SOFLO’s Kathleen Golding Sweeps Events On Opening Day Of IMX-IMR Challenge

By Sharon Robb

April 29, 2016—Kathleen Golding of South Florida Aquatic Club was a double winner on the opening day of the IMX-IMR Challenge Friday at Academic Village Pool.

Golding, 15, a U.S. Olympic trials qualifier, topped a field of 66 swimmers in the 200-meter individual medley in 2:25.82.

Her younger sister Molly Golding, 13, was second in a best time 2:37.87, dropping 5.92 seconds off her previous best.

SOFLO teammate Katrina Del Vecchio, 13, was third in 2:40.11, also a best time, shaving 1.04 seconds off her seed time.

Golding also won the 400 IM in 5:10.42. Molly Golding was fourth in 5:33.39, another best time dropping 4.45 seconds.

SOFLO’s Ervin Marin, 16, won the boys 200 IM in 2:16.41. SOFLO swept the top four spots in the event.

The meet continues on Saturday at 8:30 a.m.

Up-and-coming swimmers are competing in the IMR Challenge. All sessions are timed finals.

The USA Swimming-sanctioned meet is a fun, motivational meet to help young swimmers reach the next level in their swimming careers.

The IM (Ready) Challenge allows swimmers to see how they compare to other swimmers around the nation in their age group. Swimmers must compete in all the events required for their age group to establish a score.

Once a swimmer competes in each IMR Challenge event at least once in an official meet, swimmers and parents can check their rankings on USA Swimming’s website.

The IMX (Xtreme) Challenge is the next step-up from the IMR competition. It includes a series of five or six events. Once swimmers complete the IMX program they can also see where their score ranks nationally, among their local LSC and own swim club.

FRIDAY RESULTS

GIRLS

200-meter individual medley:

1. Kathleen Golding, SOFLO 2:25.82, 2. Molly Golding, SOFLO 2:37.87, best time, 3. Katrina Del Vecchio, SOFLO 2:40.11, best time, 4. Kyana Castro, SOFLO 2:40.11.

400-meter individual medley:

13-and-over, 1. Kathleen Golding, SOFLO 5:10.42, 2. Rose Smiddy, AquaKids Sharks 5:23.85, 3. Gabriela Fernandez, Hialeah 5:30.79, 4. Molly Golding, SOFLO 5:33.39, best time.

BOYS

200-meter individual medley:

1. Ervin Marin, SOFLO 2:16.41, 2. Ricardo Roche, SOFLO 2:17.81, 3. Rafael Rodriguez, SOFLO 2:20.59, 4. Leonardo Mateus, SOFLO 2:25.53.

400-meter individual medley:

13-and-over, 1.Julio Horrego, Hialeah 4:37.43, 2. John Torres, Flying Fish 4:58.65, 3. Ricardo Roche, SOFLO 4:59.29, 4. Michael Fernandez, Hialeah 5:01.04.

IF YOU GO

What: SOFLO IMX-IMR Challenge

When: Saturday-Sunday, IMX/IMR Challenge, 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Where: Academic Village Pool, 17191 Sheridan St., Pembroke Pines

Admission: $3 per session, $3 heat sheets per session. For information call 954-538-3721.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com

SOFLO Hosts IMX-IMR Challenge; Atkinson, Romano Will Compete In TYR Derby Pro Swim Meet

By Sharon Robb

April 28, 2016—Kathleen Golding, Sebastian Lares and Valerie Vank are among top-seeded South Florida Aquatic Club swimmers in this weekend’s IMX-IMR Challenge at Academic Village Pool.

Several top Florida Gold Coast swimmers will join SOFLO swimmers over the next three days at IMX-IMR Challenge.

In addition to SOFLO, among other FGC clubs entered are AquaKids Sharks, Plantation Swim Team, Hialeah Swim Club, SwimFast and Flying Fish.

Among other top-seeded swimmers are Julio Horrego of Hialeah Swim Club, Isabella Chambers of Plantation Swim Team, and siblings Luke and Mary Smutny of AquaKids Sharks.

The meet opens Friday at 5:30 p.m. with the open 200-meter individual medley and 13-and-over 400-meter individual medley. The meet continues through Sunday.

