2016 U.S. Open – Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2016 U.S. Open Swimming Championships

• Tuesday, August 2 – Saturday, August 6, 2016
• Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center
• The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
• Heats 9:00 AM / Finals 5:00 PM (U.S. Central Time)
• Psych Sheets
• Live Video
• Wednesday Finals Heat Sheet
• Live Results
• Championship Central

Day Two – Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Women’s 400 Meter Freestyle – Final

• American: 3:58.37 8/23/2014 Katie Ledecky
• U.S. Open Meet: 4:05.45 12/20/1987 Janet Evans, Fullerton

From the outset it was clear the women’s 400 final would be a battle. Stephanie Peters of Marietta Marlins and Ashley Twichell took it out first, trading leads through the halfway point. Twichell turned first at the 200 wall, in 2:03.31, not quite a half-body length ahead of Peters. Sierra Schmidt of North Baltimore began to descend at that point, and moved up to challenge the leaders. It was Peters out front at the 300 wall, but by the 350 turn Schmidt had taken the lead. The trio came home in a mad sprint. When the waves died down it was Schmidt in 4:08.82, Twichell with 4:09.10, and Peters with 4:09.55.

Club Wolverine’s Rose Bi and Swim Pasadena’s Katy Campbell were 1-2 at the halfway point in the B final. Bi won in 4:09.91. Jessica Hespeler finished well and earned the second spot in the heat with 4:14.20. Campbell finished third with 4:14.60.

It was great racing in the C final, with a tight finish led by University of Alabama’s Mia Nonnenberg (4:15.45); North Baltimore Aquatic Club’s Easop Lee (4:15.55) and Leah Braswell of York YMCA (4:15.90) were just behind.

Top 8

1. Sierra Schmidt, North Baltimore Aquatic Club, 4:08.82
2. Ashley Twichell, Unattached-CA, 4:09.10
3. Stephanie Peters, Marietta Marlins, 4:09.55
4. Courtney Harnish, York YMCA, 4:13.03
5. Stephanie Marchuk, Indiana University, 4:13.75
6. Erica Sullivan, Sandpipers of Nevada, 4:13.91
7. Madison Homovich, Marlins of Raleigh, 4:15.61
8. Kaersten Meitz, Boilermaker Aquatics, 4:15.99

Men’s 400 Meter Freestyle – Final

• American: 3:42.78 8/10/2008 Larsen Jensen
• S. Open Meet: 3:47.62 7/31/2008 Michael Klueh

Zane Grothe of Badger Swim Club and England’s Nicholas Grainger took it out quickly, both turning at exactly 54.90 at the 100 wall. Grainger moved to a .02 lead over Grothe at the halfway mark, flipping at 1:52.73 to Grothe’s 1:52.71. As True Sweetser of Gator Swim Club moved up to challenge the two leaders over the third 100, Grothe took off. He was up by a body length at the 300, then came home in 55-high to win with 3:45.63 and set a new U.S. Open Meet record. Grainger and Sweetser turned exactly together at the 350, but finished second with 3:47.83, while Sweetser got third with 3:47.94.

Ben Lawless roared to a 3:55.23 victory in the B final, coming home in 28.0 over the final 50 to seal his win. Tom Peribonio of Gamecock Aquatics was second with 3:56.10. Juan Tolosa from Pitchfork Aquatics was third in the heat with 3:56.52.

Max Irwin of Indiana University was out in front over the first half of the C final, but the field began to even up at the 300. Saint Peterburg Aquatics’ Robert Finke put together a great back half to win in 3:57.30. Irwin was second with 3:57.66; Jerad Kaskawal of FAST Swim Team took third in 3:58.10.

