USA Swimming News
Dobson and Dunham Shine on Final Night of 2024 Toyota U.S. Open
by USA Swimming
The first awards presentation of the evening welcomed a familiar face to the top of the podium as Kennedi Dobson (Levittown, Pa./Eastern Express Swim Team) won her fourth event of the competition. The 17-year-old finished her incredible meet with victories in the 500-yard freestyle, 200y individual medley, 200y freestyle, and 1650y freestyle. Not to be outdone, Bradley Dunham (Hoschton, Ga./Swim Atlanta) claimed his third victory of the meet, winning the men's 200y backstroke. Dunham previously secured victories in the 500y freestyle and 100y backstroke. Both athletes earned the High Point Award for their performances this week in Greensboro.
Maddy Parker (Spanish Fork, Utah/Southern Methodist University) completed the sprint freestyle sweep, adding to her 50y freestyle title earlier in the meet with a 48.09 to take the victory in the women's 100y freestyle. In the men's race, Brady Samuels (Muncie, Ind./Purdue University) also completed the sprint freestyle sweep and grabbed his third victory with a 42.27 in the 100y freestyle. Staying on theme, Charlie Egeland (Minneapolis, Minn./Yale University) added a sweep in the breaststroke events, taking the victory in the men's 200y breaststroke for his third victory of the week.
Tokyo Olympian Rhyan White (Herriman, Utah/Wolfpack Elite) avenged her defeat in the 100y backstroke by out-touching Alyssa Sagle (Gainesville, Va./Nations Capital Swim Club) in the women's 200y backstroke, finishing with a time of 1:51.37. In the women's 200y breaststroke, Caroline Agee (Warrenton, Va./Nations Capital Swim Club) narrowly grabbed the victory, finishing just .05 seconds ahead of hometown favorite Kaidy Stout (Lewisville, N.C./Greensboro Swimming Association).
After finishing as the runner-up in the 500y freestyle and 100y butterfly earlier in the meet, Rachel Klinker (Lexington, Ky./Cal Aquatics) broke through on her final race of the meet to top the podium in the women's 200y butterfly with a time of 1:54.58, almost three seconds ahead of the field. In the competition's final event, the women's team from Nations Capital Swim Team and the men's team from Loyola University Maryland each grabbed another relay victory in the 4x100y freestyle relay.
Women’s 1650y Freestyle – FINAL
1 – Kennedi Dobson (Levittown, Pa./Eastern Express Swim Team), 16:02.56
2 – Ava Jochims (Gibsonia, Pa./Racer X Aquatics), 16:29.24
3 – Morgan Moore (East Haven, Conn./ Penn State University), 16:33.10
Dobson on her performances at this year's U.S. Open: “This meet has just been really fun. I still have two more races so I’m going to try to lock in for those. I’m just happy to be here.”
Men’s 1650y Freestyle – FINAL
1 – Sean Green (Rockaway, N.Y./Long Island Aquatic Club), 14:49.33
2 – Sean Atkinson (Lynbrook, N.Y./Unattached), 15:02.53
3 – Max Carlsen (Las Vegas, Nev./Las Vegas Swim Club), 15:02.76
Green on his race strategy: “The strategy going in was to hold pace at the beginning and on that back 500 (yards) try to drop as much as I can. I feel like my training really backed that up.”
Women’s 200y Backstroke – FINAL
1 – Rhyan White (Herriman, Utah/Wolfpack Elite), 1:51.37
2 – Alyssa Sagle (Gainesville, Va./Nations Capital Swim Club), 1:52.02
3 – Sadie Buckley (Fairfax, Va./Nation’s Capital Swim Club), 1:53.14
White on her race: “I just wanted to stick to my race plan. I’ve been trying to stay in my lane a lot more instead of watching the people around me, being in more of an offensive position. I think I executed it really well and I’m really happy with my time. I haven’t swum short course in a long time, so I didn’t know what to expect.”
