Who Went Overlooked at the TYR Pro Series; Alex Shackell Knocking on 2:05 Door
As the TYR Pro Series wrapped up in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night, all attention was on the world-record swims of Katie Ledecky in thr 800-meter freestyle and Gretchen Walsh in the 100 butterfly. Meanwhile, Regan Smith shined en route to three victories over the weekend, and Shaine Casas looked good claiming a handful of triumphs, including a 1:56.52 effort in the 200 individual medley.
However, there were several performances during the four-day competition might have gone overlooked, lost in the hoopla of a terrific stop in Southern Florida. Here’s a nod to several outings that might not have received their proper due.
Alex Shackell/Audrey Derivaux
A finalist in the 200 butterfly at last summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, Alex Shackell registered a second-place finish in the event at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex. On the way to a second-place finish behind Regan Smith, Shackell clocked a time of 2:06.13, the second-fastest of her career. Shackell’s best time is the 2:06.10 she produced during the semifinals of the 200 fly at the United States Olympic Trials in Indianapolis.
The fact that Shackell checked in with a 2:06-low outing at this point in the season offers promise for next month’s U.S. Nationals, where a move into 2:05 territory seems very much within reach.
Also threatening the 2:06 barrier at Nationals will be New Jersey teen Audrey Derivaux, who placed third in the 200 fly in Fort Lauderdale. Derivaux was right behind Shackell, as she touched the wall in 2:06.46 for a personal best. That swim from Derivaux was complemented by other finals appearances in the 400 freestyle (4:12.14), 200 backstroke (2:08.52), 100 butterfly (58.85) and 200 IM (2:13.24).
Torri Huske
How can an Olympic champion be overshadowed? It doesn’t seem to make sense. But Torri Huske quietly enjoyed an excellent trip to the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Although she did not record a win, Huske clocked 52.95 in the 100 freestyle, 1:57.71 in the 200 freestyle, 56.69 in the 100 butterfly and 24.47 in the 50 freestyle.
Each of Huske’s swims was quality, a quick mark a month shy of the U.S. Trials for Worlds. Given Huske’s penchant for raising the bar under pressure, it appears the Stanford star is headed for a big week in Indy.
Quintin McCarty
North Carolina State’s Quintin McCarty came within just a few hundredths of a second of earning the first Pro Series title of his career. The sprinter touched the wall in 24.45 in the 50 backstroke, just .04 off the winning time of Shaine Casas. With the stroke 50s now added to the Olympic program, McCarty could be an athlete who benefits from the International Olympic Committee’s decision to put speed on display beginning at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
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