Top 8

1. Zane Grothe, Badger Swim Club, 3:45.63M
2. Nicholas Grainger, COSSS, 3:47.83
3. True Sweetser, Gator Swim Club, 3:47.94
4. Liam Egan, Crimson Aquatics, 3:50.16
5. Daniel Jervis, Swim Wales, 3:53.46
6. PJ Ransford, Club Wolverine, 3:54.02
7. Andrew Brady, Unattached GSC, 3:56.58
8. Isaac Jones, Kentucky Aquatics, 3:58.57

Women’s 200 Meter Breaststroke – Final

• American: 2:19.59 8/2/2012 Rebecca Soni
• U.S. Open Meet: 2:22.51 8/4/2009 Katlin Freeman

Madisyn Cox jumped out to the early lead, turning first at the 50 wall. Aggie Swim Club’s Bethany Galat pulled ahead at the 100 wall, turning just .03 ahead of Cox with 1:10.53. Galat increased her lead at the 150, and charged home to win in 2:24.34. Cox was runner-up with 2:27.21. Club Wolverine’s Miranda Tucker was third with 2:28.24

In the B final it was Australia’s Jessica Hansen all alone at the end, touching in 2:27.50. Second place went to Maria Carlson of Wisconsin Aquatics with 2:31.35; Emily Kopas of Swim Fort Lauderdale finished third in 2:31.38.

Alexis Yager of Academy Bullet got the wire-to-wire win in the C final, stopping the clock at 2:32.12. Ashley McCauley from Marlins of Raleigh nearly caught Yager, but came in second with 2:32.29. Y-Spartaquatics’ Savannah Faulconer was third with 2:33.40

Top 8

1. Bethany Galat, Aggie Swim Club, 2:24.34
2. Madisyn Cox, Unattached TXLA, 2:27.21
3. Miranda Tucker, Unattached CW, 2:28.24
4. Olivia Anderson, Aquajets Swim Team, 2:28.55
5. Anna Belousova, Nation’s Capital Swim Club, 2:28.66
6. Esther Gonzalez Medina, Aggie Swim Club, 2:29.31
7. Andee Cottrell, Cardinal Aquatics, 2:29.95
8. Franko Jonker, Aggie Swim Club, 2:30.88

Men’s 200 Meter Breaststroke – Final

• American: 2:07.17 6/30/2016 Josh Prenot
• S. Open Meet: 2:10.36 7/31/2013 Scott Weltz

Andrew Wilson of Longhorn Aquatics jumped out to the early lead in men’s 200 breast final, turning at 29.45 at the 50. By the 100 wall he was up by over a body length with 1:01.66. Wilson extended his lead to two body lengths at the 150 wall. Over the final 50 meters, England’s James Wilby came charging home in a 32.7, but Wilson had too great a lead. Wilson stopped the clock at 2:09.73 to win the men’s 200 breast and set the second U.S. Open Meet record of the night. Wilby was runner-up with 2:10.01, also under the previous meet record. Third place went to Marat Amaltdinov of Boilermaker Aquatics  in 2:11.91.

There was a tight finish in B final as University of Minnesota’s Conner McHugh (2:14.81) edged Stanford Swimming’s Max Williamson (2:15.03). John Bushman of Aces Swim Club was third in 2:15.97.

Thibaut Capitaine of Cergy-Pontoise won the C final in 2:18.23 ahead of Minnetonka Swim Club’s Corey Lau (2:20.18) and Club Wolverine’s Chris Klein (2:20.84).

Top 8

1. Andrew Wilson, Longhorn Aquatics, 2:09.73M
2. James Wilby, Loughborough, 2:10.01M
3. Marat Amaltdinov, Boilermaker Aquatics, 2:11.91
4. Matthew Wilson, Australia, 2:12.27
5. Julian Layton, New Zealand, 2:14.46
6. Nick Zito, WEST Swim Club, 2:14.46
7. Jonathan Rutter, Powel Crosley, Jr. YMCA, 2:16.15
8. Cody Taylor, Indiana University, 2:17.56

Women’s 200 Meter Backstroke – Final

• American: 2:04.06 8/3/2012 Missy Franklin
• U.S. Open Meet: 2:08.42 7/30/2008 Hayley McGregory

Aquazot Swim Club’s Eva Merrell was first out of the gates, turning in 30.48 at the 50 wall, about 3/10 ahead of the field. Australia’s Sian Whittaker slipped past Merrell at the 100 turn, going through at 1:02.86. Whittaker continued to outsplit Merrell and build her lead. She eventually won in 2:08.64. Merrell held on to second, finishing in 2:09.54. Hannah Moore of NC State narrowed the distance between Merrell and herself, coming home in 32.6. It wasn’t quite enough to overcome Merrell, though, and Moore finished third with 2:10.14.

