2024 PRO SWIM SERIES – KNOXVILLE
Kate Douglass‘ surprising American Document within the 200 breaststroke was the headline on the ultimate day of racing on the 2024 Professional Swim Sequence in Knoxville, however let’s check out the swims that weren’t headlines, however are nonetheless value noticing.
A swim that actually jumped out was Jason Park within the C Ultimate of the 100 again. A Texas highschool state champion and Winter Nationals finalist when he dedicated to Texas in 2017, Park certified for the NCAA Championships in 2020 as a sophomore. After that meet was canceled, although, by no means actually recaptured that degree of success once more.
After 19 months with out a meet, although, he returned within the fall competing along with his dwelling membership Metroplex Aquatics and has proven some sparks since then.
On Saturday, he made the C-Ultimate of the 100 again and positioned 18th in 56.91. That’s inside nine-tenths of a second of his earlier finest time of 56.02 – which was finished in 2017 at Junior Nationals between his junior and senior years of highschool.
The Olympic Trials lower in that race in 55.69. If Park finds a approach again to that point, it could be an incredible story.
His Metroplex Aquatics teammate Watson Nguyen gained the B-Ultimate in 2:14.81, which is greater than a second higher than his earlier finest time and is his first Olympic Trials lower. The 18-year-old is dedicated to swim at Penn subsequent yr alongside Olympic front-runner within the 200 breast Matt Fallon.
Fast Hits:
14-year-old Juan Vallmitjana from South Florida Aquatics swam 8:21.58 within the 800 free for thirteenth place. That could be a 9 second enchancment on his earlier private finest and strikes him as much as twentieth place all-time within the 13-14 age group. Together with the brand new Nationwide Age Group Document holder Luka Mijatovic, there’s a wave of younger distance swimmers by the ranks. That features Ellis Crisci who went 8:15 final yr, and Colin Jacobs who went 8:18 final yr.
One other 14-year-old Floridian, Rylee Erisman from Laker Swimming, knocked half-a-second off her earlier finest time for a 1:01.70 within the 100 again B-Ultimate. That offers her a primary Olympic Trials lower (1:01.89).
World Champion backstroker Katharine Berkoff swam 25.26 within the 50 free prelims earlier than including time to complete eighth within the remaining in 25.62. Her prelims swim is a .05 second enchancment on her private finest as Berkoff continues to progress within the dash freestyles alongside the dash backstrokes over the previous few years. She’s nonetheless outdoors the highest 25 within the Olympic Trials qualifying interval, however she is inching her approach up that rating.
A bunch of swimmers from Rice had good swims for January. Imogen Meers swam 1:04.56 within the 100 again, a few second shy of her private finest, and Ella Dyson completed sixth within the 800 free, about two seconds away from her finest.
College of Texas Angie Coe had an enormous breakthrough within the 200 IM, successful the B Ultimate in 2:15.18 and hitting an Olympic Trials lower. Popping out of highschool as an excellent quick course swimmer, this 3.4 second drop in lengthy course follows a midseason 2.4 second drop in yards.
200 again World Junior Champion Teagan O’Dell, a highschool junior and Cal commit, was informal in prelims of the 200 IM however erupted for a 2:13.69 within the C-Ultimate. Whereas a few second away from her private finest, that point was the Fifth-best total on the day.
Drew Loy, a former Ohio State Buckeye and member of the DC Trident of the ISL, swam his first meet in additional than two years (because the 2021 ISL season) this week. Representing the Phoenix Swim Membership, he swam 22.84 in prelims of the 50 free, lacking his Olympic Trials lower by .05 seconds.
17-year-old Canadian Summer season McIntosh swam 2:07.16 within the 200 IM to interrupt the Professional Swim Document – however you noticed that. What you may need missed was the efficiency of her Sarasota Sharks coaching companions. That features 16-year-old Clare Custer, who dropped 5 seconds to put eighth within the 800 free in 8:53.22.
