2019 US Open Championships: Day 3 Prelims 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 3 prelims heat sheets

Stars from across the country are in Atlanta for the 2019 U.S. Open, and the first morning of prelims kicks off at 10 a.m. Eastern time. It will be flighted, with the A flight (fastest heats) swimming from 10:00-11:50 AM and the B flight, from 11:51 AM-1:46 PM.

Follow the traditional college championships format, today’s events will include the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, and the 100 back.

Women’s 400 IM

• American record: 4:31.12, 2008, Katie Hoff
• U.S. Open record: 4:31.07, 2015, Katinka Hosszu
• US Open Meet record: 4:38.38, 2006, Katie Hoff

Top 8 Qualifiers through A flight:

1. Emma Weyant (SYS) – 4:41.62
2. Melanie Margalis (SPA) – 4:41.92
3. Ally McHugh (WA) – 4:43.02
4. Emma Barksdale (GAME) – 4:43.28
5. Makayla Sargent (NCS) – 4:43.99
6. Brooke Forde (UN) – 4:44.07
7. Ella Eastin (ALTO) – 4:44.28
8. Kathrin Demler (OSU) – 4:45.63

The women’s 400 IM was one of our races to watch coming into the meet, and prelims didn’t disappoint. 17-year-old Emma Weyant has stayed on fire this season, following up her summer national title with the top qualifying spot in this morning’s winter national field. She was actually faster here (4:41.62) than she was in prelims this summer (4:42.00), lending at least some hope she’ll challenge her career-best 4:35.47 with another big finals drop.

Last night’s 200 IM champ Melanie Margalis is second and just three tenths back. She went 4:35 twice back in 2018, so this could be a barn-burner of a final tonight between the 27-year-old vet Margalis and the 17-year-old up-and-comer Weyant.

Ally McHugh, a Penn State alum now competing as a pro out of Wisconsin, is third in 4:43.02. South Carolina’s Emma Barksdale and NC State’s Kay Sargent are both in the 4:43s as well, and Stanford put two into the final: current college swimmer Brooke Forde and pro Ella Eastin.

Further back, some big names missed the final, none bigger than Stanford pro Katie Ledecky, who was 10th in 4:46.05. Ledecky is also entered in the 200 free this morning, and it’d be somewhat surprising to see her swim this 400 IM B final tonight if she makes the 200 free final as expected.

Men’s 400 IM

• American record: 4:03.84, 2008, Michael Phelps
• U.S. Open record: 4:05.25, 2008, Michael Phelps
• US Open Meet record: 4:11.11, 2013, Sebastien Rousseau

Top 8 Qualifiers through A flight:

1. Chase Kalisz (ABSC) – 4:18.36
2. Carson Foster (RAYS) – 4:19.20
3. Ryan Lochte (GSC) – 4:19.25
4. Jay Litherland (DYNA) – 4:20.63
5. Daniel Sos (LOU) – 4:22.13
6. Grant Sanders (FLOR) – 4:22.70
7. Jacob Heidtmann (TE) – 4:22.71
8. Bobby Finke (FLOR) – 4:22.81

200 IM champ Chase Kalisz is trying to come back from a rough summer, and he’s in line for dual national titles in his redemption season. Kalisz was 4:18.36 to win his heat easily, but he’ll face much stiffer competition tonight. The next four qualifiers came out of the other circle-seeded heat, led by 18-year-old Carson Foster, the world junior record-setter from last summer, though his record was surpassed a few weeks later. Foster was 4:19.20 this morning after taking runner-up honors to Kalisz in the 200 IM last night.

Veteran Ryan Lochte was third last night and third this morning. He’s 4:19.25 in just his third 400 IM swim since 2016 Olympic trials. That time is very solid, just off the 4:15.80 he was in June of 2018.

Kalisz’s Georgia teammate Jay Litherland beat Lochte for the second Olympic spot in 2016, and was actually the fastest American last season, taking silver at Worlds. He qualifies fourth here.

