Watch Michael Phelps, Missy Franklin Win On Last Night (Race Videos)
Two of the brightest stars in swimming took center stage on the final night of racing at the 2015 USA Swimming Winter Nationals as both Michael Phelps (200 fly) and Missy Franklin (200 back) picked up wins.
To watch all of the other race videos from this meet, click on the RACE VIDEOS link on the top right of this article!
Men’s 200 fly
In the main event of the evening, NBAC’s Michael Phelps won the men’s 200-meter fly by more than a second at the 2015 USA Swimming Winter Nationals.
Swimming in the final heat of the evening and meet, Phelps threw down a 1:56.11 to win his third national title of the weekend. He already won the 200 IM and 100 fly the first two days.
Phelps’ time is well off his world-leading 1:52.94 from summer nationals, but was more than enough to win tonight.
Phelps’ training partner Chase Kalisz put up a 1:57.19 for second that included a 29.99 third 50. NAC’s Dakota Hodgson placed third overall in 1:59.09.
Missouri’s Mack Darragh (1:59.34), Gator’s Sebastien Rousseau (1:59.36), Michigan’s Dylan Bosch(1:59.71), Sega’s Takeshi Matsuda (2:00.00) and Andrew Torres (2:01.70) also swam in the finale.
California’s Tom Shields pocketed the B final win in 1:59.84. Club Wolverine’s Michael Flach(2:00.57) and BlueFish’s Max Miranda (2:01.06) took second and third.
California’s Adam Hinshaw won the C final in 2:02.09. Club Wolverine’s Kyle Whitaker took second in 2:02.22 with Ford’s Steve Sholdra earning third in 2:02.31.
Women’s 200 back
Colorado Stars’ Missy Franklin held off a hard-charging Maya DiRado of Stanford for the women’s 200-meter back national title in what was a truly loaded finale.
Franklin led throughout and put her hand on the wall in 2:07.87 for the win. That’s off her third-ranked season best of 2:06.34 from Worlds.
DiRado threw down a 2:08.28 for silver to move up the rankings to ninth in the world, while seventh-ranked Hilary Caldwell tracked down third in 2:10.05. Caldwell posted a 2:08.22 at Pan Ams earlier this year to rank seventh in the world.
California’s Elizabeth Pelton (2:10.54), BlueFish’s Elizabeth Beisel (2:10.77), Michigan’s Clara Smiddy (2:11.15), Matea Samardzic (2:13.06) and Indiana’s Kennedy Goss (2:16.54) rounded out the top eight.
HMST’s Erin Earley cranked out a 2:11.87 to win the B final. Carmel’s Claire Adams took second in 2:12.57 with California’s Kathleen Baker placing third in 2:12.70.
Henry Stenkvist stopped the clock in 2:14.06 to win the C final, just ahead of Arkansas’s Chloe Hannam (2:14.16). Grand Canyon’s Iryna Glavnyk took third in 2:14.21 in a close finish.
Faster up fly glider king down …nice fun…
Amazing!!!
He looks really ripped….Hope he is’nt on bad shots or something to bulk up….
Loved it!!