2023 U.S. Pro Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2023 U.S. Pro Championships

• July 26-29, 2023
• LCM (50m)
• William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center, Irvine, California, United States
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Day 3 Finals Heat Sheet

Day 3 at the U.S. Pro Championships in Irvine will consist of A/B/C finals of the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, and 100 back; there will be no relays tonight.

Emma Weyant tops the field in the 400 IM, having qualified with a season-best 4:42.11. The 2022 World Championship bronze medalist, Weyant was 8 seconds faster this morning than Australia’s Ella Ramsay (4:50.30), who won the 200 IM last night and is hoping for an IM sweep. The middle lanes of the men’s final will be occupied by Tennessee Aquatics’ Landon Driggers (4:19.57) and Sun Devil Swimming’s Jay Litherland (4:19.88), the only sub-4:20s from heats this morning.

The top-6 qualifiers in the women’s 100 fly all broke 59 seconds; they are separated by only four-tenths with Longhorn Aquatics’ Kelly Pash leading the way in 58.44. Her teammates Dakota Luther and Emma Sticklen will be in lanes 3 and 6, while Australia’s Lily Price, the #2 qualifier, will be in lane 5. Wolfpack’s Aiden Hayes was the only one under 52 seconds in morning heats and will occupy lane 4 in finals. He’ll be challenged on either side by Australia’s Jesse Coleman, who went a PB of 52.01 this morning, and Trenton Julian of Mission Viejo, who clocked 52.53 but has a lifetime best of 51.10.

Paige Madden (1:59.26) is in pole position in the 200 free. The New York Athletic Club freestyler she is seeking her third title of the meet after winning the 800 free on Wednesday and the 400 free last night. Also under the 2-minute mark this morning were Trojan Swim Club’s Justina Kozan (1:59.66) and Long Island Aquatic Club’s Chloe Stepanek (1:59.68). Australia’s Maximillian Giuliani (1:46.63) put up the top time of the morning on the men’s side, cracking 1:47 for the first time. Coby Carrozza of Longhorn Aquatics (1:46.80) and Sun Devil Swimming’s Grant House (1:47.95) are also title contenders.

Australia’s Mikayla Smith, who came into the meet third in the 100 breast but is top seed in the 200 breast on Saturday, led the qualifiers this morning with 1:02.28. Isabelle Odgers of Trojan Swim Club also broke 1:09, qualifying second with 1:08.96, while Ohio State’s Josie Panitz (1:09.88) and Princeton’s Jennah Fadely (1:09.89) cleared 1:10. On the men’s side, Nick Mahabir of Team Elite, who broke the Singaporean Record this morning with a field-leading 1:00.07, will be the middle lane of the men’s 100 breast final. Jake Foster of Mason Manta Rays (1:00.19) and Nova’s Charlie Swanson (1:00.40) both qualified ahead of Australia’s Haig Buckingham (1:00.63) and Joshua Yong (1:00.69). Buckingham, notably, split 59.5 on the medley relay last night and could be a threat in tonight’s final.

Australians Bronte Job (1:00.41) and Hannah Fredericks (1:00.58) will be in lanes 4 and 3, respectively, of the 100 back final. Cal’s Isabelle Stadden (1:00.54) and Wisconsin’s Phoebe Bacon (1:00.98) were also sub-1:01s this morning. In the men’s race, Jack Aikins of SwimAtlanta put up a PB of 53.45 in heats to qualify first by 1.6 seconds. Missouri’s Grant Bochenski (55.06) led the rest of the field of qualifiers by over half a second, as the next six swimmers ranged from 55.6 to 55.9.

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Women’s 400 Meter Individual Medley – Finals

• World Record: 4:25.87, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2023
• American Record: 4:31.12, Katie Hoff – 2008
• U.S. Open Record: 4:28.61, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2022
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Cut: 4:49.89

Podium:

1. Emma Weyant (GSC), 4:37.76
2. Ella Ramsay (AUS), 4:41.91
3. Maddie Waggoner (JW), 4:48.07
4. Callahan Dunn (WISC), 4:49.11
5. Mia Abruzzo (PWAC), 4:50.39
6. Kyra Sommerstad (OSU), 4:50.46
7. Mia Rankin (OSU), 4:50.65
8. Ella Flowers (TROJ), 4:53.01

It was Australia’s Ella Ramsay, the 200 IM winner, who turned first at the 50 wall, leading the butterflyers by four-tenths. Gator Swim Club’s Emma Weyant was in front at the 100, though, outsplitting Ramsay by a full second on the second 50 of the fly.

