2019 US Open Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2019 U.S. Open Swimming Championships

• December 4th-7th, 2019
• McCauley Aquatic Center, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia
• LCM (50m), Prelims/Finals
• Psych sheets
• Pre-scratch timeline
• Live stream (all sessions beside A finals on Friday/Saturday)
• Live results

Day 3 finals heat sheets

Women’s 400m IM – Final

• American record: 4:31.12, 2008, Katie Hoff
• U.S. Open record: 4:31.07, 2015, Katinka Hosszu
• U.S. Open Meet record: 4:38.38, 2006, Katie Hoff

Podium:

1. Melanie Margalis (SPA) – 4:37.34
2. Ally McHugh (WA) – 4:38.09
3. Emma Weyant (SYS) – 4:39.64

Melanie Margalis of Saint Petersburg Aquatics topped the field in the women’s championship final, coming from behind to win with a new U.S. Open Meet record of 4:37.34. She was in 3rd place after the butterfly and in 8th place at the 200 wall. She pulled to 6th, then 2nd on the two breaststroke 50s, then powered home in 1:01.5 for the fastest time in the world so far this season.

Ally McHugh, who had hovered in 3rd place throughout much of the race, finished second in 4:38.09. 17-year-old Emma Weyant, who had held the lead until the final 100, came in 3rd with 4:39.64.

The trio posted the top three times in the world for the season.

Men’s 400m IM – Final

• American record: 4:03.84, 2008, Michael Phelps
• U.S. Open record: 4:05.25, 2008, Michael Phelps
• U.S. Open Meet record: 4:11.11, 2013, Sebastien Rousseau

Podium:

1. Chase Kalisz (ABSC) – 4:13.07
2. Carson Foster (RAYS) – 4:14.76
3. Jay Litherland (DYNA) – 4:18.58

Chase Kalisz controlled the 400 IM final from start to finish. He led from the first 50 of fly and never gave up control. Carson Foster pulled even with him at the 200 wall thanks to a strong backstroke leg, but Kalisz outsplit the field by 3 seconds over the breaststroke to keep control of the race. Foster scored the silver medal with a 4:14.76. Jay Litherland moved from 5th to 3rd over the final 100 meters to earn the bronze with 4:18.58. Ryan Lochte, who had held onto 3rd throughout the first 300 meters, finished 5th in 4:19.72.

Kalisz expressed his displeasure with his swim in the post-race interview, echoing his frustration after winning the event last year.

Women’s 100m Butterfly – Final

• American record: 55.98, 2012, Dana Vollmer
• U.S. Open record: 56.38, 2016, Sarah Sjostrom
• U.S. Open Meet record: 57.53, 2017, Marie Wattel

Podium:

1. Torri Huske (AAC) – 57.48
2. Kelsi Dahlia (CARD) – 57.96
3. Amanda Kendall (MVN) – 58.25

On the day before her 17th birthday, Torri Huske blasted a 57.48 to win the 100 fly from an outside lane, upsetting the favorites and notching both a U.S. Open Meet record and a National Age Group record for 15-16 girls. Her time was also faster than the 17-18 NAG record. (Whether she had swum the race on Friday or on Saturday, her “swim age” for NAG record purposes is her age on the first day of the meet. So either way it would have been a 15-16 NAG record.) Huske mentioned in her post-race interview that she has been focusing on breakouts and turns, and it showed. Huske moved from second place to first on the breakout off her turn and was unstoppable on the way home.

Farida Osman had been out first at the 50, turning in 26.91. She was followed by Huske in 26.93 and Kelsi Dahlia in 26.98. Huske’s second 50 was the fastest in the field by nearly half a second, as she outsplit Dahlia 30.55 to 30.98 to secure the win. Osman faded to 5th and Amanda Kendall surged to 3rd with 58.25.

Men’s 100m Butterfly – Final

• American record: 49.50, 2019, Caeleb Dressel
• U.S. Open record: 50.22, 2009, Michael Phelps
• U.S. Open Meet record: 51.65, 2013, Tom Shields

Podium:

1. Luis Martinez (GUA) – 52.00
2. Jack Conger (CAV) – 52.26
3. Iago Amaral (BSF) – 52.42

Luis Martinez, who had qualified first for the final out of morning heats, won the men’s 100 fly final in 52.00. He was out faster (24.35 in the final vs 24.50 in heats) but it didn’t help him because he came home a tad slower (27.65 vs 27.39 in the morning) for an overall time of 52.00 (vs 51.89). Martinez was challenged throughout the final by Jack Conger and Iago Amaral, who finished second and third with 52.26 and 52.42. The entire final was only separated by 8/10, with Justin Wright (52.51), Luca Urlando (52.59), Cody Bybee (52.73), Dylan Carter (52.83), and Adilbek Mussin (52.84) just missing the podium.

Women’s 200m Freestyle – Final

• American record: 1:53.61, 2012, Allison Schmitt
• U.S. Open record: 1:54.40, 2012, Allison Schmitt
• U.S. Open Meet record: 1:57.41, 2019, Simone Manuel

Podium:

1. Allison Schmitt (SUN) – 1:56.47
2. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 1:57.14
3. Simone Manuel (ALTO) – 1:57.21

B final:

1. Katie Ledecky (NCAP) – 1:56.24

Katie Ledecky kicked things off with a new U.S. Open Meet record in the B final of the women’s 200 free. She attacked the race from the outset and put nearly a body length of clear water in her wake by the 100 wall. She touched in 1:56.24 to take down the hours-old meet record of 1:57.41 set by Simone Manuel in prelims.

