2017 U.S. Open: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2017 U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Swimmers are gearing up for day 3 finals of the 2017 U.S. Open in Long Meadow, New York. Tonight, we’ll see swimmers compete in the 400 IM, 100 fly, and 800 free relay. Cal All-American Matt Josa headlines the men’s 100 fly and will chase teammate Tom Shields’ Meet Record in the event. The Meet Record in the women’s version of that event is also in jeopardy after Indiana’s Amanda Kendall came within hundredths of the mark this morning.

WOMEN’S 400 IM

  • American Record: 4:31.12, Katie Hoff, 2008
  • U.S. Open Record: 4:31.07, Katinka Hosszu, 2015
  • U.S. Open Meet: 4:38.38, Katie Hoff, 2006
  1. GOLD: Sharli Brady, UMIZ, 4:42.70
  2. SILVER: Fantine Lesaffre, FRA, 4:43.25
  3. BRONZE: Vanessa Pearl, MTRO, 4:44.80

Missouri’s Sharli Brady got off to a steady lead through the first 200 meters, but was overtaken by France’s Fantine LeSaffre on the breaststroke leg. Brady hung in there enough to take back the lead on the freestyle leg, though, and took off down the final stretch to win it in 4:42.70 to LeSaffre’s 4:43.25.

Metroplex Aquatics’ Vanessa Pearl made a huge move on the breaststroke leg, running down Mia Nonnenberg (4:45.97) and Florida’s Kay Sargent (4:46.07). Pearl touched in 4:44.80 for the bronze, followed by Nonnenberg and Sargent. The Gators also had Hannah Burns (4:46.88) and Savanna Faulconer (4:47.64) come in behind Sargent.

MEN’S 400 IM

  • American Record: 4:03.84, Michael Phelps, 2008
  • U.S. Open Record: 4:05.25, Michael Phelps, 2008
  • U.S. Open Meet: 4:11.11, Sebastien Rousseau, 2013
  1. GOLD: Jonathan Roberts, NTN, 4:14.93
  2. SILVER: Charlie Swanson, UN-1, 4:15.99
  3. BRONZE: Kieran Smith, RAC, 4:18.81

Texas’ Jonathan Roberts used his strong backstroke leg to take control early on in the race, flipping at 2:02.16 though the first 200 meters to lead the field by over 2.5 seconds. Michigan’s Charlie Swanson was 4 seconds back at that point, but he made up significant ground on the breaststroke split to pull himself within a second of Roberts. He wasn’t able to run Roberts down on the freestyle leg, though, as Roberts held on to his lead with a winning time of 4:14.93 to Swanson’s 4:15.99.

Earlier in the season, Roberts knocked almost 7 seconds off his best time in this race, bringing it down from a 4:22.32 to a 4:15.50 at U.S. Nationals. He’s got great momentum in this race and has now lowered his best time by 7.5 seconds in 2017.

Ridgefield Aquatics’ Kieran Smith ran down Texas’ Sam Stewart (4:19.69) in the final 100 meters to round out the top 3 in 4:18.81. Rounding out the top 5 was Snow Swimming’s Andrew Brady in 4:21.00.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY

  • American Record: 55.98, Dana Vollmer, 2012
  • U.S. Open Record: 56.38, Sarah Sjostrom, 2016
  • U.S. Open Meet: 58.18, Elaine Breeden, 2009
  1. GOLD: Marie Wattel, FRA, 57.53
  2. SILVER: Amanda Kendall, UN-03, 57.87
  3. BRONZE: Cassidy Bayer, NCAP, 59.04

France’s Marie Wattel and Indiana’s Amanda Kendall pushed each other under the 58-second barrier for the first time as they both finished under the former Meet Record. They were just 8 hundredths apart through the front half, with Wattel splitting a 27.00, but Wattel was a couple of tenths faster on the back half to beat out Kendall at the finish. She touched in 57.53 to Kendall’s 57.87.

