2019 US Open Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2019 U.S. Open Swimming Championships

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.

2019-2020 LCM WOMEN 400 IM

KatinkaHUN
Hosszu
08/03
4:32.30
2Melanie
Margalis
USA4:32.5303/06
3Yui
Ohashi
JPN4:32.5712/14
4Mireia
Belmonte
ESP4:34.4708/03
5Ye
Shiwen
CHN4:37.4009/04
View Top 26»

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.

2019-2020 LCM WOMEN 100 FLY

EmmaAUS
McKeon
03/13
56.36
2Sarah
Sjostrom
SWE56.7101/24
3Anastasia
Shkudrai
BLR56.9507/16
4Maggie
MacNeil
CAN57.2612/08
5Kelsi
Dahlia
USA57.3303/06
View Top 26»

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.

2019-2020 LCM MEN 100 FLY

2Shinnosuke
Ishikawa
JPN51.1109/06
3Kristof
Milak
HUN51.1407/24
4Naoki
Mizunuma
JPN51.2608/16
4Grant
Irvine
AUS51.2608/15
View Top 46»

Women’s 200m Freestyle – Final

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.

2019-2020 LCM WOMEN 200 FREE

KatieUSA
Ledecky
03/06
1:54.59
2Junxuan
Yang
CHN1:54.9801/19
3Siobhan
Haughey
HKG1:55.2101/19
4Emma
McKeon
AUS1:55.3803/15
5Allison
Schmitt
USA1:56.0101/17
View Top 26»

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:

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.

2019-2020 LCM MEN 200 FREE

DanasLTU
Rapsys
08/16
1:44.38
2Sun
Yang
CHN1:45.5501/18
3Dominik
Kozma
HUN1:45.7708/04
4Katsuhiro
Matsumoto
JPN1:45.8201/24
5Townley
Haas
USA1:45.9212/06
View Top 26»

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.

2019-2020 LCM WOMEN 100 BREAST

LillyUSA
King
12/06
1:05.65
2Molly
Hannis
USA1:06.4303/05
3Kelsey
Wog
CAN1:06.4402/20
4Annie
Lazor
USA1:06.5403/05
4Tatjana
Schoenmaker
RSA1:06.5408/03
View Top 48»

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.

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.

2019-2020 LCM WOMEN 100 BACK

ReganUSA
Smith
03/07
58.18
2Kaylee
McKeown
AUS58.5201/19
3Kathleen
Baker
USA58.5603/07
4Phoebe
Bacon
USA58.6312/06
5Anastasia
Shkurdai
BLR59.0807/17
View Top 26»

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).

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Swamfan
4 years ago

The women’s 100 back OT will be an absolute blood bath. Baker is the 2nd fastest performer ever & Smoliga took Bronze at worlds and I wouldn’t even be surprised if neither of them make the team. Plus there’s still Berkoff, Stadden, Bilquist, etc.

The unoriginal Tim
Reply to  Swamfan
4 years ago

Yeah makes a strong case to drop the two per country rule. It isn’t right to leave swimmers of that caliber at home for the big meet that only happens every 4 years. 59.35 made the final in Rio.

leisurely1:29
4 years ago

If you’d told me a month ago that Townley Haas would go 1:45, in season, to break a 14 year-old meet record set by Pieter van den Hoogenband I would’ve sent the DEA to your house.

ArtVanDeLegh10
Reply to  leisurely1:29
4 years ago

Technically it’s in season but it seems like he was shaved and pretty rested based upon how well the rest of the Texas guys are swimming.

Drewbrewsbeer
Reply to  ArtVanDeLegh10
4 years ago

Why do that so close to the ISL final, though?

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  ArtVanDeLegh10
4 years ago

still , its faster than his time at Worlds ……that bodes well for next year me thinks

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  leisurely1:29
4 years ago

Loved this one full time 😅

Dansad
4 years ago

Omega Timing, you have one job. C’mon man!

NoFlyKick
Reply to  Dansad
4 years ago

No kidding. I hope there is a penalty clause for non-performance in their contract because they sure aren’t gettin’ it done.

Nswim
4 years ago

I’ve officially given up on my hopes of being a backstroker seeing the competition

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Nswim
4 years ago

lol😅

Jonathankkh
4 years ago

In my opinion, the way Regan Smith has been swimming rounds, she tends to go a little too fast in prelims and is unable to drop a lot of time in finals. She will need to learn how to take a bit off to conserve energy and save the best for last even if she is so far ahead based on her world records. Otherwise, something like this may happen again and that would be a shame.