Not only will swimmers get some much-need racing in but will also get a chance to see how they stack up against the rest of the nation’s age group swimmers.

The up-and-coming swimmers will compete in the IMR Challenge. All sessions are timed finals.

The USA Swimming-sanctioned meet is a fun, motivational meet to help young swimmers reach the next level in their swimming careers.

The IM (Ready) Challenge allows swimmers to see how they compare to other swimmers around the nation in their age group. Swimmers must compete in all the events required for their age group to establish a score.

Once a swimmer competes in each IMR Challenge event at least once in an official meet, swimmers and parents can check their rankings on USA Swimming’s website.

The IMX (Xtreme) Challenge is the next step-up from the IMR competition. It includes a series of five or six events. Once swimmers complete the IMX program they can also see where their score ranks nationally, among their local LSC and own swim club.

IF YOU GO

What: SOFLO IMX-IMR Challenge

When: Friday, Friday, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, IMX/IMR Challenge, 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Where: Academic Village Pool, 17191 Sheridan St., Pembroke Pines

Admission: $3 per session, $3 heat sheets per session. For information call 954-538-3721.

ELSEWHERE

SOFLO’s Alia Atkinson and Megan Romano left Thursday morning for Louisville, Ky. where the elite pair will compete in the inaugural TYR Derby Pro Swim Meet Friday at the University of Louisville.

It is part of a fundraising weekend for the Cardinals’ swim program.

Friday night’s pro swim meet will feature 16 of the best men and women pro swimmers from around the world.

Romano is a 2013 world champion and NCAA champion. Atkinson is a three-time Olympian for Jamaica and world short course record holder.

The pros, in addition to competing for prize money, will team with members of the Louisville swim team to hold a Drowning Prevention Clinic and also be part of a dinner with contributors.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com

Countdown To Rio Summer Olympics: 100 Days To Go

By Sharon Robb

April 27, 2016—It just got real for fourteen South Florida Aquatic Club elite swimmers and other athletes around the world training for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Wednesday marked the 100-day countdown for the Aug. 5-21 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janiero, the first time the multi-sport event will be held in South America at a cost of $7.4 billion.

SOFLO already has two swimmers who qualified for the Olympics and several others working toward the same goal.

Jamaican Alia Atkinson qualified for her fourth Olympic appearance in the 100-meter breaststroke. The world record holder has competed in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics and has yet to medal.

Colombian Jorge Murillo qualified for his Olympic debut in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke events.

Four other international swimmers training at SOFLO are potential Rio qualifiers: Lisa Blackburn, Bermuda, 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke; Alina Schulhofer, Austria, 800 freestyle relay; Raiz Tjon-A-Joe, Suriname, 50 and 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke; and Monica Alvarez, Colombia, 100-meter breaststroke.

Three SOFLO swimmers have qualified for the U.S. trials in Omaha: teenager Kathleen Golding, 200 and 400 individual medleys; 2012 Olympic relay gold medalist; Claire Donahue, 100 and 200 butterfly; and former world champion Megan Romano, 50, 100 and 200 freestyles; 100 and 200 backstroke.

Four other SOFLO swimmers are working on trying to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials: Marc Rojas, 100 and 200 breaststroke; Kile Aukerman, 100 and 200 breaststroke, 200 individual medley; Ksen Golovkina, 100 breaststroke and Catalina Mendieta.

Approximately 10,500 athletes from 206 countries are expected to compete for 306 medals over 17 days. The Rio Olympics will feature 136 women’s medal events, 161 men’s events and nine mixed events.

Rugby and golf are the two new sports added to this summer’s Games. The last time golf was included in the Olympics Games was 112 years ago. Rugby was last included in 1924 and the United States won gold that year.

The only sports that have been included in every Summer Olympics are swimming, track and field, cycling, fencing and gymnastics.

American Michael Phelps, who first competed in the 2004 Olympics, holds the record for most medals won by any man or woman with 22, including 18 gold medals. He also set a record for most gold medals won at one Olympics with eight in 2008.

Nine different venues will comprise the Olympic Park, seven of which will be maintained after the Games.

