Usher improved on his time from the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Swimming in the men's 200m breaststroke to break the U.S. Open meet record in a time of 2:10.67. The 2004 Olympian opened up a lead in the first half of the event, only to distance himself further from the pack in the back half of the race and earn gold.
"I really wanted to come in here and go a best time," Usher said. "Trials in '04 was the last time I went 2:10.9. I wanted to go under that for once.
"There isn't as much pressure here as there was at Trials. I feel better here. I'm not sure if that is because of nerves or because it is later in my taper. I think it is probably because of the nerves."
John Criste (Saugus, Calif.) earned silver in the event when he posted a time of 2:11.46. Sean Mahoney (Rio Vista, Calif.) came in at 2:12.57 for third place.
Descenza led the women's 200m butterfly from the start of the race, putting a body-length of water between herself and the competition in the final 50 meters. The American-record holder finished just .06 off the meet record in 2:07.26. Descenza's time would have earned her a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team.
"I was a little bummed out after Trials," Descenza said. "But I decided I wanted to step it up and try to redeem myself. There is a little frustration (in swimming a time that would have made the Olympic Team), but I am just happy to keep on improving. You can't go back in time no matter how much you may want to. You have to learn from your mistakes. I learned from mine."
Lyndsay De Paul (Orange, Calif.) hit the wall in 2:09.66, to improve her time from Olympic Trials by two seconds and take home the silver medal. Ava Ohlgren (Northville, Mich.) rounded out the top three in 2:11.32.
In the men's 200m fly, Bobby Bollier (Mission Hills, Ky.) took the top spot in a time of 1:55.67. Hidesama Sano of Japan stopped the clock next at 1:56.41, and Mark Dylla (Littleton, Colo.) came in at 1:57.66 for third.
At just 15 years of age, Lauren Sogar took the women's 200m breast title in a time of 2:27.38. Sogar battled Keri Hehn (Fargo, N.D.) stroke-for-stroke in the final 50 meters, edging Hehn by .22. Hehn finished the race in 2:27.60 for second. Katy Freeman (Concord, Calif.) was responsible for the bronze medal, with a time of 2:28.74.
Kelsey Ditto (Austin, Texas) completed the women's individual events of the evening with a win in the 800m freestyle in a time of 8:34.19. Whitney Sprague (Bronxville, NY) and Emily Brunemann (Crescent Springs, Ky.) finished second and third in times of 8:39.15 and 8:40.12, respectively.
Chat La Tourette (Mission Viejo, Calif.) ended the night victoriously, posting the top time of 14:59.49 in the 1500m free. Michael Klueh (Evansville, Ind.) followed in second with 15:14.25, while JP Arnold (Rogersville, Tenn.) took third in 15:14.27.
The U.S. Open will serve as the selection meet for the 2009 World University Games, to be held from July 2-7, 2009, in Belgrade, Serbia. The highest placing athlete in each event who will be enrolled as a full-time university student through Jan. 1, 2009 will to be invited to the World University Games Team. Additional qualifying procedures can be found online at www.usaswimming.org.
