2023 U.S. Open Championships – Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2023 U.S. OPEN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• November 29-December 2, 2023
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Long Course Meters (50 meters)
• Start Times
  • Prelims: 9 AM (ET)
  • Finals: 6 PM (ET)
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Stream Info
• Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap
• Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap
• Day 3 Finals Live Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Heat Sheet

The final prelim session of the 2023 U.S. Open will feature the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, and 200 butterfly.

Regan Smith enters the 200 backstroke as the top seed after winning the 100 backstroke last night (58.16). Smith won the 200 backstroke last year in a meet record time of 2:05.28. Claire Curzan is also slated to swim this race after clocking a best time of 58.35 in the 100 back yesterday. Summer McIntosh will also be one to watch out for, as she doesn’t contest this event often.

Defending world champ Hubert Kos will headline the men’s 200 back, with 2023 Pan American Games gold medalist Jack Aikins also in the field.

Siobhan Haughey will be a name to watch out for in today’s 100 free, as she won the 200 free and 100 breast yesterday. She is also coming off an impressive performance at the World Cup circuit this past October, where she became the 3rd fastest of all-time (52.02).

Four of the top six Americans in the men’s 100 freestyle for 2023 (Ryan Held, Matt King, Chris Guiliano, Macguire McDuff) will contest the event this morning. In addition, Caeleb Dressel is entered to swim the event after winning yesterday’s 100 fly final.

Watch the live stream here, courtesy of USA Swimming:

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record: 2:03.14, Kaylee McKeown (2023)
• American Record: 2:03.35, Regan Smith (2019)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 2:05.28, Regan Smith (2022)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:03.80, Regan Smith (2023)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:13.59

Top 8:

1. Summer McIntosh (SYS) – 2:08.56
2. Claire Curzan (TAC) – 2:08.78
3. Regan Smith (SUN) – 2:09.37
4. Phoebe Bacon (WISC) – 2:11.02
5. Anna Peplowski (IU) – 2:11.80
6. Aviv Barzelay (TAMU) – 2:12.00
7. Leah Shackley (BRY) – 2:12.35
8. TBD

Claire Curzan and Summer McIntosh highlighted the first of three circle-seeded heats, with McIntosh ultimately touching the wall first in a time of 2:08.56 to Curzan’s 2:08.78. McIntosh was the runner-up in this event last year, where she recorded her personal best of 2:07.15.

Phoebe Bacon was victorious in the penultimate heat, leading wire-to-wire to hit the wall in a time of 2:11.02. NC State commit Leah Shackley took 2nd in 2:12.35 and Rhyan White touched 3rd (2:12.41).

Regan Smith, the former world record holder in the event, cruised to win the final heat. She stopped the clock in a time of 2:0937 to comfortably advance to tonight’s final. Smith will swim the 200 fly later on in the session, and she is the defending U.S. Open champion in both events. Smith broke the U.S. Open meet record en route to her win a year ago, posting 2:05.28 in that swim.

Wolfpack teammates Rhyan White and Kennedy Noble tied for 8th this morning with a time of 2:12.41, so we may see a swim-off at the end of the session.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record: 1:51.92, Aaron Peirsol (2009)
• American Record: 1:51.92, Aaron Peirsol (2009)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 1:54.59, Nicholas Thoman (2009)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:53.08, Aaron Peirsol (2009)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:01.69

Top 8: 

1. Hubert Kos (UN-AZ) – 1:58.52
2. Kieran Smith (RAC) – 1:58.55
3. Brandon Miller (UTAH) – 1:58.89
4. Benedek Kovacs (HUN) – 2:00.31
5. Kai Van Westering (IU) – 2:00.63
6. Hunter Tapp (NCS) – 2:00.78
7. Yeziel Morales (MVN) – 2:01.02
8. JT Ewing (NCS) – 2:01.17

The first circle-seeded heat saw a vacancy in lane 5, meaning Carson Foster opted to not swim the event. Kai Van Westering of Indiana ultimately took the heat win in a time of 2:00.63 while Daniel Diehl (2:01.77) placed 4th, missing the A-final.

Florida pro Kieran Smith opened up a big lead at the 150 turn of heat 7, finishing in a time of 1:58.55 to take the win. The time by Smith just misses his best time of 1:58.43 from April. Benedek Kovacs, who placed 5th in the World Championship final this past summer, touched 2nd (2:00.31) in the heat.

Hubert Kos, the 2023 World Champion in this event, took the victory in the final heat. Kos clocked 1:58.52 to overtake the time posted by Smith in the previous heat and became the top qualifier. Kos came home in 28.7 on the final 50, the fastest in the field by a large margin.