Weyant never let up from there and wound up winning by 4.3 seconds. She split 1:02.88 on the fly, 1:10.9 on the back, 1:19.8 on the breast, and 1:04.0 on the free to clock in at 4:37.76.

Ramsay remained in second place behind Weyant from the 100 wall onward. Ohio State’s Kyra Sommerstad was in third through the 200m mark but Maddie Waggoner of Jersey Wahoos and Callahan Dunn from Wisconsin Aquatics came charging on the breaststroke to make it a three-way battle for third. Waggoner got there first, touching in 4:48.07. Dunn’s 4:49.11 was good for fourth; they both earned Trials cuts.

Men’s 400 Meter Individual Medley – Finals

• World Record: 4:02.50, Leon Marchand (FRA) – 2023
• American Record: 4:03.84, Michael Phelps – 2008
• U.S. Open Record: 4:05.25, Michael Phelps (USA) – 2008
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Cut: 4:25.19

Podium:

1. Jay Litherland (SUN), 4:11.74
2. Landon Driggers (TNAQ), 4:16.54
3. William Petric (AUS), 4:17.28
4. Daniel Matheson (SUN), 4:17.56
5. Jake Magahey (ABSC), 4:19.19
6. Tristan Jankovics (OSU), 4:20.32
7. Sean Grieshop (CAL), 4:22.69
8. Tyler Kopp (CAL), 4:22.73

It was Olympic silver medalist Jay Litherland from start to finish, getting the win from lane 5 with a dominant 4:11.74. Litherland was out in a smooth 56.98, turning about three-tenths ahead of Australia’s William Petric (57.30) on the fly-to-back wall. Tyler Kopp moved from 7th place to third on the second 50 of butterfly.

From there, Litherland increased his lead to nearly two body lengths on the backstroke, splitting 1:03.8. Landon Driggers moved from 8th place to second on the backstroke, also going 1:03.8 and blasting past Petric who split 1:07.4.

Litherland was 1:13.0 on the breaststroke, remaining out of reach of the rest of the field. Petric erased about 1.7 seconds of his 2.3-second deficit to Driggers.

Litherland came home in 57.9 to increase his lead over Driggers and Petric. Daniel Matheson, swimming in lane 1, split 57.0 on the freestyle to challenge Driggers and Petric. He fell just short, posting a final time of 4:17.56 for fourth place. Driggers held off Petric and earned the silver medal with 4:16.54.

Women’s 100 Meter Butterfly – Finals

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

Podium:

1. Kelly Pash (TXLA), 57.85
2. Lily Price (AUS), 57.86
3. Emma Sticklen (TXLA), 58.17
4. Alexandria Perkins (AUS), 58.19
5. Dakota Luther (TXLA), 58.24
6. Lillie Nordmann (ALTO), 58.60
7. Leah Gingrich (KA), 59.23
8. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS), 59.61

Lily Price of Australia was first out of the gate, roaring to a 26.72 at the 50. She was followed by teammate Alexandria Perkins in 26.87; nearly everyone else else turned at 27-low.

Longhorn Aquatics teammates Kelly Pash, Emma Sticklen, and Dakota Luther outsplit the Australians on the second half, going 30.5, 29.9, and 30.7, respectively, to Price’s 31.1 and Perkins’ 31.3.

Pash got her hand to the wall .01 ahead of Price, getting the win with 57.85. Price came in second, while Sticklen touched out Perkins, 58.17 to 58.19, for third place. Luther was another .05 back in fifth place with 58.24.

Men’s 100 Meter Butterfly – Finals

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

Podium:

1. Aiden Hayes (WOLF), 51.24
2. Jesse Coleman (AUS), 51.66
3. (tie) Finn Brooks (ISC) / Jonny Kulow (SUN), 52.35
4. –
5. Trenton Julian (MVN), 52.49
6. Santo Condorelli (UN), 52.55
7. Sterling Crane (TXLA), 52.59
8. Evan Fentress (OSU), 53.03

Wolfpack Elite’s Aiden Hayes exploded off the block to get out in front of the field early. He turned at 23.87 at the 50, already a third of a body ahead of Australia’s Jesse Coleman (24.12), Santo Condorelli (24.13), and Indiana’s Finn Brooks (24.14).