A total of 7.5 million tickets are available. Tickets to the more popular events, like swimming, start at $100 and can run up to $350 for finals. According to NBC, the most popular tickets sold so far have been soccer, basketball, volleyball and handball.

Fans interested in purchasing tickets to the Games can go to CoSport.com. Tickets are available individually or in packages with hotel bookings and hospitality offerings.

The Olympic torch relay began April 21 in Olympia, Greece, the Games’ birthplace. The torch will begin its 95-day journey through Brazil on May 3. The Rio Olympic torch will travel through 329 Brazilian towns and cities.

While Rio Olympics publicity has focused on raw sewage, dirty water, the Zika virus, political unrest and building delays, the Games main focus will always be the athletes and will go on and are still the greatest sporting event ever to be involved in.

PUERTO RICAN NATIONALS

SOFLO’s Lisa Blackburn, a Bermuda national record holder training to make her Olympic cuts, competed in the recent nationals in Puerto Rico. Blackburn won the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:13.19, was third in the 100-meter freestyle in 58.95 and fourth in the 50-meter freestyle in 27.40.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com

SOFLO’s Mendieta, Tjon-A-Joe Double Winners On Final Day Of FGC Jupiter Invitational

By Sharon Robb

April 25, 2016

South Florida Aquatic pro swimmers got in a little more long course racing on the final day of the Florida Gold Coast Long Course Invitational Sunday at North County Aquatic Complex in Jupiter.

Catalina Mendieta and Raiz Tjon-A-Joe each won two events.

Mendieta, 26, won the 100-meter freestyle in 1:00.66 and 50-meter butterfly in 29.31.

Tjon-A-Joe, 18, of Suriname won the 100-meter freestyle in 54.52 and 100-meter breaststroke in 1:09.89

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.comsha11cats@aol.com

SOFLO Pro Swimmers Compete In Jupiter; Mateus Takes Silver At SwimMiami

By Sharon Robb

April 23, 2016—Several South Florida Aquatic Club pro swimmers got in some long course racing Saturday in the Florida Gold Course Long Course Invitational in Jupiter.

Alina Schulhofer, 21, won the 200-meter freestyle in 2:12.32 and was fourth in the 100-meter butterfly in 1:08.94.

Catalina Mendieta was a double winner. Mendieta, 26, won the 100-meter butterfly in 1:05.01 and 50-meter freestyle in 27.98.

Newest SOFLO member Raiz Tjon-A-Joe, 18, won the 100-meter butterfly in 58.21, just missing a best time. He also won the 50-meter freestyle in 24.41 and was second in the 100-meter backstroke in 1:03.92

Santiago Rivera, 19, won the 50-meter breaststroke in 32.62

Ksen Golovkina, 26, won the 50-meter breaststroke 34.34 and was second in the 50-meter freestyle in 28.98.

SWIM MIAMI

SOFLO’s Leonardo Mateus, 14, finished second in the SwimMiami one-mile event in 16:37. Teammate Ryan Capote, 18, was 11th in 17:46.

Alexander Berggren, 21, of Sweden won the 10K title in 1:39:04. Catalina Berraud Galea, 19, of Fort Lauderdale won the women’s title in 1:47:23.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.comsha11cats@aol.com

South Florida Aquatic Club Masters Team Swimmers Shine At SwimMiami

By Sharon Robb

April 23, 2016—South Florida Aquatic Club’s masters team did well at the recent Swim Miami despite rough water conditions and large crowds.

In the 5K swim, SOFLO masters coach Carlo Morante was top SOFLO masters finisher. Morante, 23, finished in 57 minutes and 8 seconds, placing third in his age group.

Courtney Marx, 34, finished in 1:09.17, also placing third in her women’s age group.

Julia Fermayer, 38, was third in her age group in 1:20:31.

Five other SOFLO masters competed in the Miami Mile. Terri Rivera, 56, won her age group in 27.43.

Other finishers were:

Heather Braken Grissom, 36, 26:31, third.

Gail Young, 40, 33:00, sixth.

Robert Weick, 41, 31:19, 14th.

SOFLO coach George Mersinger, 63, 27:27, fourth.

Jennifer Martin, who trains at Academic Village Pool with the SOFLO team, won her 30-34 age group in the 800-meter swim in 16:01.

