Saturday, November 5, 2022
Sandpipers of Nevada Duo Captures Three World Jr. Records Broken at FINA World Cup
The second night of the FINA World Cup in Indianapolis provided more short course meters entertainment, with the Americans, once again, owning most of the races.
Katie Grimes was on fire today, not only racing in arguably the two most brutal events in the lineup, but swimming them on the same day and breaking the World Junior Record. In a time trial for the 1500m freestyle, Grimes set the record with an impressive 15:42.05, breaking the previous record by more than three seconds. Just mere hours later, she followed that up by nabbing silver in 400m IM with a 4:27.11
“I was trying to have fun with it because I really do love the 400 IM but I was a little tired from this morning, so I didn’t know what to expect,” said Grimes. "The field of girls was motivating me. I love the 400 IM because the field is constantly changing so I’m always on my toes and it came down to a great battle at the end.”
In the men’s 1500m freestyle, the field was Finke'd again when Bobby Finke raced his signature back-half strategy, running down the leaders around the 1100m mark. He touched first in 14:45.77, three seconds ahead of second placer Ondrej Gemov, who had held a two second lead over the field until Finke made his move. Fellow American and bronze medalist Charlie Clark held on strong for the entire race, and making the podium with a 14:50.44
“I wasn’t expecting anyone to go out fast so I panicked a bit. I tried to stick to my race plan and catch up as much as I could off each turn,” said Finke.
Clark said he felt great: “It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to race at this level so it’s really fun to get out here. I’ve never raced short course meters before, so this is a pretty cool experience. It’s great getting to race those guys, get some more experience. I’m pretty good friends with most of them so it’s great to just get out there and have great competition."
In the men’s 50m backstroke, teammates Ryan Murphy (22.99) and Justin Ress (23.07) touched second and third, in this tight race.
“Well it’s a 50 back so you set on the start and the gun goes off,” said Murphy. “For me, I just pulse under the water for a bit, swing my arms as fast as possible and do it again for the second 25.”
Katie Ledecky was back in action in the women’s 200m freestyle, finishing second with a 1:52.10, about a second behind the winner, Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey. who earned a triple crown in this event.
“That was good, it was a best time,” said Ledecky. “I’m still learning how to swim short course meters, so anytime you can go a best time is great so I’m feeling happy with the outcome.”
Kieran Smith showed his prowess, this time by winning the men’s 200m IM with a 1:52.98, after touching fifth from the butterfly leg. His power rankings have since shot up with tonight’s win and yesterday’s 400m freestyle win.
“It was awesome. Excited to get my hand on the wall first and pick up some points. Another (personal best), too, so I’ll take that any day. I executed well,” said Smith.
Bella Sims had a fantastic evening, breaking two World Junior Records, the first in her fourth place finish in the 200m freestyle earlier in the evening, posting a 1:52.59. Twelve minutes later, she jumped in to take the 100m backstroke with a 55.75, another World Jr. Record. Beata Nelson grabbed silver behind Sims with a 55.90.
“I didn’t expect that at all. Our training definitely contributed to (the records),” said Sims. “This is fun. I’ve never swam short course meters before this meet.”
Nic Fink answered that with a second Triple Crown for him in the men’s 50m breaststroke. His 25.83 victory is part of his winning streak at the 2022 FINA World Cup; so far, he has not lost a breaststroke race. Michael Andrew touched third in 26.32.
“It’s a great feeling to wrap things up on a good note here,” said Fink. “I know I have one more race left and it’s a big one, too. Tomorrow will be fun. These World Cups are loaded with competition. I’m happy to get my hand on the wall first and get some confidence going into Melbourne.”
Andrew also embraced the fun in the event. “It’s the 50 breast so it’s always fun. You never really know what you’re going to get. This morning was cleaner, this evening was faster. I felt fresh and great but I really jammed my finish which is kind of frustrating because everything was going so well. It gives us room to work and I’m excited about where we are at considering what I’ve been going through the last couple of weeks. It sets me up nicely for Worlds.”
In the women’s 50m butterfly, freestyler Abbey Weitzeil snuck in for bronze with a 25.32, expressing her enthusiasm during the interview to be swimming an off event.
“I'm having a lot of fun racing different events,” said Weitzel. “To get back behind the blocks, get the suit on, feeling the race energy – that's a good race for me.”
Drew Kibler also nabbed a bronze in the men’s 100m freestyle, with a 46.82.
“After a pretty disappointing 100 free last week, it feels good to step it up. It’s good practice for what’s to come, big plans for the next two years. I went into it like it was another competition,” said Kibler.
In the women’s 100m breaststroke, Lilly King took second with a 1:03.74.
“It could’ve been better I was kind of out in no man’s land,” said King. “Ruta (Meilutyte) was, too, just a second faster. Think it could have been better, but it will be good tomorrow.”
The final race of the evening was the men’s 200m butterfly, where Trenton Julian led the entire race up until the last 25. He was passed by Chad Le Clos, and was out-touched by less than two tenths for silver.
“There are a few things I could’ve executed better but, overall, it was a great race with Chad,” said Julian. “We were right there again. I’m happy with the race, I’m happy I got myself going. Hopefully, it’ll be a little better next time.”
The competition wraps up tomorrow. 62 different countries are entered to compete, which is believed to be the most National Federations at a FINA World Cup in the last 25 years. For more on the FINA World Cup Indianapolis, click here.
The competition series welcomes more than 1,000 of the world’s best swimmers across the tour from more than 60 countries, competing for $224,000 prize money ($112,000 per gender) awarded at each city to the top 20 male and female athletes. A series total of $262,000 will also be awarded to the top-eight men and women athletes, based on their overall ranking. In addition to world record bonus prize money of $10,000, athletes who win the same event in all three cities of the series will win a “Crown” and receive additional prize money of $10,000 for each Crown.
