Smith Lowers WJR Again in Finals, IU Breaststroke Sweeps at Counsilman Classsic

2019 COUNSILMAN CLASSIC

• June 12th-15th, 2019
• Indianapolis, Indiana (IUPUI)
• LCM (50m) pool
• Live Webcast
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2019 Counsilman Classic”

Regan Smith delivered yet another World Junior Record in the 100 meter backstroke in the final session of racing at the 2019 Counsilman Classic at the legendary IUPUI Natatorium in Indianapolis.

After posting a 58.55 in prelims to shave .27 from her previous WJR set at the Bloomington stop of the 2019 Pro Swim Series, Smith came back with a 58.45 tonight, breaking her tie with Canada’s Taylor Ruck for 2nd in the world this year behind leader Kylie Masse. Her 58.45 falls just short of Missy Franklin‘s National Age Group Record of 58.33 set in 2012, before FINA recognized World Junior Records. Read more about Smith’s WJR here. The past few days have been quite successful for Smith, who also posted new best times in prelims and finals in the 200 and 400 freestyles.

Louisville’s Alena Kraus won the women’s 200 fly in 2:11.51, getting the better of teammate and 2019 NCAA bronze medalist in the event Grace Oglesby, who touched in 2:11.82. Kraus took the race out quickly in 1:02.87 to Oglesby’s 1:03.44, and just managed to hang on, splitting a 1:08.64 on the final 100 meters, though she conceded some ground to Oglesby, who was quicker on the back half with a 1:08.38.

Corey Gambardella won the men’s 200 fly in 1:59.61, getting the better of Louisville star Zach Harting, who touched 2nd in 2:00.24. Gambardella was 2nd in prelims with a time of 2:01.96 behind Miles Smachlo of Michigan, who appears to have scratched the final. This is only Gambardella’s 2nd time under 2:00, with his first coming last month at the Bloomington stop of the PSS, where he posted a 1:58.49.

Lilly King won the women’s 100 breaststroke in 1:07.33, considerably slower than the 1:05.68 she put up in Bloomington last month, but still fast enough to win by over a second. Future Hoosier Emily Weiss placed 2nd in 1:08.57, just about a second off her lifetime best from 2018. IU counterparts Cody Miller and Ian Finnerty went 1-2 in the men’s 100 breaststroke, recording times of 1:00.62 and 1:00.84, respectively. Though Finnerty is the only man to ever break 50 seconds in the 100 yard breaststroke, his swim tonight comes as only his 7th time swimming a 1:00-anything in the 100 LCM breaststroke. His lifetime best stands at a 1:00.09 from 2017.

Russian Grigory Tarasevich won the men’s 100 backstroke in a quick 54.23, besting Brazilian Gabriel Fantoni (55.31) by over a second.

Michigan’s Tommy Cope took the honors in the men’s 200 IM with a 2:03.06, narrowly edging out teammate Charlie Swanson (2:03.33), who earlier in the session swam only 1/10th off his lifetime best in the 100 breaststroke, finishing third in 1:02.06. Miles Smachlo placed 3rd in 2:04.73, just missing his best time by 3/10ths.

The women’s 200 IM was won by Louisville’s Maria Eduarda Sumida in 2:16.72, though runner-up Noelle Peplowski had perhaps the most interesting performance in the field: though Peplowski couldn’t quite run down Sumida, touching .18 behind in 2:16.90, she conjured a massive 36.37 split on the breaststroke leg of the race to make up 4 seconds on Sumida, who at 100 meters was 1:04.20 to Peplowski’s 1:09.60. Peplowski’s final 50 of freestyle was also nearly a second faster than Sumida’s, but not quite enough to get her hand on the wall first.

Watch a video of the session here: