2023 U.S. Pro Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2023 U.S. Pro Championships

• July 26-29, 2023
• LCM (50m)
• William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center, Irvine, California, United States
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Day 2 Finals Heat Sheet

Day 2 of the 2023 U.S. Pro Championships will crown the champions in the women’s and men’s 400 freestyle, 200 IM and 50 free, as well as the women’s and men’s 400 medley relay. Wisconsin’s Abby Carlson is top seed in the women’s 400 after clocking a PB of 4:12.97 in prelims. Paige Madden, representing NYAC, will try to add the 400 crown to her 800 title from last night. Australia’s Matthew Galea and Thomas Hauck will have the middle lanes in the men’s final, flanked by Sun Devil Swimming’s Daniel Matheson and Rose Bowl’s Rex Maurer.

Wisconsin’s Beata Nelson (2:12.38) and Phoebe Bacon (2:12.61) will battle for the women’s 200 IM title; Australia’s Ella Ramsay was the only other sub-2:13 in prelims (2:12.69). In the men’s race, SMU’s Colin Feehery (1:59.72) was the sole sub-2:00 this morning. Trenton Julian of Mission Viejo and Will Licon from Longhorn Aquatics each went 2:00.0 and will swim on either side of Feehery in the final.

In the 50 free, Catie Deloof cracked the 25-second barrier to qualify at the top of the heap in 24.83, while Longhorn Aquatics’ Grace Cooper (25.02) and Simone Manuel (25.16) qualified second and third. LSU’s Brooks Curry (22.07) and Santo Condorelli (22.12) led the heats in the men’s sprint free, with Australians Thomas Nowakowski (22.18) and Jamie Jack (22.20) not far behind.

LIVE STREAM

Women’s 400 Meter Freestyle – Finals

• World Record: 3:55.38, Ariarne Titmus, AUS (2023)
• American Record: 3:56.46, Katie Ledecky (2016)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:57.94, Katie Ledecky (2018)
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Cut: 4:15.49

Podium:

1. Paige Madden (NYAC), 4:07.97
2. Rachel Stege (ABSC), 4:10.14
3. Aurora Roghair (ALTO), 4:11.89
4. Abby Carlson (WISC), 4:13.07
5. Paige McKenna (WISC), 4:14.11
6. Sloane Reinstein (PASA), 4:15.35
7. Jillian Barczyk (COLA), 4:16.45
8. Gena Jorgenson (HUSK), 4:16.

Wisconsin’s Paige Madden took it out fast from lane 2, pulling ahead by half a body length at the first 50 and never letting up on the lead. After her 800 free title last night, she added the 400 crown with a dominant 4:07.97.

Behind Madden, the race was on for second place. Rachel Stege was in front of the rest of the field at the 50, followed by Paige McKenna, but Aurora Roghair moved into the runner-up position at the 100 and held her place through the 350. At that point, Stege powered to the front of the pack, still over a body length behind Madden, to second place. She came to the wall in 4:10.14, a full body length ahead of Roghair.

Men’s 400 Meter Freestyle – Finals

• World Record: 3:40.07, Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
• American Record: 3:42.78, Larsen Jensen (2008)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:43.53, Larsen Jensen (2008)
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Cut: 3:55.59

Podium:

1. Matthew Galea (AUS), 3:47.54
2. Jake Magahey (UN), 3:47.67
3. Daniel Matheson (SUN), 3:48.94
4. Rex Maurer (ROSE), 3:49.91
5. Thomas Hauck (AUS), 3:50.22
6. Jay Litherland (SUN), 3:51.56
7. Will Gallant (WOLF), 3:51.77
8. Michael Brinegar (TST), 3:52.06

Australia’s Matthew Galea led from start to finish, getting out to a quick lead from the middle of the pool and never relinquishing his spot. He finished with 3:47.54, getting a very strong challenge from Athens Bulldog Swim Club’s Jake Magahey down the stretch. Magahey finished just .13 behind Galea for the silver medal.

Magahey established his second-place position early, flipping just behind Galea from out in lane 2 at the 50 wall. Behind him were Rose Bowl’s Rex Maurer and Thomas Hauck of Australia. At the halfway mark, it was Galea (1:51.99), followed by Magahey (1:52.62). Sun Devil’s Daniel Matheson had moved into third place, ahead of Hauck and Maurer.