SOFLO welcomes all swimmers interested in joining its growing masters program. Contact Coach Carlo Morante at 954-538-3721.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.comsha11cats@aol.com

South Florida Aquatic Club Hosts USA Swimming SwimJitsu On Saturday

By Sharon Robb

April 20, 2016—USA Swimming and Florida Gold Coast will stage the “Ultimate Aquatic Challenge” Saturday at Academic Village Pool.

SwimJitsu-Pembroke Pines is a team-building activity to kick off the long course season. All Florida Gold Coast teams are welcome. SOFLO has offered volunteers and resources to help USA Swimming stage the event.

It was designed to introduce new swimmers and parents to USA Swimming and the sport in addition to team building among established teams.

Swim organizers call it the sport’s version of a combination of the Punt, Pass and Kick contest, Wipeout and American Ninja Warrior, using challenging ninja-themed inflatables in the pool.

Each competitor will race against the clock to complete the ultimate aquatic obstacle course using all their speed, endurance and swimming skills to gain the rank of Grand Master Swimja.

The idea is to master three traits: wisdom, speed and agility. Only the best time is recorded.

There are ten total obstacles:

1.The Start (Speed), the swimja begins his or her journey in the water.

2.The Slide (Speed), the swimja must first manipulate the first slide. Controlling speed is critical.

3.Bridge (Wisdom), the next obstacle tests the swimja’s wisdom. Choose the wrong path and their time will suffer.

4.The Jump (Wisdom), up or down? Only the master swimja chooses the right path.

5.The Second Swim (Agility), the swimja must gracefully master the second swim test and glide through the water.

6.The Beam (Agility), balance is critical. This is never more prevalent than on the beam. One missed step and you are all wet.

7.The Cliff (Wisdom), the swimja must carefully and strategically attack this obstacle. Wisdom is a must on the approach.

8.Mt. Swimja (Speed), the swimja must utilize their skills to get to the top of the mountain either by the rope or the handles.

9.The Top of Mt. Swimja (Wisdom), swimjas must ask themselves a question, to cannonball or slide?

10.Swim Finish, swimjas must utilize all of the three traits during the swim to the finish and touch the wall.

South Florida Aquatic Club is the only Florida club hosting the unique event. Other cities hosting are Edmond, Okla., Washington, D.C., Greensboro, N.C., New Providence, N.J., Voorhees, N.J., Fort Washington, Pa., Galloway, N.J., Wichita, Kan., St. Louis, Mo., Canton, Oh and Holly Springs, Ga.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: USA Swimming SwimJitsu-Pembroke Pines

When: Saturday

Where: Academic Village Swimming Pool, 17191 Sheridan Street, Pembroke Pines

Wave Sessions: One, 9-11 a.m.; Two, 11:15 a.m. 1:15 p.m.; Three, 2:30-4:30 p.m.; Four. 4:45-6:45 p.m.; Five, 7-9 p.m.

Information: Registration fee is $30. Those interested can register at http://www.swimjitsu.com/pembroke-pines-fl or call 954-538-3721 or email info@swim4comets.com.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com

Ledecky, Phelps Win On Final Day Of Mesa Arena Pro Swim Series

By Sharon Robb

April 16, 2016—World record holder Katie Ledecky and Olympian Michael Phelps were crowd-pleasers on the final night of the Arena Pro Series Grand Prix Saturday at windswept Skyline Aquatic Center.

Ledecky, 19, of Nation’s Capital won the 800-meter freestyle by nearly 15 seconds to capture her third title in three days.

Ledecky pulled away from the field early to win in 8:13.20, 14.65 seconds ahead of Denmar’s Lotte Friis in 8:27.85. Ledecky who finished sixth in the 100-meter freestyle in the final event, also won the 200- and 400-meter freestyle events during the meet.

Ledecky now owns the nine of the fastest marks in history in the 800.

Phelps, 30, also led his race from start-to-finish to win the 200-meter individual medley in 1:57.90, third fastest time in the world this year. North Baltimore Aquatic Club swimmers swept the top three spots. Training partner Chase Kalisz was second in 1:59.05 and David Nolan was third.