Jack Aikins, who won gold at the Pan American Games a month ago, placed 10th this morning (2:01.47).

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – HEATS

• World Record: 51.71, Sarah Sjostrom (2017)
• American Record: 52.04, Simone Manuel (2019)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 53.42, Erika Brown (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 52.54, Simone Manuel (2018)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 55.79

Top 8: 

1. Abbey Weitzeil (CAL) – 53.80
2. Simone Manuel (SUN) – 53.94
3. Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 53.95
4. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 54.22
5. Torri Huske (AAC) – 54.31
6. Mary Sophie-Harvey (TQ) – 54.73
7. Olivia Smoliga (SUN) – 54.83
8. Katharine Berkoff (NCS) – 55.01

The first circle-seeded heat saw Simone Manuel post a time of 53.94 to take the win. Manuel accelerated over the final 20 meters, pulling ahead of Torri Huske who clocked 54.31 for 2nd place. The time by Manuel is the fastest time we’ve seen from her since coming back to the sport last year.

The penultimate heat was won by Gretchen Walsh, who finished in 53.95 to come 0.01 short of the time posted by Manuel one heat prior. Notably, the time by Walsh is faster than the time she posted leading off the USA 4×100 freestyle relay in Fukuoka last summer (54.06). Kate Douglass was scheduled to swim out of lane 4 in this heat, but did not show up for the event. She is likely targeting the 200 breaststroke later in the session.

Abbey Weitzeil took the final heat to qualify first overall for tonight’s final (53.80), and she was followed closely by Siobhan Haughey (54.22) who also qualified for the final comfortably.

Claire Curzan, who placed 8th in the 2022 World Championship final in this event, clocked a time of 55.06 to just miss the A-final. Curzan qualified 2nd for the 200 back A-final earlier in the session, about 40-minutes prior to this swim.

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – HEATS

• World Record: 46.86, David Popovici (2022)
• American Record: 46.96, Caeleb Dressel (2019)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 47.69, Zach Apple (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 47.39, Ryan Held/Caeleb Dressel (2019/2021)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 49.99

Top 8: 

1. Ryan Held (NYAC) – 48.47
2. Matt King (TFA) – 48.63
3. Nandor Nemeth (HUN) – 48.67
4. Chris Guiliano (ND) – 48.72
5. Drew Kibler (SUN) – 48.79
6. Rafael Miroslaw (IU) – 48.84
7. Santo Condorelli (UN-NT) & Brooks Curry (CAL) – 48.88
8. N/A

From heat 8 of 13, Santo Condorelli posted a swift 48.88 to secure a spot in the A-final. Caeleb Dressel finished closely behind, recording a time of 49.05 to grab 2nd in the heat. In heat 10 of 13, Shaine Casas took the win in a time of 49.01 to qualify for his third B-final of the meet.

Moving on to the circle-seeded heats, Josh Liendo took the win in heat 10. He posted a time of 49.10 in the process with Ruslan Gaziev (49.32) and Macguire McDuff (49.37) following closely behind.

Ryan Held took the penultimate heat (48.47), touching ahead of Chris Guiliano (48.72), Brooks Curry (48.88), and Blake Pieroni (49.14). Held overtook the top qualifying spot with his swim, and will advance 1st to tonight’s final.

Matt King took the final heat in the 2nd fastest time of the morning (48.63), with Nandor Nemeth (48.67) and Drew Kibler (48.74) taking 2nd and 3rd in the heat.

It took a time of 48.88 to advance to tonight’s final, meaning that going a :48-second swim did not guarantee you a slot in A-final.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record: 2:17.55, Evgeniia Chikunova (2023)
• American Record: 2:19.59, Rebecca Soni (2012)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 2:22.00 Emily Escobedo (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:20.38, Rebecca Soni (2009)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:31.69

Top 8: 

1. Kate Douglass (NYAC) – 2:23.81
2. Alex Walsh (UVA) – 2:26.21
3. Kotryna Teterevkova (LTU) – 2:26.46
4. Ella Nelson (UVA) – 2:26.69
5. Lilly King (ISC) – 2:27.57
6. Marina Garcia Urzainqui (SABA) – 2:28.41
7. Katja Pavicevic (UNC) – 2:30.58
8. Lydia Jacoby (STSC) – 2:30.85

Kate Douglass topped the prelims in the women’s 200 breast, recording a time of 2:23.81 to clear the field by 2.4 seconds. Her teammate, Alex Walsh, qualified 2nd for tonight’s final (2:26.21) while Lithuania’s Kotryna Teterevkova (2:26.46) moves through in 3rd.

