2024 U.S. Open: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2024 U.S. Open Championships

• December 4th -7th, 2023
• Greensboro, N.C
• Prelims: 9:00 am EST/ Finals 6:00 pm EST
• SCY (25 yards)
• Meet Central
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Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet 

Good morning, all! Happy Friday, and welcome back for the third day of the 2024 U.S. Open. The action in Greensboro, NC continues today with the 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, and 100 backstroke.

Top Seeds:

• Women’s 400 IM: Mira Szimcsak (SMU), 4:10.49
• Men’s 400 IM: Danny Berlitz (UN), 3:43.02
• Women’s 100 butterfly: Rhyan White (WOLF), 51.47
• Men’s 100 butterfly: Matthew Bittner (PSU), 46.61
• Women’s 200 freestyle: Chloe Stepanek (TAMU), 1:42.41
• Men’s 200 freestyle: Bradley Dunham (SA), 1:32.77
• Women’s 100 breaststroke: Skyler Smith (UNC), 58.65
• Men’s 100 breaststroke: Mariano Lazzerini (PSU), 51.08
• Women’s 100 backstroke: Rhyan White (WOLF), 51.93
• Men’s 100 backstroke: Bradley Dunham (SA), 44.91

After winning the men’s 500 freestyle on Day 2, Georgia alum Bradley Dunham comes into day three as the top seed in the men’s 200 freestyle (1:32.77) and the men’s 100 backstroke (44.91). NCAA fans will remember Dunham as a backstroker/IMer, but as displayed by his 500 freestyle victory, he’s taking the opportunity this meet presents and taking on some secondary events this week.

U.S. Olympian Rhyan White also owns the top seed in two events during day three prelims, courtesy of a 51.47 in the 100 butterfly and a 51.93 in the 100 backstroke.

17-year-old Kennedi Dobson was busy last night, winning the women’s 500 freestyle and 200 IM in less than 30 minutes. She could be even busier tonight–she’s entered in three events today–the 400 IM, 200 free, and 100 backstroke–so we’ll see if she takes to the starting block for all three.

Women’s 400 IM — Prelims

• American Record: 3:54.60 — Ella Eastin (2018)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:54.60 — Ella Eastin (2018)
• Meet Record: 4:00.03 — Katinka Hosszu (2010)

Top 8 Qualifiers: 

1. Sadie Buckley (NCAP), 4:14.54
2. Margot Levesque (ABF), 4:16.67
3. Emerson Callis (QSTS), 4:17.37
4. Mira Szimcsak (SMU), 4:18.25
5. Erin Dawson (UN), 4:18.68
6. Caroline Agee (NCAP), 4:18.91
7. Gwyn Frick (NCAP), 4:19.84
8. Cate Pawlaski (EDI), 4:20.23

The women’s 400 IM kicks off a morning of quick events on the women’s side. There were only three heats of 400 IM for the women and they were led by a pair of 15-year-olds, NCAP’s Sadie Buckley and ABF’s Margot Levesque. Buckley, the bronze medalist in last night’s 200 IM, cut over five seconds from her lifetime best to grab lane four for tonight’s ‘A’ final in 4:14.54.

Levesque won heat two; she swam 4:16.67 after being entered with a long-course time. She’s set herself up well to make a run at her lifetime best (4:15.56) in the final.

Emerson Calis joins Buckley in being an ‘A’ finalist in both the 200 and 400 IM at the U.S. Open, Last night, she finished eighth in the 200 IM (2:00.94) and this morning, qualified for the 400 IM ‘A’ final. Callis, a high school junior verbally committed to NC State, owns a lifetime best of 4:12.81 from earlier this year.

After winning last night’s 500 free ‘B’ final, SMU’s Mira Szimcsak moved through to the ‘A’ final here in fourth place with a 4:18.25.

Men’s 400 IM — Prelims

• American Record: 3:33.42 — Chase Kalisz (2017)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:28.82 — Leon Marchard (2023)
• Meet Record: 3:37.88 — Ryan Lochte (2007)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Sean Honey (PSU), 3:50.60
2. Angus Macdonald (UN), 3:50.61
3. Charlie Heisig (UN), 3:50.62
4. Jack Doyle (UN), 3:51.10
5. Strahinja Maslo (UTAH), 3:53.22
6. Evan Mackesy (PUR), 3:53.64
7. Justin Nowicki (VILL), 3:53.91
8. Danny Berlitz (UN), 3:54.64

There’s a close race brewing for the 2024 U.S. Open title in the men’s 400 IM. The penultimate heat saw a race between Sean Honey and Angus Macdonald as Honey tracked down Macdonald on the freestyle leg. He split 52.26 on the closing 100 and got his hand on the wall a hundredth ahead of MacDonald, 3:50.60 to 3:50.61.

