2018 Atlanta Classic: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap

2018 ATLANTA CLASSIC

• May 18th-20th, 2018
• Georgia Tech Aquatic Center (co-hosted by Swim Atlanta and Southern Crescent Aquatics Team)
• LCM (50m) pool
• Meet Central
• Live Results
• Psych Sheet

A star-studded field begins the Atlanta Classic this morning, with several iconic American swimmers set to compete.

This morning’s 8-event slate will include Olympic hero Ryan Lochte making his return to major national competition after a very quiet 2017. He’s entered in the 200 free, 100 fly and 400 IM, though swimming all three might be a stretch.

Meanwhile World Champs breakout star Caeleb Dressel returns to the long course pool after a stellar NCAA season. He’s entered in the 200 free and 100 breast this morning.

Also keep an eye on Canadian Olympic champ Penny Oleksiak (swimming the 200 free and 100 fly) and U.S. Olympian Molly Hannis in the 100 breast.

Keep refreshing this page for live, event-by-event updates of all the action from Atlanta.

Women’s 200 Free – Prelims

Top 10:

1. Meaghan Raab, NAC – 1:59.90
2. Jordan Stout, Athens Bulldog – 2:01.86
3. Stanzi Moseley, TNAQ – 2:02.39
4. Erika Brown, TNAQ – 2:02.42
5. Tessa Cieplucha, Oakville – 2:02.90
6. Paige Madden, CAV – 2:03.29
7. Samantha Porter, MIZ – 2:03.98
8. Maddie Homovich, MOR – 2:04.37
9. Emily Ilgenfritz, BUZZ – 2:04.95
10. Sandra Scott, Athens Bulldog – 2:05.35

A pair of Georgia Bulldogs lead the way in the women’s 200 free. Graduating senior Meaghan Raab was far and away the top performer of the morning, going 1:59.90 for the top spot. That’s just over a second off her lifetime-best from last summer’s U.S. Open.

Georgia sophomore Jordan Stout was second, topping a trio of Tennessee Volunteers. Stanzi Moseley beat teammate Erika Brown by just .03, and Tess Cieplucha finished about a half-second behind them.

Men’s 200 Free – Prelims

Top 10:

1. Jake Magahey, SA – 1:51.85
2. Javier Acevedo, AAC – 1:52.23
3. Ryan Lochte, DBS – 1:52.39
4. Maxime Rooney, PLS – 1:52.72
5. Dean Farris, Harvard – 1:53.01
6. Walker Higgins, TNAQ – 1:53.07
7. Aidan Burns, Santa Clara – 1:53.35
8. Mitch D’Arrigo, GSC – 1:53.55
9. Bradley Dunham, SA – 1:53.89
10. Santi Corredor, SWIM – 1:54.24

High school sophomore Jake Magahey leads a stellar field of 200 freestylers after going 1:51.85 this morning. He’s still a little more than a second off his lifetime-best, but that time came in this very Atlanta pool just two months ago, so we might see him push towards 1:50 in tonight’s final.

He’s got Canadian standout and Georgia Bulldog Javier Acevedo behind him, with Olympic icon Ryan Lochte making his return to the national racing scene with a 1:52.39 for third. Lochte swam collegiately at Florida and spent most of his pro career there, competing for Daytona Beach Swimming, but switched to SwimMAC during the last Olympic cycle. He’s back with Daytona Beach Swimming now.

Another Florida Gator, former world junior record-holder Maxime Rooney, was fourth, followed by Harvard standout Dean Farris.

Notably, NCAA record-smasher Caeleb Dressel did swim this race, but only finished 16th in 1:55.04. He had an odd split distribution, going out much slower than the field in 28.06, then fading to 30.8 and 29.0 before coming home faster than any of his previous three splits in 27.07.

Women’s 100 Breast – Prelims

Top 10:

1. Micah Sumrall, GOLD – 1:08.57
2. Molly Hannis, TNAQ – 1:09.21
3. Rachel Bernhardt, GAME – 1:09.89
4. Meaghan Raab, NAC – 1:11.09
5. Vanessa Pearl, MTRO – 1:11.27
6. Meghan Small, TNAQ – 1:11.48
7. Danielle DellaTorre, Athens – 1:11.76
8. Jordyn Gulle, Athens – 1:12.49
9. Caitlin Casazza, Athens – 1:13.16
10. Nikol Popov, TNAQ – 1:13.24

U.S. Olympian Micah Sumrall (maiden name Micah Lawrence) is the top qualifier in the women’s breaststroke, edging out fellow 200 breast Olympian Molly Hannis of Tennessee. Sumrall will have to go faster tonight to hold off Hannis, though, as Hannis has been 1:06 at the last two Pro Swim Series stops.

Former mid-major standout Rachel Bernhardt is third. The former Drexel Dragon, now swimming for Gamecock Aquatics, was about a second off a lifetime-best in 1:09.89 as the top three separated from the field by a good margin.

Meaghan Raab came back off her 200 free swim to take fourth, followed by Metroplex (and Florida commit) Vanessa Pearl.

Men’s 100 Breast – Prelims

1. Michael Andrew, RPC – 1:00.15
2. Miguel DeLara, Tiger Elite – 1:02.51
3. James Guest, Pointe-Claire – 1:03.04
4. Lionel Khoo, GAME – 1:03.12
5. Matthew Dunphy, TNAQ – 1:04.02
6. Conner McHugh, UofM- 1:04.31
7. Juan Sequera, CS – 1:04.62
8. Marco Guarente, AZTL – 1:04.79
9. Eitan Yudashkin, UofM – 1:04.84
10. Chandler Bray, Avon – 1:04.88

Michael Andrew separated himself from the 100 breast field by a wide margin, pushing towards his first-ever in-season swim under a minute. Andrew was 59.8 at Olympic Trials in 2016 and was 1:00.0 at the Atlanta Pro Swim Series stop earlier this year. He sits almost two and a half seconds up on the field.

