2022 U.S. Open Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2022 U.S. OPEN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• November 30-December 3, 2022
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Long Course Meters (50 meters)
• Start Times:
  • Prelims: 9 AM (ET)
  • Finals: 6PM (ET)
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

FRIDAY FINALS HEAT SHEET

The third session of finals at the 2022 U.S. Open is a busy one, as winners will be crowned in the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, and 100 back. There’ll be action throughout the night, as the session kicks off with world junior record holder Summer McIntosh in the 400 IM. She’s in control of the field after posting 4:38.72 in prelims, the only swimmer under 4:40. The only athlete in the who could potentially challenger her is Emma Weyant, who’s sitting firmly in second.

Katie Ledecky is back in action this session as well, in the women’s 200 free. She posted the top time of the morning, 1.2 seconds ahead of NCAP’s Erin Gemmell.

To close out the session, both the women’s and men’s 100 backstrokes should be exciting races. In the women’s race, Regan Smith continued to show that her ASU training has been working well for her, as she followed up her best time in the 200 IM with a 58.65 in prelims. She was only .02 seconds off the U.S. Open Meet record, so look for her to take a run at that tonight.

In the men’s race, all eyes will be on Daniel Diehl, who ripped 53.11 to break the 17-18 boys’ NAG. If Diehl dips under 53 seconds tonight, he’ll be just the 12th American ever to break 53 seconds in the event.

Watch Day 3 Finals live on YouTube:

Women’s 400 IM – Final

• World Record: 4:26.36 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2016)
• American Record: 4:31.12 – Katie Hoff (2008)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 4:37.34 – Melanie Margalis, USA (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 4:31.07 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2015)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 4:49.89

PODIUM:

1. Summer McIntosh (SYS) – 4:28.61 WJR
2. Emma Weyant (SYS) – 4:41.85
3. Kathryn Hazle (NCA) – 4:47.56

Summer McIntosh got the session started with a bang, blasting a new world junior record in the 400 IM with a 4:28.61. This is her first time racing long course meters this season but she wasted no time getting out ahead of the field: she split 59.40 on the butterfly leg, 1.51 seconds ahead of Katinka Hosszu‘s world record pace. That pace caught up to her as the race went on but nobody else did; Emma Weyant finished second to her in 4:41.85, over 12 seconds back.

McIntosh’s time is not only a new world junior record, it’s also an Americas record and a Commonwealth record. It’s the fourth fastest performance in history.

Cal commit Kathryn Hazle rounded out the podium, taking third in 4:47.56, about 2.5 seconds off her best.

Men’s 400 IM – Final

• World Record: 4:03.84 – Michael Phelps, USA (2008)
• American Record: 4:03.84 – Michael Phelps (2008)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 4:11.11 – Sebastien Rosseau, RSA (2013)
• U.S. Open Record: 4:05.25 – Michael Phelps, USA (2008)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 4:25.19

PODIUM:

1. Chase Kalisz (SUN) – 4:10.09 CR
2. Baylor Nelson (TA&M) – 4:18.38
3. Landon Driggers (TENN) – 4:20.85

Another event, another championship record for Chase Kalisz. After winning the 200 IM with a new meet record on night 2, Kalisz did the same here in the 400 IM. He posted 4:10.09, taking down Sebastien Rosseau‘s record from 2013. Despite the record, Kalisz wasn’t too happy with the swim, saying that he felt “off” during the race.

Despite that, he still won handily, as Baylor Nelson took second behind Kalisz for the second straight night in 4:18.38. Nelson holds a lifetime best of 4:16.47 from U.S. Nationals this summer, and it’s a solid swim for the teen who’s one week removed from his midseason invite in yards, where he set three lifetime bests.

Landon Driggers continues to show how effective the Tennessee training has been for him. He transferred from Division II’s UIndy this season, and put up a big lifetime best in the 200 IM on night 2. 4:20.85 is a best by over two seconds for him, beating the time he swam in time trials at the Tennessee Invite.

