Smoliga’s 100 Free PB of 53.31 Highlights an Excellent First Prelims Session for ASU

2023 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• June 27 – July 1, 2023
• Indianapolis, IN
• Indiana University Natatorium
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheet (updated version, 6/26)
• Live Results
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• How To Watch
• Day 1 Prelims Live Recap
• Day 1 Prelims Overreaction

The 2023 U.S. National Championships got out to a roaring start this morning in the first session of the meet. Though it was just a prelims session, this meet is FAST. Already noticeably faster than last year’s International Team Trials that took place in April.

There were plenty of noteworthy swims that you’ll find if you scroll the main page of our website. However, in this post we’re going to focus on how a team performed. Arizona State, collegiate swimmers and pros alike, looked awesome this morning.

The Sun Devils put three swimmers, two pros and one collegiate, into the ‘A’ final of the women’s 200 fly. Regan Smith, who shattered the American Record in the event a few weeks ago, led the pack with a comfortable looking 2:06.80 this morning. While that time is three seconds off the 2:03.87 she swam at the beginning of the month, Smith realistically shouldn’t have to be all that much faster tonight in finals to finish in the top two.

Hali Flickinger made it through as well, swimming a 2:08.64 for sixth this morning. She looked very good through the first 150 meters, however, she jumped from 32.68 on the third 50 to 34.22 on the final 50. Presumably, she’ll come home faster tonight, and if so, she’ll be in excellent position to earn another World Champs berth in the event.

Lindsay Looney, who still competes in the NCAA for the Sun Devils, finished right behind Flickinger this morning, taking seventh overall with a 2:08.67.  Looney wasn’t too far off her lifetime best of 2:07.25 this morning, which is encouraging for tonight. With three swimmers in the final, it seems plausible ASU could land three swimmers on international rosters in the women’s 200 fly.

Sticking with the ASU women’s team, pro swimmer Olivia Smoliga looked fantastic this morning in what turned out to be speedy prelims of the women’s 100 free. Smoliga came in third this morning, touching in 53.31. That swim marks a new personal best for Smoliga, taking down her previous top mark of 53.55, which she swam at the Olympic Trials two summers ago. She now stands a very, very good chance of earning another World Champs berth, at least in the 4×100 free relay.

Chase Kalisz made it through to the ‘A’ final in the men’s 200 fly. Kalisz came in seventh in the event this morning, swimming a 1:56.44. The swim was just off his season best of 1:56.03, and came in well under two seconds off his lifetime best performance of 1:54.79, which he swam back in 2017. Kalisz will have his work cut out for him tonight, but he has as good a chance as almost anyone in the event.

In the men’s 100 free, Sun Devil pro Ryan Held paced the field in a time of 47.63, his fastest time since 2019 and the third-fastest of his career.

This was also Held’s first time breaking 48 seconds outside of the 2019 National Championships, where he logged the two fastest swims of his career, 47.39 and 47.43. Since then, his quickest time came at the 2021 Olympic Trials (48.07) before this morning’s outing, putting him in a great position to qualify for the World Championships tonight.

If he manages to finish inside the top two, he’ll qualify in an individual event at the World Championships.

Collegiate swimmers Patrick Sammon and Jonny Kulow both had terrific swims in prelims of the men’s 100 free as well, though both swimmers ended up in the ‘B’ final. Sammon came in ninth this morning, making him the first swimmer out of the ‘A’ final, however, he put up a heck of a swim. Sammon entered the meet with a personal best of 48.93 in the 100 free, a time which he swam at the Sun Devil Open at the beginning of this month. This morning, he obliterated that time, swimming a 48.46 to take half-a-second off his best.

Meanwhile, Jonny Kulow, who just concluded his freshman season at ASU, came in 15th this morning with a 48.91. That time comes in just off his lifetime best of 48.70, which he also just swam at the Sun Devil Open at the beginning of the month.