Ryan Lochte took home a pair of events on the final day of Speedo Sectional meet in Charlotte, while his SwimMAC teammate Kathleen Baker dominated the 200 IM.
Lochte, touched out by his training partner and close friend Cullen Jones in the 50 free, finally broke through with a sprint freestyle win, taking the 100 free in 42.31. He topped some big names in that field, including Dax Hill (43.36), Dion Dreesens (44.31), Mark Weber (44.55) and Konstantinos Siokos (45.02).
Lochte came back only a few events later to put up perhaps his most impressive time of the weekend, a 1:39.18 win in the 200 backstroke. Lochte showed great second-half strength, splitting 22.5/25.0 in the first 100 and 25.8/25.8 in the second 100.
17-year-old Baker has spent her weekend showing off her versatility, so why not close things out with a 200 IM win? The junior star took nearly two seconds off her lifetime-best to go 1:54.50. That time included a 27.9 on backstroke as well as a fast 24.8 going out on butterfly. Baker blew away a field of well-known names: Katie Meili (1:57.21) was second, Nora McCullagh (1:59.31 and a lifetime-best for the 16-year-old) third and Megan Kingsley (2:02.50) fourth.
Kingsley pulled a tough double in that race, coming directly off a 200 backstroke win. The Mount Pleasant 17-year-old was 1:55.88 in crushing that field, a career-best by over two seconds.
The 200 IM was the second runner-up finish for Meili on the night. The SwimMAC pro opened the meet with a second place showing in the 100 free, going 48.77. Her teammate Madison Kennedy won the race with a 48.23, and McCullagh came in right behind Meili at 49.07.
13-year-old Madison Homovich continued her impressive string of distance races, winning the women’s 1650 with a 16:18.37 – that counts as an astounding 37-second drop for the rising North Carolina Aquatic swimmer, who’s been shedding time lately like there’s no tomorrow.
Hungarian star Laszlo Cseh ended his SCY-crossover weekend with a win, taking the final individual event of the night, the men’s 200 IM. Cseh put up a 1:46.46 to head up the field.
The men’s mile went to North Carolina Aquatic Club’s Charles Peterson, making it a 1650 sweep for NCAC. The 26-year-0ld went 15:22.42 after his teammate Homovich paced the women’s event.
The 17-18 girls of SwimMAC also broke another National Age Group record on Sunday night – the team of Kathleen Baker, Caitlin Casazza, Elsa Welshofer and Rebecca Postoll went 3:37.83 to take another second and a half off the NAG mark in the 400 medley relay.
Full results are available on Meet Mobile under “2014 ESSZ Speedo Championship Series.”
Found Lochte’s 200 Free. Still looks like that modified “over the barrel” technique
Hopefully this works
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYMpUpa3jh4?list=UUiT9ubP_AFFc3AjjbHTK-HA&w=560&h=315%5D
I was also hoping that Baker would go a 1:53 but a 1:54.5 is nothing to complain about! I was just disappointed with her breastroke split-33.7-I would’ve thought based off of her 100 breast she could at least go a 32.7 or so. But still a crazy fast time!!!!
I wonder what she could have gone in her 200 back this weekend? 1:50-1:51? Arguably one of her strongest events and she sat out of it. Same with the 400 IM I think she could at least go a 4:05.
Lochte is healthy. Lochte trains differently now with a more sprint-oriented training. Lochte swims less tired in the in-season meets. So Lochte swims much faster times now in the in-season meets. Lochte willl be ready for next summer. Lochte will probably now focus until Rio on the 100 fly, the 100 free and the 200 free but just for the relays and the 200 IM. The 200 back? I have no idea. Lochte is a star and men’s swimming needs Lochte until 2016.
I secretly expected a NAG record for Miss Baker in the 200 IM. Something around 1.53.50. But 1.54.50 is still a great performance and a big new PB for her. What a week for this young rising… Read more »
Agreed. She’s been unreal this winter season. And if the Austin GP from January is any indicator, long course should go well for her as well. Junior Pan Pacs in the 400/800 maybe? High hopes I know, but quite possible.
I predict she will swim 4.11/8.36/16.35 next summer in long course.
I’m sometimes a little too optimistic but we’ll see.
Why does this have zero comments, but every single Michael Andrew gets 20+?
Ryan Lochte, one of the best swimmers all time and 2x world champion just last year, is recovering from a bad knee injury.
That man, considered to be one of the most famous people in all of swimming, just won four events at a Sectional meet. The latest two showed not only that Lochte is in tremendous condition for his 200 backstroke, an event where he is Olympic and bronze medalist, not to mention 3x world champion.
Lochte, renowned for his range and versatility, also managed to win the 100 freestyle by over a second, which has to look good for the American mens… Read more »
I am really impressed by Lochte’s 200back, but you have to understand that this is yards. It is all power from the legs and the core with the underwaters, and that is what Lochte does best.
I believe tremendous condition is an overstatement though. IMO, he is not going to be swimming 200 back long course any more.
People are too busy arguing whether Andrews will succeed in the long term, as well as if swimswam is using him as click bait. Lochte is just Lochte, there’s nothing to argue about.