2019 U.S. OPEN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- December 4th-7th, 2019
- McAuley Aquatic Center, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia
- LCM (50m), Prelims/Finals
- Psych Sheets
- Live stream (all sessions beside A finals on Friday/Saturday)
- Live results
Stars from across the country are in Atlanta for the 2019 U.S. Open, and the first morning of prelims kicks off at 10 a.m. Eastern time. It will be flighted, with the A flight (fastest heats) swimming from 10:00-11:50 AM and the B flight, from 11:51 AM-1:46 PM.
Among this morning’s highlights we’re slated to see Ryan Lochte in the 200 IM, Simone Manuel in the 50 free, and slew of standout international swimmers in the men’s 400 free.
Women’s 400 Free
- American record: 3:56.46, 8/7/2016, Katie Ledecky
- U.S. Open record: 3:57.94, 5/17/2018, Katie Ledecky
- US Open Meet record: 4:05.45, 12/20/1987, Janet Evans
Top 8 qualifiers
- Katie Ledecky, 4:05.50
- Leah Smith, 4:08.77
- Kaersten Meitz, 4:10.67
- Kiah Melverton, 4:10.89
- Allison Schmitt, 4:11.12
- Paige Madden, 4:11.66
- Haley Anderson, 4:12.06
- Ashley Twichell, 4:12.09
No surprise here: Katie Ledecky is the top qualifier for finals by over three seconds, though she posted one of the slowest morning swim’s we’ve seen from her in some time. She split 58.73/1:02.00/1:02.34/1:02.43.
Smith, the No. 2 qualifier, was 59.54/1:02.94/1;03.36/1:02.93, clocking in as the only other qualifier under 4:10 (4:08.77). Kaersten Meitz and Australian Kiah Melverton came in at 4:10.67 and 4:10.89, with Allison Schmitt rounding out the top five finishers at 4:11.12.
Regan Smith, in her first race since the 2019 FINA World Championships, went 4:13.38 for 12th place; her best is 4:10.33.
Fourteen-year-old Bella Sims is the youngest qualifier to get into the top 24. She went 4:16.76 for 23rd place this morning, just off her best time of 4:16.22.
Men’s 400 Free
- American record: 3:42.78, 8/10/2008, Larsen Jensen
- U.S. Open record: 3:43.53, 6/29/2008, Larsen Jensen
- US Open Meet record: 3:45.63, 8/3/2016, Zane Grothe
Top 8 qualifiers
- Ziyang Zhang, 3:48.76
- Zane Grothe, 3:49.10
- Guilherme da Costa, 3:50.85
- Fernando Scheffer, 3:51.36
- Kieran Smith, 3:51.44
- Chris Wieser, 3:51.86
- Jordan Wilimovsky, 3:51.99
- Marwan El Kamash, 3:52.79
Eighteen-year-old Ziyang Zhang, who appears to be training with Team Santa Monica (Jordan Wilimovsky’s club) is the top qualifier for finals after splitting 56.41/58.04/56.92/57.39 for a 3:48.76. Zane Grothe is just behind at 3:49.10, splitting 54.67/58.13/58.33/57.97.
Minas’ Guilherme Costa — fresh off setting a new South American record last night in the 800 — and Fernando Scheffer are the No. 3 and 4 qualifiers and went 3:50.85 and 3:51.44, respectively.
Nineteen-year-old Kieran Smith is the second teenager in the top eight, clocking in at 3:51.44. Louisville’s Hayden Curley, 20, dropped three seconds off his lifetime best to finish 10th this morning in 3:53.12.
Women’s 200 IM
- American record: 2:06.15, 7/27/2009, Ariana Kukors
- U.S. Open record: 2:08.32, 7/29/2018, Kathleen Baker
- US Open Meet: 2:11.06, 8/3/2013, Justine Mueller
Top 8 qualifiers
- Melanie Margalis, 2:10.71
- Alex Walsh, 2:11.97
- Emma Barksdale, 2:12.50
- Torri Huske, 2:13.50
- Kathrin Demler, 2:13.50
- Ella Eastin, 2:13.64
- Justina Kozan, 2:13.77
- Monika Gonzalez-Hermosillo, 2:14.16
After Melanie Margalis and Madisyn Cox both swam under the previous U.S. Open meet record, Cox is showing as a DQ on the live results.
Update: SwimSwam has confirmed Cox was DQ’d for “turning on her back in the breaststroke.” Beata Nelson was disqualified for the same infraction.
Margalis, the top seed heading into finals, split 28.49/33.07/37.70/31.45 for a strong 2:10.71 — just two seconds off her best time 2017 Worlds.
Three teenagers made the top eight, led by 18-year-old Alex Walsh at 2:11.97, less than a second off her lifetime best. Sixteen-year-old Torri Huske clocked in at 2:13.50 (fourth overall), just .28 off her best time, and 15-year-old Justina Kozan is the No. 7 qualifier at 2:13.77.