Those times held up as the top two swims through the final heat, as Charlie Heisig won heat three with a 3:50.62. Heisig’s swim slots him in as the third-fastest qualifier, just a hundredth behind MacDonald.

There’s a gap between them and the rest of the field, as Jack Doyle cruised into the ‘A’ final with a 3:51.10 on an island of his own as Utah’s Strahinja Maslo leads the second half of the championship final qualifiers with a 3:53.22. The top seed coming into the meet, Danny Berlitz, snagged lane eight for the final, beating Charlie Mayr by five-hundredths with a 3:54.64.

Women’s 100 Butterfly — Prelims

• American Record: 47.42 — Gretchen Walsh (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 47.42 — Gretchen Walsh (2024)
• Meet Record: 49.87 — Kelsi Worrell (2017)

Top 8 Qualifiers: 

1. Margaret Markvardt (PSU), 52.16
2. Rhyan White (WOLF), 53.05
3. Kennedy Gilbertson (IFLY), 53.46
4. Rachel Klinker (CAL), 53.48
5. Chloe Stepanek (TAMU), 53.74
6. Lily Sawyer (UNC), 53.83
7. Maddie Foster (QU), 54.00
8. Mimi Watts (AU), 54.08

Margaret Markvardt posted the fastest time in the women’s 100 fly prelims out of heat one. She swam a lifetime best 52.16, shaving .21 seconds off the 52.37 she swam two weeks ago at the Ohio State Invite. It held up as the only sub-53 second swim of the morning and gave Penn State another top qualifier this session, just after Honey earned lane four for the men’s 400 IM.

Kennedy Gilbertson and Maddie Foster join Markvardt in making the top eight qualifiers from the first heat. Gilbertson qualified third overall in 53.46, while Foster made it in with a 54.00 for seventh.

Olympian Rhyan White will swim in lane five for tonight’s ‘A’ final after swimming a 53.05 to comfortably win heat three.

Chloe Stepanek often focuses on freestyle during NCAA championship meets, but the 100 fly is often a go-to secondary event for her; her lifetime best is a 53.15 swum at the Aggies’ NCAA Last Chance Meet in February 2024. This meet is allowing her to swim some of these non-primary events and it’s working well for her as she qualified for the 100 fly ‘A’ final (53.74).

Men’s 100 Butterfly — Prelims

• American Record: 42.80 — Caeleb Dressel (2017)
• U.S. Open Record: 42.80 — Caeleb Dressel (2017)
• Meet Record: 43.84 — Tom Shields (2016)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Brady Samuels (PUR), 45.29
2. Marshall Odom (UTAH), 47.39
3. Miles Simon (CAD), 47.40
4. Lucas Bureau (HOKI), 47.85
5. Lorenz Beck (PS), 47.88
6. Shane Eckler (UN), 47.89
7. Jacob Gramer (PS), 47.93
8. Matthew Bittner (PSU)/Ian Rodgers (GMU), 47.97*

*Swim-off required

Brady Samuels, last night’s 50 freestyle champion, keeps rolling in Greensboro. He dropped a lifetime best 45.29 to lead the men’s 100 fly qualification. The swim is a .35-second improvement for Samuels from his old best, a 45.64 he swam at the 2022 Big Ten Championships. This is the second event at this meet where he’s broken a lifetime best that’s at least a year old; the 50 freestyle PB he swam last night took down his best from March 2023.

Additionally, the swim moves him up to a tie for 14th place in the NCAA rankings this season.

He’s put himself well ahead of the field, as Utah’s Marshall Odom and Georgia alum Miles Simon qualified in second and third with just a hundredth separating them. Simon won heat three in 47.40 ahead of Lucas Bureau (47.85) which Odom bettered with his heat four win shortly after.

There will be a swim-off for the final lane in the ‘A’ final. Matthew Bittner and Ian Rodgers tied for eighth in 47.97, which will need to be resolved ahead of tonight’s finals session.