Aggie Swim Club’s Lisa Bratton took the B final in 2:11.89; Erin Earley of Hopkins Mariner Swim Team was second with 2:12.68, just 1/100 ahead of NASA Wildcat Aquatics’ Melissa Postoll (2:12.69).

Erin Oeltjen claimed the C final with 2:15.04, coming to the wall just before Firestone Akron Swim Team’s Laura Savariau (2:15.31) and Gold Medal Swim Club’s Taylor McCoy (2:16.06).

Top 8

1. Sian Whittaker, Australia, 2:08.64
2. Eva Merrell, Aquazot Swim Club, 2:09.54
3. Hannah Moore, NC State University, 2:10.14
4. Tasija Karosas, Longhorn Aquatics, 2:10.41
5. Bridgette Alexander, Kentucky Aquatics, 2:11.86
6. Regan Smith, Riptide Swim Team, 2:12.34
7. Alice Treuth, Irish Aquatics, 2:12.93
8. Hellen Moffitt, North Carolina Aquatic Club, 2:13.26

Men’s 200 Meter Backstroke – Final

• American: 1:51.92 7/31/2009 Aaron Peirsol
• U.S. Open Meet: 1:54.59 8/5/2009 Nicholas Thoman

The championship final of the men’s 200 back was a two-man battle between Arkady Vyatchanin of New York Athletic Club and Robert Owen of H2Okie Aquatics. Vyatchanin blasted out to the early lead, turning in 27.36 at the 50, already .3 up on Owen. Owen narrowed Vyatchanin’s lead at the 100 wall, and pulled even at the 150. They both came home in matching 29.6s, and Vyatchanin edged Owen, 1:56.65 to 1:56.79, for the win. Bob Glover of Indiana University earned the bronze, out-touching rest of field with 2:00.03.

It looked like it could be anyone’s game over the last 50 of the B final, but Kieran Smith of Ridgefield Aquatic Club finished strong and got the win in 2:02.34. SwimAtlanta’s Taylor Delk was second with 2:02.59, coming to the wall just ahead of SwimMAC Carolina’s Nathan Murray (2:02.71).

Joe Young of Boilermaker Aquatics went 2:02.74 to win the C final, out-touching Edina Swim Club’s Jonathan Lieberman (2:03.10) and Alexander Lebed (2:03.12).

Top 8

1. Arkady Vyatchanin, New York Athletic Club, 1:56.65
2. Robert Owen, H2okie Aquatics, 1:56.79
3. Bob Glover, Indiana University, 2:00.03
4. Brennan Balogh, Lincoln Select Swimming, 2:01.10
5. Crews Wellford, University of Alabama Swim Club, 2:01.26
6. James Beckman, Indiana University, 2:01.57
7. Rob Whitacre, Irish Aquatics, 2:01.64
8. Todd McCarthy, Wisconsin Aquatics, 2:02.74

Men’s 400 Meter Free Relay – Timed Finals

• American: 3:08.24 8/11/2008 USA Olympic Team (M Phelps, G Weber-Gale, C Jones, J Lezak)
• S. Open Meet: 3:19.06 8/8/2012 Australia (A Abood, K To, M Abood, R Hurley)

William Stockwell (49.50), Alexander Graham (49.11), Blake Jones (49.21), and Zac Incerti (49.05) took a huge bite out of the U.S. Open Meet record, set by Australia in 2012, with their 3:16.87 win in the men’s 4×100 free relay.

Cardinal Aquatics’ Zach Harting (51.06), Trevor Carroll (49.61), David Boland (51.03), and Christian Garkani (51.31) went 3:23.01 to touch out Indiana University’s Sam Lorentz (50.70), Ian Finnerty (50.35), Vini Lanza (50.65), and Max Irwin (51.35) by 4/100.

Top 8

1. Australia, 3:16.87M
2. Cardinal Aquatics, 3:23.01
3. Indiana University, 3:23.05
4. University of Alabama Swim Club, 3:26.27
5. Badger Swim Club, 3:26.82
6. Wisconsin Aquatics, DQ