Hayes never took his foot off the accelerator and came home in 27.3 to notch a big personal-best of 51.24. That ties him with Seth Stubblefield as the 13th-ranked U.S. performer in history in the event.

Coleman touched second with 51.66.

Jonny Kulow of Sun Devil Swimming came from behind to tie Brooks for third place with 52.35.

Women’s 200 Meter Freestyle – Finals

• World Record: 1:52.85, Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) – 2023
• American Record: 1:53.61, Allison Schmitt – 2012
• U.S. Open Record: 1:54.13, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2023
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Cut: 2:00.89

Podium:

1. Paige Madden (NYAC), 1:57.41
2. Justina Kozan (TROJ), 1:58.92
3. Gabby Deloof (NYAC), 1:59.51
4. Aurora Roghair (ALTO), 1:59.70
5. Simone Manuel (SUN), 1:59.71
6. Lillie Nordmann (ALTO), 1:59.95
7. Abby Carlson (WISC), 2:00.05
8. Chloe Stepanek (LIAC), 2:00.11

New York Athletic Club’s Paige Madden completed her trifecta of freestyle titles, adding the 200 to the 400 (Thursday) and 800 (Wednesday) she had already accumulated.

Her teammate Gabby Deloof led the field at the 50 from lane 1, flipping in 27.68 to gain a .3 advantage over the field. Madden was eight-tenths faster on the second 50 though, roaring to the front of the pack with 57.30 at the halfway point.

By the middle of the third 50, Madden was already a body length ahead of Deloof. At the other end of the pool, Simone Manuel had moved into third place from lane 8.

The last 50 looked like musical chairs, with Justina Kozan of Trojan Swim Club moving into second place, clocking a 29.8 for the fastest split; Deloof falling to third place; and Alto Swim Club’s Aurora Roghair touching out Manuel by .01 for fourth.

Madden won with a comfortable margin, stopping the clock at 1:57.41. The entire field, with nary an Australian in sight, came in under the Olympic Trials standard.

Men’s 200 Meter Freestyle – Finals

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

Podium:

1. Maximillian Giuliani (AUS), 1:46.23
2. Grant House (SUN), 1:46.73
3. Brooks Curry (LSU), 1:46.81
4. Luca Urlando (DART), 1:46.99
5. Coby Carrozza (TXLA), 1:47.07
6. Tomas Koski, 1:47.79
7. Christian Sztolcman (WOLF), 1:49.38
8. Jake Newmark (WISC), 1:49.81

LSU’s Brooks Curry charged to the lead with 24.29 at the first 50, followed by Sun Devil Swimming’s Grant House (24.60) and Australia’s Maximillian Giuliani (24.72).

House took over the lead at the 100, flipping .01 ahead of Curry in 51.56. Giuliani was a tenth behind. Meanwhile, Coby Carrozza and Luca Urlando moved past Christian Sztolcman, as they battled for fourth place.

House remained in the lead at the 150 (1:19.0). Giuliani (1:19.2) was slightly ahead of Curry (1:19.3). Urlando (1:19.7), with the fastest third split of 27.3, pulled nearly even with Carrozza (1:19.6).

But all the drama came to an end when Giuliani put it into another gear and came home in 26.98 on the final 50. His was the only fourth split under 27 seconds and it put him in front of the pack by half a second at the finish.

Giuliani clocked a winning 1:46.23. House touched out Curry by .08, 1:46.73 to 1:46.81. Urlando ran out of pool trying to chase down the leaders. He settled for fourth with 1:46.99, just .08 ahead of Carrozza.

Women’s 100 Meter Breaststroke – Finals

• World Record: 1:04.13, Lilly King (USA) – 2017
• American Record: 1:04.13, Lilly King – 2017
• U.S. Open Record: 1:04.45, Jessica Hardy (USA) – 2009
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Cut: 1:10.29

Podium:

1. Mikayla Smith (AUS), 1:08.02
2. Isabelle Odgers (TROJ), 1:08.17
3. Josie Panitz (OSU), 1:09.25
4. Jennah Fadely (PTAC), 1:09.53
5. (tie) Kaitlyn Nguyen (NOVA) / Alicia Henry (CAL), 1:09.92
6. –
7. Hannah Bach (OSU), 1:09.96
8. Bobbi Kennett (AGS), 1:11.20

Australia’s Mikayla Smith led from wire to wire and held off Isabelle Odgers of Trojan Swim Club to earn the win with 1:08.02. Smith was quick off the start, getting out to a lead with 31.99 at the halfway wall. Ohio State’s Josie Panitz was right behind, turning for home at 32.02.