Women’s 100 Butterfly – Final

• World Record: 55.48 – Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2016)
• American Record: 55.64 – Torri Huske (2022)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 56.61 – Claire Curzan, USA (2020)
• U.S. Open Record: 55.66 – Torri Huske, USA (2021)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 1:00.19

PODIUM:

1. Regan Smith (SUN) – 57.65
2. Beata Nelson (WA) – 58.93
3. Gabi Albiero (CARD) – 59.06

In her first swim of her double this session, Regan Smith made it two event wins in a row for the ASU pros. She was in the lead from the start, turning in 27.16 then powering home in 30.49. Her back-half split was particularly impressive, as no one else in the field was under 31 seconds on the second 50.

After cleaning up on the FINA World Cup circuit, Beata Nelson took second here in 58.93. Last night’s 50 freestyle champion Gabi Albiero took third in 59.06.

NC State commit Erika Pelaez earned fourth in 59.51, edging out Stanford’s Charlotte Hook by .03 seconds. One interesting note here is that McIntosh’s opening split from her 400 IM was 59.40, which would have earned fourth ahead of both Pelaez and Hook.

Men’s 100 Butterfly – Final

• World Record: 49.45 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2021)
• American Record: 49.45 – Caeleb Dressel (2021)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 51.65 – Tom Shields, USA (2013)
• U.S. Open Record: 49.76 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2021)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 53.59

PODIUM:

1. Luke Miller (NCS) – 52.06
2. Josh Liendo (FLOR) – 52.48
3. Zach Harting (CARD) – 52.52

After setting a personal best in prelims of 52.38, Luke Miller blew by that with another lifetime best in finals to grab the win. Miller came into the meet with a best of 52.64, and has now lowered that to 52.06. He was fourth at the 50, turning in 24.68 behind Zach Harting, Josh Liendo, and Nicholas Albiero. He moved up over the second 50, surging in the final 15 meters go get his hands on the wall first.

Florida freshman Josh Liendo was tied with Albiero for second at the 50 and held on for second place in 52.48. He faded a bit down the stretch, but it’s a solid in-season swim for Liendo, who holds a lifetime best of 50.88.

Harting, who was added to the U.S.’s short course worlds roster at the last minute, earned third in 52.52.

Women’s 200 Freestyle – Final

• World Record: 1:52.98 – Frederica Pellegrini, ITA (2009)
• American Record: 1:53.61 – Allison Schmidt (2012)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 1:55.47 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2021)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:54.40 – Allison Schmidt, USA (2012)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 2:00.89

PODIUM:

1. Katie Ledecky (GSC) – 1:56.74
2. Erin Gemmell (NCAP) – 1:57.16
3. Addison Sauickie (SYS) – 1:59.76

It was perhaps a closer race in the women’s 200 free than many expected. Erin Gemmell kept it close to Katie Ledecky the entire race, ending up second to her by .42 seconds. Ledecky earned her third win of the meet in 1:56.74, like Kalisz commenting that she “didn’t feel that sharp tonight.”

Ledecky and Gemmell went 1-2 in this event at U.S. Nationals in July. This was a strong swim for Gemmell, just over a second off her lifetime best of 1:56.14 from that swim in Irvine.

Continuing a strong session for the Sarasota Sharks, 16-year-old USC commit Addison Sauickie took third in 1:59.76, just .31 seconds off her lifetime best.

Men’s 200 Freestyle – Final

• World Record: 1:42.00 – Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
• American Record: 1:42.96 – Michael Phelps (2008)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 1:45.92 – Townley Haas, USA (2016)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:44.10 – Michael Phelps, USA (2008)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 1:49.99

PODIUM:

1. Jake Mitchell (FLOR) – 1:47.38
2. Zane Grothe (BCH) – 1:48.15
3. Guilherme Costa (BRA) – 1:48.34

New Florida Gator Jake Mitchell took control of this race from the start, leading from start to finish to claim the win. He was out in 52.10 and came home in 55.28 for 1:47.38, which is about four-tenths off his lifetime best. Mitchell has been in Gainesville a bit longer than the other big names who switched training bases this year, but he’s still relatively new to the program so this is a strong swim for him.