Kendall is now just a tenths shy of making the all-time top 10 American performers list, as Mary Descenza currently occupies the #10 spot with a 57.77. It also made her the 2nd fastest American this year behind only Kelsi Worrell.

NCAP’s Cassidy Bayer and Michigan’s Vanessa Krause were the only other women in the field to take it out it under 28 seconds. Bayer held on to take 3rd in 59.04, but Indiana’s Christie Jensen (59.40) was able to out-touch Krause (59.59) at the finish as they battled for 4th place.

MEN’S 100 FLY

  • American Record: 49.82, Michael Phelps, 2009
  • U.S. Open Record: 50.22, Michael Phelps, 2009
  • U.S. Open Meet: 51.65, Tom Shields, 2013

Cal’s Matt Josa and Texas’ Tripp Cooper were the leading men at the 50 mark with a pair of 24-lows. Florida’s Maxime Rooney made a late charge to try and run them down, but ran out of room as Josa won it in 52.15 and Cooper took 2nd in 52.37.

Rooney was able  to go by Texas’ John Shebat to take 3rd, finishing in 52.45 to Shebat’s 52.56. Stanford’s Andrew Liang had the fastest back half of the field with a 27.67 closing split. He rounded out the top 5 in 52.72.

WOMEN’S 4×200 FREE RELAY

  • American Record: USA, 7:42.56, 2009
  • U.S. Open Record: USA, 7:51.21, 2010
  • U.S. Open Meet: Longhorn Aquatics, 8:00.84, 2013
  • GOLD: Texas A&M, 8:06.06
  • SILVER: Wisconsin, 8:11.01
  • BRONZE: Missouri, 8:11.44

Missouri (8:11.44) took the early lead with a pair of 2:01s from Courtney Evensen (2:01.50 leadoff) and Kira Zubar (2:01.38), but Texas A&M (8:06.06) gained control of the race once Karling Hemstreet and Claire Rasmus took to the water on the back half. An error in the timing system led to Hemstreet’s split not being shown, but we do know that Rasmus put up a 2:00.41 to bring them home.

Wisconsin was nearly 7 seconds behind Missouri in the battle for silver, but Abby Jagdfeld ran down the Tigers with a 2:00.60 anchor split to help the Badgers (8:11.01) to silver.

MEN’S 4×200 FREE RELAY

  • American Record: USA, 6:58.55, 2009
  • U.S. Open Record: USA, 7:03.84, 2010
  • U.S. Open Meet: Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics, 7:18.82, 2009
  • GOLD: Cal, 7:20.64
  • SILVER: Wisconsin, 7:21.44
  • BRONZE: Pleasanton Seahawks, 7:29.71

Cal (7:20.64) and Wisconsin (7:21.44) were neck-and-neck going into the final leg, but Long Gutierrez anchored in 1:49.21 to secure the win for the Bears. Maxime Rooney made huge moves for the Pleasanton Seahawks on the 3rd leg, turning in a 1:48.52 to help them to 3rd place. Tennessee Aquatics (7:33.07) got a sub-1:50 split from Walker Higgins (1:49.73), which gave them a boost to out-pace Missouri (7:33.70). and Badger Swim Club (7:33.87).

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bobo gigi
6 years ago

That begins to be worrying about Michael Andrew.
Anyway we’ll have the answers at world juniors. Either he disappoints again and maybe it will be the sign that he has reached his full potential at a very young age like some other great male age group swimmers before. Some fans will say that it’s not the sign of that but more the call for a training change under a new coach. Or he has just saved the best for late August, is now a big tapering swimmer, and will put on a show, a Dressel-like show, with multiple gold medals.

crooked donald
Reply to  bobo gigi
6 years ago

He needs to get with a serious strength and conditioning program.

bobo gigi
6 years ago

Wow! Big news of that 3rd day, at least for France, is the confirmation of a new Marie Wattel. Totally transformed. She was devasted after French nationals. Amazing how things can change in 4 months. Dee is right. Wattel has left Fabrice Pellerin after Rio to train in England under Ian Hulme. Her 100 free was a huge boost of confidence and she crushed her PB in her best event, the 100 fly. 57.53! 😎
Her week on the US east coast will mark a turning point in her career. She’s only 20.

