Simone Manuel competes in the women's 100-meter butterfly at the TYR Pro Swim Series on May 17, 2018 in Indianapolis.
Five For Friday: Beach Volleyball
The TYR Pro Swim Series stop in Indianapolis this week is packed with Olympic champions.
U.S. swimming stars Katie Ledecky and Simone Manuel have combined for 10 Olympic medals, and they are among the Olympians assembled at the Indiana University Natatorium for four nights of smashing performances. The meet ends Saturday night.
Ledecky, a five-time Olympic gold medalist who is competing for the first time as a pro, began the powerful parade on Wednesday when she annihilated her own world record in the women’s 1,500-meter freestyle by five seconds with a time of 15:20.48. She won the 400 free Thursday with the second-fastest time in history and is also the top seed in the 200 and 800 free.
Leah Smith, who won gold medals in the freestyle relays at the 2017 world championships and Olympic Games Rio 2016, will battle Ledecky in the 200 free and 400 individual medley. Smith is the top seed in the 400 IM and the defending national champion in that event.
Manuel is the top seed in the women’s 50 and 100 freestyle.
The women’s freestyle power also includes eight-time Olympic medalist Allison Schmitt, who is the second seed in the 200.
Among the star power in the men’s events is five-time Olympic champion Nathan Adrian, who already won the 100 freestyle and is the top seed in the 50. He is a three-time Olympian who has won eight Olympic medals.
Other top seeds in the men’s competition include 2016 Olympian Kevin Cordes, who is No. 1 in the 100 and 200 breaststroke; six-time Olympic medalist Matt Grevers, 100 backstroke; 2016 Olympian Jacob Pebley, 200 backstroke; and 2016 Olympic relay gold medalist Tom Shields, 100 butterfly.
TV: 7 p.m. ET Friday, Olympic Channel; 7 p.m. Saturday, NBCSN
Paul D. Bowker is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
