2019 U.S. Open Championships: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2019 U.S. Open Swimming Championships

• December 4th-7th, 2019
• McCauley Aquatic Center, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia
• LCM (50m), Prelims/Finals
• Psych sheets
• Pre-scratch timeline
• Live stream (all sessions beside A finals on Friday/Saturday)
• Live results

Day 4 finals heat sheets

Women’s 1500m Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• American record: 15:20.48 Katie Ledecky 5/16/2018 Indianapolis, IN (USA)
• US Open record: 15:20.48 Katie Ledecky 5/16/2018 Indianapolis, IN (USA)
• US Open Meet record: 15:52.10 Janet Evans

Podium:

1. Katie Ledecky (NCAP) – 15:35.98
2. Kiah Melverton (AUS) – 16:05.95
3. Erica Sullivan (SAND) – 16:13.49

Katie Ledecky took down the 31-year-old U.S. Open Meet record, the oldest on the books, with 15:35.98. Ledecky set the pace early. A body up at the 100, she flipped at 58.50, with Kiah Melverton and Erica Sullivan in tow. She increased her lead by a second at the 200, clocking a 2:02.53 to the feet. Ledecky held 31-lows and 31-mids throughout, increasing her lead on the field by at least 1 second per 100.

Melverton moved 2 seconds ahead of Sullivan by the 400, while Haley Anderson moved into 4th. Halfway through the race, Ledecky was about 11 seconds ahead of Melverton, who was 4.5 second ahead of Sullivan, who was about 3 seconds ahead of Anderson.

The order remained to the end. Melverton stopped the clock at 16:05.95 and Sullivan went 16:13.49.

Ledecky turned in the top time of the year so far this year by 5 seconds. “I didn’t have time on my mind today. I just wanted to have a consistent swim and put together a good race and see what I could do. It was probably the best mile I’ve had in a while,” she said after the race. “There’s a lot of room to improve still. I’m going to get back to work and see what I can do in these next couple months.”

Men’s 1500m Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• American record: 14:39.48 Connor Jaeger 8/13/2016 Rio (BRA)
• US Open record: 14:45.54 Peter Vanderkaay 7/6/2008 Omaha, NE (USA)
• US Open Meet record: 14:55.46 Damien Joly

Podium:

1. Guilherme da Costa (BRA) – 14:55.49
2. Jordan Wilimovsky (TSM) – 15:03.29
3. Bobby Finke (FLOR) – 15:05.55

Brazil’s Guilherme da Costa, who represents Minas Tenis Club, narrowly missed the U.S. Open Meet record by .03, but nonetheless lowered his own National Record by 3.6 seconds with 14:55.49. Da Costa went out first, turning in 57.33 to establish the pace at the 100. He dominated the first 500 meters, with Jordan Wilimovsky trailing by 2.8 seconds and Bobby Finke another second behind. Wilimovsky had a strong middle 500 and began to eat away at da Costa’s lead, whittling it down to 1.9 seconds at about the 950 wall. But the last 500 belonged to da Costa. He switched to another gear and outsplit the others by about 3/10 per 50. At the end, it was da Costa with 14:55.49, Wilimovsky with 15:03.29, and Finke with 15:05.55.

Women’s 200m Backstroke – Final

• American record: 2:03.35 Regan Smith 7/26/2019 Gwangju (KOR)
• US Open record: 2:05.68 Missy Franklin 6/26/2013 Indianapolis, IN (USA)
• US Open Meet record: 2:08.42 Hayley McGregory

Podium:

1. Isabelle Stadden (AQJT) – 2:08.49
2. Phoebe Bacon (NCAP) – 2:08.82
3. Lisa Bratton (ASC) – 2:09.16

17-year-old Phoebe Bacon, swimming in lane 4 after posting the morning’s top, was first out of the gate with 29.82. She held the lead at the 100 wall, turning in 1:02.30. Isabelle Stadden, also 17, was almost a full second behind Bacon and just a tick ahead of Alex Walsh. Stadden began to make her move on the third 50, though, and pulled ahead over the final 50 meters. Meanwhile, Lisa Bratton pulled past Walsh. At the touch, it was Stadden with 2:08.49, Bacon with 2:08.82, and Bratton with 2:09.16. Bacon went a lifetime best and moved to #8 all-time in the 17-18 age group.

