USA Swimming Grand Prix, Minneapolis: Missy Franklin Doubles on Final Night

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, November 13. THE final night of finals at the USA Swimming Grand Prix held in Minneapolis, Minn., featured a double by U.S. wunderkind Missy Franklin of the Colorado Stars.

Franklin had a dominant performance in the women's 200 back with a 2:08.03 for the win after clocking a textile best 2:05.01 during the World Championships this summer. Franklin has five of the top 20 times this year. Lauren Lavigna touched second in 2:12.85, while Gator's Stephanie Proud picked up third in 2:12.87.

Point-Claire's Samantha Cheverton (2:14.11), Minnesota's Tess Behrens (2:14.53), Mission Aurora's Bonnie Brandon (2:14.66), Minnesota's Katie Anton (2:17.44) and France's Laure Manaudou (2:21.64) rounded out the A final.

Manaudou is on the comeback trail from a career that included the 2007 World Swimmer of the Year award from Swimming World Magazine. She originally retired Sept. 2009 before returning to swimming this summer.

Franklin went back-to-back with a 100 free triumph, when she hit the wall in 54.27. NBAC's Allison Schmitt touched second in 54.69, while SwimAtlanta's Amanda Weir earned third in 54.80. Trojan's Jessica Hardy (55.18), AGUA's Lia Neal (55.36), FAST's Katie Hoff (55.96), Tucson Ford's Christine Magnuson (56.15) and Frances Camille Muffat (56.40) also swam in the A final.

Earlier, Muffat took home the gold medal in the women's 800 free event with an 8:31.23 for the victory. Mission Viejo's Chloe Sutton placed a close second in 8:31.85, while NBAC's Allison Schmitt earned third-place honors in 8:35.12.

Mission Viejo's Ashley Twichell (8:35.61), Minnesota's Ashley Steenvoorden (8:36.95), NBAC's Gillian Ryan (8:40.74), NBAC's Camryne Morris (8:42.79) and Clearwater's Rebecca Mann, 13, (8:43.65) rounded out the top eight in the event.

Hoff cruised to victory in the women's 200 IM event with a 2:12.02, less than a second back of her 11th-ranked time so far this year of 2:11.26 from U.S. Nationals. T2's Elizabeth Pelton claimed second in 2:12.23, taking 17th in the world rankings this year. Colorado Stars' Missy Franklin wound up third in 2:13.12.

T2's Erika Erndl (2:16.51), FAST's Whitney Myers (2:16.91), Minnesota's Haley Spencer (2:17.62), Athens Bulldog Morgan Scroggy (2:18.69) and Aquajets' Rachel Bootsma (2:19.44) finished fourth through eighth, while Pointe-Claire's Ashley McGregor won the B final in 2:19.10.

NBAC's Michael Phelps dominated the men's 200 IM with a time of 1:57.58, winning by nearly four seconds. That swim is the seventh fastest of the year, with Phelps holding four of the top 10 times. Tucson Ford's Darian Townsend finished second in 2:01.55, while Club Wolverine's Wu Peng took third in 2:01.97.

Tucson Ford's Clark Burckle (2:03.58), NBAC's Kevin Webster (2:03.80), NBAC's Chase Kalisz (2:04.19), Lake Forest's Conor Dwyer (2:04.60) and Jack Brown (2:06.57) earned the rest of the A final finishes. Notably, Luca Mazzurana won the B final in 2:03.89.

FAST's Tyler Clary clinched the men's 200 back title in 1:58.39, while Christian Diener earned second-place honors in 2:00.76. Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or rounded out the podium with a third-place 2:00.78. Arkady Vyatchanin (2:01.33), Minnesota's Carl Newenhouse (2:04.66), Yuri Samuilich (2:04.83), Indiana's Eric Ress (2:05.99) and Michigan's Ryutaro Kamiya (2:07.19) also swam in the finale.

Meanwhile, Gator's Brett Fraser topped the men's 100 free in 48.88. France's Clement Lefert took second in 49.44, while Auburn's Gideon Louw raced to third in 49.58. Longhorn's Garrett Weber-Gale (49.93), Tucson Ford's Darian Townsend (49.95), Club Wolverine's Bobby Savulich (50.20), Trojan's Ricky Berens (50.22) and Gator's Shaune Fraser (50.55) picked up the other A final swims.

Trojan's Ous Mellouli captured the men's 1500 free title in 15:15.50, while Michael Klueh wound up second in 15:17.44. Mads Glaesner rounded out the top three in the distance event with a 15:29.32.

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