Lilly King, who was disqualified in yesterday’s 100 breast prelims, qualified 5th for the final with a time of 2:27.57. 2020 Olympic Champion in the 100 breast, Lydia Jacoby, slides through in 8th (2:30.85).

Ella Nelson (2:26.69) qualified 4th for UVA, meaning that 3 of the top 4 qualifiers train at the same program.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record: 2:05.48, Qin Haiyang (2023)
• American Record: 2:07.17, Josh Prenot (2016)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 2:09.67, Cody Miller (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:07.17, Josh Prenot (2016)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:15.99

Top 8: 

1. Cody Miller (SAND) – 2:09.80
2. Matthew Fallon (UPN) – 2:09.86
3. Will Licon (TXLA) & Chase Kalisz (SUN) – 2:12.39
4. N/A
5. Lyubomir Epitropov (TENN) – 2:12.42
6. Josh Matheny (IU) – 2:12.48
7. Jassen Yep (IU) – 2:12.83
8. Denis Petrashov (UOFL) – 2:12.85

Cody Miller took the win in heat 6 with a time of 2:09.80, the fastest he’s swum since 2019. Miller’s personal best was recorded at the 2019 Pro Swim Series in Bloomington, where he hit the wall in a time of 2:08.98.

After breaking the 1-minute barrier in the 100 breaststroke for the first time yesterday, Penn’s Matt Fallon qualified 2nd in the 200 this morning (2:09.86). Last summer in Fukuoka, Fallon won the bronze medal in the 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:07.74. He owns a personal best of 2:07.71 from the World Championship Trials a month prior.

Will Licon and Chase Kalisz tied for the 3rd seed heading into tonight’s final, stopping the clock in 2:12.39.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – HEATS

• World Record: 2:01.81, Zige Liu (2009)
• American Record: 2:03.86, Regan Smith (2023)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 2:07.20, Susan O’Neill (1999)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:03.86, Regan Smith (2023)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:13.69

Top 8: 

1. Regan Smith (SUN) – 2:08.10
2. Lindsay Looney (UN-AZ) – 2:10.39
3. Dakota Luther (TXLA) – 2:11.20
4. Charlotte Hook (UN-PC) – 2:12.10
5. Tess Howley (UVA) – 2:12.28
6. Lillie Nordmann (UN-PC) – 2:12.67
7. Leah Gingrich (KA-MA) – 2:12.78
8. Sofia Sartori (LSU) – 2:12.93

The two U.S. representatives from the World Championships last summer, Regan Smith and Lindsay Looney, made it a 1-2 punch into the A-final for the Sun Devils. Smith posted a time of 2:08.10 to lead the way, about 2.5 seconds quicker than she swam in prelims last year.

Dakota Luther of Texas qualified 3rd for tonight’s final (2:11.20). Luther was the 2022 Short Course World Champion in this event and recently took the win at the 2023 Pan American Games as well.

Stanford advanced two athletes to the A-final, with Charlotte Hook (2:12.10) touching half a second ahead of teammate Lillie Nordmann (2:12.67).

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – HEATS

• World Record: 1:50.34, Kristof Milak (2022)
• American Record: 1:51.51, Michael Phelps (2009)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 1:55.60, Luca Urlando (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:52.20, Michael Phelps (2008)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:00.49

Top 8: 

1. Michal Chmielewski (UN-CA) – 1:54.88 CR
2. Martin Espernberger (TENN) – 1:55.51
3. Trenton Julian (MVN) – 1:56.22
4. Ilya Kharun (UN-AZ) – 1:57.41
5. Zach Harting (CARD) – 1:57.67
6. Luca Urlando (DART) – 1:57.85
7. Carson Foster (RAYS) – 1:57.96
8. Gustavo Saldo (UOFL) – 1:58.38

USC Trojan Michal Chmielewski broke the U.S. Open championship record en route to winning heat 5. He posted a time of 1:54.88, which broke the previous record of 1:55.60 held by Luca Urlando. Michal is not to be confused with his twin brother, Krzysztof, who won the silver medal in this event at the World Championships last summer.

Martin Espernberger of Tennessee advances to tonight’s final in a time of 1:55.51, while Trenton Julian rounded out the top 3 qualifiers in 1:56.22.

World Championship finalists from Fukuoka Ilya Kharun and Carson Foster will also feature in tonight’s A-Final.