Sunday, July 29, 2018
2018 Phillips 66 National Championships Day Four Finals Recap
Women’s 400m Freestyle
1. Katie Ledecky (Bethesda, Md./Stanford Swimming), 3:59.09
2. Leah Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics), 4:02.12
3. Haley Anderson (Granite Bay, Calif./Trojan Swim Club), 4:07.12
Race Notes
• Ledecky won her fifth career 400m free national title and third straight (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018).
• Ledecky now has 17 career long-course national titles, tied with Natalie Coughlin for seventh all-time among American women. She also won the 200m free and 400m free titles in Irvine this week.
• Smith’s runner-up finish puts her on the Pan Pacs roster in the 400m free, 800m free and 800m free relay.
Quotes
Katie Ledecky (On where her swimming is right now): “I’m happy with where I’m at. I’ve been really consistent through the spring and summer both in training and in meets. I haven’t really had an off swim between Pro Series meets and Nationals, so I feel like I’m in a good spot.”
Men’s 400m Freestyle
1. Zane Grothe (Boulder City, Nev./Mission Viejo Nadadores), 3:46.53
2. Grant Shoults (Laguna Hills, Calif./Stanford Swimming), 3:46.90
3. Chris Wieser (Vacaville, Calif./DART Swimming), 3:48.92
Race Notes
• Grothe held off a hard-charging Shoults to win his third national title in the 400m free and second straight (2015, 2017, 2018).
• Grothe qualified for his first career Pan Pacific Championships with the victory.
Quotes
Zane Grothe (On tonight’s race): “I knew Grant was going to be the guy to beat. I had my eye on him and raced the race.”
Women’s 100m Breaststroke
1. Lilly King (Evansville, Ind./Indiana University), 1:05.36
2. Katie Meili (Colleyville, Texas/New York Athletic Club), 1:06.19
3. Micah Sumrall (Pflugerville, Texas/Chattahoochee Gold Swim Club), 1:06.34
Race Notes
• King qualified for her first Pan Pacific Championships roster with the victory. She also won the 50m breast Friday night.
• King, the world record holder in the event, won her eighth career national title and third straight in the 100m breast.
Quotes
Lilly King (On her win tonight): "I'm just happy with the time and happy with the win. I'm good to go."
King (On pressure going into the race): “I think it was a good experience to just swim through the pain and swim through the disappointment of my earlier races and get through it"
Men’s 100m Breaststroke
1. Michael Andrew (Lawrence, Kan./Race Pace Club), 59.38
2. Andrew Wilson (Bethesda, Md./Longhorn Aquatics), 59.43
3. Devon Nowicki (Lake Orion, Mich./Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics), 59.48
Race Notes
• Andrew qualified for his first Pan Pacific Championships with the victory, his first senior-level national title in an Olympic event.
• Andrew has won three national titles in Irvine this week: 100m breast, 50m breast and 50m fly.
Quotes
Michael Andrew (On his race start): “It felt perfect from the beginning. It was a sharp entry with a great breakout and great length. I got into my rhythm within the first two strokes.
Andrew (On his victory): “I’m super stoked about it. It’s a 100. It’s an Olympic event and it got me on the Tokyo [Pan Pacs] team.”
Women’s 100m Backstroke
1. Kathleen Baker (Winston Salem, N.C./Team Elite), 58.00 (World Record)
2. Olivia Smoliga (Glenview, Ill./Athens Bulldog Swim Club), 58.75
3. Regan Smith (Lakeville, Minn./Riptide Swim Club), 58.83
Race Notes
• Baker set the world record with a time of 58.00, surpassing the 58.10 mark posted by Canada’s Kylie Masse in 2017.
• Baker’s world record was the seventh set in Irvine and first since Katie Ledecky (400m free) in 2014.
• Baker won her second straight national title in the event and now owns four career long-course national titles. She shared the 200m back crown with Regan Smith earlier in the meet.
• Smith set a world junior record with a time of 58.83.
Quotes
Kathleen Baker (On her race): “I’m overjoyed with a world record and a first-place win. I am sort of on cloud nine right now. It’s always been a goal of mine. Coach Marsh and I always talked a lot about it. To come back and drop another half second at 21 years old is just pretty great.”
Men’s 100m Backstroke
1. Ryan Murphy (Jacksonville, Fla./California Aquatics), 52.51
2. Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill./Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics), 52.55
3. Justin Ress (Cary, N.C./NC State University), 53.26
Race Notes
• Murphy won his second career 100m back title and first since 2016. He completed a sweep of the backstroke events at the Phillips 66 Nationals (50m, 100m and 200m) for the first time in his career.
• Murphy’s time of 52.51 ranks No. 1 in the world this year. Grevers’ 52.55 is second.
Quotes
Ryan Murphy (On his race tonight): “It’s nice to qualify for Pan Pacs in the 100 back as well. It’s nice to be on the team with Matt [Grevers], he’s an incredible guy to race against.”
Murphy (On closeness of the race): “I’d prefer to be way out in front, but it’s good. It’s nice to get locked in that battle, especially with Matt.”
