Fresh Faces Shine On U.S. Nationals Day One

Live updates, results, and recap of day one finals Tuesday of the 2017 USA Swimming Phillips 66 National Championships and World Championship Trials. The finals session features the 100m freestyle, 200m butterfly, men's 1500m freestyle, and women's 800m f

Jun 28, 2017 by Maclin Simpson

Fresh Faces Shine On U.S. Nationals Day One

2017 U.S. National Championships & Worlds Trials

June 27 - July 1, 2017
Indianapolis, Indiana
IUPUI Natatorium
MEET INFORMATION
PSYCH SHEET
LIVE RESULTS

Women's 200m Butterfly -- FULL RESULTS

World: 2:01.81 -- Zige Liu (2009)
American: 2:04.14 -- Mary Mohler (2009)
U.S. Open: 2:05.96 -- Mary T. Meagher (1981)
LC Nationals: 2:05.96 -- Mary T. Meagher (1981)
JR World: 2:06.51 -- Yufei Zhang (2015)

1.) Hali Flickinger -- 2:07.60 (QUALIFIED)
2.) Dakota Luther -- 2:08.71 (QUALIFIED)
3.) Sarah Gibson -- 2:08.75
4.) Ella Eastin -- 2:09.24
5.) Vanessa Krause -- 2:09.54
6.) Jen Marrkand -- 2:09.58
7.) Katie McLaughlin -- 2:10.21
8.) Remedy Rule -- 2:10.48

As expected, the 2016 Olympic finalist in this event -- Hali Flickinger -- snagged the top spot on the podium with a solid 2:07.60. Flickinger was relatively unchallenged, taking the lead at the 50 meter mark and never looking back. The real race came down to the touch between Dakota Luther and Sarah Gibson. Luther held about a half of a second lead over Gibson at the 150, but the the veteran Gibson stormed home -- out-splitting the 17 year-old Luther 33.34 to 33.87 over the final 50 meters. In the end, it was too little too late and Luther held on to snag a spot on the World Championship team with a 2:08.71 to Gibson's 2:08.75. Ella Eastin, our wildcard to make the team, was fourth in 2:09.24.

Men's 200m Butterfly -- FULL RESULTS

World: 1:51.51 -- Michael Phelps (2009)
American: 1:51.51 -- Michael Phelps (2009)
U.S. Open: 1:52.20 -- Michael Phelps (2008)
LC Nationals: 1:52.20 -- Michael Phelps (2008)
JR World: 1:55.92 -- Andrew Seliskar (2014)

1.) Jack Conger -- 1:54.47 (QUALIFIED)
2.) Pace Clark -- 1:54.58 (QUALIFIED)
3.) Chase Kalisz -- 1:54.79
4.) Gunnar Bentz -- 1:55.51
5.) Justin Wright -- 1:56.11
6.) Zach Harting -- 1:56.65
7.) Mick Litherland -- 1:57.90
8.) Miles Smachlo -- 2:00.46

There it is, folks. Jack Conger earns redemption from a disappointing 2016 in the butterfly events and punches his ticket to Budapest with a blistering 1:54.47 in the 200m butterfly. Conger led this one start to finish, but not by much. Georgia Bulldog Pace Clark turned fifth at the 100, but blazed home -- staying very low in the water and efficient -- to snag the second seed in 1:54.58 ahead of his Georgia teammate Chase Kalisz. Kalisz will have a few more opportunities to make the World Championship team, but this was Clark's one and only shot.

Women's 100m Freestyle -- FULL RESULTS

World: 52.06 -- Cate Campbell (2016)
American: 52.70 -- Simone Manuel (2016)
U.S. Open: ~~53.12 -- Sarah Sjöström (2016)~~ 52.81 (Comerford, 2017)
LC Nationals: ~~53.26 -- Mallory Comerford (2017)~~ 52.81 (Comerford, 2017)
JR World: 52.70 -- Penny Oleksiak (2016)

1.) Mallory Comerford -- 52.81 (QUALIFIED)(U.S. Open Record)
2.) Simone Manuel -- 53.05 (QUALIFIED)
3.) Lia Neal -- 53.59
4.) Kelsi Worrell -- 53.99
5.) Olivia Smoliga -- 54.31
6.) Katie Ledecky -- 54.35
7.) Veronica Burchill -- 54.92
8.) Caroline Baldwin -- 54.98

MALLORY. COMERFORD. What just happened? Comerford absolutely unleashed a blazing fast 52.81 in the 100m freestyle -- obliterating the U.S. Open record of 53.12 and scaring Simone Manuel's American record of 52.70. By the way... that 52.70 -- which Comerford was only .11 away from -- earned Manuel a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics. Speaking of Manuel, she snagged the second spot with a quick 53.05 -- also under the old U.S. Open record. Those two ladies will be representing the United States individually in Budapest, but Lia Neal, Kelsi Worrell, Olivia Smoliga, and Katie Ledecky will earn a spot on the relay.