Miguel DeLara is the closest challenger at 1:02.51, with about a half-second on Georgia’s James Guest. After that, things get really tight throughout the heat. Lionel Khoo of Gamecock is less than a tenth back. Then the other six men in the A final are all in the 1:04s, led by Tennessee’s Matthew Dunphy and Minnesota’s Conner McHugh.

Caeleb Dressel did swim this event as well, going 1:06.91 for 17th. Dressel set the American record in the yards version of this race earlier this year.

Women’s 100 fly – prelims

Top 10:

1. Erika Brown, TNAQ – 1:00.51
2. Haley Black, Tiger Elite – 1:01.14
3. Abby Harter, NCAP – 1:01.26
4. Meghan Small, TNAQ – 1:01.27
5. Caitlin Casazza, Athens – 1:01.80
6. Donna Blaum, Athens – 1:01.93
7. Stanzi Moseley, TNAQ – 1:02.19
8. Penny Oleksiak, UN – 1:02.24
9. Mackenzie McConagha – 1:02.86
10. Paige Madden, CAV – 1:03.01

After a good 200 free showing, this year’s collegiate breakout star Erika Brown obliterated her lifetime-best in the 100 fly, taking nearly two full seconds off with a 1:00.51. Brown really expanded her range to include butterfly during college season, and appears to be making the transition to long course flying as well.

Auburn’s Haley Black sits second in 1:01.14, narrowly edging NCAP’s Abby Harter and fellow Tennessee Vol Meghan Small.

Georgia’s duo of Caitlin Casazza and Donna Blaum also got under 1:02, sitting fifth and sixth.

Men’s 100 fly – prelims

Top 10:

1. Luis Martinez, Guatemala – 53.68
2. Michael Andrew, RPC – 54.55
3. Maxime Rooney, PLS – 54.87
4. Zach Brown, MOR – 55.34
5. Will Davis, MAAC – 56.06
6. Marc Hinawi, TNAQ – 56.08
7. Blake Atmore, SA – 56.17
8. Ryan Lochte, DBS – 56.20
9. Ethan Young, CAL – 56.21
10. Will Pisani, CS – 56.54

Former Auburn standout and Guatemalan national Luis Martinez dominated the morning heats of the 100 fly, leading the way in 53.68, a good nine tenths faster than the rest of the field.

100 breast leader Michael Andrew is second, swimming back-to-back events and going 54.55 this morning. Also pulling a double is Florida’s Maxime Rooney, who went 54.87 for third.

A pair of 18-year-olds follow the top three. Zach Brown of the Marlins of Raleigh and Will Davis of Metro-Atlanta will be fouth and fifth.

Olympic champ Ryan Lochte also swam this race – he’ll sit 8th going into the final with a 56.20.

Women’s 400 IM – prelims

Top 10:

1. Maddie Homovich, MOR – 4:50.14
2. Kelley Fertel, GSC – 4:53.02
3. Emma Barksdale, GAME – 4:53.31
4. Vanessa Pearl, MTRO – 4:54.96
5. Kate Moore, MOR – 4:55.10
6. Julia Poole, MOR – 4:55.87
7. Alexis Yager, TNAQ – 4:57.70
8. Meghan Lynch, GYWD – 4:58.75
9. Savanna Faulconer, GSC – 4:58.79
10. Abigail McCulloh, SA – 5:01.92

Marlins of Raleigh 18-year-old Maddie Homovich is the top qualifier at 4:50.14 and will be in the A final of two events tonight. She’ll have to hold off a pair of college standouts in Kelley Fertel (Florida) and Emma Barksdale (South Carolina) to hold onto the win tonight.

Vanessa Pearl came off her 100 breast swim to go 4:54.96 in taking fourth, with a pair of 19-year-olds from the Marlins of Raleigh behind her: Kate Moore and Julia Poole.

Men’s 400 IM – prelims

Top 10:

1. Ryan Lochte, DBS – 4:30.35
2. James Guest, Pointe-Claire – 4:32.61
3. Santi Corredor, SWIM – 4:33.39
4. Mark Szaranek, GSC – 4:35.18
5. Tom Peribonio, GAME – 4:35.61
6. Jake Magahey, SA – 4:35.63
7. Jed Michael Jones, MTRO – 4:37.67
8. Zach Brown, MOR – 4:38.63
9. Owen Devine, TNAQ – 4:39.83
10. Josh Legge, MOR – 4:39.83

Ryan Lochte is 33, which to some might feel too old to continue training and competing in the 400 IM. But Lochte continues to astound, finishing as the top 400 IM qualifier with a 4:30.35 this morning. That time won’t make him any national teams, but coming off of two other swims this morning, it’s a solid time, and stands up as Lochte’s first 400 IM since missing the 2016 Olympic team in June of ’16.

Lochte is a full 11 years older than anyone else in the A final. James Guest, 22, is second at 4:32.61, and 18-year-old Santi Corredor sits third. In fact, five of the top ten are 18 or younger, including 16-year-old Jake Magahey (coming off his 200 free top qualifying spot) and 16-year-old Jed Michael Jones.

Florida standout Mark Szaranek is fourth, followed by South Carolina’s Tom Peribonio.