SIX POOL RECORDS FALL AT THE ERIC NAMESNIK MICHIGAN GRAND PRIX

MAJALAH AKUATIK INDONESIA-ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Six pool records fell Saturday on the second night of competition at the Eric Namesnik Michigan Grand Prix. Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.), Kate Zielger (Great Falls, Va.), Natalie Coughin (Vallejo, Calif.), Kara Lynn Joyce (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Tunisia’s Ous Mellouli and Brazil’s Cesar Cielo all broke pool records at the meet taking place at the University of Michigan. The Grand Prix meet concludes Sunday, April 10. 

Phelps set a pool record and won the men’s 100m back with a time of 54.15. He was able to hold off fellow Olympian Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) for his only win of the night. Lochte finished second in 54.81 and David Nolan (Hershey, Pa.) was third in 55.10.

Ziegler had an impressive swim in the women’s 400m free, breaking the pool record by almost five seconds with a time of 4:07.78. Katie Hoff (Towson, Md.) finished second in 4:08.23 and Gator Swim Club’s Andreina Pinto was third in 4:15.81.

"My mindset has changed. I'm swimming for me more and I'm enjoying it," Ziegler said after the race. "There's going to be ups and downs but I'm still having fun.”

Coughlin placed first and set a pool record in the 100m back with a time of 1:00.04. The Olympic gold medalist took an early lead in the event and her strong underwater work helped her hold on to the lead in the final 50 meters. Elizabeth Pelton (Baltimore, Md.) was second in 1:00.67 and Brazil’s Fabiola Pulga Molina was third in 1:00.95.

Phelps was upset in the 200m fly, finishing fourth with a time of 1:57.79. The win went to China’s Wu Peng who finished in 1:56.62. Phelps, who owns the world record in the event, was unable to come from behind in the final 50 meters to make the podium. Poland’s Marcin Cieslak was second in 1:57.13 and Tyler Clary (Riverside, Calif.) was third in 1:57.56.

The men’s and women’s 50m free, always two of the more exciting races of the night, saw winning swims from Brazil’s Cesar Cielo and Kara Lynn Joyce (Ann Arbor, Mich.). The men’s race, which featured Olympic gold medalists Jason Lezak (Irvine, Calif.) and Cullen Jones (New Brunswick, N.J.), was dominated by the Brazilian swimmers as they earned the top three spots. Cielo swam a 22.08, a new pool record, while Bruno Fratus was second in 22.52 and Nicholas Santos was third in 22.54. Joyce won the women’s race with a pool-record time of 25.25, just .11 ahead of Brazils’ Cazzio Delaroli. Dana Vollmer (Granbury, Texas) rounded out the top three with a time of 25.45.

Clary picked up a win in the men’s 400m free with a time of 3:51.57. He held off Michael Klueh (Evansville, Ind.), who finished second in 3:52.01, and Charlie Houchin (Raleigh, N.C.), who was third in 3:52.81.

In other races, Jasmine Tosky (Walnut Creek, Calif.) won the women’s 200m fly in 2:11.11. Madison Wright of Kingfish Aquatics was second in 2:12.21 and Caitlin Leverenz (Tucson, Ariz.) was third in 2:13.34. Caitlin Leverenz picked up the win in the women’s 200m breast with a time of 2:30.37. Ariana Kukors (Auburn, Wash.) was second in 2:31.89 and Annie Zhu of Asphalt Green Aquatics was third in 2:32.16. The men’s 200m breast was won by 1500m free Olympic gold medalist Ous Mellouli of Tunisia. Melloui set a pool record in 2:15.36 and was followed by Mike Alexandrov (Champaign, Ill.), who was second in 2:15.84. Austria’s Markus Rogan was third in 2:15.92. (usa swimming)