1. Katie Ledecky (Bethesda, Md./Stanford Swimming), 3:59.09
2. Leah Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics), 4:02.12
3. Haley Anderson (Granite Bay, Calif./Trojan Swim Club), 4:07.12
Race Notes
• Ledecky won her fifth career 400m free national title and third straight (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018).
• Ledecky now has 17 career long-course national titles, tied with Natalie Coughlin for seventh all-time among American women. She also won the 200m free and 400m free titles in Irvine this week.
• Smith’s runner-up finish puts her on the Pan Pacs roster in the 400m free, 800m free and 800m free relay.
Quotes
Katie Ledecky (On where her swimming is right now): “I’m happy with where I’m at. I’ve been really consistent through the spring and summer both in training and in meets. I haven’t really had an off swim between Pro Series meets and Nationals, so I feel like I’m in a good spot.”
Men’s 400m Freestyle
1. Zane Grothe (Boulder City, Nev./Mission Viejo Nadadores), 3:46.53
2. Grant Shoults (Laguna Hills, Calif./Stanford Swimming), 3:46.90
3. Chris Wieser (Vacaville, Calif./DART Swimming), 3:48.92
Race Notes
• Grothe held off a hard-charging Shoults to win his third national title in the 400m free and second straight (2015, 2017, 2018).
• Grothe qualified for his first career Pan Pacific Championships with the victory.
Quotes
Zane Grothe (On tonight’s race): “I knew Grant was going to be the guy to beat. I had my eye on him and raced the race.”
Women’s 100m Breaststroke
1. Lilly King (Evansville, Ind./Indiana University), 1:05.36
2. Katie Meili (Colleyville, Texas/New York Athletic Club), 1:06.19
3. Micah Sumrall (Pflugerville, Texas/Chattahoochee Gold Swim Club), 1:06.34
Race Notes
• King qualified for her first Pan Pacific Championships roster with the victory. She also won the 50m breast Friday night.
• King, the world record holder in the event, won her eighth career national title and third straight in the 100m breast.
Quotes
Lilly King (On her win tonight): "I'm just happy with the time and happy with the win. I'm good to go."
King (On pressure going into the race): “I think it was a good experience to just swim through the pain and swim through the disappointment of my earlier races and get through it"
Men’s 100m Breaststroke
1. Michael Andrew (Lawrence, Kan./Race Pace Club), 59.38
2. Andrew Wilson (Bethesda, Md./Longhorn Aquatics), 59.43
3. Devon Nowicki (Lake Orion, Mich./Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics), 59.48
Race Notes
• Andrew qualified for his first Pan Pacific Championships with the victory, his first senior-level national title in an Olympic event.
• Andrew has won three national titles in Irvine this week: 100m breast, 50m breast and 50m fly.
Quotes
Michael Andrew (On his race start): “It felt perfect from the beginning. It was a sharp entry with a great breakout and great length. I got into my rhythm within the first two strokes.
Andrew (On his victory): “I’m super stoked about it. It’s a 100. It’s an Olympic event and it got me on the Tokyo [Pan Pacs] team.”
Women’s 100m Backstroke
1. Kathleen Baker (Winston Salem, N.C./Team Elite), 58.00 (World Record)
2. Olivia Smoliga (Glenview, Ill./Athens Bulldog Swim Club), 58.75
3. Regan Smith (Lakeville, Minn./Riptide Swim Club), 58.83
Race Notes
• Baker set the world record with a time of 58.00, surpassing the 58.10 mark posted by Canada’s Kylie Masse in 2017.
• Baker’s world record was the seventh set in Irvine and first since Katie Ledecky (400m free) in 2014.
• Baker won her second straight national title in the event and now owns four career long-course national titles. She shared the 200m back crown with Regan Smith earlier in the meet.
• Smith set a world junior record with a time of 58.83.
Quotes
Kathleen Baker (On her race): “I’m overjoyed with a world record and a first-place win. I am sort of on cloud nine right now. It’s always been a goal of mine. Coach Marsh and I always talked a lot about it. To come back and drop another half second at 21 years old is just pretty great.”
Men’s 100m Backstroke
1. Ryan Murphy (Jacksonville, Fla./California Aquatics), 52.51
2. Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill./Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics), 52.55
3. Justin Ress (Cary, N.C./NC State University), 53.26
Race Notes
• Murphy won his second career 100m back title and first since 2016. He completed a sweep of the backstroke events at the Phillips 66 Nationals (50m, 100m and 200m) for the first time in his career.
• Murphy’s time of 52.51 ranks No. 1 in the world this year. Grevers’ 52.55 is second.
Quotes
Ryan Murphy (On his race tonight): “It’s nice to qualify for Pan Pacs in the 100 back as well. It’s nice to be on the team with Matt [Grevers], he’s an incredible guy to race against.”
Murphy (On closeness of the race): “I’d prefer to be way out in front, but it’s good. It’s nice to get locked in that battle, especially with Matt.”