After stacked fields of internationals flocked to the first two Pro Swim Series stops, the Mesa Pro Swim Series looks like a much more domestic affair, with mostly American athletes heading the psych sheets.
USA Swimming posted the psych sheets on its website this week:
Full Mesa PSS Psych Sheet here
The Mesa stop reverts to the new PSS event schedule, including the 50 stroke shootouts and the mystery 200 IM on Saturday with the 1500 freestyles pushed to Sunday morning. The SwimSquad Mixed Medley Relay event will be on Thursday night, and the schedule will also offer a men’s 800 free (Friday night) and a women’s 1500 free (Sunday morning).
The stroke 50 shootouts are three-round, one-on-one races of the top 8 qualifiers from the morning heats. The mystery 200 IM takes the top 8 finishers in the regular 200 IM and has them draw lanes at random, with each lane requiring a different order of the four strokes. The mixed medley relay pits teams of two men and two women from each of the four SwimSquads against each other for bragging rights.
Appearing on the entry sheet isn’t a guarantee for competition, of course, but several big names appear set to make returns to competition after extended absences.
Allison Schmitt hasn’t logged an official swim since the Rio Olympics, but is entered in two events in Mesa. Conor Dwyer hasn’t logged a swim since last August, though he has already entered, then scratched, both Pro Swim Series events so far this year. Cullen Jones hasn’t competed since November and is entered in Mesa. Leah Smith also hasn’t raced since November. She, like Dwyer, has been a scratch at both PSS meets so far, but with her training base set in Tucson with the University of Arizona’s pro group, Mesa seems like a natural debut meet for her, and she’s listed among USA Swimming’s big names. Cierra Runge hasn’t competed since Summer Nationals last July, but she, too, is based out of Arizona with Arizona State’s training crew, and is entered in Mesa.
The Mesa psych sheets are loaded with notable names, but here are a few of the more notable (or sometimes unusual) event entries. Note: this list is not exhaustive, and we will continue to update it as we dig through psych sheets.
- Allison Schmitt: 100 free, 200 free
- Chase Kalisz: 400 IM, 200 breast, 200 fly, 200 IM
- Josh Prenot: 400 IM, 100 breast, 200 breast, 200 IM, 50 fly
- Michael Andrew: 100 fly, 200 breast, 100 back, 100 breast, 50 fly, 50 back, 50 free
- Tom Shields: 100 fly, 200 fly, 50 fly, 100 free, 200 free, 400 free
- Kelsi Dahlia (Worrell): 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 free, 100 free, 50 fly, 50 free
- Olivia Smoliga: 200 back, 100 back, 100 free, 50 back, 50 free
- Melanie Margalis: 100 fly, 200 free, 100 back, 200 IM, 50 breast
- Abbey Weitzeil: 50 free, 100 free, 50 fly, 100 fly
- Lia Neal: 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 50 fly, 100 fly
- Mallory Comerford: 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 50 fly, 100 fly
- Cierra Runge: 200 free, 400 free, 800 free
- Conor Dwyer: 100 free, 200 free, 200 IM
- Leah Smith: 200 free, 800 free, 200 fly, 100 free, 200 IM, 400 free
It appears that the Stanord women are
NOT coming to Mesa Why?
Neither Ledecky nor Manual have announced any sponsorships?
I thought that all those hoping to go to PanPac would want to race long course? Eastin, Forde, Drabot, pitzer, etc, etc
What’s up?
The makes me so happy! Go Schmitty!
Who is the most decorated Olympian among American women in swimming?
I think it is Allison Schmitt – eight Olympic medals in eight finals.
Who is the least recognizable for that achievements? I think it is Allison Schmitt.
Jenny Thompson, Natalie Coughlin, Dara Torres all have more I think. Although if he gets a few more medals in 2020 she could compete. I think those other women are 11 or 12 medals
Yes, you are right: 12 Olympic medals each of them with 8 gold medals by Jenny Thompson.
Thank you for correcting me.
Yozhik, welcome to the club of victims of stupid downvotes. 😆
Looks like some people are paid to do that. 😆
That’s hilarious. 😆
Bobo, negative downloads is good. It means that people care. 0-0 score is much worse. Also, since this voting is anonymous you shouldn’t care much. First of all because it may come from people whose opinion means nothing to you. And secondly there is a very simple technique to generate in short period of time any number of “up” or “down” votes. The only thing that this voting system checks is if the vote comes from the same IP address. It doesn’t even check for device id or uses cookies.
The big question, will Tom Shields break 5 minutes in the 4 free?
I think that will be pretty tough
Also of note, the return of Micah Lawrence (now Sumrall).
She was at Atlanta Pss.
Must have missed that with the name change. She’s still an Olympian of note competing at the meet.
Anybody else surprised she’s entered in the 400 IM?
No Katie and Simone, bummer. Look forward to seeing where Abbey and Mallory are at this point.
No break for Mallory Comerford. You gotta admire her work ethic.
While this is admirable, there are many college athletes entered in the meet (Weitzel, Peroni, and Finnerty, for example). It’s not just Comerford who didn’t take a break.
Abbey Weitzely went skiing on her Spring Break. Check out her Instagram. Looks like she had a blast. She’s probably rested and ready to go.
I think it’s worth noting Pieroni and Dwyer are entered. Also Andrew Wilson after how well he did at the last PSS.
Also Ian Finnerty! Honestly most excited about him!
Dwyer’s name on a heat sheet means absolutely nothing. I’ll believe it when I see him. ?
Too busy on his perpetual vacation.
😆 😆
I’m going to go ahead and say that Dwyer is done and will not make an individual event in two years. Pieroni and townly take gold and silver at next Olympics!
Dark horse Zane Grothe
Yup, unless he has drastically changed his mindset. Olympic glory got to his head.
Also need to note that Cierra Runge will be competing.