Big Calves
Reply to  bobo gigi
6 years ago

Yeah, they are doing something right in The UK right now.

OldWahooVA
6 years ago

Waiting to see what Lochte does tomorrow!

kaev
6 years ago

A shame Kendall cannot perform when it counts, she’s got a lot of talent

yardfan
Reply to  kaev
6 years ago

I am amazed and saddened by how negative and sarcastic so many of your comments are. What are you trying to accomplish by writing them? Swimmers read those and they are putting their best effort in their race. Some are tapered, shaved, some are not. For some, it is their first time making the cut for this meet, so jitters are there…. being kind to people will always accomplish more than being harsh.

Pvdh
6 years ago

Kristof Milak – 50.6.
Michael Andrew – 55.5

E Gamble
Reply to  Pvdh
6 years ago

17 year vs 18 year old. I agree….it’s time to make some training changes. He should take a break from USRPT. ?

crooked donald
Reply to  E Gamble
6 years ago

He has to be incredibly burned out.

crooked donald
Reply to  Pvdh
6 years ago

Joe Schooling 50.78. Just sayin.

Wallaby
6 years ago

Wow Wattell a 57.53. Kendall just behind in 57.87 with Bayer 3rd in 59.04

Bman7712
Reply to  Wallaby
6 years ago

Anyone know what was up with kendall at trials? She had some great swims this spring, subpar trials and a nice us open

Dee
Reply to  Wallaby
6 years ago

Worth noting – Wattel moved to train/study at Loughborough in England a while back. Seems like the move is paying off… Those Loughborough squads are flying

G.I.N.A
Reply to  Dee
6 years ago

Sure she wasn’t sent over to catch English royalty ? . She’s got as much chance of being related to the Stuarts thru the French side as the current lot have to the Tudors .

No chance of anyone from Derby being royal but like William & Mary of Orange , sometimes you got to go with a good shot . Put me down for King Adam .

expert coach
6 years ago

Prediction: MA wins the C Final with time that would place 5th in A final. He hasn’t tapered for this meet as he has WJCs coming up but I know he can go 53 low.

ANON
Reply to  expert coach
6 years ago

MA doesn’t taper

PVSFree
Reply to  ANON
6 years ago

It seems as if in past meets that he’s been adopting a more traditional training style. He swam fast at both OT and World Champ Trials

samuel huntington
Reply to  PVSFree
6 years ago

he did not perform well at World Trials – 100 breast and 200 IM were well off PBs

Marley09
Reply to  expert coach
6 years ago

Then sneaks into lane 9 of 400IM and downs Phelps record.

Winnie Pearl
Reply to  expert coach
6 years ago

Peter Andrew is this really you?

Winnie Pearl
Reply to  expert coach
6 years ago

Yeah, your boy Michael got dead last in the C-Final. 55.57. Yikes.

Speed Racer
Reply to  Winnie Pearl
6 years ago

I think at this point it is safe to say Expert Coach is just a kid posting snarky comments knowing they will garner negative remarks about an already somewhat controversial training modality and it’s star pupil.

samuel huntington
Reply to  expert coach
6 years ago

oh geez, a new troll on swimswam

bobo gigi
Reply to  samuel huntington
6 years ago

We should not respond to the trolls. They just expect that. Now that we are sure he’s a troll, let’s boycott him. Unfortunately it will not prevent him from coming back under a new username. 😆

About Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh is a former NCAA swimmer at the University of Arizona (2013-2015) and the University of Florida (2011-2013). While her college swimming career left a bit to be desired, her Snapchat chin selfies and hot takes on Twitter do not disappoint. She's also a high school graduate of The …

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