Brazil’s Guilherme Costa, who won the 800 free earlier in the meet, was eighth at the 150-meter mark but came charging home in 26.78 to move onto the podium. There was too much of a gap to Mitchell, but he still almost pulled himself into second, finishing just .19 seconds behind Zane Grothe.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke – Final

• World Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King, USA (2017)
• American Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King (2017)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 1:04.45 – Jessica Hardy, USA (2017)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:04.45 – Jessica Hardy, USA (2017)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 1:10.29

PODIUM:

1. Mona McSharry (IRL) – 1:07.06
2. Kaelyn Gridley (DUKE) – 1:08.46
3. Ana Carolina Veira (BRA) – 1:08.50

Racing for her home nation of Ireland, Mona McSharry took the win in the women’s 100 breaststroke with a 1:07.06. She was pleased with the swim post-race, as it’s less than a second off her personal best from Irish National Team Trials in 2021.

Duke’s Kaelyn Gridley was fifth at the 50-meter mark, turning in 32.62. She powered through the field on the final 50 meters to climb onto the podium in second place, finishing in 1:08.46 and tying her lifetime best. She out-touched Brazil’s Ana Carolina Veira, who finished third in 1:08.50, .04 seconds behind Gridley.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke – Final

• World Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty, GBR (2019)
• American Record: 58.14 – Michael Andrew (2021)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 59.28 – Andrew Wilson, USA (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 58.14 – Michael Andrew, USA (2021)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 1:02.19

PODIUM:

1. Aleksas Savickas (FLOR) – 1:00.54
2. Lyubomir Epitropov (TENN) – 1:00.94
3. Reid Mikuta (AU) – 1:00.96

It’s an all NCAA podium as Florida freshman from Lithuania Aleksas Savickas took the win ahead of Tennessee’s Lyubomir Epitropov and Auburn’s Reid Mikuta.

After posting a lifetime best in prelims, Savickas shaved another hundredth off his best, clocking 1:00.54. Like Gridley in the women’s 100 breast, second-place finisher Lyubomir Epitropov was off the podium at the turn. He was fourth at the 50-meter mark and came back in 32.21 to move into second.

Last year’s U.S. Open champion Reid Mikuta rounded out the podium in 1:00.96, only .04 seconds off the lifetime best he posted at Nationals in July.

Women’s 100 Backstroke – Final

• World Record: 57.45 – Kaylee McKeown, AUS (2021)
• American Record: 57.57 – Regan Smith (2019)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 58.63 – Phoebe Bacon, USA (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 57.76 – Regan Smith, USA (2022)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 1:01.89

PODIUM:

1. Regan Smith (SUN) – 57.95 CR
2. Katharine Berkoff (NCS) – 59.87
3. Josephine Fuller (TENN) – 1:00.00

“This is what I’ve been training for,” said Regan Smith after earning her second win of the session to the tune of a new championship record in the women’s 100 back. She was less than half a second off her lifetime best (the American record of 57.57), earning the win easily ahead of Katharine Berkoff and Josephine Fuller. When asked what her results were showing her, Smith responded that it showed her that she made the right decision moving to train with Bob Bowman and the ASU pro group.

50 backstroke World medalist Berkoff finished second in 59.87. Tennessee’s Fuller, who set a program record in the 200-yard backstroke last week, took .91 seconds off her lifetime best here. She swam 1:00.00, getting under the Olympic Trials cut.

Men’s 100 Backstroke – Final

• World Record: 51.60 – Thomas Ceccon, ITA (2022)
• American Record: 51.85 – Ryan Murphy (2016)
• U.S. Open Meet Record: 52.51 – Nick Thoman, USA (2009)
• U.S. Open Record: 51.94 – Aaron Piersol, USA (2009)
• 2024 Olympic Trials Cut: 55.69

PODIUM:

1. Daniel Diehl (CUY) – 53.07
2. Evangelos Makrygiannis (UN) – 54.41
3. Tommy Janton (ND) – 54.96

Daniel Diehl lowered the boys’ 17-18 NAG record that he set in prelims, hitting 53.07. He was out a bit slower than he was in prelims, turning in 26.00 before coming home in 27.07. It was solid splitting for the newly turned 17-year-old, which bodes well for his 200 back tomorrow. Earlier in the meet, he took third in the 200 IM in a new personal best as well.

Diehl won the race by over a second ahead of Evangelos Makrygiannis. Notre Dame’s Tommy Janton touched third, only .06 seconds off the lifetime best he swam at YMCA Nationals in July 2022.