Galea increased his lead to eight-tenths at the 250. Magahey took off and split 29.0 on the sixth 50. The lead was only three-tenths with 50 meters to go, and while Magahey outsplit Galea, 27.68 to 27.89, it wasn’t enough to snag the win.

Matheson held on for third place, while Maurer passed Hauck on the final 50 to take fourth.

Women’s 200 Meter Individual Medley – Finals

• World Record: 2:06.12, Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2015)
• American Record: 2:06.15, Ariana Kukors (2009)
• U.S. Open Record: 2:07.09, Kate Douglass (2023)
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Cut: 2:16.09

Podium:

1. Ella Ramsay (AUS), 2:11.07
2. Alicia Wilson (MVN), 2:12.32
3. Beata Nelson (WISC), 2:12.40
4. Phoebe Bacon (WISC), 2:12.47
5. Isabel Ivey (GSC), 2:12.57
6. Kelly Pash (TXLA), 2:12.67
7. Zoie Hartman (ABSC), 2:13.07
8. Josephine Fuller (TNAQ), 2:16.43

Wisconsin’s Beata Nelson established the early lead with a 27.98 butterfly leg, the only sub-28 in the field. Teammate Phoebe Bacon split a massive 32.43 on the backstroke, moving up from 4th place, to take over at the halfway point.

Ella Ramsey of Australia charged to the lead on the breaststroke leg, going 37.63 to beat all but Mission Viejo’s Alicia Wilson (38.59 breaststroke split) by about 2 seconds. Ramsey and Wilson turned in 1st and 2nd on the breast-to-free wall, with Ramsey leading by a second with 1:39.74. Ramsey increased her lead over the final 50 meters, coming home in 31.33, to win with 2:11.07.

Wilson’s freestyle leg was 33.11, which was just enough to keep Nelson at bay. Nelson ripped a 31.12 on the end, blasting past Bacon and nearly catching Wilson.

Men’s 200 Meter Individual Medley – Finals

• World Record: 1:54.00, Ryan Lochte, USA (2011)
• American Record: 1:54.00, Ryan Lochte (2011)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:54.56, Ryan Lochte (2009)
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Cut: 2:03.49

Podium:

1. Grant House (SUN), 1:58.21
2. Colin Feehery (DM), 1:59.49
3. William Petric (AUS), 1:59.57
4. Trenton Julian (MVN), 1:59.83
5. Will Licon (TXLA), 1:59.91
6. Luke Barr (ISC), 2:00.37
7. Zach Hils (ABSC), 2:00.41
8. Tristan Jankovics (OSU), 2:01.05

Grant House from Sun Devil Swimming controlled the pace of the men’s 200 IM final from the outset, turning first on the fly leg in 25.06 ahead of Mission Viejo’s Trenton Julian (25.09) and Athens Bulldog Swim Club’s Zach Hils (25.27).

Hils led the backstroke leg with a split of 30.51, which pulled him even with House. The leaders turned in 55.7 headed into the breaststroke leg, with Julian a couple tenths behind.

Will Licon of Longhorn Aquatics crushed the breaststroke leg, going 33.88 to move from sixth to first place headed into the freestyle. William Petric of Australia also had a strong breaststroke split (34.25); he moved from fourth place into second. SMU’s Colin Feehery swam, in fact, the fastest breast split (33.71), which took him from dead last, 2 seconds behind House, into a tie for sixth.

Feehery picked off five swimmers on the final 50 meters, clocking a 28.05 freestyle to finish second behind House in 1:59.49. House, for his part, came home in a field-leading 27.20. He won by a body length with 1:58.21.

