2016 U.S. Open – Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2016 U.S. Open Swimming Championships

• Tuesday, August 2 – Saturday, August 6, 2016
• Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center
• The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
• Heats 9:00 AM / Finals 5:00 PM (U.S. Central Time)
• Psych Sheets
• Live Video
• Wednesday Prelims Heat Sheet
• Live Results
• Championship Central

Day Two – Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Women’s 400 Meter Freestyle

• American: 3:58.37 8/23/2014 Katie Ledecky
• U.S. Open Meet: 4:05.45 12/20/1987 Janet Evans, Fullerton

Leading up to the final two, circle-seeded heats, Stephanie Marchuk of Indiana University led the field with her heat-winning 4:14.17. Marchuk was out in 2:05.99, with Mallory Comerford just behind her, but Comerford faded over the second half and Kaersten Meitz of Boilermaker Aquatics (4:15.48) and Becca Postoll of Club Wolverine (4:17.19) moved in for second and third in the heat, and overall to that point.

Ashley Twichell led from start to finish in the first circle-seeded heat, turning at 2:04.89 at the halfway point, just in front of York YMCA’s Courtney Harnish (2:04.98). Stephanie Peters of Marietta Marlins moved up over the second 200, and nearly caught Twichell. At the touch it was Twichell with 4:11.50, Peters with 4:11.62, and Harnish with 4:13.53.

In the final heat it was Rose Bi of Club Wolverine who set the pace at the 200 with 2:05.46, but North Baltimore’s Sierra Schmidt controlled the back half and won with 4:13.70 to move to fourth overall. Second and third in that heat were Erica Sullivan of Sandpipers of Nevada (4:15.22) and Madison Homovich of Marlins of Raleigh (4:15.52).

Top 8

1. Ashley Twichell, Unattached, 4:11.50
2. Stephanie Peters, Marietta Marlins, 4:11.62
3. Courtney Harnish, York YMCA, 4:13.53
4. Sierra Schmidt, North Baltimore Aquatic Club, 4:13.70
5. Stephanie Marchuk, Indiana University, 4:14.17
6. Erica Sullivan, Sandpipers Of Nevada, 4:15.22
7. Kaersten Meitz, Boilermaker Aquatics, 4:15.48
8. Madison Homovich, Marlins of Raleigh, 4:15.52

Men’s 400 Meter Freestyle

• American: 3:42.78 8/10/2008 Larsen Jensen
• U.S. Open Meet: 3:47.62 7/31/2008 Michael Klueh

Pitchfork Aquatics’ Juan Tolosa took nearly a second off his seed time to win the first heat of men’s 400 freestyle in 3:57.65 ahead of Badger Swim Club’s Richard Mannix (3:58.37).

Nicholas Grainger of Great Britain won the first circle-seeded heat with 3:52.38 after blasting a huge last 100 meters that took him past Wales’ Daniel Jervis. Jervis, who won the 1500 last night, finished second in the heat with 3:53.76. Isaac Jones of Kentucky placed third in 3:56.02.

In the third and final heat of the morning, PJ Ransford of Club Wolverine and Zane Grothe of Badger Swim Club set the pace over the first half of the race, but the back half belonged to Gator Swim Club’s True Sweetser. Sweetser finished with 3:51.83 to jump to the top of the leaderboard for the morning, while Grothe’s second-place 3:52.98 moved him to third overall. Liam Egan of Crimson Aquatics was third in that heat with 3:53.86.

Top 8

1. True Sweetser, Gator Swim Club, 3:51.83
2. Nicholas Grainger, COSSS, 3:52.38
3. Zane Grothe, Badger Swim Club, 3:52.98
4. Daniel Jervis, Swim Wales, 3:53.76
5. Liam Egan, Crimson Aquatics, 3:53.86
6. PJ Ransford, Club Wolverine, 3:55.42
7. Isaac Jones, Kentucky Aquatics, 3:56.02
8. Andrew Brady, Gator Swim Club, 3:56.20

Women’s 200 Meter Breaststroke

• American: 2:19.59 8/2/2012 Rebecca Soni
• U.S. Open Meet: 2:22.51 8/4/2009 Katlin Freeman

With only four heats of women’s 200 breast, we were quickly into the circle-seeded heats. Cardinal Aquatics’ Andee Cottrell won the first one in 2:28.75, followed by Olivia Anderson of Aquajets Swim Team (2:29.09).

Madisyn Cox followed up in the next heat with a strong 2:27.69, 6/10 faster than her seed time. Miranda Tucker of Club Wolverine was second with 2:30.97.

The final heat of women’s 200 breasts showcased a tough battle between Bethany Galat of Aggie Swim Club and her teammate Esther Gonzalez. At the touch it was Galat with 2:28.61 to Gonzalez’ 2:29.43, while Anna Belousova of Nation’s Capital Swim Club came in third with 2:30.37.

Top 8

1. Madisyn Cox, Unattached TXLA, 2:27.69
2. Bethany Galat, Aggie Swim Club, 2:28.61
3. Andee Cottrell, Cardinal Aquatics, 2:28.75
4. Olivia Anderson, Aquajets Swim Team, 2:29.09
5. Esther Gonzalez Medina, Aggie Swim Club, 2:29.43
6. Anna Belousova, Nation’s Capital Swim Club, 2:30.37
7. Miranda Tucker, Unattached CW, 2:30.97
8. Franko Jonker, Unattached AGS, 2:31.10

Men’s 200 Meter Breaststroke

• American: 2:07.17 6/30/2016 Josh Prenot
• U.S. Open Meet: 2:10.36 7/31/2013 Scott Weltz

Michael Andrew of Race Pace Club opened the men’s 200 breast heats with a 2.5-second drop to win heat 1 with 2:17.17 ahead of Cardinal Aquatics’ Brennen Berger (2:23.08). Great Britain’s James Wilby took the next heat, the first of the circle-seeds, with 2:14.31. Wilby was in a tight race with New Zealand’s Julian Layton, who touched second in the heat with 2:14.51. John Bushman of Aces Swim Club came to the wall third in 2:16.69, and the trio moved to the top of the qualifiers’ list.

