Pan Pacific Championships, Day Four Prelims: William Petric, Jamie Jack Start Strong for Aussies
It’s been a strong meet for the Australians this week in Irvine. And they’re looking to finish out with more Pan Pacifics gold.
William Petric and Jamie Jack took home top seeds in the 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle, respectively, on Saturday at the Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine.
Petric went 1:57.72 in the 200 IM. Jack set the meet record of 21.42 in the 50 free, downing Bruno Fratus’ mark from 2014.
All the action from the final day of prelims:
200 individual medley
William Petric led the way with a time of 1:57.72 in the first event of the morning. Second was 200 back champion Yumeki Kojima, who went 1:57.83, edging out teammate Tomoyuki Matsushita by .01 seconds for second in the same heat. (Recall Kojima tied with Asaki Nishikawa in the 400 IM on Thursday, requiring a swim off.)
Carson Foster led the Americans in fourth overall in 1:57.90. That’s the leading pack of four. There’s a gap back to Tristan Jankovics in fifth in 1:58.73. Rex Maurer is the second American in seventh in 1:59.20, with Lewis Clareburt rounding out the top eight. That leaves Americans Destin Lasco (2:00.57) and Shaine Casas (2:01.08) in the B final.
50 freestyle
Jamie Jack led the men with a meet record of 21.42, displacing the Bruno Fratus mark from 21.42. He’s joined in the A final by Isaac Cooper, who was seventh overall.
It’s tough sledding for the Americans, though, with a ton of depth … such that Santo Condorelli finished eighth overall and broke 22 seconds but doesn’t get a second swim. There are five Americans in the top eight and six in the top 10. Quintin McCarty was second in 21.56. He’s A-final bound, with Jack Alexy, who went 21.66. Alexy edged Chris Guiliano by .01 seconds. Guiliano and Michael Andrew (21.72) are in the B final.
The A final also includes Gui Carbie, who was third in 21.63 for Brazil; Calvyn Justus, in ninth overall in 22.05 for South Africa; and the Canadian duo of Yuri Kisil and Ruslan Gaziev.
200 breaststroke
Sorting 12 swimmers into 16 spots is a little more complicated than you might think. Japan took the top three times in prelims, led by Shin Ohashi in 2:08.90. But limits on two swimmers per nation per heat mean third-place Ippei Watanabe is third and on the outside looking in. Yamato Fukusawa was second in 2:09.00, leaving World Championships silver medalist Watanabe in the B final.
The top American was Josh Matheny in fourth in 2:09.90. AJ Pouch was a spot back in 2:10.01. They’ll be joined by Olympic champion Zac Stubblety-Cook, who was sixth overall.
1500 freestyle slowest heat