Men's 100m Freestyle -- FULL RESULTS

World: 46.91 -- Cesar Cielo Filho (2009)
American: 47.33 -- David Walters (2009)
U.S. Open: 47.58 -- Jason Lezak (2008)
LC Nationals: 47.58 -- Jason Lezak (2008)
JR World: 47.58 -- Kyle Chalmers (2016)

1.) Nathan Adrian -- 47.96 (QUALIFIED)
2.) Caeleb Dressel -- 47.97 (QUALIFIED)
3.) Townley Haas -- 48.20
4.) Zach Apple -- 48.23
5.) Michael Chadwick -- 48.48
6.) Blake Pieroni -- 48.49
7.) Ryan Held -- 48.53
8.) Ryan Murphy -- 49.21

The anticipation in the building for this race was palpable. Michael Chadwick blazed out to the lead at the 50 meter mark with a swift 22.81 with Caeleb Dressel on his heels in 22.86. But the veteran Nathan Adrian -- 2012 Olympic gold medalist in this race -- stayed calm, cool, and collected. Adrian flipped sixth at the 50, but rocketed home in 24.69 over the final 50 -- the only one in the field to come home under 25 -- to take the win in 47.96. Dressel's quick takeout speed was enough for him to get his hand on the wall second in 47.97. Very good sign for United States sprint crew to have two guys under 48 flat start heading into Budapest. Townley Haas, Zach Apple, Michael Chadwick, and Blake Pieroni will all likely book a spot on the World Championship team as well.

Women's 800m Freestyle -- FULL RESULTS

World: 8:04.79 -- Katie Ledecky (2016)
American: 8:04.79 -- Katie Ledecky (2016)
U.S. Open: 8:06.68 -- Katie Ledecky (2016)
LC Nationals: 8:10.32 -- Katie Ledecky (2016)
JR World: 8:11.00 -- Katie Ledecky (2014)

1.) Katie Ledecky -- 8:11.50 (QUALIFIED)
2.) Leah Smith -- 8:20.46 (QUALIFIED)
3.) Hannah Moore -- 8:27.58
4.) Cierra Runge -- 8:32.16
5.) Joy Field -- 8:33.95
6.) Kaersten Martz -- 8:34.30
7.) Summer Finke -- 8:34.63
8.) Leah Stevens -- 8:34.78

To think there was a time when an 8:11 800m freestyle wasn't seven seconds slower than the world record... Enter Katie Ledecky. Ledecky rocketed out at the 200 meter mark in 1:59.39 -- actually three one-hundredths of a second under her WR pace -- to establish a commanding lead. She then fell off of her 30 point pace and started sliding down to 31 lows and 31 mids. Regardless, the G.O.A.T. was in control the entire time, taking the win and the fastest time in the world this year with an 8:11.50. Leah Smith -- the favorite to make the team behind Ledecky -- touched for second in 8:20.46. N.C. State's Hannah Moore rounded out the top three with an 8:27.58.

Men's 1500m Freestyle -- FULL RESULTS

World: 14:31.02 -- Yang Sun (2012)
American: 14:39.48 -- Connor Jaeger (2016)
U.S. Open: 14:45.54 -- Peter Vanderkaay (2008)
LC Nationals: 14:45.54 -- Peter Vanderkaay (2008)
JR World: 14:51.55 -- Mack Horton (2014)

1.) True Sweetser -- 14:59.73 (QUALIFIED)
2.) Robert Finke -- 15:01.31 (QUALIFIED)
3.) PJ Ransford -- 15:01.82
4.) Andrew Abruzzo-- 15:07.97
5.) Michael Brinegar -- 15:10.66
6.) Kevin Litherland -- 15:10.93
7.) Chris Yeager -- 15:17.90
8.) Ben Lawless -- 15:21.32

This was an absolute battle. Several lead changes ended up in a final 50m drag race to see who would take home the win and who would punch their ticket to Worlds. True Sweetser started off nice and smooth, but fell back from the field until about the 1100 mark when he started making his move. Answering back was PJ Ransford who was able to hold off Sweetser for a bit, but not into the wall. Your early leader Robert Finke was under attack and managed to hold on to qualify by just over half a second. This Men's 1500m freestyle was hands down one of the most suspenseful races of night one finals.
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