INDIANAPOLIS – Olympian and U.S. National Teamer Nathan Adrian won his second event and set his second meet record of the week Friday at the Indianapolis Grand Prix, edging George Bovell by the slimmest of margins in the men’s 50m freestyle, 21.88 to 21.89.
Adrian broke the meet record of 22.15, set by Bovell in this morning’s prelims. He is now tied with Australian sprinter Eamon Sullivan as the fourth fastest swimmer in the world this year in this event.
“We just prepared to race and go decent times,” Adrian said. “It wasn’t by any means a full taper or a full-rest meet, but there was no point in coming out here and being completely broken down and not being able to rehearse a good race.
“I’m feeling good about it, but still have a long way to go. In the 50, I had a great last 15 meters, and that’s pretty typical of a race in-season for me. I need to get a little more spark, a little more pop off the block in the first 35. In the 100, I was a little distracted, but I just need to clean up some little details and I think I could be a good bit faster.”
Adrian’s swim was one of six meet records to fall on the second night of competition at the IUPUI Natatorium. Also setting meet records Friday were Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu in the women’s 400m IM, Michael Phelps in the men’s 400m IM, Allison Schmitt in the women’s 200m freestyle, Yannick Lebherz in the men’s 200m backstroke and Madison Kennedy in the women’s 50m freestyle.
Phelps out-dueled fellow U.S. National Teamer Tyler Clary in a see-saw battle in the men’s 400m IM, with Phelps taking an early lead in the butterfly leg, only to have Clary take it back in the backstroke. Phelps then built a body-length lead in the breaststroke and managed to hold off Clary in the final two lengths.
Their times of 4:12.51 and 4:13.01 were the third- and fourth-fastest times in the world this year. Chase Kalisz was third in 4:19.48. It was Phelps’s second gold of the meet after taking the men’s 100m fly Thursday.
“Swimming four second faster than what I swam in Austin shows that I am in better shape,” Phelps said. “I would have liked to have finished the last 100 a little better. My stroke didn’t really feel that comfortable the last 100, but I was talking to Bob (Bowman), and I think that’s the fastest I ever swam in-season, so I’m happy. The first half felt good, and the breaststroke could probably be a little faster, but in all it was pretty good.”
Olympian Allison Schmitt burned the field in the back half of the women’s 200m freestyle, touching in 1:56.79.
U.S. National Team member Missy Franklin took the lead from the start of the race through the first 100 meters, but no real front-runner emerged between her, Schmitt and Olympian Dana Vollmer until Schmitt hit the jets at the second turn and took the lead at the 150-meter mark. Franklin finished second in 1:57.97, while Vollmer was third in 1:58.19.
Schmitt’s time was the eighth-fastest in the world this year and her second win of the meet after taking the 400m free on the first night of competition.
“I was just trying to bring it home fast,” Schmitt said. “I knew I was going to have to work the legs. I knew the field was going to take it out fast, so that was what I was trying to do.
“I’m really happy with where I am right now and where I have been all season. We’ve been working hard at North Baltimore, and it’s showing now with everyone’s swims.”
Madison Kennedy powered her way to a meet record in the women’s 50m free, touching in 24.99. Olympian Christine Magnuson was second in 25.17, followed by Sarah Bateman in 25.31.
Franklin was back in the water about 15 minutes after the 200m free for the women’s 200m backstroke. The reigning world champion in this event, she was about a half second ahead of National Teamer Elizabeth Pelton after the first 100, but built on that lead in the back half of the race for the win in 2:07.97. Pelton touched about a second and a half behind in 2:09.47, followed by Kylie Stewart in 2:10.61
Franklin missed the meet record she set last year by one-hundredth of a second.
In other races, Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu bested National Teamer Caitlin Leverenz in the women’s 400m IM, 4:32.83 to 4:36.46. Hosszu’s time is now the second-fastest in the world this year, Leverenz’s time the fifth-fastest. Olympian Kathleen Hersey was third in 4:43.42.
Darian Townsend won the men’s 200m freestyle in 1:47.46, followed by Jean Basson in 1:47.94 and Charlie Houchin in 1:48.50. Lebherz was first in the men’s 200m back in 1:57.52, followed by Ryan Murphy in 1:57.82 and Jacob Pebley in 1:59.33.
For more information about the meet, including the webcast and complete results, go to www.usaswimming.org/indianapolisgrandprix.