Women’s 100 Fly

• American record: 55.98, 2012, Dana Vollmer
• U.S. Open record: 56.38, 2016, Sarah Sjostrom
• US Open Meet record: 57.53, 2017, Marie Wattel

Top 8 Qualifiers through A flight:

1. Farida Osman (PRVT) – 58.41
2. Kelsi Dahlia (CARD) – 58.56
3. Lillie Nordmann (MAC) – 59.07
4. Aly Tetzloff (UN) – 59.16
5. Amanda Kendall (MVN) – 59.18
6. Torri Huske (AAC) / Kate Douglas (UN) – 59.41 
7. (Tie)
8. Dakota Luther (UN) – 59.40

Tonight’s A-final will be a mix of established veterans and some of the top up-and-comers in the country.

Former Cal swimmers and Egyptian record holder Farida Osman led the way with a 58.51. Osman is currently part of a pro group training under Sergio Lopez at Virginia Tech. Kelsi Dahlia, who trains with the pro group at VT’s conference rival Louisville, put up the 2nd-fastest time of the morning with a 58.56.

Three teenagers made the top eight, including Stanford commit Lillie Normann (59.07), national high school record holder Torri Huske (59.41) and UVA freshman Kate Douglas (also 59.41).

Aly Tetzloff (59.16), Amanda Kendall (59.18), and Dakota Luther (59.40) rounded out this morning’s top eight.

Men’s 100 Fly

• American record: 49.50, 2019, Caeleb Dressel
• U.S. Open record: 50.22, 2009, Michael Phelps
• US Open Meet record: 51.65, 2013, Tom Shields

Top 8 Qualifiers through A flight:

1. Luis Martinez (GUA) – 51.89
2. Luca Urlando (DART)/ Adilbek Mussin (TROJ)  – 52.63
3. (tie)
4. Dylan Carter (UN) – 52.64
5. Jack Conger (CAV) / Iago Amaral (BSF) – 52.67
6. (tie)
7. Cody Bybee (UN-ASU) – 52.73
8. Justin Wright (FORD) – 52.78

Well, the biggest news here is that world record holder Caeleb Dressel opted not to swim this event, presumably to focus on the 200 free coming up in a few minutes.

In Dressel’s, absence, Luis Martinez put up the fastest time of the morning as the only man to break 52.0, touching in 51.89.

It was incredibly tight after Martinez, with only two-tenths separating the #2 times from the #10 time, and two ties happening in the top eight. Georgia commit Luca Urlando and Kazakhstan Adilbek Mussin tied for the #2 time, both touching in 52.63. Right behind them was Dylan Carter in 52.64, with Jack Conger and Brazil’s Iago Amaral both right behind at 52.67.

ASU sophomore Cody Bybee looked sharp a couple weeks ago the NC State Invite, and he was only 0.07s off his lifetime best this morning with a 52.73. Justin Wright, who represented the USA last summer in the 200 fly, rounded out the top eight with a 52.78, blocking out fellow veterans Giles Smith (52.79) and Zach Harting (52.83), who will be out of the A-final unless some scratches.

Women’s 200 Free

• American record: 1:53.61, 2012, Allison Schmitt
• U.S. Open record: 1:54.40, 2012, Allison, Schmitt
• US Open Meet record: 1:57.54, 2012, Megan Romano

Top 8 Qualifiers through A flight:

1. Simone Manuel (ALTO) – 1:57.41
2. Allison Schmitt (SUN) – 1:57.76
3. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 1:57.81
4. Paige Madden (UN-VA) – 1:58.73
5. Leah Smith (FORD) – 1:59.15
6. Erika Brown (TENN) – 1:59.52
7. Madisyn Cox (TXLA) – 1:59.61
8. Gabby DeLoof (TE) – 1:59.73

Simone Manuel takes the top seed here after breaking the meet record formerly held by Megan Romano, with Manuel’s time of 1:57.41 over 1.5s faster than anyone else this morning.

The next-to-last heat featured a three-way battle between stars Leah Smith, Katie Ledecky, and Mallory Comerford. Smith came out on top with a 1:59.15, with Comerford touching in 2:00.08, and Ledecky finishing third out of that group with an uncharacteristically slow 2:00.12, both missing the A-final. In last night’s 400 free final, Ledecky was out in 1:58.56, and merely matching that time this morning would’ve put her in the middle of the top eight.

