2017 U.S. Open: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap

2017 U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• August 2-6, 2017
• East Meadow, NY
• Long course (50m)
• Psych Sheet
• Pre-scratch timelines
• Meet Information
• Meet central
• Live Results
• Day 1 Prelims Heat Sheet

The U.S. Open is set to get underway this morning from East Meadow, NY. Just the 200 fly and 100 free events take place on day 1 prelims, with heats of the women’s 800 and men’s 1500 free scheduled for this afternoon.

Fresh off the 2017 World Championships, Hali Flickinger leads the women’s 200 fly, along with 2016 Trials 3rd and 4th place finishers Cassidy Bayer and Ruby Martin.

Gunnar Bentz and Zach Harting headline the men’s 200 fly, while #2 seed Jonathan Gomez has scratched. Margo Geer and Maxime Rooney hold the top seeds in the 100 free.

Women’s 200 Fly Prelims

• American Record: 2:04.14, Mary Descenza, 2009
• U.S. Open Record: 2:05.96, Mary T. Meagher, 1981
• U.S. Open Meet: 2:07.20, Susie O’Neill, 1999

1. Cassidy Bayer, NCAP, 2:09.21
2. Hali Flickinger, ABSC, 2:10.05
3. Ruby Martin, IFLY, 2:11.72
4. Francesca Stoppa, PPST, 2:11.77
5. Vanessa Krause, UN, 2:12.63
6. Hannah Saiz, SSTY. 2:12.67
7. Lauren Case, TXLA, 2:13.03
8. Sharli Brady, UMIZ, 2:13.23

Nation’s Capital’s Cassidy Bayer leads the women’s 200 fly prelims after a strong morning swim in 2:09.21, her fastest swim of the season. Ruby Martin (2:11.72) and Francesca Stoppa were 2nd and 3rd in Bayer’s heat, and qualify 3rd and 4th overall for tonight’s finals.

Hali Flickinger was solid to win the last heat and qualify 2nd overall in 2:10.05, and will look to be faster than her World Championship best (2:07.89) tonight. Vanessa Krause won the first circle-seeded heat in 2:12.63 and heads into finals seeded 5th, while Hannah Saiz qualified 6th from Flickinger’s heat in 2:12.67.

Among those missing the A-final was Remedy Rule of Longhorn Aquatics, who ended up 9th in 2:13.34.

Men’s 200 Fly Prelims

• American Record: 1:51.51, Michael Phelps, 2009
• U.S. Open Record: 1:52.20, Michael Phelps, 2008
• U.S. Open Meet: 1:55.64, Sebastien Rousseau, 2013

1. Gunnar Bentz, ABSC, 1:59.20
2. Miles Smachlo, UN, 1:59.39
3. Zach Brown, MOR, 1:59.46
4. Sam Pomajevich, NCAP, 1:59.77
5. Zach Harting, CARD, 1:59.79
6. Mike Thomas, CAL, 1:59.83
7. Mick Litherland, DYNA, 2:00.16
8. Bowen Gough, WAIS, 2:00.20

Gunnar Bentz led a group of six men who were sub-2:00 this morning, clocking in at an easy 1:59.20 to take the top seed for tonight’s finals. NCAP’s Sam Pomajevich was 2nd to Bentz in the last heat in 1:59.77, moving on to finals in 4th place.

The 6th of 7 seeds was led by Miles Smachlo, who was a surprise A-finalist at U.S. World Trials in June. He won the heat in 1:59.39, and was joined under the two minute barrier by Zach Brown (1:59.46) and Zach Harting (1:59.79) who take the 3rd and 5th spots overall.

2015 World Junior bronze medalist Mike Thomas of Cal won the first circle-seeded heat in 1:59.83, and moves on in 6th while Mick Litherland sits 7th (2:00.16).

14-year-old Rose Dare dropped two seconds to place 21st in 2:02.56, moving him into 3rd all-time in the boys 13-14 age category. He’ll swim again tonight in the C-final.

Women’s 100 Free Prelims

• American Record: 52.27, Simone Manuel, 2017
• U.S. Open Record: 52.81, Mallory Comerford, 2017
• U.S. Open Meet: 53.92, Megan Romano, 2012

1. Marie Wattel, FRA, 55.15
2. Courtney Caldwell, WOLF, 55.43
3. Margo Geer, FORD, 55.50
4. Amanda Kendall, UN, 55.69
5. Claire Rasmus, AGS, 55.91
6. Kristin Malone, AGS, 55.92
7. Rebecca Millard, TXLA, 55.94
8. Claire Adams, CSC, 55.97

France’s Marie Wattel posted the top time of the morning in the women’s 100 free, coming just 0.02 off her time from the French Championships this year in 55.15. Courtney Caldwell (55.43) of the Wolfpack took 2nd to Wattel in heat 9, and the two will have the middle lanes in the final tonight after delivering the top two times.

Three-time relay medalist from the 2015 World Championships Margo Geer won the last heat and takes the 3rd spot into finals at 55.50, just ahead of Amanda Kendall (55.69) and Claire Rasmus (55.91).

Rebecca Millard of Longhorn won heat 8 and is the only one to make the A-final out of that heat, leaving Marissa Berg (56.07), Gabby Deloof (56.25) and Eva Merrell (56.47) on the outside looking in.

Men’s 100 Free Prelims

• American Record: 47.17, Caeleb Dressel, 2017
• U.S. Open Record: 47.58, Jason Lezak, 2008
• U.S. Open Meet: 48.52, Nicholas Brunelli, 2009

1. Tate Jackson, TXLA, 48.99
2. Robert Howard, BAMA, 49.19
3. Maxime Rooney, PLS / BJ Hornikel, UN, 49.33
4. –
5. Jeff Newkirk, QSTS, 49.77
6. Brett Ringgold, NTN, 49.88
7. Andrew Loy, OSU, 50.35
8. Long Gutierrez, CAL, 50.38

Tate Jackson of Longhorn Aquatics unloaded a big best time this morning in the men’s 100 free, breaking the 49-second barrier for the first time in 48.99. His college teammates Jeff Newkirk of Quest and Brett Ringgold of North Texas also cracked 50 seconds from heat 5 to qualify for the A-final, 5th and 6th overall in 49.77 and 49.88 respecitvely.

Robert Howard of Alabama won heat 6 in 49.19 for the #2 time, while Maxime Rooney and BJ Hornikel tied in heat 7 for a share of 3rd place in 49.33. Andrew Loy of Ohio State and Long Gutierrez of Cal also got in the A-final from the last heat.

Among those missing out on the ‘A’ final and relegated to the ‘B’ were some notable international names. South Africans Brad Tandy (50.39) and Christopher Reid (50.71) took 9th and 14 overall, while Brazil’s Matheus Santana (50.42) and the Netherlands’ Laurent Bams (50.52) were 10th and t-11th respectively.