2019 US Open (Erika Brown)
Day Four Finals (Women’s 100 Free)
Tennessee senior Erika Brown has added to the upset list at the 2019 US Open with a win in the 100 free over two-time reigning World Champ Simone Manuel with a 53.42 to Manuel’s 53.72. Brown was the third big upset of the meet after Torri Huske won the 100 fly over Kelsi Dahlia, and Phoebe Bacon won the 100 back over Regan Smith last night.
But Huske and Bacon are both still in high school with Huske in her junior year and Bacon in her senior year. Brown is in her senior year at the University of Tennessee where he is searching for her first individual NCAA title in her career. Brown has emerged as an Olympic spoiler the last few years due to her short course success but didn’t seem to figure out long course until this year, winning a national title in August in the 50 free. She swam a personal best in the 100 free this morning in breaking 54 for the first time and went even faster tonight with a 53.4, moving herself up to 19th in the world for the 2019 calendar year and fourth in the US behind Manuel, Mallory Comerford and Abbey Weitzeil.
Erika Brown also broke the meet record of 53.92 by Megan Romano set in 2012.
Brown on setting a new personal best: “It feels good. We’re in the middle of training right now so I’m just focused on my race plan and execute everything really well, and I was able to put it together today so it feels good.”
On trading leads throughout the race: “I could definitely feel how close it was. But I really just wanted to trust my training. I love that competitive atmosphere and pushing myself in that. It just worked out in my favor this time.”
Hong Kong native Siobhan Haughey finished in third with a strong swim of her own at 53.87, which was not far off her 53.4 from the World Championships when she did not make it out of the semi finals.
National team veterans Olivia Smoliga (54.15) and Allison Schmitt (54.32) finished fourth and fifth while Mallory Comerford, who has been the second best 100 freestyler for the US the last couple of years, placed seventh at 54.74 in a tie with Margo Geer.
Results:
- 53.42, Erika Brown, USA
- 53.72, Simone Manuel, USA
- 53.87, Siobhan Haughey, HKG
- 54.15, Olivia Smoliga, USA
- 54.32, Allison Schmitt, USA
- 54.41, Catie DeLoof, USA
- 54.74, Mallory Comerford, USA
- 54.74, Margo Geer, USA