“The freestyle wasn’t that great,” Phelps said. “I am never really too satisfied. I always like to have something to work on. I have the speed and that’s something I was lacking. The rest will come.”

Training for his fifth Olympic appearance, Phelps also won the 200 butterfly on Friday.

Phelps now plans on six weeks of high altitude training in Colorado while awaiting the birth of his first child in May. “I’ve got so much in my head right now,” Phelps said.

Both Ledecky’s and Phelps’ results were promising with the U.S. Olympic trials just two months away.

Ledecky leads the points standings with 55 points. However, Ledecky plans to turn down the prize money and prizes to remain eligible for Stanford after she finishes her deferred year of training for the Olympics.

After swimming three morning prelim races, Floridian Ryan Lochte, 31, scratched from the 200 IM final to focus on the 200 backstroke which he won in 2:01.04 and 100 freestyle which he finished eighth in 50.69.

Reigning Olympic champion Nathan Adrian, 27, of Cal Aquatics won the 100-meter freestyle in 48.00, fourth fastest in the world this year, completing a sweep after winning the 50 and increasing his points standings lead with 40 points.

Simone Manuel, 19, swimming unattached, won the 100 freestyle in 53.80. Maya DiRado won the 200 IM in 2:11. Jordan Wilimovsky, already on the Olympic team in open water, won the 1500 in a best time 14:53.12, fifth fastest time in the world this year.

Missy Franklin scratched from the final day of competition opting for a rest day instead.

The windy conditions that plagued swimmers with gusts of 30-miles per hour and water kicking up on Friday calmed down for the third and final day of the meet.

The three-day meet was one of the last major tests before the 2016 U.S. Olympic trials and served as a FINA-approved competition where swimmers had a chance to achieve qualifying times for the Summer Olympics.

It was the fourth of seven stops on the Arena Pro Swim Series. A record prize purse of $350,000 is being offered during the series. At each meet, $1,000 is awarded for first, $600 for second and $200 for third.

SATURDAY RESULTS

WOMEN

200-meter individual medley: 1. Maya DiRado, Stanford 2:11.09, 2. Ella Eastin, Unattached 2:11.35, 3. Melanie Margalis, St. Petersburg Aquatics 2:12.22.

200-meter backstroke: 1. Maya DiRado, Stanford 2:08.61, 2. Kirsty Coventry, SwimMAC 2:10.04,3. Kaitlin Harty, YNS 2:10.23.

100-meter freestyle: 1. Simone Manuel, Unattached 53.80, 2. Abbey Weitzeil, CANY 54.22, 3. Dana Vollmer, CAL Aquatics 54.54; SOFLO: 39. Alia Atkinson 58.08.

800-meter freestyle: 1. Katie Ledecky, Nation’s Capital 8:13.20, 2. Lotte Friis, North Baltimore 8:27.85, 3. Cierra Runge, North Baltimore 8:32.21.

MEN

200-meter individual medley: 1. Michael Phelps, North Baltimore 1:57.90, 2. Chase Kalisz, North Baltimore 1:59.05, 3. David Nolan, North Baltimore 2:00.89; SOFLO: 29. Kile Aukerman 2:10.39

200-meter backstroke: 1. Ryan Lochte, SwimMAC 201.04, 2. Omar Pinzon, Trojan 2:01.65, 3. Connor Green, Cal Aquatics 2:02.03.

100-meter freestyle: 1. Nathan Adrian, Cal Aquatics 48.00, 2. Cristian Quintero, Trojan Swim Club 49.45, 3. Jimmy Feigen, Unattached 49.80.

1500-meter freestyle: 1. Clark Smith, UT 15:19.08, 2. Chris Wieser, Ford Tucson 15:38.38. 3. Ty Fowler, Ford Tucson 15:38.38.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com

Bland Leads SOFLO Swimmers, Time Drops At Sunrise Sizzler

By Sharon Robb

April 17, 2016—Clara Bland was the top South Florida Aquatic Club finisher at the 8-and-Under Sizzler Swim Meet at Sunrise Civic Center.

Bland, 6, was third in the 6-and-under 25-yard butterfly in a best time 31.61, dropping 7.93 seconds from her previous best of 39.54.

