USA Swimming Nationals Day 2 and 3 Recap!
By Reach for the Wall Staff
Day 2 Finals featured a number of current and former PVS swimmers across the events starting with the 200 Freestyle. In the A final, Katie Ledecky and Erin Gemmell made it through the prelims seeded 1st and 3rd, placing Katie and Erin next to each other for the final heat.
Bella Sims, who qualified 4th took the lead through the first 125 meters, with Katie hitting the wall first at the 150 turn, followed closely by Claire Weinstein, Alex Shackell, Bella Sims an Erin in 5th. Down the last 50 meters it was clear that Claire Weinstein and Katie would battle for the top spot and at the touch it was Claire with the win in 1:55.26 to Katie’s 1:55.28. Bella Sims hit 3rd in 1:56.08 and Erin was 4th in 1:56.23. Alex Shackell 1:56.70 and Leah Smith finished 1:56.96 5th and 6th the only other women under 1:57 for the event. In the heat prior, Camille Spink tied for 11th place with Leah Hayes in a time of 1:58.86. That was the 2nd time Camille got under 1:59 in the 200 Free, but was just shy of her best time from prelims!
The next race that featured PVS alums was he Women’s 200 Breaststroke where Anna Keating (UVA/Machine) captured 5th overall in 2:26.71 and Brynn Curtis (Auburn/York) was 18th with a 2:30.31. In the Men’s Breaststroke, RMSC’s Jed Garner swam a personal best in the prelims to qualify 17th. In the final, he bettered his time again, touching 2nd in the heat, 18th overall in 2:14.81, way to go Jed!
Phoebe Bacon (Wisconsin/NCAP) qualified 5th in prelims for the 200 backstroke, an event she captured Silver in the prior World Championships. In the final heat, Regan Smith took a commanding lead at the 100 turn and never relinquished, touching the wall in 2:03.80, just .46 shy of the American Record! Phoebe was in the mix throughout the race, hitting 4th at the 150 turn, however in the final charge to the wall got there in 5th place with a 2:06.59, well short of her lifetime best of 2:05.04.
Adriano Arioti (RMASC) and JT Ewing (Wolfpack/AAC) competed fiercely in the prelims of the Men’s 200 Backstroke where Arioti finished in 36th place with a time of 2:01.94. JT Ewing powered to a best time in prelims, clocking in at 1:58.19, good enough to qualify for finals in 12th place. In the consolation final, JT snatched the opportunity, took the lead at the 100 and won the heat, dropping his best time down to a 1:57.71, way to Go JT!!
The Women’s 50 Butterfly featured 3 swimmers from PVS: Aris Runnels (Gator/NCAP), placed 28th in 27.46, Abby Harter who placed 24th in 27.36 and Torri Huske, who qualified 2nd in prelims in 25.97. In Finals, Torri maintained her spot, capturing 2nd in 25.33, just behind the event winner Gretchen Walsh.
FINAL:
1. Gretchen Walsh, 25.11
2. Torri Huske, 25.33
3. Claire Curzan, 25.74 #Phillips66Nats | 📊: https://t.co/Mgu5Ak3IyH https://t.co/LgQ5f4Rk6j pic.twitter.com/53iPNmnGVF— USA Swimming News (@USASwimmingNews) June 29, 2023
In the Men’s 50 Butterfly, Alex Colson (Sun Devils/RMSC) swam a 24.66, good enough for 25th!
Thursday
Thursday, June 29, featured the 400 IM, 100 Butterfly, 50 Breaststroke and 50 Backstroke. In the Women’s 400 IM, Eleanor Sun swam her way into the C Final with a prelim swim of 4:51.63. In the final, Eleanor improved her breaststroke and freestyle splits to drop her time from the morning to grab 19th place overall, finishing in 4:48.63!
Torri Huske (Stanford/AAC), Abby Harter (UVA/NCAP), Phoebe Bacon (Wisconsin/NCAP), Aris Runnels (Gators/NCAP), and Mackenzie McConagha (Wisconsin/NCAP) all competed in the 100 Butterfly. Phoebe placed 33rd in 1:00.12, Aris 35th in 1:00.28 and Mackenzie 36th in 1:00.35. Abby Harter placed 22nd in prelims to move into Finals with a time of 59.57 and Torri Huske qualified 2nd in 57.30.
Abby improved her prelims swim and captured 17th overall with a time of 58.87. In the A-Final, Torri had to use her closing speed to capture the National title and out-touch Gretchen Walsh with a 56.18 to Walsh’s 56.34, which was deemed by some on Twitter to be the race of the night!
RACE OF THE NIGHT??!!
Torri Huske gets the win in the Women’s 100 butterfly in 56.18 🥶
🥇 Huske – 56.18
🥈 Walsh – 56.34
🥉 Douglass – 56.43 pic.twitter.com/6Wyz5sCiJn— Kyle Sockwell (@kylesockwell) June 30, 2023
In the Men’s 100 Butterfly, Alex Colson (Sun Devils/RMSC) and Adriano Arioti (RMSC) swam well enough in prelims t oget a second swim at night. Colson qualified 27th with a 53.31, while Arioti qualified for the D-Final in 55.81. In the final heats, Colson finished in 53.88 (a bit slower than the morning), and captured 22nd overall. Arioti improved on his morning swim with a 55.59 and landed 32nd overall!
Anna Keating (UVA/Machine) and Jed Garner (RMSC) were up next for the PVS contingent as they competed in the 50 Breaststroke. Keating swam a 32.51, good enough for 26th overall while Jed posted a time of 30.01, which placed 44th and did not get him back for finals.
Aris Runnels (Gators/NCAP) tied for 11th in prelims of the Women’s 50 back with a time of 28.49. In the final, she blasted a 28.30 to win the B-Final!