2024 US Open: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2024 U.S. Open Championships

• December 4th -7th, 2023
• Greensboro, N.C
• Prelims: 9:00 am EST/ Finals 6:00 pm EST
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Day 3 Finals Heat Sheet

It is time for day three finals of the 2024 US Open. Tonight’s events include the 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, and the 4×50 freestyle relays.

Highlighting the evening is 17-year-old double winner Kennedi Dobson, who is slated to swim the A finals in two events again this evening, the 200 free and the 100 back. Two more wins won’t come easily for her, however, with Texas A&M 5th year and All-American Chloe Stepanek as the top seed in the 200 free, and U.S. Olympian Rhyan White swimming in the 100 back.

White is not the top seed in the women’s 100 back, however. That honor goes to 16-year-old NCAP swimmer Alyssa Sagle with her 52.48, crushing her previous personal best.

On the men’s side, Olympian Drew Kibler is the top seed in the 200 freestyle, taking the event by over half a second from the first heat in prelims.

We will also see 50 free champion Brady Samuels try to pick up another win in the 100 fly, after he qualified 1st for the final by over two seconds.

Women’s 400 IM — Finals

• 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 Finishers:

1. Sadie Buckley (NCAP), 4:07.87
2. Emerson Callis (QSTS), 4:12.62
3. Mira Szimcsak (SMU), 4:13.22
4. Caroline Agee (NCAP), 4:13.38
5. Margot Levesque (ABF)- 4:14.50
6. Erin Dawson (UN)- 4:17.20
7. Cate Pawlaski (EDI)- 4:18.12
8. Gwyn Frick (NCAP)- DSQ

Sadie Buckley, a 15-year-old from Nation’s Capital Swim Club, won the women’s 400 IM in incredibly convincing fashion. Buckley was out just behind 2nd place finisher Emerson Callis, but her backstroke leg was the fastest in the field and brought her into the lead where she remained for the rest of the race.

Buckley said in her interview that she didn’t even have the short course qualifying time in the event coming into today. Her previous best was 4:19.64 from March of this year. Her swim tonight marks a 12 second drop in less than 12 months.

Quest Swimming 16-year-old Emerson Callis was 2nd in 4:12.62 which was a two tenth drop for her, and Mira Szimcsak from SMU took 3rd in 4:12.62.

Gwyn Frick, a 17-year-old also from NCAP was disqualified in the A final.

Men’s 400 IM — Finals

• 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)

1. Danny Berlitz (UN)- 3:46.51
2. Angus Macdonald (UN)- 3:47.90
3. Sean Honey (PSU)- 3:49.05
4. Charlie Heisig (UN)- 3:49.13
5. Jack Doyle (UN)-3:50.49
6. Evan Mackesy (PUR)- 3:51.64
7. Justin Nowicki (VILL)- 3:51.88
8. Strahinja Maslo (UTAH)- 3:52.10

Danny Berlitz qualified for the final by just 5 one hundredths of a second, and he made the most of his chance by coming from behind to win the event by over a second. Berlitz did not lead for a single 50 of the race, except his last one, and he was as far back as 7th at the 200 mark. He did not let this stop him, however, and he started chipping away at the lead, jumping to 3rd at the 250, and 2nd at the 300.

Bertlitz had the fastest last 4 by over half a second, coming in at 26.60 to pass second place finisher Angus Macdonald who went 27.37 for first. Despite winning the event, his 3:46.51 was five seconds off his best of 3:41.45 from March of 2021.

Macdonald’s 3:47.90 for second was a new best time by just over a second, besting the 3:49.06 he went in April of this year.

3rd place went to Sean Honey of Penn State in 3:49.05 which was an add for him, with his best coming in at 3:45.98 from just a few weeks ago.