Women’s 50 Meter Freestyle – Finals

• World Record: 23.67, Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2017)
• American Record: 23.97, Simone Manuel (2017)
• U.S. Open Record: 24.00, Abbey Weitzeil (2023)
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Cut: 25.69

Podium:

1. Catie Deloof (NYAC), 24.68
2. Grace Cooper (TXLA), 24.77
3. Simone Manuel (SUN), 25.05
4. Alexandria Perkins (AUS), 25.08
5. Amy Fulmer (OSU), 25.19
6. Kristina Paegle (ISC), 25.22
7. Mia O’Leary (AUS), 25.24
8. Erika Connolly (TNAQ), 25.27

Catie Deloof swam a season-best 24.68 to win the women’s 50 free. Deloof had a slight advantage over the tightly-bunched field from start to finish. Grace Cooper of Longhorn Aquatics was the only other sub-25 in the final; she touched second with 24.77.

It was Cooper’s first foray into the sub-25 zone.

Simone Manuel (25.05) of Sun Devil Swimming got her hand to the wall just ahead of Australia’s Alexandria Perkins (25.08) for third place. This was a season-best time for Manuel, as well.

Men’s 50 Meter Freestyle – Finals

• World Record: 20.91, Cesar Cielo, BRA (2009)
• American Record: 21.04, Caeleb Dressel (2019/2021)
• U.S. Open Record: 21.04, Caeleb Dressel (2021)
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Cut: 22.79

Podium:

1. Thomas Nowakowski (AUS), 21.81
2. (tie) Brooks Curry (LSU) / Santo Condorelli (UN), 22.04
3. —
4. Jezze Gorman (AUS), 22.05
5. Taiko Torepe-Ormsby (WISC), 22.11
6. (tie) Jonny Kulow (SUN) / Jamie Jack (AUS), 22.12
7. —
8. Dillon Downing (ABSC), 22.44

After putting up the third-fastest time of 22.18 in prelims, Thomas Nowakowski of Australia blasted a 21.81 to win the men’s 50 free title. LSU’s Brooks Curry and Santo Condorelli, who had battled to a tight 1-2 finish in their prelims heat, tied for second place with 22.04. They touched out Jezze Gorman (22.05) by .01, robbing Australia of a 1-2 finish in the event.

Women’s 400 Meter Medley Relay – Timed Finals

• World Record: 3:50.40, 2019 USA World Championships Team (R Smith, L King, K Dahlia, S Manuel)
• American Record: 3:50.40, 2019 USA World Championships Team (R Smith, L King, K Dahlia, S Manuel)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:55.23, 2010 USA Pan Pacific Team

Podium:

1. Cal, 4:02.18
2. Wisconsin, 4:05.43
3. Ohio State A, 4:05.84
4. Ohio State B, 4:08.95
5. Indiana Swim Club, 4:09.79
6. Alto Swim Club, 4:11.85
7. Tennessee Aquatics, 4:11.85
8. Missouri, 4:15.54

Cal’s Isabelle Stadden (59.56), Alicia Henry (1:08.22), Lizzy Cook (59.18), and Eloise Riley (55.22) combined for 4:02.18 to win the women’s medley relay by nearly 3.3 seconds over Wisconsin (Phoebe Bacon, 59.79; Katie McClintock, 1:11.13; Beata Nelson, 59.05; and Abby Wanezek, 55.46).

Men’s 400 Meter Medley Relay – Timed Finals

• World Record: 3:26.78, 2020 USA Olympic Team (R Murphy, M Andrew, C Dressel, Z Apple) (2021)
• American Record: 3:26.78, 2020 USA Olympic Team (R Murphy, M Andrew, C Dressel, Z Apple) (2021)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:32.48, 2010 USA Pan Pacific Team (A Perisol. M Gangloff, M Phelps, N Adrian)

Podium:

1. Australia, 3:36.00
2. Indiana Swim Club, 3:36.76
3. Cal, 3:41.19

Australia’s Ty Hartwell (55.14), Haig Buckingham (59.52), Jesse Coleman (52.08), and Gorman (49.26) held off a strong challenge by Indiana to win the medley relay with 3:36.00.

Indiana’s Brendan Burns (55.26), Max Reich (1:00.82), and Finn Brooks (52.07) swam the first three legs, handing off to Blake Pieroni with a deficit of 1.4 seconds to make up. Pieroni split 48.61 on the freestyle, coming with half a body of catching the Australians.

Cal (Colby Mefford, Jason Louser, Jett, and Dylan Hawk) took third with 3:41.19.