Katie Grimes was on fire today, not only racing in arguably the two most brutal events in the lineup, but swimming them on the same day and breaking the World Junior Record. In a time trial for the 1500m freestyle, Grimes set the record with an impressive 15:42.05, breaking the previous record by more than three seconds. Just mere hours later, she followed that up by nabbing silver in 400m IM with a 4:27.11
“I was trying to have fun with it because I really do love the 400 IM but I was a little tired from this morning, so I didn’t know what to expect,” said Grimes. "The field of girls was motivating me. I love the 400 IM because the field is constantly changing so I’m always on my toes and it came down to a great battle at the end.”
In the men’s 1500m freestyle, the field was Finke'd again when Bobby Finke raced his signature back-half strategy, running down the leaders around the 1100m mark. He touched first in 14:45.77, three seconds ahead of second placer Ondrej Gemov, who had held a two second lead over the field until Finke made his move. Fellow American and bronze medalist Charlie Clark held on strong for the entire race, and making the podium with a 14:50.44
“I wasn’t expecting anyone to go out fast so I panicked a bit. I tried to stick to my race plan and catch up as much as I could off each turn,” said Finke.
Clark said he felt great: “It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to race at this level so it’s really fun to get out here. I’ve never raced short course meters before, so this is a pretty cool experience. It’s great getting to race those guys, get some more experience. I’m pretty good friends with most of them so it’s great to just get out there and have great competition."
In the men’s 50m backstroke, teammates Ryan Murphy (22.99) and Justin Ress (23.07) touched second and third, in this tight race.
“Well it’s a 50 back so you set on the start and the gun goes off,” said Murphy. “For me, I just pulse under the water for a bit, swing my arms as fast as possible and do it again for the second 25.”
Katie Ledecky was back in action in the women’s 200m freestyle, finishing second with a 1:52.10, about a second behind the winner, Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey. who earned a triple crown in this event.
“That was good, it was a best time,” said Ledecky. “I’m still learning how to swim short course meters, so anytime you can go a best time is great so I’m feeling happy with the outcome.”
Kieran Smith showed his prowess, this time by winning the men’s 200m IM with a 1:52.98, after touching fifth from the butterfly leg. His power rankings have since shot up with tonight’s win and yesterday’s 400m freestyle win.
“It was awesome. Excited to get my hand on the wall first and pick up some points. Another (personal best), too, so I’ll take that any day. I executed well,” said Smith.
Bella Sims had a fantastic evening, breaking two World Junior Records, the first in her fourth place finish in the 200m freestyle earlier in the evening, posting a 1:52.59. Twelve minutes later, she jumped in to take the 100m backstroke with a 55.75, another World Jr. Record. Beata Nelson grabbed silver behind Sims with a 55.90.
“I didn’t expect that at all. Our training definitely contributed to (the records),” said Sims. “This is fun. I’ve never swam short course meters before this meet.”
Nic Fink answered that with a second Triple Crown for him in the men’s 50m breaststroke. His 25.83 victory is part of his winning streak at the 2022 FINA World Cup; so far, he has not lost a breaststroke race. Michael Andrew touched third in 26.32.
“It’s a great feeling to wrap things up on a good note here,” said Fink. “I know I have one more race left and it’s a big one, too. Tomorrow will be fun. These World Cups are loaded with competition. I’m happy to get my hand on the wall first and get some confidence going into Melbourne.”
Andrew also embraced the fun in the event. “It’s the 50 breast so it’s always fun. You never really know what you’re going to get. This morning was cleaner, this evening was faster. I felt fresh and great but I really jammed my finish which is kind of frustrating because everything was going so well. It gives us room to work and I’m excited about where we are at considering what I’ve been going through the last couple of weeks. It sets me up nicely for Worlds.”
In the women’s 50m butterfly, freestyler Abbey Weitzeil snuck in for bronze with a 25.32, expressing her enthusiasm during the interview to be swimming an off event.
“I'm having a lot of fun racing different events,” said Weitzel. “To get back behind the blocks, get the suit on, feeling the race energy – that's a good race for me.”
Drew Kibler also nabbed a bronze in the men’s 100m freestyle, with a 46.82.
“After a pretty disappointing 100 free last week, it feels good to step it up. It’s good practice for what’s to come, big plans for the next two years. I went into it like it was another competition,” said Kibler.
In the women’s 100m breaststroke, Lilly King took second with a 1:03.74.
“It could’ve been better I was kind of out in no man’s land,” said King. “Ruta (Meilutyte) was, too, just a second faster. Think it could have been better, but it will be good tomorrow.”
The final race of the evening was the men’s 200m butterfly, where Trenton Julian led the entire race up until the last 25. He was passed by Chad Le Clos, and was out-touched by less than two tenths for silver.
“There are a few things I could’ve executed better but, overall, it was a great race with Chad,” said Julian. “We were right there again. I’m happy with the race, I’m happy I got myself going. Hopefully, it’ll be a little better next time.”
The competition wraps up tomorrow. 62 different countries are entered to compete, which is believed to be the most National Federations at a FINA World Cup in the last 25 years. For more on the FINA World Cup Indianapolis, click here.
The competition series welcomes more than 1,000 of the world’s best swimmers across the tour from more than 60 countries, competing for $224,000 prize money ($112,000 per gender) awarded at each city to the top 20 male and female athletes. A series total of $262,000 will also be awarded to the top-eight men and women athletes, based on their overall ranking. In addition to world record bonus prize money of $10,000, athletes who win the same event in all three cities of the series will win a “Crown” and receive additional prize money of $10,000 for each Crown.