2021 INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING LEAGUE – SEASON 3, MATCH 2
- Saturday, August 28 – Sunday, August 29
- 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm EST (6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Local Time)
- Piscina Felice Scandone, Naples, Italy
- Short Course Meters (25m – SCM) Format
- ISL Season 3 Schedules, Start Times, and More
- Teams Competing: Cali Condors, LA Current, Tokyo Frog Kings, New York Breakers
- Omega Live Results
- Match 2 Preview
- Day 1 Start Lists
The second match of the 2021 International Swimming League showcased the return of some of swimming’s biggest stars, including Americans Caeleb Dressel and Lilly King, and Japanese superstar Daiya Seto.
The teams of the ISL seem to have wasted no time acclimating to the new season, as day 1 of match 2 brought some fast swimming and surprise performances. Here we will take a look at a few of them.
In no particular order…
Daiya Seto Gets His Groove Back
Admittedly, it’s too early to say for certain whether or not Daiya Seto is back “on form,” though his performances today looked much more like the old Seto fans love watching. Despite being a favorite to win at least a couple medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Seto went home empty-handed. Not only that, but he failed to make the final of the 400 IM, despite being the 2017 and 2019 world champion in the event.
Today in Naples, Seto showed a high degree of versatility, first by winning the 200 breaststroke in a very respectable 2:02.72, more than two and a half seconds ahead of the runner-up. Later, Seto won the 200 IM in 1:52.98, nearly 2 seconds ahead of the next-fastest. On day 2, Seto will presumably swim the 400 IM and 200 fly, though after splitting a 58.92 on the first 100 of the 200 breast, he could also be dangerous in the 100 breaststroke.
Coleman Stewart Breaks American Record in 100 Backstroke
Coleman Stewart broke the American Record in the 100 back leading off the Cali Condors 4 x 100 medley relay. He swam 48.91, which shaved 0.01 from Matt Grevers‘ mark, which had stood since 2015. In the process, Stewart is also now the 4th-fastest performer all-time in the event and just the 8th man to ever swim sub-49 in the event.
Stewart swam a great 50 backstroke as well, clocking a 22.61 to tie as the 2nd-fastest American ever in the event. Stewart’s 50 time also makes him the 5th-fastest performer ever, tied with fellow American Peter Marshall.
The Cali Condors Seem a Little OP
The Cali Condors won 11 races on day 1 of the match, and they have some of their strongest events ahead of them on day 2. Here are the races won by the ‘Dors on day 1:
- Women’s 100 Butterfly (1. Kelsi Dahlia, 2. Erika Brown)
- Men’s 100 Butterfly (Caeleb Dressel)
- Women’s 200 Backstroke (Beata Nelson)
- Women’s 200 Breaststroke (1. Lilly King, 2. Emily Escobedo)
- Men’s 50 Freestyle (Caeleb Dressel)
- Women’s 50 Breaststroke (1. Molly Hannis, 2. Lilly King)
- Men’s 4 x 100 Freestyle Relay
- Women’s 50 Backstroke (Sherridon Dressel)
- Men’s 50 Backstroke (Coleman Stewart)
- Women’s 4 x 100 Medley Relay (1. Cali, 2. Cali)
- Men’s 4 x 100 Medley Relay
The ‘Dors placed 1-2 in 3 individual events, as well as the women’s 4 x 100 medley relay, bringing in a huge 38 points–14 for the 2nd-place relay team, and 24 for the winning team, which jackpotted one team each from the NY Breakers and the Tokyo Frog Kings.
And the skins? Coleman Stewart will get to race backstroke in the men’s skins as the Condors chose backstroke after NY removed backstroke and Tokyo removed freestyle. For the women’s skins, tomorrow’s races will also be backstroke, giving Sherridon Dressel an opportunity to back up her surprise win in the women’s 50 backstroke on day 1. Most likely they’ll put Beata Nelson in as their second swimmer.
Caeleb Dressel Is Racing this Weekend
In the preview for match 2, I wrote off Caeleb Dressel‘s participation. Dressel had previously indicated that he would only swim a portion of the regular season, though we did not know which portion that would be. Turns out, he’s there now! Contrary to the preview, Dressel is racing in Naples this weekend, much to the delight of swimming fandom and the chagrin of the other teams in the league.
We still don’t know when Dressel will take his leave, but it’s probably safe to assume he’ll be in Naples until the Condors have secured a spot in the playoffs.
Circling back to the previous point, the Condors could honestly go without Dressel for the entire regular season and still get in the playoffs, but having him there is a nice cushion.
The Tokyo Frog Kings Are Surging
The Tokyo Frog Kings made their ISL debut in 2020, though they did not advance to the Final, but 2021 could be their year.
Daiya Seto is back and showing incredible promise after his first day of racing, their relays were acceptable but could definitely improve, and most of all they’re winning races. In fact, the Frog Kings won four races on Saturday, and went 1-2 in two of them (the men’s 200 backstroke and the men’s 50 breaststroke).
Tokyo’s #1 rookie draft pick, Paige Madden, picked up 12 points in the 400 freestyle as well as 4 in the 200 backstroke. Tokyo’s 3rd pick overall, Grigory Tarasevich, won the 200 backstroke. The men’s medley relay got 2nd, though none of their other relays really came together, but looking at the names on their roster, they have potential.
Are the officials even watching the races? Daiya Seto double dolphin kicked off of every single wall in the 200 breast and 200 IM.
Would it surprise you to learn if ISL officials were discouraged from making disqualification calls? I’m not saying I have inside info that they have been discouraged from making calls, but I would not be surprised if it were true.
Even if not discouraged, they’re put in really bad position to be able to make calls so as to stay out of the way on camera.
Shane Ryan was past 15 meters off the (turn, I think?) in the 50 back. Everyone saw it. Except the official who was nowhere to be seen.
I would not be surprised at all.
It does lead to a slippery slope on what is allowed and what is not. Especially when world records can be set with rules violations.
Why are people downvoting this?
I think people like to ascribe a certain intention to downvoting without knowing why each individual did so. For some people, it could be a downvote because “they don’t like people taking multiple dolphin kicks,” not a downvote to the author of the comment or their opinion.
if you said that 4 years ago, I would have ridiculed the notion that people are that stupid. Now it seems very logical and probable.
Who knows why you’re getting down voted it’s true and obvious he takes one before the pulldown and when he pulls down. If you can’t win by following the rules you don’t deserve the respect of a champion it’s sad that so many swimmers have to bend the rules in breaststroke
Time stamp is 35:30 on the ISL service watch to the 150 turn
Well, he should’ve taken 3 kicks off the wall in Tokyo. But hey, let’s go all-in for the first ISL meet and totally choke at the Olympics in your home country. What a head case.
So, what was Coleman Stewart’s AR time? The article doesn’t say.
48.91
Daiya Seto’s swimming like he’s got something to prove. Nothing wrong with that, a little chip on the shoulder has sparked plenty of great accomplishments over the years.
Still bummed for him he had such a lackluster olympics. I’m sure the pressure was immense
He’s proving he can swim SCM when the stakes are super low.
Seto has always excelled even more in SCM regardless of stakes