Bland also swam two other best times in the 25-yard backstroke and 25-yard breaststroke.

Bland was fifth in the backstroke event in 30.13, dropping 2.56 and ninth in the breaststroke event in 39.62, dropping 8.07.

SOFLO teammate Giada Porven was fifth in the 7-8 25-yard butterfly in a best time 19.77, breaking 20 seconds for the first time. Her previous best was 21.07.

Porven was also fourth in the 25-yard backstroke in a best time 21.68.

The meet was abbreviated because of bad weather. The competition ended before the 7-8 25-yard breaststroke.

The next Sizzler is scheduled for May 6 at Heritage Aquatics.

SIZZLER RESULTS

GIRLS

25-yard butterfly:

6-and-under, 1. Sabina LaPietra, PST 25.21, 2. Elizabeth Landron, SUN 29.16, 3. Clara Bland, SOFLO 31.61, best time; 7-8, 1. Lena Lajko, SFTL 16.86, 2. Mariana Montes, CSSC 18.14, 3. Tania Mantilla, YSF 18.99; SOFLO: 5. Giada Porven 19.77, best time, 7. Sarah Vasquez 21.29, best time, 11. Abigail Natino 22.11, best time

25-yard backstroke:

6-and-under, 1. Zeta Kujawa, PCS 26.83, 2. Sabina LaPietra, PST 26.90, 3. Elizabeth Landron, SUN 29.24; SOFLO: 5. Clara Bland, 30.13, best time; 7-8, 1. Carolyn Powell, CSSC 18.92, 2. Lena Lajko, SFTL 19.08, 3. Abigail Almacen, SUN 20.96; SOFLO: 4. Giada Porven 21.68, best time, 9. Abigail Natino 22.16, best time, 14. Sarah Vasquez 23.20, best time.

25-yard breaststroke:

6-and-under, 1. Molly Chaison, CSSC 29.10, 2. Elizabeth Landron, SUN 29.91, 3. Sabina LaPietra, PST 30.42; SOFLO: 9. Clara Bland 39.62, best time.

BOYS

25-yard butterfly:

6-and-under, 1. Andreas Lajko, SFTL 29.19, 2. Stepan Bulushev, HAT 31.14, 3. Francesco Corrals, SFTL 33.35; 7-8, 1. Farouk Musa, HAT 16.30, 2. Rafael Landron, SUN 16.39, 3. Sebastian Guio, YSF 17.88; SOFLO: 16. Joseph-Blake Natino 23.65, best time, 33. Luis Roman 30.67, 43. Christian Baltar 34.91.

25-yard backstroke:

6-and-under, 1. Andreas Lajko, SFTL 27.96, 2. Antonio Sarabia, HAFL 31.16, 3. Stepan Bulushev, HAT 31.39; 7-8, 1. Farouk Musa, HAT 17.47, 2. Sebastian Guio, YSF 19.54, 3. Rafael landron, SUN 20.16; SOFLO: 13. Joseph-Blake Natino 23.86, 24. Luis Roman 25.63, 29. Christian Baltar 26.53.

25-yard breaststroke:

6-and-under:

1. Andreas Lajko, SFTL 28.93, 2. Stepan Bulushev, HAT 32.07, 3. Jonah Spiller, HAT 32.43.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com

Phelps, Ledecky, Adrian Win Big On Day Two Of Mesa Arena Pro Swim Series

By Sharon Robb

April 15, 2016—Michael Phelps of North Baltimore Aquatic Club returned to winning form on the second night of the Arena Pro Series Grand Prix Friday at Skyline Aquatic Center.

The greatest swimmer of all time won the 200-meter butterfly with a strong front half in 1:58.14. His opening split was 54.93. Pace Clark of Athens Bulldogs was a close second in 1:58.71.

World record holder Katie Ledecky, 19, of Nation’s Capital, swam the world’s second fastest time this year in the 400-meter freestyle in 4:02.15. In her third swim within 90 minutes, Hungarian Katinka Hosszu was fifth in 4:14.59.

Olympic sprinter Nathan Adrian dropped .01 seconds off the world’s third-fastest time to win the 50-meter freestyle in 21.69 leaving Anthony Ervin and Cullen Jones in his wake. Madison Kennedy won the 50-meter freestyle in 24.45, sixth fastest time in the world.

