2019 US Open Day Four Heats: Brown Leads Manuel in 100 Free With First Ever Sub-54; Bacon Leads 200 Back Heats

Erika Brown is leading the 100 free field ahead of Simone Manuel. Photo Courtesy: Connor Trimble

2019 US Open

Day Four Heats

The 2019 US Open in Atlanta continues with the heats of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast and 200 fly. The prelims start time was moved a couple hours earlier to accommodate the vast amount of distance heats going on later today. There were no meet records set in the morning as the finals for tonight will start at 7 p.m.

US Open Details

Women’s 200 Back

Meet Record: 2:08.42, Hayley McGregory, 2008

After a great 100 back on Friday night in Atlanta in which she beat the world record holder, Phoebe Bacon followed that up with a 2:11.43 to lead the 200 back heats early on Saturday morning at the US Open. Bacon took advantage of no Regan Smith in the field as she is ahead of fellow high school senior and Cal commit Isabelle Stadden (2:11.62) and reigning World junior champ Jade Hannah (2:12.30) from Canada. 2018 World Short Course champ Lisa Bratton (2:12.69) is also in the mix with the fourth seed.

Bacon was slightly off her lifetime best of 2:09 but might have a chance to get under that tonight as she put herself in the mix for getting to her first Olympics.

There were a couple notable A-Final misses from Katharine Berkoff (2:14.27, 13th) and Beata Nelson (2:14.81, 15th).

Results:

2:11.43, Phoebe Bacon, USA
2:11.62, Isabelle Stadden, USA
2:12.30, Jade Hannah, CAN
2:12.69, Lisa Bratton, USA
2:12.71, Amy Bilquist, USA
2:12.83, Gabby DeLoof, USA
2:13.21, Alex Walsh, USA
2:13.38, Ugne Mazutaityte, LTU

Men’s 200 Back

Meet Record: 1:54.59, Nick Thoman, 2009

World Championships finalist Jacob Pebley put up the top time in the 200 back heats with an easy 1:59.71 as the Team Elite swimmer is swimming his bread-and-butter event. Pebley was sixth at Worlds this past year and is looking to make his second Olympic team in six months. He will not have to race Ryan Murphy tonight, who is saving himself for the International Swimming League final later this month.

Pebley is seeded ahead of two Florida swimmers in Clark Beach (2:00.15) and Kieran Smith (2:00.33). Smith has had a really good meet in Atlanta this week, finishing as the top American in the 400 free and also won the 200 free B-Final last night to put himself among the contenders of making the 2020 team.

Last night’s 100 champ Markus Thormeyer missed the A-Final in placing ninth at 2:01.41. There were a couple other notable A-Final misses from 2008 Olympic champ Ryan Lochte (2:01.99, 15th) and NCAA champ John Shebat (2:02.34, 17th).

Results:

1:59.71, Jacob Pebley, USA
2:00.15, Clark Beach, USA
2:00.33, Kieran Smith, USA
2:00.93, Manu Martos Bacarizo, ESP
2:01.22, Yeziel Morales, PUR
2:01.29, Zachary Poti, USA
2:01.37, Christopher Reid, RSA
2:01.37, Harry Homans, USA

Women’s 100 Free

Meet Record: 53.92, Megan Romano, 2012

Tennessee senior Erika Brown swam a personal best in the 100 free heats with a 53.97 as she broke 54 for the first time in her career on Saturday morning at the US Open in Atlanta. Brown is seeded ahead of two-time reigning World Champ Simone Manuel, who has had a really solid meet this weekend. Manuel won the 50 free and was third in the 200 last night, and cruised to the second seed in the 100 with a 54.03.

Siobhan Haughey (54.19) is seeded third after she was second in last night’s 200 free. The final has a lot of players that should factor into some 53’s with Worlds team members Olivia Smoliga (54.57), Margo Geer (54.66), Mallory Comerford (54.77) and last night’s 200 champ Allison Schmitt (54.98) comprising the heat.