Beata Nelson won the B final in 2:11.85.

Men’s 200m Backstroke – Final

• American record: 1:51.92 Aaron Peirsol 7/31/2009 Rome (ITA)
• US Open record: 1:53.08 Aaron Peirsol 7/11/2009 Indianapolis, IN (USA)
• US Open Meet record: 1:54.59 Nicholas Thoman

Podium:

1. Christopher Reid (WOLF) – 1:57.04
2. Jacob Pebley (TE) – 1:57.73
3. Clark Beach (FLOR) – 1:59.42

Jacob Pebley took control of the race from the outset, turning in 27.3 and 56.8 to build up a lead of a half a second at the 100. He still had a comfortable lead at the 150, with Christopher Reid and Clark Beach trailing. But when Reid came off the final wall he picked up the pace and blew past Pebley to get the win in 1:57.04. Reid was home in 29.4, compared to Pebley’s 30.8. Pebley wound up in second place with 1:57.73. Beach finished 3rd with 1:59.42.

Ryan Lochte won the B final in 1:59.26.

Women’s 100m Freestyle – Final

• American record: 52.04 Simone Manuel 7/26/2019 Budapest (HUN)
• US Open record: 52.54 Simone Manuel 7/25/2018 Irvine, CA (USA)
• US Open Meet record: 53.92 Megan Romano

Podium:

1. Erika Brown (TENN) – 53.42
2. Simone Manuel (ALTO) – 53.72
3. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 53.87

University of Tennessee’s Erika Brown did it again. After breaking 54 seconds for the first time in morning heats, she dropped another .55 to win the final with a meet-record time of 53.42. Brown flipped at the 50 wall .01 behind Simone Manuel, but she came home 3/10 faster to get the win by exactly .30. Manuel was runner-up with 53.72. Siobhan Haughey came from 4th at the 50 to finish on the 3rd step of the podium with 53.87. Cate DeLoof had been in 3rd place at the halfway mark but she faded to 6th behind Olivia Smoliga (54.15) and Allison Schmitt (54.32).

Gretchen Walsh won the B final in 54.58.

Men’s 100m Freestyle – Final

• American record: 46.96 Caeleb Dressel 7/28/2019 Budapest (HUN)
• US Open record: 47.39 Ryan Held 7/31/2019 Budapest (HUN)
• US Open Meet record: 48.52 Nicholas Brunelli

Podium:

1. Zach Apple (MVN) – 47.69
2. Dean Farris (HARV) – 48.45
3. Bruno Blaskovic (IU) – 48.93

Zach Apple downed yet another meet record with his stunning 47.69 win in the 100 free. It was a lifetime personal best by .10, after his 47.79 from World University Games last summer. Apple was out in 23.0 and back in 24.6, the only sub-25 second 50. Dean Farris was second the entire race; he stopped the clock in 48.45. Bruno Blaskovic rounded out the podium with 48.93. The trio were the only sub-49s in the field.

Townley Haas went 48.91 to win the B final.

Women’s 200m Breaststroke – Final

• American record: 2:19.59 Rebecca Soni 8/2/2012 London (GBR)
• US Open record: 2:20.38 Rebecca Soni 7/11/2009 Indianapolis, IN (USA)
• US Open Meet record: 2:22.51 Kaitlin Freeman

Podium:

1. Emily Escobedo (COND) – 2:22.00
2. Lilly King (ISC) – 2:22.63
3. Annie Lazor (MVN) – 2:23.25

Emily Escobedo broke the meet record by half a second with a come-from-behind victory over 100 breast champion Lilly King. King was out first in 31.90 at the 50 and 1:09.18 at the 100. She had a .77 lead over Escobedo and a 1.4-second lead over Annie Lazor, who had moved past Laura Morley into 3rd. Escobedo began to make her move on the 3rd 50 and took over the lead at the 150 wall. She outsplit King by 9/10 on that 50, 36.5 to 37.4. King poured it on over the final 50 meters but Escobedo answered. She held on for a big PB with 2:22.00. King finished second in 2:22.63, just ahead of Lazor (2:23.25).

