2020 U.S. Open – Greensboro Saturday AM Live Recap

2020 U.S. OPEN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, November 12 – Saturday, November 14
• Greensboro, NC
• Long course meters (LCM)
• Timed Finals
• Where To Watch US National Team Members
• Meet Central
• Women’s Heat Sheets (all sessions)
• Men’s Heat Sheets (all sessions)
• Live results (Omega Timing)
• Livestream Link

The final session of the 2020 U.S. Open gets underway this morning with timed finals of the 1500 free, the 200 back, the 100 free, the 200 breast, and the 200 fly. The women will swim first, followed by a break, and then the men’s flight will take place. On both sides, the marquee event of the day might be the 100 free. The women’s race will feature Egyptian Olympian Farida Osman, NC State sprint star Kylee Alons, and 16 year-old Claire Curzan, who last night moved to #3 all-time among US women in the 100 fly. The men’s race will feature Joseph Schooling, Dean Farris, and current swimmers or commits from Virginia Tech and NC State.

WOMEN’S 1500 FREE – TIMED FINALS

• American record: 15:20.48 – Katie Ledecky (2018)
• U.S. Open record: 15:20.48 – Katie Ledecky (2018)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 16:49.19

Top 3:

1. Ashley Twichell (TAC) – 16:18.11
2. Caroline Pennington (TAC) – 16:41.49
3. Chase Travis (VT) – 16:58.43

It was a familiar-looking top three this morning. Veteran Ashley Twichell cruised to victory here, winning by nearly 20 seconds. She completed the distance sweep here in Greensboro, having won the 800 free Thursday and the 400 free yesterday.

17 year-old Caroline Pennington came in 2nd with a new lifetime best of 16:41.49, taking over 8 seconds off of her previous lifetime best. She also came in 2nd in both the 800 and 400 here behind Twichell. Virginia Tech’s Chase Travis took 3rd in 16:58.43. Following the pattern, she’d also placed 3rd in the 800 and 400, as well as the 200 free.

WOMEN’S 200 BACK – TIMED FINALS

• American record: 2:03.35 – Regan Smith (2019)
• U.S. Open record: 2:05.68 – Missy Franklin (2013)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 2:14.69

Top 3:

1. Katharine Berkoff (NCS) – 2:10.12
2. Emma Muzzy (NCS) – 2:14.22
3. Caroline Bentz (VT) – 2:14.41

Katharine Berkoff had her best swim in two years, blasting a 2:10.12 that ties her 2nd-fastest time ever, and ranks only behind her 2:09.84 from 2018’s Summer Nationals. That’s Berkoff first win here, after taking 2nd behind Claire Curzan yesterday in the 100 back. NC State teammate Emma Muzzy took 2nd in 2:14.22, the 3rd-best time of her career. Virginia Tech’s Caroline Bentz repeated her placing from yesterday’s 100 back, taking 3rd in 2:14.14.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE – TIMED FINALS

• American record: 52.04 – Simone Manuel (2019)
• U.S. Open record: 52.54 – Simone Manuel (2018)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 56.29

Top 3:

1. Claire Curzan (TAC) – 54.93
2. Farida Osman (PRVT) – 55.49
3. Sarah Shackelford (VT) – 55.85

16 year-old Claire Curzan earned her 3rd win of the meet this morning, setting a new lifetime best by 0.72s with her time of 54.93. That moves her into the top ten all-time in the 15-16 age group.

Egyptian Olympian Farida Osman, who trains with Sergio Lopez’s Pinnacle group at Virginia Tech, took 2nd in 55.49, and Hokie Sarah Shackelford took 3rd in 55.85, a lifetime best by over a second. Those three were the only women under the OT cut in the event.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST – TIMED FINALS

• American record: 2:19.59 – Rebecca Soni (2012)
• U.S. Open record: 2:20.38 – Rebecca Soni (2009)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 2:33.29

Top 3:

1. Micah Sumrall (GAME) – 2:30.03
2. Rachel Bernhardt (GAME) – 2:31.35
3. Albury Higgs (GAME) – 2:33.11

A trio of Gamecock postgrads/pros swept the top three spots here, led by Micah Sumrall‘s 2:30.03. Rachel Bernhardt (2:31.35) and Albury Higgs (2:33.11) were the only other women under the OT cut of 2:33.29.