Catie DeLoof (54.70) is also in tonight’s final as the sixth seed.

There were a couple notable A-Final misses from Gretchen Walsh (55.18, 9th), Kelsi Dahlia (55.39, 13th), Kate Douglass (56.08, 21st) and Lia Neal (56.57, 32nd).

Results:

53.97, Erika Brown, USA
54.03, Simone Manuel, USA
54.19, Siobhan Haughey, HKG
54.57, Olivia Smoliga, USA
54.66, Margo Geer, USA
54.70, Catie DeLoof, USA
54.77, Mallory Comerford, USA
54.98, Allison Schmitt, USA

Men’s 100 Free

Meet Record: 48.52, Nicholas Brunelli, 2009

Zach Apple was the lone swimmer to break 49 seconds in the 100 free heats as he swam a 48.86 on Saturday morning to secure lane four in the final. The men’s 100 free field in the United States currently is more stacked than it has ever been in recent years with the presence of guys like Apple, Dean Farris, Tate Jackson and Robert Howard among the top 16 best guys in the country. The 100 free will be a gauntlet at the Olympic Trials and the guys will have to show up ready to get on the team to Tokyo.

Farris (49.02), Jackson (49.44) and Howard (49.45) are seeded second, fourth and fifth for tonight’s final. Michael Chadwick (49.72) should also not be counted out as he is the eighth seed for tonight’s final.

Indiana swimmer Bruno Blaskovic (49.23) also put up the third seed with a 49.2.

There were no notable A-Final misses.

Results:

48.86, Zach Apple, USA
49.02, Dean Farris, USA
49.23, Bruno Blaskovic, CRO
49.44, Tate Jackson, USA
49.45, Robert Howard, USA
49.56, Marco Ferreira, BRA
49.64, Christian Quintero, VEN
49.72, Michael Chadwick, USA

Women’s 200 Breast

Meet Record: 2:22.51, Kaitlin Freeman, 2009

Lilly King cruised to the top spot in the 200 breast prelims with a 2:27.32 as she is leading Emily Escobedo (2:27.35) and Indiana teammate Laura Morley (2:27.83). King missed a chance to swim the 200 breast fully rested this year after she was disqualified in the heats of the World Championships in this event for a non-simultaneous touch, losing an opportunity to see what she could do at 100%. She was a 2:21 earlier in the summer and took down the World champ Yulia Efimova in a head-to-head for the first time in her career in the 200. King won’t have Efimova next to her tonight but will definitely be looking to put up a time around a 2:23 to gain some momentum heading into 2020.

King’s Hoosier teammate Morley had a really good swim, dropping three seconds off her best time of 2:30.2 from the Pan American Games this year. Morley is in her first year of postgrad with Indiana.

The A-Final in this event is stacked with the presence of two-time winner this weekend Melanie Margalis (2:28.04), Pan Am Games gold medalist Annie Lazor (2:28.13) and 2018 National champ Micah Sumrall (2:28.87).

Rachel Bernhardt had a really good swim this morning with a 2:27.99 for fourth seed.

The only notable A-Final miss was Madisyn Cox (2:30.64, 14th).

Results:

2:27.32, Lilly King, USA
2:27.35, Emily Escobedo, USA
2:27.83, Laura Morley, BAH
2:27.99, Rachel Bernhardt, USA
2:28.04, Melanie Margalis, USA
2:28.13, Annie Lazor, USA
2:28.87, Micah Sumrall, USA
2:29.39, Mariia Astashkina, RUS

Men’s 200 Breast

Meet Record: 2:09.73, Andrew Wilson, 2016

Cody Miller leads the 200 breast heats with a 2:10.30 as he is leading a seemingly reborn Kevin Cordes (2:10.52). Cordes, who has had trouble maintaining a constant training environment, has made the switch to Athens Bulldog Swim Club alongside other Olympic hopefuls Andrew Wilson and Nic Fink. Cordes is the current American record holder in the 100 breast in LCM but hasn’t been on the National A team since 2017, having struggled the last few years. He has found some consistency ahead of 2020 and is pushing to make his second Olympic team.

