It has been a solid 12 hours for the red, white and blue. After Sunday night’s U.S. victory in the Women’s World Cup, the USA swimming’s “C” team, competing a half-day later and 16 time zones apart from their soccer-playing compatriots, set the Nambu University International Aquatics Center ablaze Monday night.
Team USA rebounded from a less than inspiring second day in Gwangju, South Korea, winning three golds, four silvers and a bronze medal on the third day of the World University Games, led by a pair of first-second finishes in the freestyle events.
Reed Malone and Clay Youngquist touched for gold and silver in the men’s 200-meter freestyle, and later, Olympian Shannon Vreeland and Abbey Weitzeil combined for another podium-topping performance in the women’s 100 freestyle.
It was the second time in the competition’s opening three days that the United States had won three golds in a single session.
In the men’s freestyle, Malone surged in the back-half of the race and opened up a lead heading into the final length. He touched in 1 minute 47.15 seconds, joining Olympian Conor Dwyer as the only Americans in the top 15 in the world. Youngquist came back strong in the final 50 meters to nab silver in 1:47.91, edging Australia’s Jacob Hansford.
Malone returned an hour later to finish in a surprise bronze in the men’s 400 freestyle after turning in last place at the halfway point. Jay Lelliot of Great Britain edged Australia’s Jack McLoughlin, 3:48.84 to 3:48.88, for gold after a wire-to-wire battle.
“When you’ve got your country’s flag on your head, you’ve got to bear down and take the pain and go with it,” Malone said. “I was extremely happy with my race in the 400 and even more elated with the 200 … I couldn’t be happier with how the night went.”
Not to be outdone by their male teammates, Vreeland accelerated through the women’s sprint event to claim gold in 54.39. Weitzeil, a recent graduate and a soon-to-be California freshman, touched just behind in 54.53 — and well clear of bronze medalist Ami Matsuo of Australia (54.94).
Vreeland was a gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympics as a member of the winning U.S. team in the 4×200 free relay and is the top seed in Wednesday’s 200 freestyle heats.
[2015 World University Games: Links, schedule and results]
Picking up the United States third gold of the session was Josh Prenot in the most thrilling finish of the night. In the men’s 200 individual medley, Prenot tied Australia’s Justin James, both touching in 1:58.38.
At the final turn, only .12 seconds separated first through third; and in the early stages of the freestyle leg, it appeared that James would defend his Universiade title. But in the final 10 meters, Prenot closed the gap and with a final lunge found the wall in time for the tie.
Both swimmers hung on the wall after smiling at the improbable result.
Keita Sunama of Japan finished a shade behind for bronze in 1:58.45, and all three swimmers moved into the top 10 in the world.
Prenot, a rising California senior, had been in seventh place after backstroke before launching an attack in breast. He split 32.83 seconds to move into third position.
It was Prenot’s second race of the night, having swum in the 200 breaststroke semifinal less than half an hour prior. He finished third in the second heat to qualify fourth overall in 2:11.04. Craig Benson of Great Britain, the silver medalist in the 100 distance, topped qualifying in 2:10.18, followed by Japan’s Kazuki Kohinata (2:10.63) and Russia’s Kirill Prigoda (2:10.95).
Lindsay Vrooman of Indiana finished second in the women’s 1,500 free, earning the United States first medal of the session with a lifetime best 16:13.85. Italy’s Martina Caramignoli put forth an impressive effort in winning gold, leading from the get-go to finish nearly 15 meters ahead in 16:06.71 — sixth fastest in the world this year. Kiah Melverton of Australia won bronze in 16:21.39.
In the women’s 100 breaststroke, Lillia King claimed the United States’ second silver — and a second for the Hoosiers — finishing behind Japan’s Mina Matsushima, 1:06.76 to 1:07.93. Fiona Doyle of Ireland touched third in 1:07.15.
It was King’s first time under 1:07 and moves her to seventh in the world.
The United States held firmly to his lead in the medal standings with 14 total (seven gold, four silver, three bronze) — 12 of which were picked up on Days 1 and 3.
[Jack Conger claims second medal; U.S. leads standings through second day]
In the semifinal heats, Russia’s Evgeny Koptelov topped qualifying in the men’s 200 butterfly in a world top 10 time of 1:55.58. Just behind was Japan’s Masayuki Umemoto, who won the second semifinal in 1:55.72 — 11th best in the world.
After qualifying third-overall for Monday night’s semifinal, Andrew Seliskar nearly fell victim to a quick early pace and finished fourth in his heat in 1:56.84 — only a half-second improvement from his morning swim and far off his season-best 1:55.92. He’ll advance in sixth position for Tuesday’s final.
The other American, Kyle Whitaker of Michigan, went out too fast and faded to seventh in the heat (1:59.06) and failed to advance.
[Watch race videos from Day 2 of the 2015 World University Games]
In the women’s 100 backstroke, Cal’s Rachel Bootsma and Elizabeth Pelton qualified second-third for Tuesday’s final. Canada’s Kylie Masse topped the semifinal heats in a 1:00.26, followed closely by Boostma (1:00.64) and Pelton (1:00.92).
Madisyn Cox of Texas qualified first overall in the women’s 200 IM, lowering her own personal best again at night after a nearly 1.5-second improvement during the morning heats. She finished in 2:12.15, cracking the top 20 in the world and nearing the meet record of 2:12.07. China’s Sishi Zhang finished a shade behind in 2:12.55 to qualify second overall.
Australia’s Ellen Fullerton won the first semifinal in 2:12.94 and will be the third seed for the final.
After a disqualification by Matt Josa in the 50 backstroke, no Americans advanced in a final for the first time in Gwangju. Junya Hasegawa topped qualifying in 25.19.