Women’s 100 Butterfly — Finals

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

1. Rhyan White (WOLF)- 52.19
2. Rachel Klinker (CAL) – 52.48
3. Margaret Markvardt (PSU) – 52.56
4. Lily Sawyer (UNC) – 53.09
5. Kennedy Gilbertson (IFLY)- 53.37
6. Maddie Foster (QU) – 53.80
7. Mimi Watts (AU)- 53.92
8. Kailia Utley (VU)- 53.95

Rhyan White won her first of two races this evening with her victory in the women’s 100 fly in 52.19. White was out in second with her first 50 of 24.41, behind 3rd place finisher Margaret Markvardt who was out in 24.06. Markvardt was unable to hold on, however, and dropped to 3rd place after her 2nd 50 was 28.50. White brought it home in 27.78.

2nd place swimmer Rachel Klinker was the opposite story, out in 6th at the 50 with her 24.93, but with the fastest 2nd 50 in the field of 27.55. She was unable to catch White, finishing 3 tenths back at 52.48.

Men’s 100 Butterfly — Finals

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

1. Brady Samuels (PUR)- 45.27
2. Marshall Odom (UTAH)- 47.14
3. Shane Eckler (UN)- 47.52
4. Lorenz Beck (PS)- 47.53
5. Jacob Gramer (PS)- 47.61
6. Lucas Bureau (HOKI)- 47.67
7. Ian Rodgers (GMU)- 48.18
8. Matthew Bittner (PSU)- 48.54

50 free champion Brady Samuels picked up another win this evening in the men’s 100 fly, and the race was his from the very beginning. He was out in 20.66, over half a second faster than 2nd place swimmer Marshall Odom who was 21.28, and the 2nd 50 difference was even larger with Samuels coming home in 24.61 to Odom’s 25.86.

Samuels’ 45.27 not only won the event by almost 2 seconds, but was also his first best time in over two years. Turdue senior, went 45.64 in February of 2022 and hasn’t been under 45 since.

Odom also went a new best time of 47.14, dropping 4 tenths from the 47.53 he went in March of this year.

3rd place went to Shane Eckler out of lane 2, with his final time of 47.52. This was another best time, with Eckler’s previous best being 47.82 from April. Eckler is one of the Notre Dame swimmers at the meet, competing in Greensboro due to their program’s suspended season.

Women’s 200 Freestyle — Finals

• 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)

1. Kennedi Dobson (NJ)- 1:44.07
2. Chloe Stepanek (TAMU)- 1:44.51
3. Georgia Nel (UNC)- 1:45.47
4. Maddy Parker (SMU)- 1:45.69
5. Zita Szoke (BSC)- 1:46.26
6. Ekaterina Nikonova (UN)- 1:46.61
7. Catherine Meisner (PSU)- 1:46.63
8. Rachel Klinker (CAL)- 1:47.12

Kennedi Dobson won her 3rd event of the meet in the women’s 200 freestyle. The 17-year-old Dobson beat All-American Chloe Stepanek in her quest for the gold, but Stepanek didn’t give up easy.

The women were just over a tenth apart at the 100 with Stepanek actually holding the lead in 50.37 to Dobson’s 50.49. The 3rd 50 was where Dobson passed Stepanek, going 26.64 to beat Stepanek’s 36.87 by just over two tenths.

Dobson was also faster in the last 50, coming home in 26.95 for the win in 1:44.07. This marked another new best time for her by almost a second from the 1:45.11 she swam in March of this year.

Stepanek’s 1:44.51 was just over two seconds off her best time of 1:42.40 from February of 2023.

3rd place swimmer Georgia Nel was a second back from the other two at 1:45.47 which was just shy of her best of 1:45.06.

Men’s 200 Freestyle — Finals

• 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)

1. Drew Kibler (NYAC)- 1:32.78
2. Bradley Dunham (SA)- 1:33.87
3. Breno Correia (WOLF)- 1:34.23
4. Jack Dahlgreen (AQJT)- 1:34.36
5. Vili Sivec (CSUB)- 1:34.97
6. Quinton Cynor (UN)- 1:35.00
7. Taylor Kim (PSU)- 1:35.17
8. Tate Anderson (GMU)- 1:35.38

Texas Olympian Drew Kibler won the 200 freestyle by just over a second, and he led for most of the race. He came in at 1:32.78, which is exactly two-and-a-half seconds off his best time of 1:30.28 from March of 2022.