Georgia teammate Wilson (2:10.92) is seeded third ahead of reigning Olympic champion Dmitriy Balandin (2:11.67). This A-Final is a very stacked field with the presence of World University Games bronze medalist Daniel Roy (2:12.08) and Pan American Games gold medalist Will Licon (2:12.28).

Notably, Pan American Games silver medalist Nic Fink did not make the final as he was a 2:16.49 for 17th. Georgia grad Chase Kalisz (2:13.95, 9th) and Georgia Tech junior Caio Pumputis (2:15.00, 12th) also missed the A-Final notably.

Results:

2:10.30, Cody Miller, USA
2:10.52, Kevin Cordes, USA
2:10.92, Andrew Wilson, USA
2:11.67, Dmitriy Balandin, KAZ
2:12.08, Daniel Roy, USA
2:12.28, Will Licon, USA
2:12.70, Carlos Claverie, VEN
2:13.68, Alex Evdokimov, USA

Women’s 200 Fly

Meet Record: 2:07.20, Susie O’Neill, 1999

Katie Drabot has the top time in the 200 fly heats with a 2:09.43 as the World Championships bronze medalist is leading a very talented field into the final. Georgia postgrad Megan Kingsley (2:10.29) is seeded second ahead of Michigan transfer Olivia Carter (2:10.65).

Reigning national champion Regan Smith (2:10.79) is seeded fourth as she elected to swim this event over the 200 back (which she has the world record). If Smith seriously pursues this event then she has a chance to make the Olympic team in it.

2017 Worlds team member Dakota Luther (2:11.38) is seeded sixth ahead of World juniors team members Lillie Nordmann (2:11.68) and Charlotte Hook (2:12.19). Ohio State’s Kathrin Demler reached her third A-Final with a 2:10.83 for fifth seed.

There were no notable A-final misses.

Results:

2:09.43, Katie Drabot, USA
2:10.29, Megan Kingsley, USA
2:10.65, Olivia Carter, USA
2:10.79, Regan Smith, USA
2:10.83, Kathrin Demler, GER
2:11.38, Dakota Luther, USA
2:11.68, Lillie Nordmann, USA
2:12.19, Charlotte Hook, USA

Men’s 200 Fly

Meet Record: 1:55.64, Sebastien Rousseau, 2013

High school senior Luca Urlando had the top 200 fly prelim time with a 1:56.49 as he is within striking distance of the US Open meet record of 1:55.64 set in 2013 by Sebastien Rousseau. Urlando has been as quick as a 1:53 in his career and although he probably won’t go that fast, he will certainly challenge the 1:55 meet record. He is swimming in his future home state as the California native will be a freshman at the University of Georgia next fall. He will likely be keeping an eye on the SEC Championship game score going on in Atlanta today as the Georgia Bulldogs will look to take down LSU.

Colombia native Jonathan Gomez is seeded second for the final with a 1:57.24 ahead of Taiwan native Eddit Kuan-Huang Wang (1:57.32).

Speaking of Georgia Bulldogs, Chase Kalisz (1:57.60) and Jay Litherland (1:59.11) advanced to the championship final in fourth and sixth as Kalisz is looking for his third win of the meet after victories in the 200 and 400 IM. High school seniors Dare Rose (1:59.05) and Carson Foster (1:59.11) also advanced to the final, as did Canadian Olympian Mack Darragh (1:59.21).

There were a couple notable A-Final misses from Caeleb Dressel (1:59.37, 10th), Zach Harting (1:59.76, 12th) and Justin Wright (2:01.14, 17th).

Results:

1:56.49, Luca Urlando, USA
1:57.24, Jonathan Gomez, COL
1:57.32, Eddit Kuan-Huang Wang, TPE
1:57.60, Chase Kalisz, USA
1:59.05, Dare Rose, USA
1:59.11, Jay Litherland, USA
1:59.11, Carson Foster, USA
1:59.21, Mack Darragh, CAN

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