Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Packed Lineup Heads to Greensboro for Toyota U.S. Open
After much anticipation, the 2021 Toyota U.S. Open starts this week. Opening day is December 1 and the competition goes to December 4, at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina.
This long course meters meet is part of the USA Swimming Championship Series, where swimming’s biggest stars will continue to shine.
Day one eases into the race week with only event, the 800-meter freestyle timed finals. The legendary talents of Katie Ledecky will most likely lead her pack, followed by Olympian Leah Smith. On the men’s side, famous back-halfer Bobby Finke comes in as top seed with Ross Dant in tow. Day one victories could set a good pace for Ledecky and Finke, who will have a busy distance week here.
Day two picks up with the 400m freestyle, 200m I.M. and 50m freestyle. In the 400m freestyle, Ledecky will again lead this distance race but her Olympic teammate Paige Madden will be trying to stay with her. The men’s side could get more dicey — top swimmers Dant, Trey Freeman, Alfonso Mestre and James Place will all be gunning for a victory over Finke in what could be a very tight race.
The women’s 200m I.M. will feature swimming’s big celebrities. Top seeds include Olympians Alex Walsh, Kathleen Baker, Regan Smith and Leah Smith. Look to both Baker and Regan Smith to surge ahead in the backstroke. Leah Smith, a phenomenal freestyler can bring it home, but it’s Walsh, who won the silver medal in this event at the Tokyo Games who looks the most promising to take the win.
In the men’s 50m freestyle splash, top finishers should touch in sub-:22’s, and could be led by David Curtiss, Bruno Fratus and Nyls Korstanje. National Teamer Curtiss finished sixth at last summer’s Olympic Trials with a 22.12, and is hoping to improve on his personal best of 21.81 he swam in January of this year.
The meet picks up the pace on day three with five events. In the 400m I.M.’s, both Finke and Leah Smith should have a nice buffer being out in front, but the 100m butterfly races offer no space. In the women’s race, Regan Smith and Walsh will once again fight for first and on the men’s side, Korstanje, Coleman Stewart, and Luca Urlando will battle for the win with sub-:52’s. Urlando, who just missed making the Olympic Team by less than one tenth in the 200 butterfly - the same event where he broke Michael Phelps national 17-18 age group record - is looking for redemption in Greensboro and is entered in several events.
Ledecky, the top seed in the 200m freestyle, may feel some pressure from Madden and Leah Smith, in what will most likely be Ledecky’s closest race. Veteran Mallory Comerford could also make a big play here. On the men’s side, Urlando, Freeman and Max Rooney will lead the 200m freestyle field.
The 100 breaststrokes and backstrokes finish up day three, and again we’ll see some heavy hitters in both men’s and women’s races. Regan Smith, Katharine Berkoff and Baker, who all have huge credits to their names, will be under one minute with Smith leading the way and looking for another likely win. Hunter Tapp and Adam Chaney will heat up the men’s race with 53’s or lower. Urlando is also entered in this event and could make a surprise move up top.
Finally, the last day offers a busy lineup with five events, starting with the 1500m freestyle, where Ledecky and Finke are once again atop the psych sheets. The backstroke lineup looks exactly the same in the women’s 200-meter event as the top three again are Smith, Baker and Berkoff, but this time they’re separated by about one second each. On the men’s side, it’s Tapp leading tonight as well.
Ready for some sprinting action, the men’s 100m freestyle leads with Andrej Barna, Rooney, Chaney, Eric Friese and Justin Ress. Although a couple of seconds separate tops seeds, a large gap for a sprint, it’s still anybody’s race here. Urlando is entered in this event too, hoping for some finals action.
In the women’s 200m butterfly, Regan Smith is back on top and should nab this win. Second place will be up for grabs possibly by Leah Gingrich, Amanda Ray, Mabel Zavaros, and Leah Smith. For the men’s race, we will finally get to see Orlando secure the title in his signature event.
