Before the start of the 2016-17 dual-meet season, ASU swimming head coach Bob Bowman identified breaststroke as a conundrum on the women's side.
While Bowman admitted he has plenty of breaststroke swimmers, he also said many of them have only competed, on a regular basis, in the 100-yard breast. That leaves a gaping hole for the distance event.
"I’m interested to see who can swim a 200-yard, but we will know in the next couple of days," Bowman said.
During the team’s annual intrasquad meet, the 100-yard breast was on the events schedule, but the 200, however, was left off.
Last weekend in Utah, the Sun Devils competed against the University of Utah and Brigham Young University, and those two meets counted in the standings.
But by itself, the 200 breast functioned in many ways like an NFL preseason game. The coaching staff wanted to figure out what they had in the event going forward.
On Friday against the Utes, sophomore Kaya Philapil placed third in the 200. The following day against the Cougars, she earned her first win of the season in this event.
"We were all really getting hyped up, and we going one, two in events," Philapil said. "The fact that I got to contribute points was really fun."
Despite not winning on Friday, she was pleased that she had similar times in all her events. From Friday to Saturday, Philapil added .052 of a second to her time in the 200 breast — a respectable difference given the short amount of time between meets.
Going forward, the 18-year-old should provide coach Bowman added versatility. In Provo, Utah along with her performance in the 200, she also recorded a first-place finish in the 100 breast.
The stroke’s fundamentals do not change, but adding four extra laps throws plenty of extra variables into the mix for every swimmer, including Philapil.
"Last year I was in the mid-distance group with Bob and that was more of training for the 200 and longer distances.
"This year I am in the sprint group with Misty (Hyman) and it is making a really big difference," Philapil said. "We do more technical stuff like your stroke count and tempo which really add up in the 200 and 100."
She believes making that transition has "worked better for her this season."
@kayapapayaa getting her work in. @ASUSwimDive pic.twitter.com/sdO047KUgn
— Joe Jacquez (@joejacquezaz) October 26, 2016
Fellow sophomore Marlies Ross also swam the 200 breast on Friday and Saturday, recording two-second place finishes.
Ross, who qualified for last season’s NCAA Championships, recorded her best time in the 200 while making her PAC-12 Championships debut (2:11.13).
"That was a real eye-opener for me, that I could do the 200 breaststroke," Ross said. "Bob and I have been working on the breaststroke stroke and specifically for the 200."
At 5-foot-11 inches tall with long arms and legs, swimming the 100 is difficult for Ross, adding that she has trouble getting into her stroke quickly.
"That is why 200s are better for me," Ross said. "I can lengthen my stroke, finish my kick, and I am not to rushed."
Making determinations based on a small sample size is irresponsible, but at the very least, the Sun Devils might have found their short-term solution.
Related Links:
ASU swim and dive Olympian Katarina Simonovic looks ahead to final season
Rio 2016 Blog: Kat Simonovic takes on the Summer Olympics
Reach the reporter at jpjacqu1@asu.edu or follow @joejacquezaz on Twitter.
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