Matthew Wilson of Australia took over the lead when he won the penultimate heat with 2:14.08. Jonathan Rutter from Powel Crosley, Jr. YMCA was runner-up in the heat with 2:16.30, coming to the wall just in front of Indiana University’s Cody Taylor (2:16.47).

Top-seeded Andrew Wilson of Longhorn Aquatics took the final heat in a dominant 2:12.94, for the morning’s fastest qualifying time. Marat Amaltdinov of Boilermaker Aquatics finished second in the heat with 2:14.47, while Nick Zito of WEST Swim Club touched third with 2:16.17.

Top 8

1. Andrew Wilson, Longhorn Aquatics, 2:12.94
2. Matthew Wilson, Australia, 2:14.08
3. James Wilby, Loughborough, 2:14.31
4. Marat Amaltdinov, Boilermaker Aquatics, 2:14.47
5. Julian Layton, New Zealand, 2:14.51
6. Nick Zito, WEST Swim Club, 2:16.17
7. Jonathan Rutter, Powel Crosley, Jr. YMCA, 2:16.30
8. Cody Taylor, Indiana University, 2:16.47

Women’s 200 Meter Backstroke

• American: 2:04.06 8/3/2012 Missy Franklin
• U.S. Open Meet: 2:08.42 7/30/2008 Hayley McGregory

Rachel Zilinskas of Athens Bulldog Swim Club logged her best performance since 2014 with a heat 2 win of women’s 200 back in 2:15.45, ahead of Fiona Donnelly from HO2kie Aquatics (2:17.06). The following heat produced an excellent race between Laura Savariau of Firestone Akron Swim Team and Indiana University’s Rachel Matsumura. Savariau came to the wall in 2:16.07, just edging Matsumura who finished with 2:16.20.

Bridgette Alexander of Kentucky Aquatics won the first circle-seeded heat with 2:10.92 to take over the leaderboard, while Helen Moffitt of North Carolina Aquatic Club went 2:13.36 for second and Gabby Deloof of Club Wolverine finished third with 2:14.13.

Hannah Moore of NC State had a great back half to win the penultimate heat in 2:10.89; she overtook Longhorn Aquatics’ Tasija Karosas (2:11.18) at the end.

Sian Whittaker of Australia posted a strong 2:09.73 to win the final heat of women’s 200 back. Following her to the wall were Aquazot Swim Club’s Eva Merrell (2:10.39) and Riptide Swim Team’s Regan Smith (2:11.41). Smith moved from 12th to 8th on the all-time list for 13-14 girls.

Top 8

1. Sian Whittaker, Australia, 2:09.73
2. Eva Merrell, Aquazot Swim Club, 2:10.39
3. Hannah Moore, NC State University, 2:10.89
4. Bridgette Alexander, Kentucky Aquatics, 2:10.92
5. Tasija Karosas, Longhorn Aquatics, 2:11.18
6. Regan Smith, Riptide Swim Team, 2:11.41
7. Alice Treuth, Irish Aquatics, 2:13.14
8. Helen Moffitt, North Carolina Aquatic Club, 2:13.36

Men’s 200 Meter Backstroke

• American: 1:51.92 7/31/2009 Aaron Peirsol
• U.S. Open Meet: 1:54.59 8/5/2009 Nicholas Thoman

Kieran Smith of Ridgefield Aquatic Club dropped 1.5 seconds off his seed time to win the opening heat of men’s 200 back in 2:02.70. Michael Andrew of Race Pace Club just edged Robert Finke of Saint Petersburg Aquatics, 2:05.44 to 2:05.83, for second in the heat.

Brennan Balogh of Lincoln Select Swimming improved his seed time by 4/10 to win the first circle-seeded heat with 2:01.72. Cardinal Aquatics’ Aaron Greene finished second with 2:03.00.

Number 2 seed, Robert Owen of H2okie Aquatics clipped .09 off his seed time to take the penultimate heat in 1:57.39, ahead of Crews Wellford from University of Alabama Swim Club (2:00.73) and Todd McCarthy of Wisconsin Aquatics (2:02.64).

Top-seeded Arkady Vyatchanin of New York Athletic Club claimed the final heat in 1:59.32, moving to the second qualifying position behind Owen. Indiana University’s Bob Glover went 2:01.23 for second in the heat, while teammate James Beckman came in third with 2:02.04.

Top 8

1. Robert Owen, H2okie Aquatics, 1:57.39
2. Arkady Vyatchanin, New York Athletic Club, 1:59.32
3. Crews Wellford, University Of Alabama Swim Club, 2:00.43
4. Bob Glover, Indiana University, 2:01.23
5. Brennan Balogh, Lincoln Select Swimming, 2:01.72
6. James Beckman, Indiana University, 2:02.04
7. Rob Whitacre, Irish Aquatics, 2:02.40
8. Todd McCarthy, Wisconsin Aquati cs, 2:02.64