The USA Swimming Pro Swim Series continued from Austin, Texas on Thursday, Jan. 15, with the Day 2 prelims.
The events were the 50 breaststroke, 100 butterfly, 200 backstroke and 400 freestyle.
Here is a look at what happened:
USA Swimming Pro Swim Series: Women’s 50 Breaststroke
Nation’s Capital’s Skyler Smith sprinted to the top seed in the 50 breaststroke, getting to the wall in 31.04 to hold off Texas’ Anna Elendt (31.08).
Kate Canales took the third seed in 32.35, followed by Ella Peterson (33.47), Audrey Deras (33.85), Grace Hunt (33.91), Maya McCartney (33.93) and Caprie Moreno (33.97).
USA Swimming Pro Swim Series: Men’s 50 Breaststroke
Indiana Swim Club’s Van Mathias (26.57) and Finn Brooks (27.05) claimed the top two seeds, while teammate Brian Benzing was fourth (27.67).
Mitch Mason took the third seed (27.32) and Denis Petrashov was fifth (27.71), followed by Andres Puente Bustamante (27.72), Jeremie DelBois (28.22) and Jack Kelly (28.25).
USA Swimming Pro Swim Series: Women’s 100 Butterfly
The expected battle in the 100 butterfly looks to be on tonight as Regan Smith and Summer McIntosh go head-to-head.
Smith took the top seed in 57.37, while McIntosh was just behind at 58.69 to claim the second seed.
Charlotte Crush was third in prelims with a 59.44, followed by Ava Chavez (59.98), France’s Marie Wattel (1:00.44), Mena Boardman (1:00.61), Emma Harvey (1:00.61) and Emily Wolf (1:00.75).
Simone Manuel was just off the A final, taking ninth in 1:01.19.
USA Swimming Pro Swim Series: Men’s 100 Butterfly
Caeleb Dressel looked in strong form in the 100 fly, holding off a pair of French stars to take the top seed with a swim of 52.25.
France’s Maxime Grousset took the second seed in 52.73, while Clement Secchi was third in 53.14.
Dressel is the world record holder in the event (49.45) and should be in for a strong race in the finals.
Jack Dahlgren took the fourth seed in 53.51, followed by Patrick Sammon (53.59), Luke Barr (53.87), Ethan Heasley (54.38) and Jimmy Beeson (54.80).
USA Swimming Pro Swim Series: Women’s 200 Backstroke
Swimming a double, Charlotte Crush made the finals in a second event, this time taking the top seed in the 200 backstroke with a swim of 2:10.58 just minutes after taking the third spot in the 100 fly.
Teagan O’Dell took the second spot in 2:11.20, well ahead of the rest of the field.
Rowyn Wilber was third in prelims in 2:16.68, followed by Georgia Wimberly (2:17.81), Tessa Christiansen (2:18.02), Sydney Wasylenky (2:19.83), Hadie Vohs (2:22.15) and Lucy Gilbreath (2:22.64).
USA Swimming Pro Swim Series: Men’s 200 Backstroke
In a duel that is neither swimmer’s top event, Kieran Smith and Leon Marchand comfortably advanced in the 200 back prelims, setting up what should be an entertaining final.
Smith, a U.S. middle distance free specialist, took the top seed in 2:00.00, while Marchand, the French Olympic gold medalist in the IM events was just behind in 2:00.12.
Two more French swimmers followed with Yohann Ndoye Brouard (2:00.52) and Mewen Tomac (2:01.26) within striking distance, as was Carson Foster (2:01.91). Brouard is likely the favorite for the final.
Humberto Najera (2:02.34), Derek Hernandez-Ojeda (2:03.81) and Mathys Chouchaoui (2:04.16) rounded out the top eight.
USA Swimming Pro Swim Series: Women’s 400 Free
In the most stacked women’s event of the day, Katie Ledecky was predictably well ahead of the field to take the top seed in the 400 free. Her time of 4:04.38 was 8 seconds off her American record, but 9 seconds ahead of the field.
World record holder Summer McIntosh did not swim the event.
Rising star Rylee Erisman took the second spot in 4:13.60, ahead of Olympian Claire Weinstein (4:13.60) and Brinkleigh Hansen (4:14.37).
Another pair of U.S. Olympians followed with Anna Peplowski (4:14.53) and Emma Weyant (4:15.84), ahead of longtime National Team member Becca Mann (4:18.92) and Emily Wolf (4:19.33).
USA Swimming Pro Swim Series: Men’s 400 Free
Cal’s Daniel Wiffen claimed the top seed in the men’s 400 free, getting to the wall in 3:51.22, just ahead of Uzbekistan’s Ilia Sibertsev (3:51.84).
U.S. Olympian Bobby Finke took the third spot in 3:52.40, followed by Ryan Erisman (3:52.89), Denis Loktev (3:53.00), Cal’s Lucas Henveaux (3:54.07) and Gabriel Jett (3:55.01) and Olympian Luke Hobson (3:55.03).
