2022 U.S. Open Championships – Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2022 U.S. OPEN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• November 30-December 3, 2022
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Long Course Meters (50 meters)
• Start Times:
  • Prelims: 9 AM (ET)
  • Finals: 6PM (ET)
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

The 2022 U.S. Open Championships begin tonight in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tonight’s session will feature the men’s and women’s 800m freestyle and a single combined heat of 800 freestyle relays.

Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky  highlights the women’s 800 free, as she comes in as the top seed by over 32 seconds. Ledecky is coming off a highly successful World Cup showing, where she broke the world record in both the 1500m free and 800m free (SCM).

Emma Weyant is one to keep an eye on outside of the fastest heat, as she is entered under a yards time. Weyant’s best time in the event is 8:29.31 from 2019.

On the men’s side, Guilherme Costa from Brazil is entered with the fastest time at a 7:45.48. NC State has three of the top five entrants with Will Gallant, James Plage, and Ross Dant.

The combined heat of the 800 free relay will have a mix of club and collegiate teams with Tennessee, Washington State, and SwimMAC Carolina. New South Wales from Australia also has a men’s team entered.

WOMEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – TIMED FINAL

• World Record: 8:04.79 – Katie Ledecky (2016)
• American Record: 8:04.79 – Katie Ledecky (2016)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 8:12.81 – Katie Ledecky (2021)

Podium: 

1. Katie Ledecky (GSC) – 8:13.90
2. Michaela Mattes (SYS) – 8:37.89
3. Cavan Gormsen (LIAC) – 8:38.15

To no one’s surprise, Katie Ledecky dominated this race from start to finish, stopping the clock at 8:13.90, just off her own meet record from last year. Despite being overall slower relative to last year, she took out the first 400 over a second faster, flipping at 4:04.24, but returned much slower in a 4:09.66. Ledecky’s swim marks her 30th fastest performance in the event to date.

Behind Ledecky were 17-year-olds Michaela Mattes and Cavan Gormsen, who posted an 8:37.89 and 8:38.15, respectively. Both were about two seconds off their personal best times.

Of the top eight finishers, only Beatriz Dizotti from Brazil and Caroline Pennington dropped from their entry times. Dizotti dropped over three seconds to take 4th with a time of 8:40.10, while Pennington dropped just over two seconds to place 6th in a 8:41.16.

Emma Weyant won the second heat from lane 1 in a time of 8:41.16, good for a 5th place finish overall. This swim marks the first time she has competed the event since November 2020 at this meet, where she posted an 8:34.93.

MEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – TIMED FINAL

• World Record: 7:32.12 – Lin Zhang (2009)
• American Record: 7:39.36 – Bobby Finke (2022)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 7:47.27 – Chad La Tourette (2009)

Podium:

1. Guilherme Costa (BRA) – 7:54.10
2. Alfonso Mestre (FLOR) – 7:54.80
3. Stephen Steverink (BRA) – 8:01.08

In a much closer race than the women, Alfonso Mestre and Guilherme Costa swam together the entire race until Costa pulled away in the final 50 to touch the wall at 7:54.10. Costa’s final 100 split was a 57.51, while Mestre closed in a 57.99.

Pedro Farias from Brazil clocked the fourth-fastest time of the event from the second heat, touching the wall at 8:02.12, over 13 seconds faster than his entry time.

Zane Grothe won the third heat with an 8:02.12 to take 5th, while Ivan Puskovitch won the fourth heat to take 7th overall with an 8:08.19. Neither were best times, but Puskovitch was only a few tenths off his own.

Florida commit Josh Parent dropped half a second off his seed time to take 9th in a time of 8:09.41, while Tennessee’s Jake Narvid shaved a hundredth off his personal best to round out the top ten.

WOMEN’S 800 FREESTYLE RELAY – TIMED FINAL

• World Record: 7:39.29 – Australia (2022)
• American Record: 7:40.73 – USA Olympic Team (2021)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 8:00.84 – Longhorn Aquatics (2013)

1. Washington State – 8:25.21

Tennessee’s relay ended up scratching last minute, leaving Washington State as the only women’s team. The Cougars’ quartet of Angela Di Palo (2:07.14), Dori Hathazi (2:04.32), Kristen de Goede (2:08.12), and Noelle Harvey (2:05.63) combined for a final time of 8:25.21.

MEN’S 800 FREESTYLE RELAY – TIMED FINAL

• World Record: 6:58.55 – USA World Championship Team (2009)
• American Record: 6:58.55 – USA World Championship Team (2009)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 7:18.82 – Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics (2009)

1. NSW Swim – 7:22.51
2. SwimMac Carolina – 7:39.90

NSW Swim’s squad of James Koch (1:48.61), Gabriel Gorgas (1:51.41), Thomas Hay (1:52.11), and Ryan Wilkes (1:50.38) dominated the event with a time of 7:22.51.

SwimMAC Carolina’s team of Alex Ayers (1:57.02), Caleb Maldari (1:53.02), Jack Haywood (1:56.46), and Norvin Clontz III (1:53.40) took second with a 7:39.90.