2023 US Open Swimming Championships
The 2023 US Open Swimming Championships begin tonight in Greensboro, North Carolina. The evening session will be short, with the men’s and women’s 800 freestyle finals scheduled to start the race.
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky Highlights the quick heats of the women’s 800 freestyle. She won the world title in the event last summer (8:08.87) after posting the 3rd fastest time in history in Indianapolis (8:07.07). Ledecky won the event last year in 8:13.90, and will hold the meet record (8:12.81) through 2021.
Member of the world championship team Jillian Cox He finished 6th in Fukuoka last summer and is in tonight’s 800 freestyle final. She clocked a personal best time of 8:19.73 to finish 6th in the world. Cox had a big breakthrough in 2023, lowering her 800 best time from 8:30.38 to 8:19.73 in less than a year.
Olympic gold medalist Bobby Finke 800 Free Men’s Instant Hot Headlines. His time of 7:38:67 leads the field by more than 12 seconds following the withdrawal of world champion Ahmed Hafnau this summer.
Luka Mijatovic, the 14-year-old from the Pleasanton Seahawks, will be one to watch in the heat tonight. Mijatovic swims in lane 1, taking 7th in a 13-14 NAG record 7:59.64.
You can watch tonight’s action live on YouTube:
Women’s 800 Freestyle – Timed Final
Platform:
- Katie Ledecky (GSC) – 8:15.91
- Page Madden (NYAC) – 8:29.91
- Jillian Cox (TXLA) – 8:33.77
Katie Ledecky He opened the race with a decisive victory in the 800 freestyle, posting a time of 8:15.91 to win by exactly 14 seconds. Ledecky’s time of 8:15:91 is 2 seconds shy of the 8:13:90 she posted last year to take the win at this event. Ledecky ran the race strong, splitting 4:06.10 through the first 400 before closing in 4:09.81. Ledecky will compete in the 400 freestyle prelims tomorrow morning.
Page MaddenWho is currently training under Bob Bowman At ASU, he posted a time of 8:29.91 to take 2nd place. Her time just shy of the best time of 8:27.99 she posted last month to win the Pan American Games.
TXLA Jillian Cox Touching 8:33.77, he placed 3rd overall. Cox clocked 8:19.73 in the event she posted last summer when she finished 6th at the world championships.
Men’s 800 Freestyle – Timed Final
- World Record: 7:32.12 – Lin Zhang (2009)
- American Record: 7:38.67 – Bobby Finke (2023)
- US Open Meet Record: 7:47.27 – Chad La Tourette (2009)
Platform:
- Charlie Clark (OSU) – 7:50.49
- David Johnston (TST) – 7:53.87
- Ilya Sibirtsev (UOFL) – 7:54.36
David JohnstonHe is taking a redshirt year to train under Mark Shubert of California in his first 550m. of OSU Charlie Clark He then took over the lead and never relinquished it, clocking a final time of 7:50.49 to take the win. Clark’s time is off the best time (7:50.07) set at the 2022 International Team Trials.
Clark He spoke with USA Swimming after the race.And he made the following comment.
That was my first 800m since the World Championships in July, so I was just focusing on my race plan more than anything else. I was trying to focus on getting out in good control but trying to stay relevant in the race and not get too far back, then building up the race to see how far I could finish.
“My best time is about .3 faster than that so I’m on a break this time of year so I couldn’t be happier with a time like this. It’s faster than I’ve ever been. [nationals] last year”
Johnston finished 2nd tonight with a time of 7:53:87. The original finished 5th at this summer’s World Championship Trials, just 2 seconds shy of his best time (7:51.70).
Ilya Sibirtsev Louisville posted a 7:54.36 in Heat 3 to take 3rd overall. The main takes over 21 seconds from the entry time of 8:15:50. Sibirtsev is a graduate student at Louisville and a native of Barnaul, Russia.
2021 Olympic Championship Bobby Finke He posted a time of 7:54.90 to take 4th place. Finke’s performance at the 2021 US Open, posting the same time (7:54.07), is on par with this year’s.
Luka MijatovicThe 13-14 national age group record holder clocked 8:05.44 and placed 8th overall.