In the post-race interview, Escobedo said she knew King would close well and she was “just trying to stay in front.” She also said, “In the women’s breaststroke, we always have a really good time in the ready room. It’s a really friendly environment.” Whatever the reason, Escobedo put up one of the top times in the world so far this year.

Melissa Rodriguez clocked a 2:27.81 in the B final.

Men’s 200m Breaststroke – Final

• American record: 2:07.17 Josh Prenot 6/30/2016 Omaha, NE (USA)
• US Open record: 2:07.17 Josh Prenot 6/30/201 Omaha, NE (USA)
• US Open Meet record: 2:09.73 Andrew Wilson

Podium:

1. Cody Miller (SAND) – 2:09.67
2. Dmitriy Balandin (TROJ) – 2:09.71
3. Andrew Wilson (ABSC) – 2:10.10

Cody Miller took down the meet record in the 200 breast, in a final that saw a number of lead changes. Kevin Cordes took it out first. He was 28.30 and 1:02.46 at the 50 and 100 walls, holding the lead over the first half of the race. Daniel Roy moved from 6th at the 50 to 2nd at the 100 to 1st at the 150, but faded to 4th over the final 50. Dmitriy Balandin, meanwhile, moved from 7th to 4th to 5th to 2nd, and Andrew Wilson went from 4th to 5th to 4th to 3rd.

Miller swam a patient and very even race, splitting 29.3/33.3/33.3/33.6 for the win.

Brandon Fischer edged Nic Fink 2:12.74 to 2:12.78 to win the B final.

Women’s 200 Butterfly – Final

• American record: 2:04.14 Mary Mohler 7/29/2009 Roma (ITA)
• US Open record: 2:05.87 Hali Flickinger 7/25/2018 Irvine, CA (USA)
• US Open Meet record: 2:07.20 Susan O’Neill 1999

Podium:

1. Katie Drabot – 2:08.34
2. Olivia Carter (EAC) – 2:08.58
3. Megan Kingsley (ABSC) – 2:09.87

With the exception of the first 50, where Regan Smith held the lead with 28.76, Katie Drabot was in front from start to finish. She was out in 28.77, then 1:01.29 at the halfway point. She came home in 32.8/34.2 for a final time of 2:08.34. Olivia Carter took over at second place at the 100 wall and held on to her position throughout the race. She closed in on Drabot over the final 50 meters but couldn’t catch the leader and finished with 2:08.58. Megan Kingsley held steady at third from start to finish. She claimed the bronze medal with 2:09.87, while Smith finished 4th in 2:10.16.

Alena Kraus dropped 1.5 seconds to win the B final in 2:10.06.

Men’s 200 Butterfly – Final

• American record: 1:51.51 Michael Phelps 7/29/2009 Roma (ITA)
• US Open record: 1:52.20 Michael Phelps 7/2/2008 Omaha, NE (USA)
• US Open Meet record: 1:55.64 Sebastien Rousseau

Podium:

1. Luca Urlando (DART) – 1:55.60
2. Eddie Wang (TPE) – 1:55.82
3. Jonathan Gomez (SCAR) – 1:57.24

Luca Urlando led wire-to-wire in the final championship final, going 1:55.60 to break the U.S. Open Meet record in the 200 fly by .04. He split a solid 25.8/29.2/29.7/30.7 for the win. Eddie Wang was right behind him all the way. Although he came home 7/10 faster, he had to settle for the silver medal with 1:55.82. Jonathan Gomez moved from 6th at the 50 to 3rd at the 100 and held onto his spot throughout the second half of the race. He ended up 3rd with 1:56.90, just in front of Chase Kalisz (1:57.29).

Caeleb Dressel went from 8th to 1st in the last 50, splitting 29.66 to win the B final with 1:58.45. He was out in 25.90 to lead the heat, then split 30.59, 32.30, and 29.66.