2020 U.S. Open — Sarasota: Friday AM Live Recap

2020 U.S. Open Swimming Championships

• Thursday, November 12 – Saturday, November 14
• Selby Aquatic Center, Sarasota, FL
• Long Course Meters (LCM)
• Timed Finals
• Where To Watch US National Team Members
• Streaming Info/Races to Watch
• Meet Central – Sarasota
• Sarasota Psych Sheets
• Sarasota Heat Sheets (All Sessions)
• Live Results – Sarasota

The 2020 U.S. Open Swimming Championships continues here in Sarasota with the timed finals of the men’s and women’s 400 free, 200 IM, and 50 free.

Seeded in the fastest lane for both the 400 free and 200 IM is Virginia commit and 2019 U.S. National champion Emma Weyant of the Sarasota Sharks, who already won the 800 free yesterday evening. Seeded right next to her in both events is 17-year-old Olivia McMurray of Swim Florida, who finished 4th in yesterday’s 800 free timed final.

On the men’s side, Florida teammates Kieran Smith and Bobby Finke take the middle lanes for the 400 free. Yesterday, Finke won the 800 free timed final by nearly 8 seconds over Smith. Former Gator Andrea D’Arrigo and current Gator Robert Freeman are also top contenders in the event.

The men’s 200 IM will feature 4-time event World champion and current World record-holder Ryan Lochte, representing Gator Swim Club.

Former Arizona State Sun Devil Marina Spadoni is the women’s 50 free top seed while Olympian Brett Fraser of the Cayman Islands and Uruguay’s Enzo Martinez Scarpe lead the men’s 50 free.

Friday AM Live Stream

WOMEN’S 400 FREE – TIMED FINAL

• American record: 3:56.46 – Katie Ledecky (2016)
• U.S. Open record: 3:57.94 – Katie Ledecky (2018)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 4:16.89

Top 3:

1. Emma Weyant (Sarasota)- 4:10.38
2. Blair Stoneburg (Treasure Coast)- 4:14.77
3. Summer Cardwell (Tampa Bay)- 4:14.85

At the 150 mark of the race, Emma Weyant distanced herself from the three-way race for second. At the wall, Weyant finished with a brisk 4:10.38, just a second above her seed time of 4:09.03. Taking second place out of lane one was Treasure Coast’s Blair Stoneburg, clocking in an Olympic Trials cut of 4:14.77. Summer Cardwell of Tampa Bay Aquatics also earned a Trials cut with her third-place time of 4:14.85. Finishing in fourth place was Sarasota Sharks’ Michaela Mattes at 4:15.07.

At last year’s U.S. Open meet, Weyant finished in 10th with a 4:10.33. Weyant’s top time currently ranks within the top 10 times in the world this season. Meanwhile, Stoneburg’s new lifetime best by nearly 10 seconds just made the all-time women’s 15-16 top 100 times in history.

MEN’S 400 FREE – TIMED FINAL

• American record: 3:42.78 – Larsen Jensen (2008)
• U.S. Open record: 3:43.53 – Larsen Jensen (2008)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 3:57.29

Top 3:

1. Kieran Smith (Florida)- 3:48.78
2. Robert Freeman (Florida)- 3:51.10
3. Alfonso Mestre (Florida)- 3:51.43

Taking the easy win with a 3:48.78 was Florida Gator Kieran Smith. He was just a second above his 2019 U.S. Open time of 3:47.72, which earned him second place. His time this morning currently ranks #4 in the world this season. Charging home on the last 50 to take second place was fellow Gator Robert Freeman, touching in at 3:51.10. Out of heat two, Gator Alfonso Mestre took nearly 7 seconds off his seed time to earn a Trials cut with a 3:51.43.

Florida’s Bobby Finke finished with the fourth-fastest time this morning at 3:53.30, just edging out Gator Swim Club’s Andrea D’Arrigo (3:53.54). At last year’s U.S. Open meet, Finke took 10th place with a 3:52.78.