Women’s 200 Freestyle — Prelims

• American Record: 1:39.10 — Missy Franklin (2015)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:39.10 — Missy Franklin (2015)
• Meet Record: 1:41.17 — Mallory Comerford (2017)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Chloe Stepanek (TAMU), 1:45.41
2. Kennedi Dobson (EEX), 1:45.98
3. Zita Szoke (BSC), 1:46.73
4. Georgia Nel (UNC), 1:46.90
5. Maddy Parker (SMU), 1:46.92
6. Rachel Klinker (CAL), 1:46.94
7. Catherine Meisner (PSU), 1:47.08
8. Ekaterina Nikonova (UN), 1:47.57

Stepanek was back up on the blocks quickly after qualifying for the 100 butterfly ‘A’ final. The 200 freestyle was another quick event for the women–just three heats–and the Aggie pushed on the back half of the final heat. She passed last night’s double winner Kennedi Dobson, swimming a 1:45.41 for the top time of the morning. She’s been as fast as 1:44.22 this NCAA season.

The 17-year-old Dobson locked down lane five as the only swimmer besides Stepanek to break 1:46 in prelims. Dobson collected her 500 freestyle and 200 IM wins last night with personal bests, and she’s set herself up to chase her 1:45.11 standard in tonight’s final.

Joining Stepanek and Dobson in the ‘A’ final are Zita Szoke, Georgia Nel, Maddy Parker, Rachel Klinker, and Catherine Meisner, all of whom are bunched tightly together with 1:46-high/1:47-low qualifying times. This championship final will have all the Day 2 individual winners as Parker won the 50 freestyle yesterday.

Men’s 200 Freestyle — Prelims

• American Record: 1:28.81 — Luke Hobson (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:28.81 — Luke Hobson (2024)
• Meet Record: 1:31.65 — Joao De Lucca (2013)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Drew Kibler (NYAC), 1:33.32
2. Breno Correia (WOLF), 1:33.89
3. Quinton Cynor (UN), 1:34.83
4. Vili Sivec (CSUB), 1:35.36
5. Jack Dahlgren (AQJT), 1:35.59
6. Tylor Kim (PSU), 1:35.81
7. Bradley Dunham (SA), 1:35.84
8. Tate Anderson (GMU), 1:36.09

Drew Kibler, a two-time U.S. Olympian in the 4×200 freestyle relay and a former NCAA champion in this event did what he needed to do in prelims of the men’s 200 freestyle. He was in an earlier heat as he entered the meet with a long-course meters time, but his 1:33.32 from the third heat held up as the fastest time of the morning through six heats.

He’s sitting over a half-second ahead of Breno Correia, who’s part of the NC State pro group at this meet. Correia was also entered with a long-course meters time and clocked 1:33.89. He and Kibler were the only two swimmers to break 1:34 this morning, giving them a little bit of room heading into the final as Quinton Cynor clocked 1:34.83 for third, almost a second behind Correia.

This ‘A’ final will be littered with current and former NCAA swimmers. Current Penn State swimmer Tylor Kim shaved a tenth off his lifetime best with a 1:35.81 to qualify for the ‘A’ final in sixth place, just ahead of Bradley Dunham (1:35.84), who came into the meet with the fastest entry time.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke — Prelims

• American Record: 55.73 — Lilly King (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 55.73 — Lilly King (2019)
• Meet Record: 57.62 — Alia Atkinson (2013)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Skyler Smith (UNC), 59.98
2. Danielle Hermann (CLOV), 1:00.25
3. Casadie Dibetta (BSC), 1:00.99
4. Aliz Kalmar (FRES), 1:01.07
5. Marizel Van Jaarsveld (UN), 1:01.18
6. Jenna Pulkkinen (FRES), 1:01.32
7. Gabrielle LePine (UN), 1:01.54
8. Erin Palmer (UTAH), 1:01.56

UNC’s Skyler Smith came into the meet as the only woman seeded under 1:00. That was upheld in the prelims, as Smith clocked 59.98 for the fastest time of the morning by .27 seconds ahead of Clovis’ Danielle Hermann (1:00.25). Smith has looked strong all season for the Tar Heels, already breaking her 100 breaststroke school record, and she’ll aim to add a U.S. Open title to her list of season-accolades tonight.

