U.S. Open: Chad La Tourette Sets U.S. Open Standard in Men’s 800 Free; Hayley McGregory, Nick Thoman Take Runs at World Records Again

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, August 2. CHAD La Tourette of Mission Viejo closed the curtains on the U.S. Open with a U.S. Open (not the meet, but the national) record. Meanwhile, Hayley McGregory and Nick Thoman of Longhorn both took serious runs at 100 back world records again during medley relay action.

La Tourette clocked a time of 7:48.38, which is the quickest readout ever records on U.S. soil, in the men's 800 free. That performance eclipsed the 7:49.02 set by Ous Mellouli in June. It also destroyed the meet record of 8:10.44 set by Nick Graves in earlier heats today. Kyle Young of Area Tallahassee finished second in 8:03.19, while Logan Storie of Corvallis placed third in 8:05.05.

In the women's 400 medley relay, McGregory took another run at sub-59, but settled for a leadoff time of 59.31 in a 100 back leadoff. This comes after she posted times of 59.11 in prelims and 59.20 in finals of the individual event. McGregory took her leadoff out in 28.47.

Longhorn's team of McGregory, Brittany Sacco, Tanica Jamison and Samantha Tucker went on to break the meet record with a time of 4:06.56. That performance crushed the 4:09.07 set by East Germany way back in 1985. Athens Bulldog's Mary DeScenza, Mhyria Miller, Anne-Marie Botek and Chelsea Nauta also surpassed the previous record with a second-place 4:08.49.

Thoman, meanwhile, blasted a time of 52.91 in a 100 back leadoff of the men's 400 medley relay. That time eclipsed his previous personal best of 52.92 set yesterday and moved him even closer to Aaron Peirsol's world record of 52.89. Thoman took the race out in 25.87, well under his first 50 of 25.95 from yesterday.

Longhorn wound up second as Thoman, Brian Wilson, Jonathan Jackson and Ben Vanroekel clocked a 3:42.90.

Great Britain's Matt Clay, James Gibson, Ian Hulme and Charles Turner set a meet record with a time of 3:36.55. The team erased the 3:42.16 set by Canada in 2003.

Ariana Kukors of King Aquatics set a meet record in the women's 200 IM with a time of 2:11.53. That time edged the 2:11.58 set by Katie Hoff in 2006. Ava Ohlgren of Auburn took second in 2:13.72, while Michelle McKeehan of Center Grove finished third in 2:15.51.

Kelsey Ditto of Athens Bulldog overcame a two-second deficit in the final 50 meters of the women's 1500 free to beat Club Wolverine's Emily Brunemann, 16:21.24 to 16:21.99. Brunemann led 15:50.95 to 15:52.27 heading into the final stretch, but Ditto posted a 28.97 coming home with Brunemann clocking a 31.04 in the sprint home. Corinne Showalter, 17, of Sarasota YMCA finished third in 16:32.85.

Hidemasa Sano of Trojan touched first in the men's 200 IM with a time of 1:59.84. Clark Burckle of Lakeside turned in a second-place time of 2:01.30, while Alex Vanderkaay of Club Wolverine garnered third in 2:01.46.

A day after Kristen Heiss of Aggie and DeScenza tied for the women's 200 free titles with matching 1:59.43s, the women's 50 free featured a shared crown as well. Madison Kennedy of California and Michele King of Tennessee posted times of 25.22 to tie for the title. Another deadlock happened right behind them with Stephanie Napier of Baylor and Samantha Woodward, 17, of Chesapeake clocking times of 25.34 for third. For good measure, Anna Turner of Tucson Ford and Liv Jensen of Palo Alto deadheated for fifth with times of 25.54.

Jonathon Newton of NSW Institute won the men's 50 free in 22.17, while Eric McGinnis of Wildcat (22.35) and Michael Richards of Minnesota (22.39) wrapped up the top three.

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