The 2021 Toyota U.S. Open Championships will showcase some of swimming’s biggest names as well as up-and-comers who are ready to make a name for themselves. The action starts in two days — be sure to tune in and follow the highlights!
This long course meters meet is part of the USA Swimming Championship Series, where swimming’s biggest stars will continue to shine.
Day one eases into the race week with only event, the 800-meter freestyle timed finals. The legendary talents of Katie Ledecky will most likely lead her pack, followed by Olympian Leah Smith. On the men’s side, famous back-halfer Bobby Finke comes in as top seed with Ross Dant in tow. Day one victories could set a good pace for Ledecky and Finke, who will have a busy distance week here.
Day two picks up with the 400m freestyle, 200m I.M. and 50m freestyle. In the 400m freestyle, Ledecky will again lead this distance race but her Olympic teammate Paige Madden will be trying to stay with her. The men’s side could get more dicey — top swimmers Dant, Trey Freeman, Alfonso Mestre and James Place will all be gunning for a victory over Finke in what could be a very tight race.
The women’s 200m I.M. will feature swimming’s big celebrities. Top seeds include Olympians Alex Walsh, Kathleen Baker, Regan Smith and Leah Smith. Look to both Baker and Regan Smith to surge ahead in the backstroke. Leah Smith, a phenomenal freestyler can bring it home, but it’s Walsh, who won the silver medal in this event at the Tokyo Games who looks the most promising to take the win.
In the men’s 50m freestyle splash, top finishers should touch in sub-:22’s, and could be led by David Curtiss, Bruno Fratus and Nyls Korstanje. National Teamer Curtiss finished sixth at last summer’s Olympic Trials with a 22.12, and is hoping to improve on his personal best of 21.81 he swam in January of this year.
The meet picks up the pace on day three with five events. In the 400m I.M.’s, both Finke and Leah Smith should have a nice buffer being out in front, but the 100m butterfly races offer no space. In the women’s race, Regan Smith and Walsh will once again fight for first and on the men’s side, Korstanje, Coleman Stewart, and Luca Urlando will battle for the win with sub-:52’s. Urlando, who just missed making the Olympic Team by less than one tenth in the 200 butterfly - the same event where he broke Michael Phelps national 17-18 age group record - is looking for redemption in Greensboro and is entered in several events.
Ledecky, the top seed in the 200m freestyle, may feel some pressure from Madden and Leah Smith, in what will most likely be Ledecky’s closest race. Veteran Mallory Comerford could also make a big play here. On the men’s side, Urlando, Freeman and Max Rooney will lead the 200m freestyle field.
The 100 breaststrokes and backstrokes finish up day three, and again we’ll see some heavy hitters in both men’s and women’s races. Regan Smith, Katharine Berkoff and Baker, who all have huge credits to their names, will be under one minute with Smith leading the way and looking for another likely win. Hunter Tapp and Adam Chaney will heat up the men’s race with 53’s or lower. Urlando is also entered in this event and could make a surprise move up top.
Finally, the last day offers a busy lineup with five events, starting with the 1500m freestyle, where Ledecky and Finke are once again atop the psych sheets. The backstroke lineup looks exactly the same in the women’s 200-meter event as the top three again are Smith, Baker and Berkoff, but this time they’re separated by about one second each. On the men’s side, it’s Tapp leading tonight as well.
Ready for some sprinting action, the men’s 100m freestyle leads with Andrej Barna, Rooney, Chaney, Eric Friese and Justin Ress. Although a couple of seconds separate tops seeds, a large gap for a sprint, it’s still anybody’s race here. Urlando is entered in this event too, hoping for some finals action.
In the women’s 200m butterfly, Regan Smith is back on top and should nab this win. Second place will be up for grabs possibly by Leah Gingrich, Amanda Ray, Mabel Zavaros, and Leah Smith. For the men’s race, we will finally get to see Orlando secure the title in his signature event.
The 2021 Toyota U.S. Open Championships will showcase some of swimming’s biggest names as well as up-and-comers who are ready to make a name for themselves. The action starts in two days — be sure to tune in and follow the highlights!