David Plummer, 30, of New York Athletic Club won the 100-meter backstroke in 54.29 ahead of Ryan Lochte, 31, of SwimMAC in 55.35 and Arkady Vyatchanin, 32, also of New York Athletic Club in 55.39.

BJ Johnson won the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:14.16 ahead of Nic Fink in 2:15.06. Breeja Larson, after missing the A final in the 100-meter breaststroke in front of her hometown crowd, came back to win the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:26.64.

Cammile Adams won the 200-meter butterfly in 2:08.59. Maya DiRado out-touched Kirsty Coventry in the 100-meter backstroke in 1:00.71 to 1:00.74. On her second swim of the night, Hosszu was third in 1:00.84.

Michael McBroom, 24, won a close race in the 400-meter freestyle. McBroom won in 3:49.04 ahead of Conor Dwyer in 3:49.90 and Clark Smith in 3:49.96.

Saturday’s events are: 200-meter individual medley, 200-meter backstroke and 100-meter freestyle.

The three-day meet is one of the last major tests before the 2016 U.S. Olympic trials and is serving as a FINA-approved competition where swimmers can achieve qualifying times for the Summer Olympics.

It is the fourth of seven stops on the Arena Pro Swim Series. A record prize purse of $350,000 is being offered during the series. At each meet, $1,000 will be awarded for first, $600 for second and $200 for third.

Nathan Adrian leads the current men’s point standings with 30 and Ledecky leads the women’s with 40.

The entire meet is being live streamed at usaswimming.org. Prelims are noon and finals at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

NBC Sports Network will air the meet on next-day delay (midnight on Saturday) while NBC Sports Live Extra will stream the finals.

FRIDAY RESULTS

WOMEN

200-meter butterfly: 1. Cammile Adams, SwimMAC 2:08.59, 2. Cassidy Bayer, Nation’s Capital 2:09.68, 3. Maya DiRado, Stanford 2:10.33; SOFLO: 34. Claire Donahue 2:23.24.

50-meter freestyle: 1. Madison Kennedy, SwimMAC 24.45, 2. Dana Vollmer, Cal Aquatics 24.69, 3. Abbey Weitzeil, CANY 24.72; SOFLO: 50. Claire Donahue 27.47.

100-meter backstroke: 1. Maya DiRado, Stanford 1:00.71, 2. Kirsty Coventry, SwimMAC 1:00.74, 3. Katinka Hosszu, Unattached 1:00.84; SOFLO: 26. Megan Romano 1:04.11.

200-meter breaststroke: 1. Breeja Larson, NYAC 2:26.64, 2. Ashley McGregor, PCSC 2:27.68, 3. Hilda Luthersdottir, Gator Swim Club 2:28.4; SOFLO: 27. Alia Atkinson 2:38.11.

400-meter freestyle: 1. Katie Ledecky, Nation’s Capital 4:02.15, 2. Cierra Runge, North Baltimore 4:08.08, 3. Lotte Friis, North Baltimore 4:08.89.

MEN

200-meter butterfly: 1. Michael Phelps, North Baltimore 1:58.14, 2. Pace Clark, ABSC 1:58.71, 3. Jonathan Gomez, SCAR 1:58.79.

50-meter freestyle: 1. Nathan Adrian, Cal Aquatics 21.69, 2. Anthony Ervin, Trojan Swim Club 22.28, 3. Cullen Jones, SwimMAC 22.30.

100-meter backstroke: 1. David Plummer, NYAC 54.29, 2. Ryan Lochte, SwimMAC 55.35, 3. Arkady Vyatchanin, NYAC 55.39.

200-meter breaststroke: 1. BJ Johnson, PASA 2:14.16, 2. Nic Fink, ABSC 2:15.06, 3. Miguel De Lara Ojeda, BDD 2:15.77; SOFLO: 33. Kile Aukerman 2:23.71.

400-meter freestyle: 1. Michael McBroom, TWST 3:49.04, 2. Conor Dwyer, Trojan 3:49.90, 3. Clark Smith, UT 3:49.96.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com