PK Doesn't Like His Long Name
Reply to  Jonathankkh
4 years ago

Strong disagree on this. Look how she handled prelims-semis last year at worlds, or look at all of her short course performances last spring. She did a great job of pacing through prelims.

Dmswim
Reply to  PK Doesn't Like His Long Name
4 years ago

But then she was slower in finals than semis. I agree that she can work on her pacing between rounds, but she has time to nail that down before next summer.

Ferb
Reply to  Dmswim
4 years ago

She was so far ahead of everyone at WC’s that she could afford to drop the hammer on the first 100 in finals & see what happened. She still won by over two seconds. Sometimes, the only way to find the limit is to exceed it.

jonathankkh
Reply to  PK Doesn't Like His Long Name
4 years ago

She did well indeed from prelims to semis at Worlds but then she swam slower than her semi time in the final(due to the fact she went out too fast on the first half). Unlike the 200 back though, she will be more vulnerable in 100 back and making a mistake of having nothing left to close in the final meters would be costly like what happened tonight.

Jack
Reply to  jonathankkh
4 years ago

I don’t know that you can hold that final against her. She was pushing the first 100 to tighten up her case for inclusion on the relay, not going out too hard for no reason.

jonathankkh
Reply to  Jack
4 years ago

I guess that was an exception given the circumstances. What I am trying to say is that world’s best swimmers should know to how pace themselves through rounds to make sure they swim faster and faster and not the other way around. I think we all remember vividly what happened to Seebohm in 2012 and Flickinger this year and etc…and to have that happen on the biggest stage would be their worst nightmare.

Ferb
Reply to  jonathankkh
4 years ago

Dumb comment. The objective at Worlds is to win, which she did handily. She dropped over two seconds from her lifetime best in semis, and was obviously a bit shocked by how fast she was. She decided to push it even more in finals, and still swam the second-fastest 200 back ever, despite dying on the last 50. And she still completely obliterated the competition. I don’t think it had anything to do with trying to get the relay spot, which was probably already hers; I think she just wanted to see what she could really do in the 200.

Yozhik
Reply to  Jack
4 years ago

Yes, she was out of the chance to race 100 because of the selection procedure at Trials that doesn’t count for the fast rising stars. I agree that swimming faster first half of 200 in final was rather an attempt to get spot on relay than an attempt to set another world record.

Dan
Reply to  Jonathankkh
4 years ago

Absolutely wrong. Go find any reasonable example of this being true. You can’t. She was “slower” in finals at world’s? She still broke Missy’s old record and very purposefully went after the first 100 to make a statement on the relay lead off. She has proven a hundred times she has the skill and maturity to handle anything. She didn’t rest or shave for this, for her, relatively meaningless meet. Relax. Oh, she also swam a 200 free last night before her 100 back. That has an impact.

Carlos
4 years ago

Bacon would’ve been 2nd at worlds by .03… Insane and that’s that. Can’t wait for trials

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Carlos
4 years ago

Insane level / Fantastic for fans , not for swimmers who want to qualify next year

Troyy
4 years ago

That Omegatiming website is trash. It seems to have problems more often than not.

Swimmer0883
Reply to  Troyy
4 years ago

That and how slow Meet Mobile can be at time. You would think they would the technology working better by now.

Dee
4 years ago

Just a pair of teenagers casually going 58.6 for the women’s 100bk in December. US trials women 100bk is going to be the race of the year and nobody can dissuade me of that.

anon
Reply to  Dee
4 years ago

Mens 100 freestyle is up there too

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  anon
4 years ago

yesss – the 100 free for Men is even more insane right now

Samesame
Reply to  Dee
4 years ago

Women’s 200 free at Australian trials will also be incredible . Men’s too

Justanotherfreestyler
Reply to  Dee
4 years ago

Men’s 100 free at trials is better. You’ve got the Regan smith equivalent in Caeleb and a bunch of contenders in Held, pepperoni, zapple, and dark horses like Maxime Rooney and Chadwick if he can figure out how to be consistent.

The unoriginal Tim
Reply to  Dee
4 years ago

True. Imagine how Smoglia feels back in 3rd. Might be time to train that 100 Free.

About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …

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