White on her weekend: “I felt a lot of pressure this weekend to try and go my fastest times. Getting racing experience, the energy on the pool deck, and not having teammates here cheering for me – they all go into earning the fastest times that I’ve gone. I’ve been trying to focus on myself and bring out fast swimming on my own, instead of relying on those kinds of things.”
Men’s 200y Backstroke – FINAL
1 – Bradley Dunham (Hoschton, Ga./Swim Atlanta), 1:39.33
2 – Blake Rowe (Traverse City, Mich./Purdue University), 1:42.38
3 – Jack Dahlgren (Victoria, Minn./Aquajets Swim Team), 1:43.06
Dunham on his performances at the meet and retirement: “I’m feeling very fulfilled, because that was probably my last (competitive) swim ever. I just wanted to be under 1:40, and that’s really close to my best time so I’m really happy with it. Looking back, I’m very appreciative for all the friends, competitors, coaches, and teammates I’ve had over the years.”
Women’s 100y Freestyle – FINAL
1 – Maddy Parker (Spanish Fork, Utah/Southern Methodist University), 48.09
2 – Chloe Stepanek (Northport, N.Y./Texas A&M University), 48.44
3 – Zita Szoke (Hodmezovasarhely, Ohio/Bobcat Swim Club), 48.59
Men’s 100y Freestyle – FINAL
1 – Brady Samuels (Muncie, Ind./Purdue University), 42.27
2 – Drew Kibler (Carmel, Ind./New York Athletic Club), 42.30
3 – Breno Correia (Brazil/Wolfpack Elite), 42.81
Samuels on his races this weekend: “I’m leaving (the meet) pretty motivated and excited to get back to work on Monday to hopefully carry this momentum into the collegiate season.”
Women’s 200y Breaststroke – FINAL
1 – Caroline Agee (Warrenton, Va./Nations Capital Swim Club), 2:10.32
2 – Kaidy Stout (Lewisville, N.C./Greensboro Swimming Association), 2:10.37
3 – Aliz Kalmar (Hungary/Fresno State University), 2:10.65
Agee on her race: “Before the race, I was visualizing it and seeing myself get the time I went. I really went out there and told myself to swim the best I can, give it all I got, and whatever happens, happens.”
Men’s 200y Breaststroke – FINAL
1 – Charlie Egeland (Minneapolis, Minn./Yale University), 1:53.74
2 – Logan Kelly (Austin, Minn./Unattached), 1:54.44
3 – Mariano Lazzerini (Chile/Penn State University), 1:54.46
Egeland on his race: “I think getting the tempo up has really helped me a lot this week. I’ve been trying to focus on the third 50 – trying to stay with everyone for that first 100 and then try to get as far ahead as I can on the third and fourth 50.”
Women’s 200y Butterfly – FINAL
1 – Rachel Klinker (Lexington, Ky./Cal Aquatics), 1:54.58
2 – Emerson Callis (Richmond, Va./Quest Swimming), 1:57.38
3 – Emma Cigna (Warrenton, Va./Nations Capital Swim Club), 1:58.79
Klinker on her race: “This was my first domestic meet since Trials. I wanted to go out there and have some fun, see how my training was playing out, and see what felt good. Overall, I’m happy with that swim.”
Men’s 200y Butterfly – FINAL
1 – Vili Sivec (Croatia/California State University Bakersfield), 1:43.18
2 – Patrick Branon (Lutherville Timonium, Md./Unattached), 1:43.43
3 – Quinn Cynor (Woodstock, Ill./Unattached), 1:45.04
Women’s 4x100y Freestyle Relay – FINAL
1 – Nations Capital Swim Club, 3:21.48
2 – Queens University, 3:21.81
3 – Marshall University Aquatics, 3:26.67
Men’s 4x100y Freestyle Relay – FINAL
1 – Loyola University Maryland, 2:55.88
2 – Purdue University, 2:56.21
3 – Queens University, 2:57.29