2017 U.S. Open Day 5: Sullivan Surges Up the Rankings, Tandy Cracks 22

2017 U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• August 2-6, 2017
• East Meadow, NY
• Long course (50m)
• Psych Sheet
• Pre-scratch timelines
• Meet Information
• Meet central
• Webcast
• Day 5 Finals Heat Sheet
• Live Results

Rising high school senior and USC commit Erica Sullivan kicked off the final night of the 2017 U.S. Open with a notable victory in the women’s 1500 free.  Not only did she earn her second win of the meet (her first coming in the 400 free on Thursday), but that time of 16:05.83 moves her up to #6 in the world this year:

Just as notably, Sullivan’s swim he moved up to third all-time on the 15-16 age group rankings.  After tonight, only Katie Ledecky and Janet Evans, two of the greatest female distance swimmers of all-time, have been faster before turning 17.  Like those two superstars, Sullivan has a somewhat unorthodox stroke that’s noticeably more asymmetrical and aggressive than you tend to see with distance swimmers, but obviously works for Sullivan.

Sullivan was our #8 recruit in the high school class of 2018 and, unlike Ledecky and Evans, is planning on swimming at USC beginning in the fall of 2018.  However, she still has a lot of swimming left this summer before she starts her senior year.  Not only is she slated to swim at next week’s USA Junior Nationals, but she’ll also be competing in the World Junior Championships later this month in Indianapolis, where she’ll be representing the USA in the 800 and 1500 free.

Unlike last night, which was dominated predominantly by college swimmers, professional swimmers headlined tonight’s events:

• Brad Tandy rocked a 21.70 in the 50 free tonight for the win in that event.  That swim broke a meet record (set in 2009 by Nick Brunelli), was a personal best for Tandy and moves him up to #9 in the world this year.  It also makes you wonder what Tandy could’ve done at Worlds, for which he had qualified but was unable to compete due to visa issues.
• Even an out of shape Ryan Lochte still had enough in the tank to crack 2:00 and take the win in the 200 IM.  Lochte’s winning time of 1:59.24 did break the previous meet record, held by a certain Michael Phelps.  Still, it’s hard to read too much into Lochte’s win tonight — the time won’t even earn him a spot on the US National team, but it would seem to indicate he’s in some sort of shape, and if he can get back to training seriously, it’s hard to imagine him not being a player in this event over the next few years, even as he approaches his mid-30s.
• Meaghan Raab was the only non-pro besides Sullivan to win tonight.  Her victory tonight in the 200 IM came a night after winning the 200 free, and hopefully bodes well for her NCAA season after missing the finals in the 200 IM last season.
• Lochte’s former SwimMAC teammate, Madison Kennedy, came within 0.02 seconds of the meet record in the 50 free.  Her time of 24.92 was also 0.03 seconds than her time in the A-final of this summer’s World Chamionships Trials, where she placed 7th.
• Damien Joly and Logan Houck finished 1-2 for the second time this week, capping off the meet with the 800 after starting it with the 1500.  That time makes Joly the fastest French swimmer in the event this year.