2018 TYR PRO SWIM SERIES – MESA
- Thursday, April 12 – Sunday, April 15
- Skyline Aquatic Center, Mesa, AZ
- Long Course Meters
- Meet site
- Psych Sheet
- Live Stream
- Saturday Finals Heat Sheet
- Austin Pro Swim Shootout Recaps
- Live Results
Georgia post-grad Olivia Smoliga won the three-round 50 back shootout at the Mesa Pro Swim Saturday night, and impressively broke Kathleen Baker‘s American Record in the third and final round. Smoliga clocked in at 27.43, lowering Baker’s record of 27.48 from the 2017 World Championships.
After going 28.01 in the prelims this morning, the 23-year-old went 28.08, 27.89 and then the 27.43 during finals to book the win. Prior to the meet, her previous best stood at 27.89 from the Austin Pro Swim, where she was the runner-up to Regan Smith. In Mesa she faced off against Ali Deloof in the final, who was ultimately well back in 28.17.
Prior to tonight, she wasn’t even in the top-10 all-time performances by Americans, and was just the 9th fastest performer, but now sits atop the heap with the American Record.
Fastest American Performers
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1 | Olivia Smoliga | 27.43 |
2 | Kathleen Baker | 27.48 |
3 | Natalie Coughlin | 27.51 |
4 | Hannah Stevens | 27.63 |
5 | Rachel Bootsma | 27.68 |
6 | Demerae Christiansen | 27.79 |
7 | Hayley McGregory | 27.8 |
8 | Ali Deloof | 27.82 |
9 | Regan Smith | 27.85 |
10 | Jenny Hanselmann | 27.92 |
Smoliga also bumps Baker off the all-time top performers worldwide, taking over 10th position.
Fastest Performers Ever
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1 | Zhao Jing | 27.06 |
2 | Fu Yuanhui | 27.11 |
3 | Etiene Medeiros | 27.14 |
4 | Daniela Samulski | 27.23 |
5 | Alexandria Herasimenia | 27.23 |
6 | Maaike De Waard | 27.27 |
7 | Gao Chang | 27.28 |
8 | Anastasia Fesikova | 27.31 |
9 | Emily Seebohm | 27.37 |
10 | Olivia Smoliga | 27.43 |
This comes after a disappointing 50 free prelim this morning where she missed the shootout all together with a 9th place finish. Overall she’s had a successful meet, winning both the 100 and 200 back and placing 5th in the 100 free. Her 200 back prelim time of 2:10.12 was a massive best time, with her previous best at 2:15.88 from way back in 2013.
Those FINIS Tech suits are very fast!
No, she is fast!
Of course she’s fast! By no means am I saying that it wasn’t her own ability. It is just nice to see a pro top swimmer wearing a FINIS SUIT, which personally I think is the fastest Tech suit on the market.
She didn’t even wear a FINIS tech suit.
Wind-aided. But hey, I love her.
Just an observation from the deck… The wind today is definitely not anywhere near what it was the first 2 days. Barely a breeze.