Smith Posts Two Wins, Two Championship Records to Close Toyota U.S. Open
Regan Smith (Lakeville, Minn./Sun Devil Swimming) picked up two wins and set two championship records in the 200m backstroke and 200m butterfly on the final day of the Toyota U.S. Open in Greensboro, North Carolina. Smith's record in the 200m butterfly bested Susan O'Neil's record from 1999 – three years before Smith was born.
Smith tied for the High Point award with Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong. Smith also received the Performance of the Meet award for her women's 200m backstroke swim. Arizona State University's team was also honored as Team of the Meet.
Kate Douglass (Pelham, N.Y./New York Athletic Club) also notched her third win and championship record of the meet with her win in the women's 200m breaststroke. Matt Fallon (Warren, N.J./Athens Bulldog Swim Club) also picked up his first Toyota U.S. Open win and set a championship record in the men's 200m breaststroke.
Women’s 1500m Freestyle – FINAL
1 – Katie Ledecky (Bethesda, Md./Gator Swim Club), 15:46.38
2 – Paige Madden (Mobile, Ala./New York Athletic Club), 16:11.26
3 – Leah Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Longhorn Aquatics), 16:15.45
Ledecky on this meet: “I’m pretty pleased with where I’m at. We’ve been putting in some good work. It was good to just get up and race this week and I’m excited to get back to training.”
Men’s 1500m Freestyle – FINAL
1 – Bobby Finke (Clearwater, Fla./Saint Petersburg Aquatics), 15:03.97
2 – Charlie Clark (Sandusky, Ohio/The Ohio State University), 15:05.57
3 – Luke Whitlock (Noblesville, Ind./Fishers Area Swimming Tigers), 15:08.09
Finke on his strategy: “My plan from the start was just to stick with Charlie since he ran me down pretty well in the 800m [freestyle, earlier in the week], I knew going into this I just wanted to stick with him and battle it out.”
Women’s 200m Backstroke – FINAL
1 – Regan Smith (Lakeville, Minn./Sun Devil Swimming), 2:04.27*
2 – Claire Curzan (Cary, N.C./Unattached), 2:06.39
3 – Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2:06.81
*Championship record
Race Notes:
-
Smith bests the championship record she set last year (2:05.28).
-
Smith is the reigning American, U.S. Open, and junior world record holder in this event.
Men’s 200m Backstroke – FINAL
1 – Hubert Kos (HUN), 1:55.95
2 – Kieran Smith (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield Aquatic Club), 1:57.51
3 – Kai van Westering (FRA), 1:58.63
Women’s 100m Freestyle – FINAL
1 – Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 52.94*
2 – Torri Huske (Arlington, Va./Arlington Aquatic Club), 53.17
3 – Abbey Weitzeil (Santa Clarita, Calif./California Aquatics), 53.53
*Championship record
Men’s 100m Freestyle – FINAL
1 – Matt King (Snohomish, Wash./Texas Ford Aquatics), 48.30
2 – Ryan Held (Springfield, Ill./New York Athletic Club), 48.36
3 – Chris Guiliano (Douglassville, Pa./University of Notre Dame), 48.51
King on his race: “Strategy was just to take it out. I didn’t feel too good this morning; went out not as fast as I could have – 23.4 – which is fine. My back half was all right – felt like I died – but judging by the time I didn’t. Tonight, I just tried to take it out with everybody because they were going out 23.0 or 23.1 this morning. I was like if I can just be there in the first 50, I knew I was going to be able to take it home fast.”
Women’s 200m Breaststroke – FINAL
1 – Kate Douglass (Pelham, N.Y./New York Athletic Club), 2:21.87*
2 – Lilly King (Evansville, Ind./Indiana Swim Club), 2:23.98
3 – Kotryna Teterekova (LTU), 2:24.22
*Championship record
Douglass on her race: “I think it’s great to be able to come out on top in that heat. It’s always fun to race Lilly [King] and there were so many new faces in that heat. I’m just really happy with that time right now in the season.”
Men’s 200m Breaststroke – FINAL
1 – Matt Fallon (Warren, N.J./Athens Bulldog Swim Club), 2:09.49*
2 – Cody Miller (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada), 2:09.84
3 – Josh Matheny (Pittsburgh, Pa./Indiana Swim Club), 2:10.49
*Championship record
Fallon on his race: “In a mid-season meet like this, still being able to keep my composure, and still being able to bring it home even if I have a little bit of a rough start coming to the race - it has been great racing everyone again and getting that race experience in. I think it’s very valuable.”
Race Notes:
-
Fallon bests the championship record set by Miller in 2019 (2:09.67).
Women’s 200m Butterfly – FINAL
1 – Regan Smith (Lakeville, Minn./Sun Devil Swimming), 2:06.72*
2 – Lindsay Looney (Denison, Texas/Sun Devil Swimming), 2:09.31
3 – Dakota Luther (Autin, Texas/Longhorn Aquatics), 2:10.17
*Championship record
Smith on the meet: “I think overall it was great. I think I’m struggling with speed a little right now, but I think that’s normal coming from altitude. Not worried about it, but I think I executed my races really well. I’m faster than I was this time last year, so I think this was a successful meet for me.”
Race Notes:
-
Smith beats the championship record that was set in 1999 by Susan O’Neil (2:07.20).
-
Smith is the current American and U.S. Open record holder in this event.
Men’s 200m Butterfly – FINAL
1 – Ilya Kharun (CAN), 1:54.66*
2 – Martin Espernberger (AUT), 1:54.69
3 – Trenton Julian (Glendale, Calif./Mission Viejo Nadadores), 1:55.59
*Championship record
Watch replays of the 2023 U.S. Open races on the USA Swimming Network. Keep up with all the latest USA Swimming news by following @usaswimming on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Check out our News Notebook, which details programs, athletes, and clubs that have made the headlines.