Alabama Swimmer Robert Howard Wins U.S. Open 100-meter Freestyle Title
8/2/2017 6:41:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
The rising junior and Alexander City, Ala., native posted a career-best 49.04 to earn the title
EAST MEADOW, N.Y. – Alabama swimmer Robert Howard opened the 2017 U.S. Open being held in East Meadow, N.Y., at the Nassau County Aquatics Center this week by winning the 100-meter freestyle.
The Alexander City, Ala., native chopped more than half a second off his previous career best in prelims Wednesday morning, going 49.19, before shaving 15 hundredths of a second off that time in finals, posting a 49.04 to take the win. Crimson Tide alum BJ Hornikel took the bronze in the 100m freestyle after posting a 49.25 in finals.
Rising Tide junior Laurent Bams was 14th with a time of 50.99, while rising senior Christopher Reid was 15th after touching the wall at 51.00. Bams posted a 50.52 and Reid went 50.71 in prelims.
Rising Alabama senior Mia Nonnenberg jumped six spot from prelims to finals in the 200-meter butterfly, shaving more than two seconds off her prelims time of 2:16.51 to finish with a 2:14.15 in finals, good for 18th place.
Alabama swimmers have two races on Thursday. Nonnenberg will race the 400-meter freestyle while Reid will go in one of his specialties, the 200-meter backstroke.
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