Men’s 200 IM
- American record: 1:54.00, 7/28/2011, Ryan Lochte
- U.S. Open record: 1:54.56, 7/10/2009, Ryan Lochte
- US Open Meet record: 1:59.24, 8/6/2017, Ryan Lochte
Top 8 qualifiers
- Carson Foster, 1:58.38
- Chase Kalisz, 1:59.35
- Sam Stewart, 1:59.49
- Caio Pumputis, 2:00.09
- Jacob Pebley, 2:00.14
- Ryan Lochte, 2:00.35
- Kieran Smith, 2:00.79
- Daniel Sos, 2:01.00
Eighteen-year-old Carson Foster went a new lifetime best by .08 seconds to lead this morning’s qualifiers in 1:58.38, a new meet record. He split 25.45/29.60/34.77/28.56.
Chase Kalisz and Sam Stewart were the only other swimmers to break 2:00, going 1:59.35 and 1:59.49, respectively. Kalisz split 25.57/30.59/34.00/29.19 and Stewart was 26.13/29.99/34.09/29.28. Ryan Lochte, a full decade older than anyone else in the top eight, clocked in at 2:00.32 (25.72/30.31/34.88/29.44).
Jacob Pebley, swimming in the “B-flight,” went 2:00.14 to get into the A-final. He split 25.43/29.66/36.68/28.37 in his first long course 200 IM since 2015, going a new best time of 2:00.14 — a two-second drop. It was only his fourth attempt since 2012.
Worlds teamers Caeleb Dressel and Jay Litherland made the B-final, going 2:02.03 and 2:02.23, respectively. Luca Urlando and Andrew Wilson no-showed.
Women’s 50 free
- American record: 23.97, 7/30/2017, Simone Manuel
- U.S. Open record: 24.08, 6/1/2019, Pernille Blume
- US Open Meet record: 24.90, 8/8/2009, Jessica Hardy
Top 8 qualifiers
- Simone Manuel, 24.65
- Erika Brown, 24.99
- Margo Geer, 25.03
- Gretchen Walsh, 25.18
- Catie Deloof, 25.25
- Siobhan Haughey, 25.27
- Casey Fanz, 25.29
- Kelsi Dahlia, 25.30
Simone Manuel was in a class of her own this morning, setting a new meet record and out-pacing the field by nearly half a second at 24.65. Erika Brown was the only other swimmer under :25, just squeaking by at 24.99.
Margo Geer clocked in third at 25.03, and 16-year-old Gretchen Walsh was 25.18 for the No. 4 spot. Louisville’s Casey Fanz went a best time by .08, taking seventh overall in 25.29.
Torri Huske, minutes after swimming the 200 IM, went a best time to tie Farida Osman for 10th place in 25.40.
Men’s 50 free
- American record: 21.04, 7/27/2019, Caeleb Dressel
- U.S. Open record: 21.14, 7/9/2009, Cesar Cielo
- US Open Meet record: 21.70, 8/6/2017, Brad Tandy
Top 8 qualifiers
- Bruno Fratus, 21.59
- Zach Apple, 22.22
- Renzo Tjon-A-Joe, 22.24
- Robert Howard, 22.27
- Dean Farris, 22.32
- Kyle Decoursey, 22.33
- Nyls Korstanje, 22.38
- Michael Chadwick, 22.43
Brazil’s Bruno Fratus, owner of the most sub-22 swims in history, did his thing. He led the field by over half a second, going 21.59 — cracking his own top-20 swims. At Worlds, he was 21.71 in prelims and 21.53 in semis, for reference.
Zach Apple threw down his fifth-fastest performance ever, going 22.22, and Suriname’s Renzo Tjon-A-Joe is the No. 3 qualifier in 22.24.
Dean Farris, the No. 5 qualifier, dropped .25 second off his lifetime best to go 22.32.
Marius Kusch just broke the German Record and swam the world #1 in Europe, if that’s interesting to you.
Jacob Pebley swam a lifetime best in the 200 IM as well, racing out of the ‘b’ flight. 2:00.
Off topic
15 year steverink delivered an amazing time again
4:21:45 400 IM
This kid is amazing.
What do we think Ella Eastin’s chances of making the Olympic team are?
Slim to none. Margalis is on fire in many events who knows what she will swim. Alex Walsh trying to get spot 2 with Cox
Don’t forget about Baker. She’s looked good this season after suffering multiple injuries last spring. She is the fast American ever in textile.
Vamos Monika this afternoon you can write history ! Vamos con todo preciosa!
Need to update mens 200IM… out of nowhere Jacob Pebley is now 5th seed. Checked the last time he swam this, it looks like 2014.
Does he have a better shot at a second event in Tokyo in the 2IM or 1back? The 200 back is definitely his best shot. I don’t know if he has the “hot hand” needed for 100 back.
Who is Ziyang Zhang?
Here ya go: https://swimswam.com/2019-us-open-championships-who-is-ziyang-zhang/
Excellent turnaround time from comment section question to article!
Thank you!
Robert Howard off to a hot start. Please give us more RH coverage. I am hearing from multiple league sources that the Phoenix Suns are interested in signing RH to a 10-day. Please give us more RH coverage.
Where is Osman at? Not making the Championship final hurts