Bradley Dunham got 2nd in 1:33.87, which is just over a second shy of his personal best 1:32.77 from February of this year. He was actually ahead of Kibler at the 100 mark by two one hundredths of a second, but Kibler’s closing speed was too fast for him, or anyone else, to keep up with.

The bronze went to Breno Crorreia from Wolfpack Elite in 1:34.23.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke — Finals

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

1. Skyler Smith (UNC)- 58.87
2. Aliz Kalmar (FRES)- 1:00.56
3. Casadie Dibetta (BSC)- 1:00.60
4. Danielle Herrmann (CLOV)- 1:00.70
5. Erin Palmer (UTAH)- 1:00.91
6. Jenna Pulkkinen (FRES)- 1:01.05
7. Gabrielle LePine (UN)-  1:01.23
8. Marizel Van  Jaarsveld (UN)- 1:01.48

Skyler Smith, a UNC senior, chose reschedule one of her finals to swim the 100 breaststroke this evening, and it worked out in her favor because she won. Smith was out fast, but came back better with her both her splits being the fastest in the field. She was out in 27.54 and back in 31.33 to go 58.87 in the event, which is about 6 tenths short of the 58.26 she went just a few weeks ago. In her post-race interview, she thanked her professor for allowing her to reschedule today’s final exam in order to swim in the meet.

Aliz Kalmar of Fresno State took 2nd in 1:00.56. This was an add for Kalmar as well who went 1:00.05 in February.

Casadie Dibetta took 3rd in 1:00.60, which is just 3 tenths off her best of 1:00.32 from March.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke — Finals

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

1. Charlie Egeland (YALE)- 52.11
2. Mariano Lazzerini (PSU)- 52.52
3. Logan Kelly (UN)- 52.68
4. Jerry Chen (PEAQ)/Chris Palvadre (UN)- 52.99
5. —
6. Oleksandr Karpenko (SASA)- 53.32
7. Filipe Pinheiro (PSU)- 53.52
8. Michael Gozdan (LOYO)- 53.67

Charlie Egeland took hom the men’s 100 breaststroke for Yale with his final time of 52.11. This was his second win of the weekend, after he won the 200 IM last night, thanks in large part to his breaststroke leg. This was just over a tenth off his best time of 51.99 from March of this year.

Mariano Lazzerini took 2nd in the event in 52.52 to add from his best of 51.08 also from March, and 3rd went to Logan Kelley in 52.68 which was an add for him as well from his best of 51.94.

Women’s 100 Backstroke — Finals

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

1. Alyssa Sagle (NCAP)- 51.71
2. Rhyan White (WOLF)- 51.95
3. Lily Mead (LOYO)- 52.86
4. Norah Hay (UTAH)- 53.11
5. Izzy Ackley (UN)- 53.35
6. Kennedi Dobson (EEX)- 53.43
7. Margaret Markvardt (PSU)- 53.60
8. Sadie Buckley (NCAP)- 54.24

Alyssa Sagle, the 16-year-old from NCAP took the women’s 100 back title, beating Olympian Rhyan White by two tenths of a second. Sagle was out fast in 25.02, just behind 5th place finisher Izzy Ackley’s 24.98. Sagle also had the fastest 2nd 50 split in the field, going 26.69 to hold off Rhyan White for the gold with a final time of 51.71. This is almost a second-and-a-half drop for her from her previous best of 53.17 from February.

White was out in 3rd, hot on the heels of Ackley and Sagle, in 25.15, and she was the only other swimmer to go 26 on the second 50, allowing her to pass Ackley for the silver, but she was unable to catch Sagle coming in at 51.95.

Lily Mead took 3rd in 52.86, which was a half second drop for her from the 53.22 she went just a few weeks ago.

