peaty, Great Britain, 58.86
2. Cody Miller, Badger, 1:00.30
3. Nicolo’ Martinenghi, Italy, 1:00.33

Adam Peaty was already a half-second ahead of the field by the 50, and his quick tempo propelled him home in clean water. Peaty won with a season-best 58.86, breaking the U.S. Open record set by Kevin Cordes in 2016. Peaty lowered his world-leading time by .08.

It was a rush to the wall for second among Cody Miller, Nicolo’ Martinenghi, and Kevin Cordes. Miller got his hands to the wall .03 ahead of Martinenghi with 1:00.30. Martinenghi, in turn, touched out Cordes by .10, finishing third in 1:00.33.

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• U.S. Open Record: 58.67, Missy Franklin, 2013

1. Ali DeLoof, Club Wolverine, 59.82
2. Jessica Fullalove, Great Britain, 1:00.29
3. Federica Pellegrini, Italy, 1:00.78

Ali DeLoof went out like a shot, turning ahead of the field by almost half a body length at the 50. Although she faded a bit at the end, she held on for a 59.82 win. Jessica Fullalove had a strong second half, but just ran out of pool in her effort to catch DeLoof. Fullalove wound up second with 1:00.29, just ahead of Federica Pellegrini (1:00.78).

MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• U.S. Open Record: 51.94, Aaron Peirsol, 2009

1. Xu Jiayu, China, 53.04
2. Jacob Pebley, California, 53.77
3. Grigory Tarasevich, Louisville, 53.96

Olympic silver-medalist Xu Jiayu posted the world’s fastest time so far this calendar year with a wire-to-wire win in the men’s 100 back. He set the lead from the start and never let up, stopping the clock at 53.04. Second place went to Jacob Pebley in an impressive 53.77, a world top-5 performance. Grigory Tarasevich touched just behind, placing third in 53.96, also making the top 5.

WOMEN’S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINAL

• U.S. Open Record: 2:08.66, Katinka Hosszu, 2015

1. Melanie Margalis, St. Petersburg’s Aquatics, 2:10.43
2. Sarah Darcel, Island Swimming, 2:13.98
3. Hannah Miley, Great Britain, 2:15.51

Sarah Darcel turned a half-second ahead of Melanie Margalis at the 50, but it was Margalis at the 100 after a strong backstroke leg. Margalis continued to build her lead in the breaststroke, and made her 150 turn with a body length and a half over the field. Margalis powered home over the last 25, getting the touch with 2:10.43, a season-best for her, and the #1 time in the world so far this season (3/100 faster than Katinka Hosszu). Durcel was runner-up, over three seconds behind the leader with 2:13.98. Hannah Miley picked up the bronze out of lane 8, stopping the clock at 2:15.51.

MEN’S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINAL

• U.S. Open Record: 1:54.56, Ryan Lochte, 2009

1. Josh Prenot, California, 1:58.93
2. Michael Andrew, Race Pace, 1:59.12
3. Daiya Seto, Japan, 2:00.35

Michael Andrew went out aggressively and built up a full second lead by the halfway mark. He held onto the lead through the breaststroke, but Josh Prenot came back over the final 25 of the freestyle to touch him out at the end. Prenot had been in third place at the 100, and 150 but his freestyle was a full second faster than Andrew’s, and he got the win 1:58.93 to 1:59.12. Still, it was a personal best for Andrew by .32, and he lowered his own World Junior Record with the effort. Daiya Seto touched out Duncan Scott for third, 2:00.35 to 2:00.48. Max Litchfield was just behind them with 2:00.57.

WOMEN’S 800 FREE – FASTEST HEAT

• U.S. Open Record: 8:06.68, Katie Ledecky, 2016

1. Ashley Twichell, North Carolina Aquatic Club, 8:36.17
2. Delfina Pignatiello, Argentina, 8:38.49
3. Emma Nordin, Carmel Swim Club, 8:46.32

The time to beat in the final heat of the women’s 800 free belonged to Ashley Twichell of North Carolina Aquatic Club, who had posted an 8:36.17 in the earlier heats. 16-year-old Delfina Pignatiello of Argentina went out like a rocket and never let up. She was 2 seconds ahead of the field at the 200, 3 at the 250, 4 at the 300, and 6 at the 350. She was 4:15.78 at the 400, with a good 10 meters of clear water behind her. She continued to extend her lead over the second half of the race, while Carmel Swim Club’s Emma Nordin and Great Britain’s Isobel Griffiths battled for second place. Pignatiello got the bell at 7:33.55, on pace to destroy her personal best. She threw her legs into it at the end and touched in 8:38.49, dropping 9.3 seconds for the silver medal.

Nordin and Griffiths, who had traded stroke for stroke for 16 laps, sprinted to the finish. Ultimately it was Nordin who edged Griffiths, 8:46.32 to 8:46.47, for the bronze.

MEN’S 1500 FREE – FASTEST HEAT

• U.S. Open Record: 14:45.54, Peter Vanderkaay, 2008

1. Andrew Abruzzo, Plymouth Whitemarsh, 15:13.95
2. Tom Derbyshire, Great Britain, 15:15.59
3. Stephen Milne, Great Britain, 15:20.01

17-year-old Andrew Abruzzo of Plymouth Whitemarsh Aquatics had a great race from start to finish. He spent the first 3/4 of the race trading leads with Great Britain’s Tom Derbyshire. Abruzzo pulled ahead over the last 200 and finished first with 15:13.95, a personal best by over 2 seconds. It was the fastest time overall, as well. Derbyshire ended up second in 15:15.59. Stephen Milne of Great Britain finished third with 15:20.01. Another member of Team GBR, Timothy Shuttleworth, took fourth with 15:22.08. All four of them came in ahead of Michael Brinegar of Mission Viejo, who had posted the top time of the earlier heats with 15:25.70.