In the years since bursting onto the national scene following his freshman year of high school, Andrew Seliskar has made a habit of managing his energy — throughout a race, a meet, a season — and building — from start to finish in the pool, from prelims to finals, from early-season tuneups to culminating championships.
Which is why Tuesday night’s flub in the men’s 200-meter butterfly at the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea, ultimately will be remembered as nothing more than a minor setback in what has the potential to be a very successful career — if it’s remembered at all.
[2015 World University Games: Links, schedule and results]
Seliskar, the two-time All-Met Swimmer of the Year in his first major international stint with the U.S. national team, touched in a forgettable eighth-place time of 1 minute 57.67 seconds during the championship final of the butterfly event, his signature event.
The future California Golden Bear set the pace early with a plucky swim that had the appearance of something truly special. That is, until the final lap.
Seliskar was fourth at the first wall and second at the half, trailing race leader and eventual bronze medalist Masayuki Umemoto by a hand. And in the third leg, the 18-year-old Nation’s Capital product registered one of two sub-30 second splits to take over the lead with 50 meters to go.
[Video: Complete footage from from Day 4 of the 2015 World University Games]
But in the section of the race where Seliskar typically puts his competition away with smooth strokes and a monstrous kick, he tightened. His stroke looked labored before ever reaching the 15-meter marker, and in the final length of the pool, Seliskar watched his gold medal turn to silver to bronze to disappointment.
Russia’s Evgeny Koptelov took gold in the event, posting the second fastest time in the world this year (1:54.79) and overtaking Olympic champion Chad le Clos of South Africa in the rankings. Yajima Yuya of Japan finished for silver in 1:55.73, followed by compatriot Umemoto in 1:56.12.
Seliskar entered the meet as the highest-ranked swimmer in the field and the top-ranked American in the world. He’ll leave medalist unless he finds his way onto a relay, an unlikely prospect after Tuesday’s performance, and for the first time in a long time, his season best in an event will come in January, not July or August.
But the butterfly event was a lone blemish on an otherwise sterling night for the Americans.
[United States posts eight-medal night on Day 3 at World University Games]
Team USA won three golds Tuesday night at Nambu University International Aquatics Center, and added two silvers and a bronze as well.
Leah Smith of Virginia took home the win in the women’s 400 freestyle, Cal’s Josh Prenot claimed a second gold in the men’s 200 breaststroke, and the United States continued its relay dominance with a victory in the women’s 4×200 free relay on the fourth day in South Korea.
Following a meet record of 4:04.66 in the morning heats, Smith and Lindsay Vrooman went wire-to-wire in in the 400 freestyle en route to gold and silver. Smith touched in 4:05.29, followed by Vrooman in 4:07.28 and Italy’s Martina de Memme in 4:08.95.
Prenot, winner in the 200 individual medley on Monday, surged to a 2:08.90 touch in the men’s 200 breaststroke, edging Japan’s Kazuki Kohinata (2:09.08) and Great Britain’s Craig Benson (2:09.10).
In the final event of the night, the U.S. team of Smith, Hali Flickinger, Chelsea Chenault and Shannon Vreeland led from start to finish, setting a meet record in the 4×200 free relay of 7:53.88. China was second in 8:01.09, followed by Japan in third in 8:01.18.
“We were looking to do the best we could to beat that record, and we were really excited about finishing the race up strong and winning,” Chenault said. The Americans had also set the previous meet record of 7:55.02 in 2011. It was Smith’s second gold of the night and Vreeland’s third of the competition.
The United States won six gold medals two years ago in Kazan, Russia — on its way to 24 total. Through four days in Gwangju, the American contingent has 10 golds, six silver, four bronze (20 total) with three more days of pool swimming and a pair of open water events to go.
Also picking up medals for the U.S. on Day 4 were Cal teammates Elizabeth Pelton and Rachel Bootsma, who earned silver and bronze in the women’s 100 back, and Madisyn Cox, who took home silver in the women’s 200 IM.
Kylie Masse of Canada won the women’s backstroke event in 59.97, the only sub-minute performance. Sishi Zhang of China won the women’s 200 IM in 2:12.31; Australia’s Ellen Fullerton took bronze.
In the semifinal heats, Jack Conger posted a lifetime best in the men’s 100 freestyle to top qualifying. His time of 49.04 places him as the second ranked American in the world this year behind Nathan Adrian, but that should change once world championships, the Pan American Games and U.S. nationals conclude.
[Jack Conger claims second medal; U.S. leads standings through second day]
The rising Texas junior was sub-48 on the U.S.’s winning 4×100 free relay earlier in the week, and should be able to find sub-49 speed off the block in Wednesday’s final. Joining him in the final will be Cal’s Seth Stubblefield in fourth and Henrique de Souza Martins of Brazil and Marco Belootti of Italy, who tied for second.
Felicia Lee of Cal reached the women’s 100 butterfly final with a sub-59-second performance. She’ll be the fifth speed tomorrow behind Italy’s Elena di Liddo, China’s Zhou Yilin and Lu Ying and Slovakia’s Katarina Listopadova, who were all under as well.
Louisville’s Andrea Cottrell won the first semifinal of the women’s 200 breast in 2:27.27, but was eclipsed by Japanese swimmers Keiko Fukudome (2:25.80) and Reona Aoki (2:27.04) in the following heat. Tennessee’s Molly Hannis also qualified for the final for Team USA.
