2020 US OPEN
- November 12-14, 2020
- Multiple Locations
- Sarasota, Florida (Selby Aquatic Center)
- LCM
- Sarasota Psych Sheets
This year, the US Open meet will occur in nine different locations across the country in an effort to reduce travel and lower the number of swimmers at any one site due to the pandemic.
In Sarasota, the University of Florida and the Gator Swim Club group make up the biggest contingent to compete at that site.
Within that group are Olympian and world record-holder Ryan Lochte and American record-holders Bobby Finke and Kieran Smith. Lochte, 36, recently said he’s targeting five events at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. Next week, he’s entered in the 200 free, 200 IM, 200 back, 100 back and 100 free, a slight difference from his plan for Trials (which includes the 400 IM and 100 fly rather than the 100 back and 100 free).
Whether it’s because he’s dropping some events or it’s an intentional endurance and pain test, Smith is entered in a daunting eleven events for the three-day meet: 100/200/400/800 free, 100/200 back, 100/200 fly, 200/400 IM and 100 breast. Finke, meanwhile, has a four-event slate solely in his best events: 400/800/1500 free and 400 IM.
Other top names on the men’s side from the UF or GSC group include Mitch D’Arrigo, Clark Beach, Adam Chaney, Trey Freeman and Brennan Gravley. For the women, big names include Taylor Ault and Nikki Miller.
Most of the top high schoolers and club stars in the state will also be showing up, including 2019 US National Champion Emma Weyant and the Sarasota Sharks (including Michaela Mattes, Addison Sauickie, Gracie Weyant and Liam Custer).
Two of the fastest-improving young freestylers nationally, Blair Stoneburg of Treasure Coast Aquatics and Micayla Cronk of the Blue Dolfins, are on the psychs, too, in addition to Swim Florida’s Olivia McMurray, Tampa Elite Aquatics’ Ella Bathurst and Lexie Mulvihill, T2’s Mason Laur, Florida State University Club’s Stephanie Akakabota and Bluefish Swim Club’s Brynn Wright. Swimming unattached, though she’s been training with Sarasota Sharks, is Natalie Mannion. Many of these swimmers might be pulling double duty with Florida’s high school championships, which are running this weekend and next weekend.
Other interesting names include Olympian Brett Fraser of the Cayman Islands and former Denison University star and NCAA Division III 100 breast record-holder KT Kustritz of Swim Florida.