Men’s 100 Backstroke — Finals

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

1. Bradley Dunham (UGA)- 46.11
2. Matthew Bittner (PSU)- 46.98
3. Joe Hayburn (LOYO)- 47.05
4. Justin Heimes (UN)/ Yurii Kosian- 47.72
5. —
6. David Whalen (YOTA)- 47.99
7. Jack Harvey (PSU)- 48.12
8. Quinton Cynor (UN)- 48.28

Bradley Dunham won his second event of the week in the men’s 100 backstroke this evening. His final time of 46.11 was off his best of 44.91, but was good enough to win his second gold of the meet, after his 500 free victory last night. Dunham led the whole race, getting out in front of Matthew Bittner with his first 50 of 22.17 to Bittner’s 22.36 and staying out, being the only swimmer to go sub-24 on their second 50.

In Dunham’s post race interview, he mentioned this would be his last meet before retirement, getting emotional as he spoke about his career and his teammates. He’s got one more day of racing tomorrow before he hangs up his cap and goggles for good.

The other interesting story out of the men’s 100 backstroke was the soft-touch of 9th place finisher Minkyu Noh. Noh won the consolation final in 47.49, and it was clear on the replay he touched first, but he didn’t hit the pad hard enough and it didn’t register. This means when second place finisher Lance Lesage touched in 47.61, the scoreboard showed a 1 next to his name, making him think he won. It was a few nail-biting minutes after the final before they updated the board with Noh’s correct time that would have earned him 4th place in the final.

Women’s 4×50 Free Relay — Timed Finals

• American Record: 1:23.87 – Virginia (Douglass, G. Walsh, Cuomo, A. Walsh), 2023
• U.S. Open Record: 1:23.63 – Virginia (Nocentini, G. Walsh, A. Walsh, Parker), 2024
• Meet Record: 1:27.19 – SwimMAC Carolina (Kennedy, Hall, Meili, Vanderpool-Wallace), 2021

1. Queens University- 1:31.91
2. Nation’s Capital Swim Club- 1:32.78
3. Marshall University- 1:34.45
4. Fresno State University – 1:34.69

Queens was out first in the only heat of 200 freestyle relays with Maren Patterson leading off in 23.20. Alyssa Sagle from Nation’s Capital was the second swimmer to touch in 23.22.

Gwyn Frick from NCAP had the fastest 2nd 50 with her 22.77 split. This allowed NCAP to take the lead over Queens, whose 2nd swimmer Libby Livesay went 23.36. The lead went pack to queens and stayed there with 3rd swimmer Ryley Heck going 23.10 and their anchor leg Abigail Zboran going 22.25.

NCAP finished with Emma Cigna in 23.52, and Sadie Buckley in 23.27.

Men’s 4×50 Free Relay — Timed Finals

• American Record: 1:14.11 – Florida (Chaney, Friese, Davis, Smith), 2022
• U.S. Open Record: 1:13.35 – Florida (Liendo, Chaney, Friese, McDuff), 2023
• Meet Record: 1:17.06 – SwimMAC Carolina (Phillips, Hill, Knight, Jones), 2013

1. Purdue University – 1:17.84
2. Queens University- 1:19.85
3. Loyola University Maryland- 1:20.04
4. Florida Atlantic Aquatics- 1:20.11
5. Nationals Capital Swim Club- 1:21.28
6. University of Utah- 1:21.37
7. Saint Louis University- 1:24.41

Purdue took the men’s relay in a time that was almost the meet record, going 1:17.85. They led for every 50 except the first, and had the fastest split in the field. Nathaniel Thomas led them off in 20.04. Brady Samuels went second in 19.18, Dominic Mazurek swam 3rd with his 19.59, and anchor Idris Muhammad went the fastest split this evening in 19.03.

Queens Univeristy was out first with leadoff leg Nien Levy going 19.90, but they couldn’t keep up with the res to Purdue’s relay with Stamatis Paleocrassas going 19,87, Ethan Payne coming in at 20.24, and Jackson Vineyard anchoring in 19.84.