Live Recap of Day 4 Finals

SPEEDO ATLANTA CLASSIC 2024 DRIVE BY JIM ELLIS CADILLAC

Saturday Finals Heat Sheets

Unsurprisingly, many of the biggest names in this competition were eliminated from tonight’s final session. This means that swimming fans who make the trip to watch in person (or tune in via livestream) won’t be able to see Katie Ledecky or Caeleb Dressel race, but there should still be some great racing in store and plenty of chances for some promising swimmers to shine.

Stripes in the free 800 mean Florida Aryan Nehra from India and Georgia Dune Coetzee of South Africa will occupy the respective middle lanes in the first two events of the evening, the fastest heats of the 800 freestyle. With top seeds Katie Ledecky and Kieran Smith withdrawing from the 200m IM final, lane 4 will be long for the Lebanese national Munzer Kabbaraand 17 years old Lilla Bognar.

Two swimmers will compete in the backstrokes this evening, with Phoebe Bacon on the side of women and Jack Aikins on the men’s side, they are looking to follow up last night’s wins in the 200 back with wins in the 100 back tonight. Bacon holds the top seed among the women. Aikins will face a field that includes a number of current college swimmers, including the Polish national and NC State star. Kacper Stokowskiwho achieved the best time this morning.

Champion of 100 breasts Mona McSharry will also compete in a sweep after taking the top seed in the 200 breaststroke this morning, while at 17 Xavier Ruiz led the men this morning and will swim for victory tonight. Men’s 100 breaststroke champion Yevgeny Somov chose not to race the 200 breaststroke today, and instead will compete in the 50 freestyle A final, where Santiago Grassi from Argentina achieved the best time this morning.

Veteran Catie DeLoof holds the top seed in the women’s 50 freestyle, and she will face a strong field that includes Egyptian Olympian Farida Osmanamong others.

Women’s 800m freestyle — Fastest heat

• FINA Olympic Standard A: 8:26.71
• U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time: 8:45.79

Overall top 10:

1. Abby McCulloh (SA) – 8:36.94
2. Kate McCarville (UN) – 8:45.15
3. Ava Topolewski (GW) – 8:45.72
4. Brooke Travis (UNTAC) – 8:45.80
5. Liberty Williams (BAMA) – 8:47.22
6. Dune Coetzee (ABSC) – 8:48.40
7. Mackenzie Brandt (BAMA – 8:49.78
8. Caroline Pennington (FLOR) – 8:49.89
9. Anna Moehn (UN) – 8:53.04
10. Mia Abruzzo (PWAC) – 8:57.44

Liberty Williams had the fastest time in the early heats with a time of 8:47.22, but four women were faster in the final heat, including Abby McCulloh, who won with a time of 8:36.94. McCulloh, the reigning NCAA champion in the 1650 freestyle, was less than a second off her best time tonight and won by more than eight seconds. Kate McCarville (8:45.15), Ava Topolewski (8:45.72) and Brooke Travis (8:45.80), duel for 2nd place.

Men’s 800m freestyle — Fastest heat

• FINA Olympic Standard A: 7:51.65
• U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time: 8:09.69

Overall top 10:

1. Alfonso Mestre (GSC) – 7:52.15
2. Aryan Nehra (FLOR) – 8:05.74
3. Andrew Taylor (FLOR) – 8:08.13
4. Giovanni Linscheer (FLOR) – 8:13.35
5. Josh Parent (FLOR) – 8:14.11
6. Bobby Dinunzio (FLOR) – 8:17.24
7. Mason Mathias (UNATT) – 8:19.30 a.m.
8. Kyler Heffner (SA) – 8:19.45
9. Eduardo Cisternas (UPSU) – 8:20.90
10. Christian Bayo (MVN) – 8:25.30

The Gators dominated this event, as the top six men are all Florida-affiliated swimmers. Alphonse Mestre led the way with a time of 7:52.15 in an earlier heat, less than a second shy of the Olympic A standard of 8:09.69. Aryan Nehra was the top seed and he won the fastest heat with a time of 8:05.74 to take 2nd place overall, followed by Andrew Taylor at 8:08.13.