Odgers crushed the second half of the race, blasting a 35.6 on the back end. While she outsplit Smith by four-tenths, it wasn’t enough to erase the .6-deficit she had at the 50. Odgers nonetheless passed Panitz, finishing a full second ahead of her in second place with 1:08.17.

Men’s 100 Meter Breaststroke – Finals

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

Podium:

1. Jake Foster (RAYS), 59.64
2. Nick Mahabir (CSTE), 59.96
3. (tie) Charlie Swanson (NOVA)/ Joshua Yong (AUS), 1:00.09
4. –
5. Haig Buckingham (AUS), 1:00.63
6. Benjamin Cono (TOC), 1:01.16
7. Luke Rodarte (CAL), 1:01.33
8. Hank Rivers (CAL), 1:01.68

Jake Foster of Mason Manta Rays left nothing to chance, getting out to a quick start to lead the field from the starting beep. He turned at the 50 wall in 27.87, followed closely by Australia’s Joshua Yong in lane 2 (27.89). Foster held on, coming back in 31.77 to crack 1 minute for the first time. And crack it he did. His winning 59.64 makes him the 16th-fastest U.S. performer in history.

The fastest back half, however, belonged to Nick Mahabir of Team Elite Coronado (31.58). He got past Yong and notched another sub-minute 100 breast, going 59.96 and lowering the Singaporean national record he had set in prelims with 1:00.07.

Nova of Virginia’s Charlie Swanson came from behind to tie Yong for third place, splitting 28.3/31.7 for 1:00.09.

Women’s 100 Meter Backstroke – Finals

• World Record: 57.45, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2021
• American Record: 57.57, Regan Smith – 2019
• U.S. Open Record: 57.71, Regan Smith (USA) – 2023
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Cut: 1:01.89

Podium:

1. Isabelle Stadden (CAL), 59.83
2. Catie Deloof (NYAC), 1:00.44
3. Phoebe Bacon (WISC), 1:00.48
4. Bronte Job (AUS), 1:00.95
5. Hannah Fredericks (AUS), 1:01.15
6. Amy Fulmer (OSU), 1:01.82
7. Mya Dewitt (ISC), 1:03.16
8. Emma Kern (AQJT), 1:03.39

Cal’s Isabelle Stadden established an early lead, jumping out in front of top-seeded Bronte Job from Australia with a front half of 28.78. Job was second with 29.02, while Catie Deloof (29.41) and Phoebe Bacon (29.59) trailed by about a third of a body length.

Bacon (30.89), Deloof (31.0), and Stadden (31.0) outsplit Job by a body on the back half. Stadden got the win with 59.83, while Deloof just touched out Bacon, 1:00.44 to 1:00.48, for second place.

Men’s 100 Meter Backstroke – Finals

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

Podium:

1. Jack Aikins (SA), 53.83
2. Bradley Dunham (ABSC), 54.63
3. Grant Bochenski (UMIZ), 54.96
4. Ty Hartwell (AUS), 55.06
5. Stepan Goncharov (PITT), 55.91
6. Gavin Wright (ISC), 55.67
7. Brendan Burns (ISC), 56.02
8. Ian Grum (ABSC), 56.36

SwimAtlanta’s Jack Aikins finished Day 3 with a dominant win in the men’s 100 back final. Out in 25.75, he came home in 28.0 to log a 53.83 to win by half a body length.

Bradley Dunham from Athens Bulldog Swim Club established the lead over the rest of the field at the 50, flipping at 26.0 ahead of Missouri’s Grant Bochenski (26.3) and Australia’s Ty Hartwell (26.5).

The second half played out in much the same way. While Hartwell was home in 28.4, it wasn’t enough to catch Dunham and Bochenski, both with 28.6 on the back half. Dunham finished in 54.63, Bochenski in 54.96 and Hartwell in 55.0.