Allison Schmitt won a tight battle with Siobahn Haughey to win the final heat, 1:57.76 to 1:57.81. UVA’s Paige Madden also qualified for the A-final from that heat with a time of 1:58.73.

Tennessee sprint start Erika Brown knocked half a second off her lifetime best to qualify 6th overall with a 1:59.52, with Madisyn Cox (1:59.61) and Gabby DeLoof (1:59.73) rounding out the top eight.

Men’s 200 Free

• American record: 1:42.96, 2008, Michael Phelps
• U.S. Open record: 1:44.10, 2008, Michael Phelps
• U.S. Open Meet record: 1:46.23, 2005, Peter van den Hoogenband

Top 8 Qualifiers through A flight:

1. Dean Farris (HARV) – 1:47.53
2. Townley Haas (NOVA) – 1:47.86
3. Khader Baqlah (UN-FL) – 1:47.97
4. Zach Apple (MVN) – 1:48.01
5. Jorge Iga (UN-AZ) – 1:48.07
6. Caeleb Dressel (GSC) – 1:48.14
7. Ziyang Zhang (TSM) – 1:48.54
8. Fernando Scheffer (MTC) – 1:48.61

Swimming in the final heat, Dean Farris was out like rocket, splitting 24.44 and 26.69 to hit the halfway point in 51.13 before fading to 27.66/28.74 on the back half. Still, his time of 1:47.53 was the fastest of the morning by a solid three-tenths margin. Khader Baqlah tried running Farris down on the final 50, but ran out of pool, touching in 1:47.97 for the third-fastest time of the morning.

Until that final heat, Townley Haas had been the only man under 1:48, touching in 1:47.86 after a fun three-way battle between himself, Zach Apple (1:48.01) and Caeleb Dressel (1:48.14).

Jorge Iga (1:48.07), Ziyang Zhang (1:48.54) and Fernando Scheffer (1:48.61) also made the top eight.

Pending results from the B-flight or scratches, that sets up an A-final tonight that’ll feature four international swimmers and four American swimmers who all could end up the USA’s 4×200 team next summer.

Women’s 100 Breast

• American record: 1:04.13, 2017, Lilly King
• U.S. Open record: 1:04.45, 2009, Jessica Hardy
• U.S. Open Meet record: 1:04.45, 2009, Jessica Hardy

Top 8 Qualifiers through A flight:

1. Molly Hannis (TNAQ) – 1:06.98
2. Lilly King (ISC) – 1:07.24
3. Emily Escobedo (COND) – 1:07.58
4. Annie Lazor (MVN) – 1:07.73
5. Bethany Galat (AGS) – 1:07.96
6. Rachel Bernhardt (GAME) – 1:07.98
7. Micah Sumrall (GOLD) – 1:08.18
8. Breeja Larson (NYAC) – 1:08.49

It was all usual suspects in this event, as the top eight was dominated by the American swimmers you’d expect to see. Molly Hannis was the only woman under 1:07 this morning, taking the top seed with a 1:06.98. Lilly King was next after posting a 1:07.24.

The next four women: Emily Escobedo, Annie Lazor, Bethany Galat, and Rachel Bernahardt, were all between 1:07.58 and 1:07.98, and Micah Sumrall (1:08.18) and Breeja Larson (1:08.49) round out the top eight.

Notably, this group consists entirely of post-grads, with King the youngest woman in the top eight at the tender age of 22.

Men’s 100 Breast

• American record: 58.64, 2017, Kevin Cordes
• U.S. Open record: 58.74, 2017 Kevin Cordes/Joao Gomes
• U.S. Open Meet record: 59.40, 2009, Kevin Swander

Top 8 Qualifiers through A flight:

1. Andrew Wilson (ABSC) – 59.28
2. Cody Miller (SAND) – 59.81
3. Dmitriy Balandin (TROJ) – 1:00.02
4. Nic Fink (ABSC) / Joao Grimes (BSF) – 1:00.41
5. (tie)
6. Kevin Cordes (ABSC) – 1:00.42
7. Alex Evdokimov (PRVT) – 1:00.62
8. Carlos Claverie (CARD) – 1:00.79

Andrew Wilson had the fastest swim of the morning by over half a second, touching in 59.28 to take the ten year-old meet record.

