2018 U.S. Winter Nationals: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

By Nick Pecoraro on SwimSwam

2018 U.S. Winter National Championships

• November 28th-December 1st, 2018
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Psych Sheets
• Results
• Short Course Time Trial Info
• Live Stream
  • via nbcsports.com (A Finals)
  • via usaswimming.org (B Finals)
• Thursday Finals Heat Sheet
• Prelims/Finals at 9 am/5 pm ET
• LCM (50m)

The second day of competition of the 2018 U.S. Winter National Championships is now underway with the finals of the 400 free, 200 IM, and 50 free being contested tonight.

Katie Ledecky and Jordan Wilimovsky look to secure their second victories of the meet in the 400 free. In the men’s race, Mitch D’Arrigo is only second seed tonight by one-tenth behind Wilimovsky.

Madisyn Cox looks to make her comeback post-suspension in the 200 IM as she is top seed tonight by 2 seconds. With Kalisz absent in the men’s 200 IM, top prelims-seed Sean Conway and the rest of the A-final look to take a first-time national title in the race.

To the 50 free, Simone Manuel looks to once again reign sprint queen in the event while Michael Chadwick looks to topple Olympian Nathan Adrian on the men’s side.

Women’s 400 Free Finals

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 4:16.89

1. Katie Ledecky, NCAP, 4:00.35
2. Hali Flickinger, ABSC, 4:09.71
3. Ashley Twichell, TAC/Kaersten Meitz,BA, 4:11.52

Katie Ledecky already built a body length lead in the first 100 meters of the race. Ledecky then finished the race nearly missing the 4-minute barrier in a 4:00.35, winning by over 9 seconds.

In the race for second, Hali Flickinger of Athens Bulldogs maintained the slight lead throughout the race and took second with a 4:09.71. Ashley Twichell of TAC Titans and Kaersten Meitz of Boilermaker Aquatics tied for third in a 4:11.52.

It was a tight 3-woman race in the last 25 meters of the B-final. Autumn Haebig of Nebraska then took the race with a 4:14.96. Kennedy Goss took the C-final in a 4:14.59.

Men’s 400 Free Finals

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 3:57.29

1. Jordan Wilimovsky, TSM, 3:50.78
2. Mitch D’Arrigo, GSC, 3:51.91
3. Kevin Litherland, DYNA, 3:54.34

Mitch D’Arrigo took the early lead in the first 200 over Jordan Wilimovsky by 0.75 seconds. Throughout the 3rd 100, Wilimovsky slowly crept on D’Arrigo to flip four one-hundredths behind the Italian. In the last 50, Wilimovsky continued to push to steal the lead and take the title with a 3:50.78. D’Arrigo took second in 3:51.91.

Kevin Litherland of Dynamo took third place with a 3:54.34, just knocking 16-year-old Dare Roseoff the podium. Rose took fourth with a 3:55.00.

Canadian Carson Olafson comfortably won the B-final with a 3:56.71. Dimitrios Dimitriou took the C-final in a tight duel for the win with a 3:58.36.

Women’s 200 IM Finals

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:17.39

1. Madisyn Cox, TXLA, 2:10.76
2. Kelsey Wog, UMAN, 2:11.69
3. Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson, HPVC, 2:14.24

After the front-half, Madisyn Cox of Longhorn Aquatics already put up a body-length lead on the rest of the field. Canadian Kelsey Wog pushed Cox’s lead after the breast and free legs. Yet Cox maintained her lead and took the title in a 2:10.76. Wog finished behind Cox in a 2:11.69.

Taking a third in the race was Canadian Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson, who finished in a 2:14.24.

In the B-final, 16-year-old Phoebe Bacon of Nation’s Capital scored her first 2020 Trials cut and won the final with a 2:15.89. Meghan Raab took the C-final also under the 2020 Trials cut with a 2:16.21.

Men’s 200 IM Finals

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:04.09

1. Christopher Reid, CTA, 2:02.18
2. Nic Fink, ABSC, 2:02.97
3. Jonathan Tybur, AGS, 2:03.41

South African Olympian Christopher Reid took the early lead in the front half and continued to push his lead throughout the remainder of the race. Reid took the title in a 2:02.18.

It was dead-even going into the race for second on the 50 free. Yet it was Nic Finkof Athens Bulldogs who pulled from the crowd to take second in 2:02.97. Taking third was Jonathan Tyburof the Aggie Swim Club who finished in 2:03.41.

16-year-old Cole Pratt took the B-Final in a personal best of 2:02.79. From the outside lane, Javier Nicolas won the C-final with a 2:05.93.

Women’s 50 Free Finals

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 25.99

1. Simone Manuel, ALTO, 24.39
2. Madison Kennedy, MAC, 24.87
3. Anna Hopkin, UARK, 24.93

Despite a slow start, Simone Manuel built up a lead going into the last 25 meters of the race to win with a 24.39. Her time is only two-tenths off her fastest swim of 2018, which was at the 2018 Pan Pacs (24.22). Taking second was SwimMAC veteran Madison Kennedy in a 24.87.

Anna Hopkinjust edged out national-team member Margo Geer to take third on the podium with a 24.93. Geer finished in fourth by five one-hundredths with a 24.97.

In the B-Final, Linnea Mack won the final with a 25.69. Olivia Bray took the C-final with a 26.02.

Men’s 50 Free Finals

• 2020 Olympic Trials Cut: 23.19

1. Nathan Adrian, CAL, 21.94
2. Payton Sorenson, UN, 22.45
3. Aaron Greenberg, TE, 22.71

Veteran Nathan Adrian maintained his dominance and took the title in a 21.94, being the only swimmer under 22 seconds. Finishing off the top 3 was unattached Payton Sorenson (22.45) and Team Elite’s Aaron Greenberg(22.71).

Michael Chadwick, whose finishing time would have been second-fastest, was disqualified from a false start.

Markus Thormeyer won the B-Final with a personal best of 22.76. Henry Gaissert took the C-final to close out the finals session in a 22.94.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2018 U.S. Winter Nationals: Day 2 Finals Live Recap