In the championship final, Allison Schmitt established the pace early on and held off a strong finish from Siobhan Haughey to secure the victory. Schmitt finished with 1:56.47, while Haughey edged Manuel for the silver medal, 1:57.14 to 1:57.21.

Men’s 200m Freestyle – Final

• American record: 1:42.96, 2008, Michael Phelps
• U.S. Open record: 1:44.10, 2008, Michael Phelps
• U.S. Open Meet record: 1:46.23, 2005, Peter van den Hoogenband

Podium:

1. Townley Haas (NOVA) – 1:45.92
2. Zach Apple (MVN) – 1:46.76
3. Fernando Scheffer (MTC) – 1:47.31

Dean Farris, the fastest qualifier out of heats, shot off the blocks to get an early lead on the field with 24.15. He was 50.6 at the 100 wall, half a second faster than he’d been out in his morning swim. With Zach Apple and Townley Haas on his heels, Farris maintained his lead through the 150. He had a strong final turn but fell off pace significantly over the final 50 meters. Haas, out in 50.98, came home with a pair of 27-mids to win with 1:45.92. Farris faded to 4th as Zach Apple (1:46.76) and Fernando Scheffer (1:47.31) passed him over the final 20 meters.

Splits:

• Townley Haas – 24.65 / 26.33 / 27.43 / 27/51
• Zach Apple – 24.89 / 26.70 / 27.43 / 27.74
• Fernando Scheffer – 25.35 / 27.26 / 27.73 / 26.97
• Dean Farris – 24.15 / 26.47 / 27.87 / 28.89

Haas’s 1:45.92 was .45 faster than his performance at 2019 World Championships (1:46.37) and ranks 3rd in the world so far this year.

Women’s 100m Breaststroke – Final

• American record: 1:04.13, 2017, Lilly King
• U.S. Open record: 1:04.45, 2009, Jessica Hardy
• U.S. Open Meet record: 1:04.45, 2009, Jessica Hardy

Podium:

1. Lilly King (ISC) – 1:05.65
2. Annie Lazor (MVN) – 1:06.63
3. Molly Hannis (TNAQ) – 1:07.24

After qualifying second in morning heats, Lilly King threw down a dominant 1:05.65 to win the women’s 100 breast by nearly a full second. Her performance is the fastest in the world so far this year. King was out in 30.7 and home in 34.9. Annie Lazor held on at second place from start to finish, going her second fastest-ever time of 1:06.63 (31.6 / 35.5). That puts her third in the world for the season. Molly Hannis, who had the leading time of the morning, touched third in 1:07.24.

Men’s 100m Breaststroke – Final

• American record: 58.64, 2017, Kevin Cordes
• U.S. Open record: 58.74, 2017 Kevin Cordes/Joao Gomes
• U.S. Open Meet record: 59.28, 2019, Andrew Wilson

Podium:

1. Dmitriy Balandin (TROJ) – 59.36
2. Andrew Wilson (ABSC) – 59.54
3. Cody Miller (SAND) – 59.92

Fresh off his U.S. Open Meet record in heats, Andrew Wilson charged to the early lead in the 100 breast final. He turned at 27.96, just a tick ahead of Dmitriy Balandin (28.0). The second half belonged to Balandin, though, as the Olympic Champion in the 200 breast came home in 31.35 to Wilson’s 31.58 for the victory. Balandin missed the meet record by .08 with his final time of 59.36. Wilson was runner-up in 59.54. Cody Miller took third in 59.92. No one else broke a minute in the heat, although fourth-place Nic Fink went 1:00.05.

Women’s 100m Backstroke – Final

• American record: 57.57, 2019, Regan Smith
• U.S. Open record: 58.00, 2018 Kathleen Baker
• U.S. Open Meet record: 59.11, 2008 Hayley McGregory

Podium:

1. Phoebe Bacon (NCAP) – 58.63
2. Regan Smith (RIPT) – 58.68
3. Olivia Smoliga (ABSC) – 59.60

17-year-old Phoebe Bacon stunned the crowd by upsetting World Record-holder Regan Smith in the final of the women’s 100 back. Bacon came into the meet with a PB of 59.02 from 2019 Pan Am Games. She qualified second in heats this morning with 59.55. In the final, she went out with Smith, who turned at 28.4 at the 50. It looked like Smith was cruising toward victory but Bacon began to take control over the final 20 meters and she got the touch, 58.63 to 58.68. Bacon’s back half was .1 faster than Smith’s, which made all the difference.

• Phoebe Bacon – 28.46 / 30.17
• Regan Smith – 28.41 / 30.27

Bacon is now #3 all-time for 17-18 girls in the U.S. and she is the #4 U.S. performer.

Olivia Smoliga came in third with 59.60 (28.76 / 30.84). The only other sub-1:00 in the field was fourth-place Amy Bilquist with 59.96.

Men’s 100m Backstroke – Final

• American record: 51.85, 2016, Ryan Murphy
• U.S. Open record: 51.94, 2009, Aaron Peirsol
• U.S. Open Meet record: 52.51, 2009, Nicholas Thoman

Podium:

1. Markus Thormeyer – 53.94
2. Christopher Reid – 54.27
3. Jacob Pebley – 54.39

Markus Thormeyer won a tight race in the 100 back final, going 53.94. Out significantly faster than the rest of the field with 26.15, he came home a couple of tenths slower and just held off runner-up Christopher Reid (54.27) and third-place finisher Jacob Pebley (54.39).