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 Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
Siobhan Haughey pulled off what might be the most impressive double of the 2023 U.S. Open on Thursday night.
The 26-year-old standout from Hong Kong began the session with a commanding victory in the 200-meter freestyle (1:54.20) over Katie Ledecky (1:56.29) before showing off her versatility by beating reigning Olympic champion Lydia Jacoby (1:06.20) in the 100 breaststroke just a few heats later with a personal-best 1:06.05.
“I’m really happy with it,” Haughey said after her 200 free win to start the session. “Going into this meet, I didn’t really have a lot of expectations. We just came off a really hard altitude training. I’m also doing a lot of events here, so to me it’s just a training meet. I think this a really good time for me, so hopefully that means a best time is coming soon.”
Haughey’s winning time of 1:54.20 in the 200 free marked a new U.S. Open meet record, taking down Ledecky’s 1:55.47 from 2021. Haughey was under world record pace at the midway point of the race (55.87) before splitting 58.33 on the back end.
Haughey’s 200 free time was just a couple tenths off her 1:53.96 from Worlds this year and right on her 1:54.12 from the Asian Games this fall. Her lifetime best is a 1:53.92 from her silver medal performance at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago.
There were only about 20 minutes separating her two wins, the latter of which shaved more than two full seconds off her previous-best 1:08.38 in the 100 breast — typically an off-event for Haughey, who now ranks No. 3 the 2023-24 season’s world rankings just ahead of Jacoby.
“I was not expecting that,” she added after her 100 breast win. “I knew I wouldn’t have too much time in between. I don’t swim the 100 breast that often, so I was really surprised by the time. I treat the (double) like training, like doing two sets of race pace. Fifteen minutes is a decent amount of time in terms of training, so if I think about it that way it’s easier to manage.”
WOMEN’S 200-METER FREESTYLE – FINALS
- World Record: 1:52.85 – Mollie O’Callaghan (2023)
- American Record: 1:53.61 – Allison Schmitt (2012)
U.S. Open Meet Record: 1:55.47 – Katie Ledecky (2021)- U.S. Open Record: 1:54.13 – Summer McIntosh (2023)
Top 8:
- Siobhan Haughey (HKG) — 1:54.20 *Championship Record*
- Katie Ledecky (GSC) — 1:56.29
- Simone Manuel (SUN) — 1:57.37
- Mary-Sophie Harvey (TQ) — 1:57.70
- Minna Abraham (UN) — 1:57.96
- Erin Gemmell (TEX) — 1:58.14
- Anna Peplowski (IU) — 1:58.16
- Leah Smith (TXLA) — 1:58.97
Simone Manuel continues her steady return to form. Her 3rd place time of 1:57.37 is an excellent swim for her: it’s her 4th best performance and the fastest she’s been since 2019 when she swam her PB 1:56.09.
Mary-Sophie Harvey and Minna Abraham both swam PBs en-route to their 4th and 5th place finishes. Harvey dropped five-hundredths while Abraham, who’s been on a tear as a USC freshman in the NCAA season, broke 1:58 for the first time
WOMEN’S 100-METER BREASTSTROKE – FINALS
- World Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King (2017)
- American Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King (2017)
- U.S. Open Meet Record: 1:04.45 – Jessica Hardy (2009)
- U.S. Open Record: 1:04.45 – Jessica Hardy (2009)
Top 8:
- Siobhan Haughey (HKG) — 1:06.05
- Lydia Jacoby (STSC) — 1:06.20
- Kotryna Teterevkova (LTU) — 1:06.96
- Kate Douglass (NYAC) — 1:07.37
- Anna Elendt (TEX) — 1:08.01
- Skylar Smith (UNC) — 1:08.02
- Hannah Bach (OSU) — 1:08.58
- Rachel Bernhardt (TEAM) — 1:09.30
Notably, perennial contender Lilly King was disqualified in prelims this morning for a downward dolphin kick.
Kotryna Teterevkova rounded out the podium with a 1:06.96, making her the third and final swimmer in the field sub-1:07.
Does Siobhan have a better chance at medalling in the 200 free or 100 breast at Paris?
Like at a 1:06 flat in December, maybe she could go 1:05 mid, thats a great chance at a medal vs the gauntlet in the 200 free
(they match up in the same sessions at paris which is unfortunate because I would love to see her swim both)
Incredible double by Siobhan! Truly the most mind blowing swim of the meet for me so far. I think her 2BR might be amazing too with her endurance. What a fun swimmer to watch!!
We got Douglass who can sprint FR and do long BR, and we got Haughey who can basically all FR and sprint BR. This is game-changing stroke versatility!
Very few comments for an athlete who deserve a lot of praises as Siobhan Haughey swims fantastic times in every period of the season showing a real joy of racing. A true swimming ambassador and this 200 free-100 br. double has been really amazing.
Now, what is Siobhan’s backstroke like? 😉 200 IM beckons
Haughey really showing her versatility with her breast improvement. She also swam a 56 fly split when she helped hk relay to qualify for Tokyo, really hope she can swam 200 IM again to crash her old PB of 2:12 in 2017 and show how much she has in her.
#Altitudeworks
Gapping Ledecky was not unexpected. But the 100 breaststroke was among the most surprising results I remember at this level. I couldn’t even envision how Haughey swims that stroke. When her name was mentioned early I paid no attention, assuming she would fade. Only after the race did I go back and look at her technique.
More Lilly than Kate