Atlanta, GA
2023 Atlanta Classic: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap
2023 SPEEDO ATLANTA CLASSIC
We’ve been waiting all week for the 2023 Atlanta Classic to kick off, and the moment is finally here. The star-studded meet at the McAuley Aquatic Center will feature the 200 free, 100 breast, 100 fly, and 400 IM this morning.
Of course, all eyes are on Caeleb Dressel, who is making his return to racing after taking a break from the sport following the World Championships last June. The 26-year-old Dressel is entered in the 200 free and 100 fly this morning, so it will be interesting to see if he ends up racing both events. He’s seeded with a 53.75 in the 100 fly, which is well off his personal best of 49.45, which also stands as the World Record in the event. Tonight could turn out to be a very exciting race in the final of the 100 fly, as Dressel will likely be going up against Canadian Record holder Josh Liendo, who enters the meet as the top seed with a 50.36.
We’ll also be keeping a close eye on NCAA superstar Kate Douglass, who is entered in a pair of events this morning as well. Douglass will first be racing the women’s 100 breast, where she is entered with a yards time, but don’t let the fool you. She’s hinted that she’s focusing on the 200 breast as a primary event as she trains to make the 2024 Olympic Team next summer, so we’ll get some insight into how her LCM breaststroke is coming along today in the 100.
Douglass is also set to race the women’s 100 fly, which ought to be a really fun race. The NCAA Record holder in the yards 100 fly, Douglass comes in as the second seed in the event this morning, sitting behind 16-year-old Summer McIntosh, who comes in as the top seed. McIntosh and Douglass are actually swimming the same schedule today, as the 400 IM World Record holder is forgoing that event today and is racing the 100 breast instead.
We can’t forget about Katie Ledecky either. The legendary freestyler is the top seed in the women’s 200 free this morning by a huge margin.
WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS
- American Record: 1:53.61, Allison Schmitt (2012)
- US Open Record: 1:54.13, Summer McIntosh (2023)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
- Katie Ledecky (GSC) – 1:57.29
- Izzy Ivey (UNA-FL) – 2:00.65
- Jillian Barczyk (COLA) – 2:01.44
- Emma Weyant (UNA-FL) – 2:01.65
- Sloane Reinstein (PASA) – 2:01.69
- Addison Sauickie (SYS) – 2:02.11
- Kate McCarville (TENN) – 2:02.58
- Sophia Knapp (TIDE) – 2:02.78
To no surprise, Katie Ledecky led prelims of the women’s 200 free handily this morning. The freestyle superstar posted a very solid morning swim of 1:57.29, looking very much in control of her race from start to finish. That’s borne out by her splitting, which was very consistent. Ledecky got out to a 27.96 on the first 50, then split 29.69, 29.89, and 29.75 respectively on the three remaining 50s. She was out in 57.65 on the first 100 and back in 59.64, keeping her 100 splits just within two seconds of each other. Ledecky’s fastest time of 2023 is a 1:54.96 and based off this morning’s swim, it seems like she could be right around that tonight.
Florida had a strong showing in the event, with Izzy Ivey taking second overall with a 2:00.65 and Emma Weyant coming in fourth at 2:01.65. Both women have been under 2:00 in the event before and are now well-placed to get under that mark tonight in finals.
Georgia’s Jillian Barczyk had a very strong swim this morning as well. Barczyk came in third at 2:01.44, which is well within a second of her lifetime best of 2:00.78, which she set back in May of 2021. Similarly, UGA teammate Sloane Reinstein clocked a lifetime best this morning en route to making the ‘A’ final tonight, touching fifth with a 2:01.69. With that swim, Reinstein clipped her previous personal best by 0.12 seconds.
MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS
- American Record: 1:42.96, Michael Phelps (2008)
- US Open Record: 1:44.10, Michael Phelps (2008)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS
- American Record: 1:04.13, Lilly King (2017)
- US Open Record: 1:04.45, Jessica Hardy (2009)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS
- American Record: 58.14, Michael Andrew (2021)
- US Open Record: 58.14, Michael Andrew (2021)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS
- American Record: 55.64, Torri Huske (2022)
- US Open Record: 55.66, Torri Huske (2021)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS
- American Record: 49.45, Caeleb Dressel (2021)
- US Open Record: 49.76, Caeleb Dressel (2021)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
WOMEN’S 400 IM – PRELIMS
- American Record: 4:31.12, Katie Anderson (Hoff) (2008)
- US Open Record: 4:28.61, Summer McIntosh (2022)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
MEN’S 400 IM – PRELIMS
- American Record: 4:03.84, Michael Phelps (2008)
- US Open Record: 4:05.25, Michael Phelps (2008)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS: