By Karl Ortegon on SwimSwam
2019 MINNESOTA INVITATIONAL
- Wed. Dec. 4 – Sun. Dec. 8, 2019
- Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center / University of Minnesota / Minneapolis, MN
- Wed. Timed finals 6 PM
- Thu.-Sat. Prelims 10 AM / Finals 6 PM / Diving 12 Noon
- Short course yards (SCY) format Wed.-Sat. (LCM format Sunday)
- Psych Sheets
- Live Stream (days 2-4)
- Live results
- Also on Meet Mobile. Search “Minnesota Invite 2019”
This morning’s prelims session was highlighted by a huge 21.16 50 free performance by Cal’s Abbey Weitzeil, a nation-leading time of 4:12.17 in the 500 free by Arizona’s Brooks Fail, and an exciting battle in the women’s 500 free led by Texas’s Evie Pfeifer and Michigan first-year Kaitlynn Sims, who were 4:40.00 and 4:40.07 this morning, respectively.
The 400 medley relays, women’s 1-meter, and men’s 3-meter will also be contested in tonight’s finals session.
WOMEN’S 500 FREE FINALS
- Sierra Schmidt (Michigan) – 4:38.36
- Evie Pfeifer (Texas) – 4:38.44
- Kaitlyn Sims (Michigan) – 4:38.73
This race was a stroke-for-stroke battle between Michigan freshman Kaitlynn Sims and Texas junior Evie Pfeifer until the final six lengths, as Michigan’s Sierra Schmidt pulled about even with them.
Schmidt and Pfeifer charged ahead over the final length, and Schmidt overtake the Longhorn to skirt forth with the win at 4:38.36. Pfeifer (4:38.44) and Sims (4:38.73) were close behind. That puts Schmidt and Pfeifer at eighth and ninth in the country this year, while Sims will sit at 11th for now.
Cal’s Robin Neumann touched fourth in 4:41.87, and Arizona’s Ayumi Macias grabbed fifth in 4:42.46.
In the B-final, the field tightened up in the last 100 yards, but early leader Rachel Klinker, a Cal freshman, won it in a lifetime best 4:43.29. Second went to Texas freshman Miranda Heckman at 4:43.59, while Harvard’s Miki Dahlke snapped up third in 4:44.12.
MEN’S 500 FREE FINALS
- Drew Kibler (Texas) – 4:11.19
- Brooks Fail (Arizona) – 4:11.79
- Patrick Callan (Michigan) – 4:12.29
This race was all Drew Kibler. Until the final 50, that is, as Arizona’s Brooks Fail fought to get up to his hip. Fail wouldn’t be able to surpass the Longhorn, though, and Kibler prevailed with a burst of speed at the end to touch in 4:11.19, claiming the new nation-leading time.
Fail touched second in 4:11.79, still good for the #2 time this season and improving upon his morning swim. Michigan’s Patrick Callan swam to a third-place finish, clocking a 4:12.29, good for the #4 time in the nation, and Texas’s Alex Zettle posted a 4:13.14 for fourth tonight. Wolverine Felix Auboeck also went under 4:15 to get into the nation’s top ten this year, going 4:14.00.
Out of the B-final, backstroke specialist Austin Katz of Texas led this one the whole way through, not giving up against distance swimmers in tow. He posted a 4:15.13, taking almost a full second off of his old best from 2019 NCAAs, to take the B-final win. He edged out Michigan’s Will Roberts (4:16.50) and Cal’s Sean Grieshop (4:16.91). Katz is now tenth in the nation this season.
WOMEN’S 200 IM FINALS
- Alicia Wilson/Izzy Ivey (Cal) – 1:54.68 *TIE*
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- Sarah Darcel (Cal) – 1:56.75
Cal’s Izzy Ivey utilized her fantastic fly/back speed to move out to a lead at the halfway point of this race. But her teammate Alicia Wilson, who led prelims this morning, closed that gap over the breaststroke leg. Fighting for the finish, Ivey and Wilson wound up tying at the wall, both going 1:54.68.
Ivey was within a second of her best, while Wilson smashed her own best by over a full second. Both women now hold the #5 time in the country this season. This was a big race for Cal, as Sarah Darcel was able to snag third in 1:56.75.
In the B-final, Cal freshman Ayla Spitz took the win at 1:58.71.
MEN’S 200 IM FINALS
- Matthew Willenbring (Texas) – 1:41.83
- Ryan Harty (Texas) – 1:41.86
- Braden Vines (Texas) – 1:42.71
The Texas men absolutely dominated this one, with Matthew Willenbring having the swim of his life to win it in 1:41.83. Shaine Casas leads the country with his huge 1:40.16, but Willenbring now holds the #2 spot, and #3 is now his teammate Ryan Harty. Harty also broke 1:42, clocking a 1:41.86, nearly giving us another tie.
The Longhorns went 1-2-3-4, as Braden Vines coasted to third in 1:42.71 and Jake Foster clocked a 1:43.16 to snag fourth. It was a big set of improvements: Willenbring took over a second off of his best, Harty took 1.01 seconds off of his 2016 best, and Vines went under 1:44 for the first time in his career.
WOMEN’S 50 FREE FINALS
- Abbey Weitzeil (Cal) – 20.90
- Maggie MacNeil (Michigan) – 21.60
- Daria Pyshnenko (Michigan) – 22.19
In the swim of the meet so far, Cal’s Abbey Weitzeil became the first woman to break the 21.0 barrier in history in the 50 free. She churned out a 20.90, flipping at a 10-low at the 25 mark, and came back like a freight train to tear up her own American, NCAA, and U.S. Open records which sat collectively at 21.02.
Quietly, behind Weitzeil’s magical and historical moment, Michigan’s Maggie MacNeil turned in a solid 21.60 to take second. She jumps up to #6 in the nation this year. Her teammate Daria Pyshnenko got to the wall third in 22.19, and yet another Wolverine, Miranda Tucker, rocked a 22.26 lifetime best to take fourth.
MEN’S 50 FREE FINALS
- Ryan Hoffer (Cal) – 18.98
- Maxime Rooney (Texas) – 19.24
- Pawel Sendyk (Cal) – 19.33
The big swims continued in the men’s 50 free, as Cal’s Ryan Hoffer shot out to the win in 18.98. He’s the first man under 19 seconds this season, and he checks in four-tenths off of his lifetime best of 18.58.
Improving upon his morning personal best of 19.38, Maxime Rooney took his PR to new heights with a 19.24 to edge Cal’s Pawel Sendyk (19.33). Rooney is now sixth in the nation this season.
Michigan’s Gus Borges posted a 19.40 to take fourth, and Texas’s Alvin Jiang, a transfer from UNC, was just under his morning personal best with a 19.46 for fifth.
WOMEN’S 400 MEDLEY RELAY TIMED FINAL
MEN’S 400 MEDLEY RELAY TIMED FINAL
DIVING
Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2019 Minnesota Invitational: Day 2 Finals Live Recap