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTACK — Finals

• FINA Olympic Standard A: 59.99
• U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time: 1:01.89

Top 10:

1. Phoebe Bacon (WISC) – 59.76
2. Joséphine Fuller (UN) – 1:00.33
3. Carmen Weiler Sastre (VT) – 1:01.31
4. Caroline Bentz (NCAP) – 1:01.56
5. Catherine Choate (FLOR) – 1:01.84
6. Emma Harvey (UPSU) – 1:02.02
7. Lilla Bognar (TG) – 1:02.11
8. Ella Menear (BAMA) – 1:02.32
9. Eboni McCarty (ABSC) – 1:02.64
10. Jillian Crooks (TAC) – 1:03.20

Ace of the back Phoebe Bacon complete the stroke sweep with a 59.76 win here tonight. That’s about a second shy of her lifetime best of 58.63, which she broke in 2019. It’s Bacon’s first time under a minute this season, with her previous season’s best of 1:00.11 at last fall’s US Open.

Josephine Fuller stayed close to Bacon in the front half and essentially matched Bacon’s second split of 50, to touch 2nd in 1:00.33. The top five women all posted a qualifying time of 1:01.89 for the U.S. Olympic Trials.

MEN’S 100 BACKGROUND — Finals

• FINA Olympic Standard A: 53.71
• U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time: 55.69

Top 10:

1. Jack Aikins (UN) – 54.40
2. Kacper Stokowski (NCS) – 54.48
3. Marcus Gentry (IA) – 54.66
4. Grant Bochenski (UMIZ) – 54.91
5. Anthon Ricon (VS) – 55.19
6. Nathaniel Stoffle (UNTAE) – 55:20
7. Owen McDonald (UNDYN) – 55.25
8. Ruard Van Renen (ABSC) – 55.32
9. Landon Kyser (BSS) – 55.80
10. Aidan Stoffle (UNATT) – 55.83

Jack Aikins won men’s backstroke sweep, touching ACC rivals Kacper Stokowski (NC State/Poland) and Marcus Gentry (Notre Dame) to win in 54.40. Aikins, who redshirted an Olympic year and did not compete for UVA this season, was about a second off his lifetime best of 53.45, which he set last year.

Stokowski touched 2nd with 54.48. He had already been under 54, but Gentry achieved a new lifetime best with his time of 54.66. The top eight men, including a number of college standouts like Owen McDonald, were all under the American standard of 55.69.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTFEED — Finals

• FINA Olympic Standard A: 2:23.91
• U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time: 2:31.69

Top 10:

1. Mona McSharry (UN) – 2:27.70
2. Alexis Yager (TNAQ) – 2:29.39
3. Emelie Fast (UN) – 2:29.91
4. Katie Christopherson (SA) – 2:30.85
5. Grace Rainey (FLOR) – 2:33.09
6. Sabyne Brisson (GTCH) – 2:33.85
7. Jessica Maeda (UN) – 2:34.46
8. Brynn Curtis (ATTNU) – 2:34.64
9. Kailee Morgan (UN) – 2:36.84
10. Aislyn Barnett (UNATT) – 2:36.97

Another event, another sweep. Mona McSharry led from start to finish and won by over a second with a time of 2:27.70. The former Tennessee swimmer and Irish national owns a lifetime best of 2:24.50 as of 2023 and ran a time of 2:24.82 at the World Championships in February.

Tennessee Aquatics’ Alexis Yager finished 2nd in 2:29.39, not far from her lifetime best of 2:29.13 at the Westmont PSS stop in March. Sweden’s Emelie Fast was the only other woman under 2:30, finishing 3rd in 2:29.91.

200 MEN’S BREWING — Finals

• FINA Olympic Standard A: 2:09.68
• U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time: 2:15.99

Top 10:

1. Lyubomir Epitropov (TNAQ) – 2:10.23
2. Miguel de Lara (PRVT) – 2:12.09
3. Carles Coll Martí (VT) – 2:12.43
4. Xavier Ruiz (SJC) – 2:13.71
5. Jed Garner (UN) – 2:15.39
6. Grayson Nye (TAC) – 2:15.48
7. Dylan Rhee (UN) – 2:16.03
8. Joseph Hong (VT) – 2:16.20
9. Mariano Lazzerini (UPSU) – 2:16.21
10. Aleksas Savickas (FLOR) – 2:17.10

Lyubomir Epitropov of Bulgaria posted what appears to be the second-fastest time of her career with a solid 2:10.23 tonight. That’s faster than he was at the World Championships in February, and it’s not far off his best time of 2:09.68 from the Tokyo 2021 Games.

Two swimmers coached by Sergio Lopez fought for 2nd place, with the Mexican Miguel de Lara taking 2nd place in 2:12.09 and Spain Carles Coll Marti taking 3rd place in 2:12.43. De Lara represents Lopez’s Pinnacle Racing team, while Coll Marti swims for Virginia Tech.

