Winter Nats Day 2, Finals: American Records for Cordes, Grevers

The 2012 AT&T Winter Nationals continued in Austin Friday, and featured two American records from Kevin Cordes and Matt Grevers in the 100 back and 100 breast. They weren’t the only two who made history though: several meet records fell and NCAP’s Janet Hu picked up her second National Age Group Record of the weekend with a 52.40 in the 100 fly.

Women’s 200 Medley Relay

Arizona sprinters came out on top again Friday evening when they opened the night with a victory in the 200 medley relay. The team of Lauren Smart, Ellyn Baumgardner, Megan Lafferty, and Margo Geer swam a 1:36.46 to break Cal’s meet record set in 2010. USC finished second in a 1:37.41 with a particularly strong middle 100–Kasey Carlson‘s 26.73 and Kendyl Stewart‘s 23.14 were both faster than Arizona’s breast and fly legs, but Geer outsplit the Trojan anchor by a full second with a huge 21.43.

Men’s 200 Medley Relay

Arizona men pulled off a sweep in this relay, their A and B teams taking first and second. The A team, which also recorded a meet record of 1:24.84, consisted of Mitchell Friedemann, Kevin Cordes, Giles Smith and Nicholas Popov. Friedemann’s 21.37 on the leadoff gave Cordes, defending NCAA champion, clean water going into the breaststroke split, and his 23.77 kept them in the lead. But a 23.64 out of B breaststroker Carl Mickelson kept the second relay in the hunt–and ahead of USC’s third place team, which finished in a time of 1:26.77, just behind the 1:26.58 from Arizona’s B.

Women’s 400 IM

Stina Gardell, of USC, won the 400 IM in a time of 4:03.79, well ahead of Cal-bound Celina Li who still turned in a very impressive 4:07.95. Veteran Haley Anderson was third in 4:08.60.

Men’s 400 IM

It was NBAC’s Chase Kalisz that won the men’s IM in a 3:43.06. He beat out Arizona star Austen Thompson and Trojan Swim Club’s Alexander Tikhonov for the title. Kalisz was actually behind at the 200, but a strong back half where he caught Tikhonov on the breaststroke and Thompson on the freestyle got him the win.

Women’s 100 Fly

In a very close race in the 100 fly, the title eventually went to Christine Magnuson, who finished in a time of 51.86. Kendyl Stewart, of USC, had a blazing 23.9 on the first 50 but lost at the touch to Magnuson, finishing in 51.89. Kathleen Hersey was third in 52.04. Fourth place went to Janet Hu,  whose 52.40 picked up another National Age Group Record for NCAP and Hu’s second of the weekend. She was just .03 under the previous mark set by Stewart.

Read more on Hu’s record breaking swim in this event. 

Men’s 100 Fly

Tom Shields, who has been busy with the FINA World Cup circuit, showed up well here. He won in a meet record of 44.88, ahead of Davis Tarwater and Giles Smith, who took second and third in 45.32 and 45.81.

 Women’s 200 Free

Missy Franklin won her first event of the weekend in a quick 1:42.42, just over a tenth off her NAG personal best and less than a tenth off of Dana Vollmer’s 1:42.36 meet record. Erika Erndl had a great swim to take second with a 1:43.46 and Karlee Bispo was third in 1:43.99. None of the other swimmers broke 1:44.

Men’s 200 Free

Ricky Berens defended his turf in style with a win in the 200 free. His meet record time of 1:31.96 broke the previous mark set by Michael Phelps in 2007. It was also just over two tenths shy of the American record, set by David Walters in 2009. Louisville’s Joao De Lucca was second in 1:32.57 and Ryan Lochte was third in 1:33.26.

Women’s 100 Breast

In a very fast 100 breast final with six girls breaking a minute and three of them going under 59, Laura Sogar took the top spot with a meet record of 58.32. A close race for second went to Ellyn Baumgardner, who went 58.86 to out-touch Jessica Hardy by .03.

Men’s 100 Breast

Kevin Cordes led the way with an American record of 51.10, and two other swimmers recorded sub-52s as well. Michael Alexandrov, who held the previous meet record of 51.35 was only just off that with a 51.62 to take second. Clark Burckle was third in 51.99. Though it was close, Cordes led wire to wire with a big 23.9 opening 50.

Women’s 100 Back

Missy Franklin won her second event of the night with a 51.87 in the 100 back. Sarah Denninghoff, who recently transferred to Texas from Arizona, out-touched her former teammate, Lauren Smart, to take second in a 52.57, just .02 ahead of Smart. Olivia Smoglia, who ended up eighth, almsot even-split her race and had a second fifty faster than anyone in the heat except Franklin.   

Men’s 100 Back

Matt Grevers set the second American record of the night to win the 100 back. His time of 44.55 was just .05 ahead of the previous mark, set by Ryan Lochte in 2006 by just .05. In this event, the American and US Open record were the same so Grevers got both of them.

The fact that this record stood through the suit era shows just how fast a time it was and makes the swim that much more impressive. Grevers showed here that he didn’t miss a step getting back into racing shape after the Olympics and proved that his best swimming is very much still ahead of him.

Eugene Godsoe was second in 45.36 and Arkady Vyatchanin was third in 45.92. Lochte, the former American record holder, finished sixth.

Women’s 800 Free Relay

In the women’s 800 free relay, USC won with a meet record of 7:05.69. The team of Jasmine Tosky, Stina Gardell, Lynette Lim, and Kate Shumway got off to a great start with two 1:45s on the first half. Front-loading worked out well for them and they managed to hold off the second and third place teams from Texas and Indiana who put their fastest swimmers on the back end.

Men’s 800 Free Relay

Clearly not pleased with Arizona’s double victory in the sprint relay, USC teams went two for two in the distance relays. In the men’s event, the team of Chad Bobrosky, Alex Lendrum, John Wagner, and Cristian Quintero won in a time of 6:23.22.

Full meet results here.

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