WOMEN’S 200 IM – TIMED FINAL

• American record: 2:06.15 – Ariana Kukors (2009)
• U.S. Open record: 2:08.32 – Kathleen Baker (2018)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 2:17.39

Top 3:

1. Emma Weyant (Sarasota)- 2:15.36
2. Ella Bathurst (Tampa Elite)- 2:17.21
3. Natalie Mannion (UN-Sarasota)- 2:18.94

Taking her second win of the session in Sarasota was Emma Weyant, clocking in a new lifetime best of 2:15.36. That bumps Weyant up to #60 all-time in 17-18 age group history. Weyant’s time is also good enough to rank within the top 25 times in the world this season.

Finishing in second with an Olympic Trials cut was Tampa Elite’s Ella Bathurst, clocking in a 2:17.21. Taking third place was unattached Sarasota’s Natalie Mannion, dropping a second off her lifetime best of 2:20.06 with a 2:18.94.

MEN’S 200 IM – TIMED FINAL

• American record: 1:54.00 – Ryan Lochte (2011)
• U.S. Open record: 1:54.56 – Ryan Lochte (2009)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 2:04.09

Top 3:

1. Ryan Lochte (Gator)- 2:01.05
2. Norbert Szabo (Unattached)- 2:02.86
3. Kevin Vargas (Florida)- 2:04.20

Taking the top time for the men’s 200 IM was World record-holder Ryan Lochte, clocking in a smooth 2:01.05. This is roughly three seconds above his swim from last year’s U.S. Open meet where he put up a 1:58.89 to take third place. Looking at his splits this morning in comparison to last year, Lochte was only significantly off on the breaststroke leg. His time currently ranks 15th in the world this season.

Finishing in second place was Hungarian Norbert Szabo, clocking in a 2:02.86. Taking third place was Florida’s Kevin Vargas at 2:04.20.

WOMEN’S 50 FREE – TIMED FINAL

• American record: 23.97 – Simone Manuel (2017)
• U.S. Open record: 24.08 – Pernille Blume (2019)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 25.99

Top 3:

1. Lexie Mulvihill (Tampa Elite)- 25.93
2. Marina Spadoni (Unattached)- 25.96
3. Stephanie Akakabota (Seminole)- 26.16

Taking the top time in the women’s 50 free was 17-year-old Alexis Mulvihill of Tampa Elite, clocking in a 25.93. Her best time of 25.90 came from the 2019 Junior Nationals, where she took fifth place. Finishing in second place by 0.03s was Arizona State alum Marina Spadoni, touching the wall at 25.96. Spadoni’s lifetime best rests at 25.68, which came from the 2020 Pro Swim Series in Knoxville. At last year’s U.S. Open meet, Spadoni clocked in a 25.99.

Taking third place was Seminole’s Stephanie Akakabota, shaving 0.05s off her August 2019 lifetime best with a 26.16.

MEN’S 50 FREE – TIMED FINAL

• American record:21.04 – Caeleb Dressel (2019)
• U.S. Open record: 21.14 – Cesar Cielo (2009)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 23.19

Top 3:

1. Enzo Martinez Scarpe (Gator)- 22.62
2. Eric Friese (Florida)- 22.89
3. Brett Fraser (New York)- 23.27

Taking the top time in the men’s 50 free was Enzo Martinez Scarpe of Gator Swim Club, touching in at 22.62. Martinez Scarpe was just 0.02s outside of his own Uruguayan national record of 22.60, set at the 2019 Pro Swim Series in Richmond. At the 2019 U.S. Open, Martinez Scarpe finished in 23rd place at 23.94.

Taking second place out of heat two was Germany’s Eric Friese, clocking in a 22.89. That swim demolished his former lifetime best of 23.14 from the 2018 German Open. Finishing in third was Cayman Islands’ Olympian Brett Fraser, touching in at 23.27. His lifetime best of 22.41 hails all the way from the 2011 Pro Swim Series in Minneapolis.