Fellow veteran Cody Miller was the only other man under 1:00 this morning, qualifying 2nd with a 59.81.

Kazakhstan’s Dmitriy Balandin, the 2016 Olympics gold medalist in the 200 breast, qualified 3rd with a 1:00.02.

Only 0.01s separated the next three men, as Nic Fink and Joao Grimes were both 1:00.41 and Kevin Cordes was just behind at 1:00.42, with Alex Evdokimov and Carlos Claverie taking the final two spots.

Plenty of fairly big names missed the top eight, including Will Licon (9th-1:01.09), Brandon Fischer (11th- 1:01.26), Ian Finnerty (12th-1:01.37), Daniel Roy (15th-1:01.48), Michael Houlie (16th-1:01.56), and Caio Pumputis (17th-1:01.75).

Women’s 100 Back

• American record: 57.57, 2019, Regan Smith
• U.S. Open record: 58.00, 2018 Kathleen Baker
• U.S. Open Meet record: 59.11, 2008 Hayley McGregory

Top 8 Qualifiers through A flight:

1. Regan Smith (RIPT) – 58.96
2. Phoebe Bacon (NCAP) – 59.55
3. Ali DeLoof (TE) – 1:00.27
4. Isabelle Stadden (AQJT) – 1:00.59
5. Oliva Smoliga (ABSC) – 1:00.63
6. Lisa Bratton (AGS) – 1:00.86
7. Amy Bilquist (SAC) – 1:00.89
8. Alex Walsh (NAC) – 1:00.91

No surprises here, as 17 year-old world record holder Regan Smith qualified with the top time of the morning with a 58.96. That appears her first time swimming the 100 back since she set the world record this summer leading off the USA’s 4×100 medley relay at World Championships.

Fellow teenagers Phoebe Bacon (59.55), Isabelle Stadden (1:00.59) and Alex Walsh (1:00.91) are currently projected to join Smith in the final, along with veterans Ali DeLoof (1:00.27), Olivia Smoliga (1:00.63), Lisa Bratton (1:00.86), and Amy Bilquist (1:00.89).

Men’s 100 Back

• American record: 51.85, 2016, Ryan Murphy
• U.S. Open record: 51.94, 2009, Aaron Peirsol
• U.S. Open Meet record: 52.51, 2009, Nicholas Thoman

Top 8 Qualifiers through A flight:

1. Markus Thornmeyer (HPVC) – 54.15
2. Christopher Reid (WOLF) – 54.80
3. Jacob Pebley (TE) – 54.84
4. Joey Reilman (TNAQ) – 54.97
5. Mark Nikolaev (GCA) – 55.14
6. Hunter Armstrong (WVU) – 55.16
7. Griffin Alaniz (CS) – 55.20
8. Cam Tysoe (WA) / Cole Pratt (CASC) – 55.35

Canadian Markus Thornmeyer put up the fastest time of the morning by over half a second, qualifying first with a 54.15. Thornmeyer’s coming off a strong ISL showing that saw him set a new Canadian record in the 200 back (SCM).

Only two-tenths separated the next three swimmers: Christopher Reid (54.80), Jacob Pebley (54.84), and Joey Reilman (54.97), while only 0.06s separated the three after them: Mark Nikolaev (55.14), Hunter Armstrong (55.16), and Griffin Alaniz (55.20).

There should be a swim-off coming up for the final spot, as Cam Tysoe and 17 year-old Cole Pratt tied for 8th with a pair of 55.35s.

Several big names finished outside of the top eight, including NC State’s Coleman Stewart (56.23) and Canada’s Javier Acevedo (56.22), who’s redshirting from the University of Georgia this year to focus on the Olympics.