US Open Championships: Australia Takes Men’s, Combined Team Titles

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, August 11. THE last night of racing at the US Open in Indianapolis certainly did not disappoint, with several outstanding swims in the six finals contested. Great Britain claimed the women's team title with 223 points, 25 ahead of Australia (198). The Pleasanton Seahawks rounded out the top three with 178 points. On the men's side, Australia led the way with 413.5 points, followed by Great Britain (269.5) and Ohio State Swim Club (181.5).

The final night of swimming in Indy kicked off with Clearwater Aquatic Team's Rebecca Mann completely dominating the women's 1500m free. Mann entered the meet as the top seed by 14 seconds and did not disappoint, slicing two seconds off her best time and winning by more than 22 seconds in 16:14.41. That time is the seventh fastest in the world in 2012; Mann had previously been ranked eighth at 16:16.82. Golden West Swim Club's Megan Rankin came in second in 16:37.10, while North Baltimore's Camryne Morris took third in 16:44.66.

Aggie Swim Club's Sarah Henry, already a multi-time podium finisher at this meet, chased down Saint Petersburg Aquatics' Melanie Margalis to win the women's 200m IM in a new personal best of 2:12.81. Henry came into the meet with a seed time of 2:15.67 and chopped nearly three seconds off that. Margalis took second in 2:13.26, also under her previous best of 2:13.85 from prelims. Rattler Swim Club's Meghan Hawthorne rounded out the top three in 2:13.71. Henry and Margalis' times would've placed sixth at Trials, while Hawthorne would've been seventh. Hawthorne was the only one of the three swimmers to even make the semifinals in Omaha.

Australia's Kenneth To, winner of the men's 100m fly earlier in the meet, topped the men's 200m IM field in 2:00.13. To held a two second advantage over Palo Alto Stanford's Adam Hinshaw at the final turn before Hinshaw came barreling down the final few meters to touch second in 2:00.57, four and a half seconds faster than his original seed time of 2:05.01. Cory Chitwood of the Northern Kentucky Clippers also made up ground on To in the last 50m, but wound up third in 2:00.84. Both Hinshaw and Chitwood's times would've made the final at Trials; neither swam the event in Omaha.

Liv Jensen, the 2012 NCAA champ in the women's 50m free, added another sprint title to her collection, winning the event tonight in 25.19. That beat her best time of 25.36, which she set in the prelims at Trials, and would've qualified eighth for the final in Omaha. Athens Bulldog's Megan Romano, who has already won three events here, took second in 25.37. Australian Olivia Halicek rounded out the top three finishers in 25.48.

Australian brothers Matt Abood, 26, and Andrew Abood, 22, proved to be the top sprinters in the men's field, as they finished first and second in 22.20 and 22.39, respectively. Matt has the 15th best time in the world this year at 21.92, while Andrew has posted a 22.34 this season. SwimMAC Carolina's Nick Brunelli completed the podium finishers in 22.48, just outside his 22.39 from Trials.

The meet concluded with a timed final of the men's 800m free. Badger Swim Club's Ryan Feeley just missed breaking the 8-minute barrier, but still claimed victory in 8:00.55, a personal best by about two seconds. Great Britain's Jack Burnell wouldn't give up easily, as he touched second in 8:02.33. British teammate Matthew Johnson rounded out the top three in 8:06.78.

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