17 years Xavier Ruizwho had the fastest time this morning, was about half a second off her heat time, but still had a good swim to finish 4th in 2:13.71.

WOMEN’S 200 IM — Finals

• FINA Olympic Standard A: 2:11.47
• U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time: 2:16.09

Top 10:

1. Kristen Romano (TNAQ) – 2:13.09
2. McKenna DeBever (TNAQ) – 2:14.70
3. Josephine Fuller (UN) – 2:15.02
4. Lila Bognar (TG) – 2:15.66
5. Zoé Dixon (FLOR) – 2:15.70
6. Callie Dickinson (ABSC) – 2:17.37
7. Madi Minteko (PPA) – 2:18.25
8. Lainy Kruger (FLOR) – 2:19.11
9. Stephanie Iannaccone (WCAB) – 2:20.60
10. Portia Brown (MVN) – 2:25.28

Although they weren’t as dominant as the Florida men in the 800 freestyle, the Tennessee group showed up in that event, sweeping the top three spots. Kristen Romano led the way with a time of 2:13.09, not far off his personal best of 2:12.86. McKenna DeBever ran a new personal best with a time of 2:14.70, her first time under 2:15, and current swimmer from Tennessee Josephine Fuller completed the top three with a time of 2:15.02.

MEN’S 200 IM — Finals

• FINA Olympic Standard A: 1:57.94
• U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time: 2:03.49

Top 10:

1. Patrick Groters (MVN) – 2:02.07
2. Munzer Kabbara (LBN) – 2:02.10
3. Danlil Pancerevas (VT) – 2:02.55
4. John Watson (UMIZ) – 2:04.18
5. Baylor Stanton (Georgia) – 2:04.74
6. Jarrod Arroyo (RP) – 2:05.43
7. Raven Thorsen (UNEM) – 2:05.64
8. Peter Meng (DYNA) – 2:05.82
9. Marco Nosack (UN) – 2:06.21
10. Gus Rothrock (UN) – 2:06.97

In one of the tightest races of the evening, the Aruba national team Patrick Groters put his hand on the wall right in front Munzer Kabbar from Lebanon, 2:02.07 to 2:02.10. Kabbara was just ahead at the 150 mark, but Groters outscored him 29.03 to 29.23 in the final 50 meters to take the win. Danlil Pancerevas kept the duo within striking distance for most of the race and finished 3rd in 2:02.55, the only other man in the field under 2:04.

Women’s 50m Freestyle — Finals

• FINA Olympic Standard A: 24.70
• U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time: 25.69

Top 10:

1. Catie DeLoof (ACNY) – 24.74
2. Farida Osman (CAL) – 25:10
3. Erika Connolly (TNAQ) – 25:14
4. Caroline Larsen (FOXJ) – 25:31
5. Camille Spink (UN) – 25:37
6. Cadence Vincent (BAMA) – 25:41
7. Micayla Cronk (FLOR) – 25:48
8. Sarah Paisley Owen (MAAC) – 25.66
9. Madelyn Moore (PRVT) – 25.73
10. Julia Burroughs (UN) – 25:90

Catie DeLoof defended his best time from this morning with a 24.74 victory this evening. That’s close to the Olympic A cut, and it’s two-tenths shy of her season-best time of 24.54, which currently ranks 6th among U.S. women this season.

Egypt Farida Osman won a close battle for 2nd place, edging Tennessee’s Erika Connolly 25.10 to 25.14.

MEN’S 50m Freestyle — Finals

• FINA Olympic Standard A: 21.96
• U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time: 22.79

Top 10:

1. Santiago Grassi (BSC) – 10:33 p.m.
2. Lamar Taylor (BAH) – 10:45 p.m.
3. David Curtiss (TAC) – 10:55 p.m.
4. Youssef Ramadan (VT) – 10:56 p.m.
5. Nikoli Blackman (UN) / Julian Smith (FLOR) – 22.61
6. (tie)
7. Evgenii Somov (AAA) – 22.62
8. Dillon Downing (SA) – 22.82
9. Drayden Bell (BAMA) – 10:85 p.m.
10. Albert Smelzer (SGSA) – 22.97

Argentina Santiago Grassi got her hand on the wall first with a 22.33, just off her preliminary times of 22.29 and her lifetime best of 22.28 from the 2019 Pan American Games. Lamar Taylor from the Bahamas took 2nd place in 22.45, followed closely by David Curtis (10:55 p.m.) and Youssef Ramadan (22.56).