U.S. Open Championships: Megan Romano Doubles; Mike Alexandrov Blazes Men’s 100 Breast

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, August 10. THE fourth of fifth days has wrapped up at the U.S. Open at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis. Megan Romano remains the star of the meet after winning her third and fourth events of the meet. Meanwhile, Mike Alexandrov blasted out a near-1:00 swim in the men's 100 breast.

Athens Bulldogs' Romano lit up the women's 200 free, checking in at 1:57.54, improving on her personal best of 1:57.99 from Olympic Trials. Romano moved up to 17th in the world with that time, and among Americans, only Allison Schmitt, Missy Franklin, and Dana Vollmer have swum faster. Romano finished seventh in this event at Olympic Trials, one spot off the Olympic team. Terrapins' Chelsea Chenault finished second in 1:58.41, improving on her eight-place time of 1:58.61 from Trials. Meanwhile, Aggie's Sarah Henry touched out Pleasanton's Catherine Breed for third, 1:58.55 to 1:58.62.

Romano doubled up with another win in the women's 100 back. Romano put up a 1:00.37, off her 21st-ranked time of 1:00.19 from back in June. Romano finished eight in the event at Olympic Trials, but she swam the 100 back final just minutes after qualifying for the final of the 200 free, a double that Missy Franklin pulled off with much greater success at both the Trials and the Olympics. Great Britain's Lauren Quigley pushed Romano before coming in second at 1:00.50, while Phoenix Swim Club's Noriko Inada finished third in 1:01.35. Inada has swum in three previous Olympics, in 1992, 2000, and 2004.

Trojan's Alexandrov put on a show in the men's 100 breast, beating out Arizona's Kevin Cordes, 1:00.03 to 1:00.47. Alexandrov moved to 16th in the world with the swim, and only Brendan Hansen, Mark Gangloff, and Eric Shanteau have bested the swim domestically. That time would have place Alexandrov on the U.S. Olympic team had he swum that fast in the final at Olympic Trials. Shanteau made the team with a 1:00.15 clocking in Omaha last month. Cordes, meanwhile, moved up to 23rd in the world, improving on his best time of 1:00.53 from the Trials, while Indiana's Cody Miller took third in 1:01.11.

FAST's Michael Klueh came one spot away from making the Olympic Team, finishing third in the 400 free and eighth in the 200 free (where the top seven ended up qualifying after Michael Phelps withdrew from the event), but he walked away from the men's 200 free final in Indy with his second win. Klueh touched first in 1:48.63, just a bit off his 1:48.09 from Trials. The University of Michigan's Michael Wynalda made a run at Klueh, but he settled for second in 1:49.05. Wynalda recorded the fastest time among college swimmers at Trials, placing tenth in the semi-finals at 1:48.38. Arizona's Matt Barber, meanwhile, also got under 1:50 to take third in 1:49.97.

J-Hawk's Emily McClellan finished sixth in the women's 100 breast at Olympic Trials in 1:07.41, and she swam just a tick slower at the U.S. Open, picking up the win in 1:07.43. She currently stands 22nd in the world rankings. Bluefish's Laura Sogar improved on her ninth-place spot at Trials with a runner-up finish here, clocking 1:08.18, while CUBU's Ellyn Baumgardner came in third at 1:08.25. Baumgardner holds the 14th spot in the world rankings after finishing fourth at Trials in 1:07.19.

Auburn's Kyle Owens touched out Corvalis' Jacob Pebley to win the men's 100 back, 54.45 to 54.49. Owens finished seventh at Olympic Trials with a top time of 54.18, while Pebley ended up 16th. SwimMAC's Eugene Godsoe ranks 14th in the world after finishing fifth at Trials in 53.61, but he swam much slower tonight, touching third in 54.81. Rockville Montgomery's Jack Conger, meanwhile, won the B-final in 54.61, just off his lifetime best of 54.51 from Trials, where he reached the championship final.

Australia swept the women's and men's 400 medley relays. Amy Forrester, Aisling Scott, Megan Gianotti, and Shanya Jack won the women's relay in 4:08.26, while Josh Beaver, Nicholas Schafer, Daniel Lester, and Matt Abood took the men's in 3:40.07. Abood provided a strong anchor leg of 48.80

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