2017 Phillips 66 National Championships – Thursday, June 29 Finals Recap

Posted in Swimming

2017 Phillips 66 US National Swimming Championships: June 29, 2017: Note: Swimmers officially named for the 2017 FINA World Championships Roster can be found here.

Women’s 400m Individual Medley
1. Leah Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Cavalier Swimming), 4:33.86
2. Elizabeth Beisel (Saunderstown, R.I./Bluefish Swim Club), 4:38.55
3. Brooke Forde (Louisville, Ky./Lakeside Swim Team), 4:39.19

Race Notes

Smith wins her first national championship title and adds a third event to her world championships program, joining the 200m free and 800m free.
Smith’s 400m IM time ranks as the third fastest in the world this year.
With a runner-up finish, Beisel qualifies for her sixth consecutive world championships roster. She is the only swimmer to qualify for each of Team USA’s major long course international rosters since 2006.

Quotes

Leah Smith: “I thought about swimming the 400 IM at the NCAA Championships, but I opted for the 200 free. I’m not thinking about the schedule I’ll have at world championships, just my 400m free tomorrow.”

Men’s 400m Individual Medley
1. Chase Kalisz (Bel Air, Md./North Baltimore Aquatic Club), 4:06.99
2. Jay Litherland (Alpharetta, Ga./Dynamo Swim Club), 4:09.31
3. Gunnar Bentz (Atlanta, Ga./Athens Bulldog Swim Club), 4:11.66

Race Notes

Kalisz wins his third national title in this event and qualifies for his third world championships team.
Kalisz’s time is the fastest in the world this year.
The top-three finishers each attended or are currently attending the University of Georgia.

Quotes

Chase Kalisz: “I’m happy…this is the fastest I’ve ever been at this point with my first rest. I’m more excited that Gunnar [Bentz] and Jay [Litherland] had two really great swims. I get to race those guys every single day, and to see them go two really good times was more fulfilling than anything tonight.”

Women’s 100m Butterfly
1. Kelsi Worrell (Westampton, N.J./Cardinal Aquatics), 57.38
2. Sarah Gibson (San Antonio, Texas/Texas A&M), 57.96
3. Mallory Comerford (Kalamazoo, Mich./University of Louisville), 57.97

Race Notes

Worrell wins her third national title and second in this event.
Worrell’s time is the eighth-fastest in the world this year.
With a runner-up finish, Gibson qualifies for her first long-course world championships roster.

Quotes

Kelsi Worrell: “I have a lot better swim in me, and that’s okay…it’s better to do it later in the summer and that’s what I plan to do. I think I’ve got a little more rest in me and that will make the difference in [Budapest].”

Men’s 100m Butterfly
1. Caeleb Dressel (Green Cove Springs, Fla./Bolles School Sharks), 50.87
2. Tim Phillips (Vienna, W. Va./SwimMAC Carolina), 51.30
3. Jack Conger (Rockville, Md./Nation’s Capital Swim Club), 51.33

Race Notes

Dressel wins his second national title after claiming last night’s 50m fly victory.
Dressel’s time is the fastest in the world this year, while runner-up Tim Phillips is now ranked third.

Quotes

Caeleb Dressel: “I was a happy with the [butterfly races], and I couldn’t ask for more. I’m definitely a speed guy, that’s how I swim most of my races … but I just want to swim a smart race. I don’t want to be labeled as a sprinter that goes out wicked fast and just dies. I want to be a speed guy that controls his races.”

Women’s 50m Breaststroke
1. Lilly King (Evansville, Ind./Indiana University), 29.66
2. Katie Meili (Colleyville, Texas/New York Athletic Club), 30.11
3. Molly Hannis (Santa Rosa, Calif./Tennessee Aquatics), 30.24

Race Notes

King wins her fifth national title after breaking the American, U.S. Open and national championships records. She also won the 200m breast on Wednesday.
King’s time in the 50m breast is now the fastest in the world this year.

Quotes

Lilly King: “It’s awesome, the 50 [breast] is just a splash and dash so I get in and go literally as hard as I can. It was fun tonight. I’m always happy to get the American record, and it was great to get that tonight, but I was hoping to be a little bit faster and hopefully get the world record, but I’ve still got a little bit left in the tank for Budapest.”

Men’s 50m Breaststroke
1. Kevin Cordes (Naperville, Ill./Unattached), 26.88
2. Andrew Wilson (Bethesda, Md./Emory University), 27.18
3. Cody Miller (Bloomington, Ind./Badger Swim Club), 27.24

Race Notes

Cordes wins his sixth national title after breaking the national championships record in this event. He also won the 200m breast on Wednesday.
With a 26.88, Cordes is now ranked third in the world this year.

Women’s 50m Backstroke
1. Hannah Stevens (Lexington, Ohio/University of Missouri), 27.63
2. Kathleen Baker (Winston-Salem, N.C./Team Elite), 27.69
3. Ali DeLoof (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Club Wolverine), 27.89

Race Notes

Stevens breaks the national championships record with her 27.63 effort.
Her time is the seventh fastest in the world this year.

Quotes

Hannah Stevens: “I had no idea whatsoever. I looked at the scoreboard and was like ‘no, that’s not possible’ because you see all of these amazing names in the heat and I’m with them – this is amazing.”

Men’s 50m Backstroke
1. Justin Ress (Cary, N.C./Wolfpack Elite), 24.41
2. Ryan Murphy (Jacksonville, Fla./California Aquatics), 24.64
3. Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill./Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics), 24.67

Race Notes

Ress breaks the national championships record to win his first title.
His time is the fastest in the world this year.

Quotes

Justin Ress: “It’s crazy, I’ve actually always wanted to be a sprinter, but I swam distance in high school, distance my first year in college. My coaches put me in the mid-distance group my sophomore year, and then I had a good 50 freestyle so they put me in the sprint group this summer and I’ve loved it so far. I’m still star struck from all of these big names in that heat.”

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Ian Hanson| Media Manager

Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia Managing Director
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