WOMEN’S 200 FLY – TIMED FINALS

• American record: 2:04.14 – Mary Descenza (2009)
• U.S. Open record: 2:05.87 – Hali Flickinger (2018)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 2:14.59

Top 3:

1. Charlotte Hook (TAC) – 2:10.90
2. Bailey Nero (NCAC) – 2:14.67
3. Sydney King (SOLO) – 2:23.44

Only four women raced this event this morning, and only one hit the OT standard. That swimmer was TAC’s Charlotte Hook, who was about three seconds slower than her best time, a 2:07.87 from last summer’s Nationals. NCAC’s Bailey Nero was just over half a second away from her seed time, clocking in 2:14.67, while SOLO’s Sydney King took 3rd in 2:23.44.

MEN’S 1500 FREE – TIMED FINALS

• American record: 14:39.48 – Connor Jaeger (2016)
• U.S. Open record: 14:45.54 – Peter Vanderkaay (2008)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 15:44.89

Top 3:

1. Dylan Porges (Unattached) – 15:49.24
2. Christian Bayo (TAC) – 15:52.94
3. Kenneth Lloyd (NCS) – 16:01.05

Dylan Porges swam a new lifetime best by nearly five seconds as he won in 15:49.24. Christian Bayo (15:52.94) and Kenneth Lloyd (16:01.05) took 2nd and 3rd, as no one here cleared the OT cut of 15:44.89.

MEN’S 200 BACK – TIMED FINALS

• American record: 1:51.92 – Aaron Piersol (2009)
• U.S. Open record: 1:53.08 – Aaron Piersol (2009)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 2:02.99

Top 3:

1. Will Grant (Unattached-Harvard) – 1:59.52
2. Braeden Haughey (TAC) – 2:00.38
3. Brandon Miller (NCAC) – 2:00.80

The top three finishers here all swam lifetime bests. Will Grant improved from 1:59.92 to 1:59.52 as he touched first. 16 year-old Braeden Haughey took nearly two seconds off of his lifetime best to take 2nd in 2:00.38. 17 year-old Brandon Miller swam a personal best by nearly five seconds to take 3rd in 2:00.89.

MEN’S 100 FREE – TIMED FINALS

• American record: 46.96 – Caeleb Dressel (2019)
• U.S. Open record: 47.39 – Ryan Held (2019)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 50.49

Top 3:

1. Samuel Hoover (NCAC) – 49.71
2. Dean Farris (VS) – 50.31
3. Yususke Legard (PRVT) – 50.37

17 year-old Samuel Hoover knocked over a second off his lifetime best, breaking the 50s mark and grabbing an OT cut here with his time of 49.71. It was a right race for 2nd, with Dean Farris just touching ahead of Yusuke Legard, 50.31 to 50.37, with Youssef Ramadan just behind at 50.64. Hoover’s future NC State teammate Michael Cotter also improved his lifetime best by over a second, touching in 50.64 just ahead of Joseph Schooling‘s 50.65.

MEN’S 200 BREAST – TIMED FINALS

• American record: 2:07.17 – Josh Prenot (2016)
• U.S. Open record: 2:07.17 – Josh Prenot (2016)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 2:17.89

Top 3:

1. Andrew Wilson (ABSC) – 2:09.83
2. Jorge Murillo (TAC) – 2:14.92
3. AJ Pouch (VT) – 2:15.27

USA National Teamer Andrew Wilson won going away here, touching five seconds ahead of the rest of the field with his time of 2:09.83. TAC’s Jorge Murillo took 2nd in 2:14.92, while Virginia Tech’s AJ Pouch beat out PRVT’s Jonathan Rutter for 3rd, 2:15.27 to 2:15.29.

MEN’S 200 FLY – TIMED FINALS

• American record: 1:51.51 – Michael Phelps (2009)
• U.S. Open record: 1:52.20 – Michael Phelps (2008)
• U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 2:01:19

Top 3:

1. Antani Ivanov (VT) – 1:58.51
2. Zachary Brown (NCS) – 1:58.81
3. Jay Litherland (DYNA) – 2:00.37

Virginia Tech’s Antani Ivanov took the win here, finishing 0.30s ahead of NC State’s Zachary Brown, 1:58.51 to 1:58.81. USA National Team member Jay Litherland took 3rd in 2:00.37, just ahead of fellow national teamer Justin Wright, 2:00.37 to 2:00.35. Those four were the only men to get under the OT standard.