Fresno State put two swimmers into the ‘A’ final. Aliz Kalmar qualified fourth in 1:01.07, while her teammate Jenna Pulkkinen swam 1:01.32 for sixth. Both are international students; Kalmar represents Hungary during international competition and Pulkkinen is from Finland. Kalmar owns a personal best of 1:00.05 from her runner-up finish at the 2024 Mountain West Championships. Pulkkinen swam her personal best of 1:00.99 last month at the Trailblazer Invitational.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke — Prelims

• American Record: 49.53 — Liam Bell (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 49.53 — Liam Bell (2024)
• Meet Record: 50.80 — Nic Fink (2017)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Charlie Egeland (YALE), 52.55
2. Logan Kelly (UN), 52.74
3. Mariano Lazzerini (PSU), 52.85
4. Filipe Pinheiro (PSU), 53.17
5. Chris Palvadre (UN), 53.33
6. Jerry Chen (PEAQ), 53.53
7. Michael Gozdan (LOYO), 53.54
8. Oleksandr Karpenko (SASA), 53.67

19-year-old Charlie Egeland, yesterday’s 200 IM champion, will be in lane four tonight for the men’s 100 breaststroke championship final. Egeland won the penultimate heat by almost a second over Jerry Chen, posting a 52.55 that held up for the morning’s top swim through the final heat. Egeland owns a lifetime best of 51.99, which puts him just outside the all-time mid-major top 10 list.

Mid-major swimmers will hold down the middle of the pool amidst a pair of Penn State swimmers, as Logan Kelly‘s 52.74 from his heat five win qualified him second overall. Loyola’s Michael Gozdan also made the ‘A’ final (53.74), adding another mid-major representative as he swims for the Loyola Greyhounds during the NCAA season.

Women’s 100 Backstroke — Prelims

• American Record: 48.10 — Gretchen Walsh (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 48.10 — Gretchen Walsh (2024)
• Meet Record: 50.64 — Natalie Coughlin (2007)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Alyssa Sagle (NCAP), 52.48
2. Izzy Ackley (UN), 53.02
3. Rhyan White (WOLF), 53.04
4. Lily Mead (LOYO), 53.11
5. Norah Hay (UTAH), 53.51
6. Margaret Markvardt (PSU), 53.58
7. Kennedi Dobson (EEX), 53.67
8. Sadie Buckley (NCAP), 54.17

Alyssa Sagle has played a key role in NCAP’s three winning relays at the U.S. Open. Now, in her first individual event of the meet, she’s qualified first for the 100 backstroke ‘A’ final. The UVA commit was well ahead of the 53.74 she swam leading off NCAP’s 400 medley relay last night, crushing a new lifetime best of 52.48. It’s her first swim under 53 seconds, as her previous best was a 53.17.

She heads into finals as the top seed by .54 seconds, as Izzy Ackley qualified second with a 53.02. Many of these swimmers were on their second swim of the day in this event, including White, who qualified for the 100 fly ‘A’ final earlier in the session along with Markvardt. White and Lily Mead came to the wall together in their heat, with White edging out the Greyhounds, 53.04 to 53.11. Both made the 100 backstroke ‘A’ final, qualifying third and fourth.

Dobson qualified for her second ‘A’ final of the day too, as did Sagle’s NCAP teammate Buckley, who is also the top seed in the 400 IM.

Men’s 100 Backstroke — Prelims

• American Record: 43.35 — Luca Urlando (2022)
• U.S. Open Record: 43.35 — Luca Urlando (2022)
• Meet Record: 44.07 — Nick Thoman (2013)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Bradley Dunham (SA), 46.55
2. Matthew Bittner (PSU), 47.26
3. Joe Hayburn (LOYO), 47.28
4. Justin Heims (UN), 47.38
5. Quinton Cynor (UN), 47.60
6. Yurii Kosian (UN), 47.66
7. Jack Harvey (PSU), 47.68
8. Idris Muhammad (PUR), 47.77

Dunham charged to the top of the men’s 100 backstroke, qualifying first for tonight’s final in 46.55. He won the final heat convincingly, and his swim is .71 seconds faster than the 47.26 that Bittner swam in the fifth heat to qualify second overall. Heat six winner, Loyola’s backstroke ace Joe Hayburn, also cruised into the final, posting a 47.28 that puts him two-hundredths behind Bittner.

Second through eighth are separated by .51 seconds, as Purdue’s Idris Muhammad claimed lane eight for the final in 47.77. Dunham’s prelims time asserts him as the clear favroite for tonight’s final, but there’s a close race shaping up behind him.