BERENS AND FRANKLIN WIN DOUBLE GOLD AT THE MINNESOTA GRAND PRIX

Olympic gold medalist Ricky Berens (Charlotte, N.C.) and National Team swimmer Missy Franklin (Centennial, Colo.) each took home two gold medals Friday night on the first day of competition at the Minnesota Grand Prix. The meet, which is the first stop of the seven-meet 2010-2011 USA Swimming Grand Prix Series, runs through Sunday, November 14 at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
 
In the 100y fly, Berens edged out Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) in the last 25 yards to win the race in 46.77. Lochte was second in 47.31 and Ion Mandel was third in 47.42.  Berens’ other gold of the night came in the men’s 200y free, which he won with a time of 1:34.01. The National Team swimmer battled Tunisian Olympic gold medalist Ous Mellouli in the final 100 yards but held on to win the race. Mellouli finished second with a time of 1:34.24 while Great Britain’s Simon Burnett was third in 1:35.24.
 
Franklin’s two gold medals came in the women’s 200y free and the 400y IM. The 15-year-old swam a 1:43.70 in the 200y free, a performance that earned her the win and also put her on the top 20 all-time performance list in that event. Erika Erndl (Naples, Fla.) was second in 1:46.30 and Lia Neal (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was third with a time of 1:46.73. Franklin won the 400y IM with a time of 4:08.06, more than six seconds ahead of the rest of the field. Mission Aurora’s Bonnie Brandon was second in 4:14.36 and University of Minnesota’s Kristen Steenvoorden was third in 4:14.91.
 
The women’s 100y breast saw a strong performance from Canada’s Jillian Tyler. The University of Minnesota swimmer turned in the fourth fastest all-time performance in the event with a time of 58.22. Tyler’s University of Minnesota teammate Haley Clark was second in 1:00.35 and Corrie Clark (Malvern, Pa.) was third in 1:00.71.
 
In other races, National Teamer Mike Alexandrov (Champaign, Ill.) picked up the top spot in the men’s 100y breast with a time of 52.13. Barry Murphy was second in 54.09 and Lochte was third in 54.41. Olympic silver medalist Christine Magnuson (Tinley Park, Ill.) won the women’s 100y fly in 51.95. Bearcat Swim Club’s Tori Simenec was second in 54.03 and Kaylee Jamison of the University of Minnesota was third in 54.25. In the men’s 400y IM, Mellouli picked up the gold with a time of 3:40.86. Todd Patrick (St. Louis, Missouri) was second in 3:48.26 and Rex Tullius (Port Orange, Fla.) was third in 3:54.69.
 
The Minnesota Grand Prix continues Saturday with six events. The competition will include prelims and finals in the women’s and men’s 200y fly, 50y free, 100y back, 500y free and 200y breast. The finals session will also feature the 800y free relay. Prelims begin at 9 a.m. CT and finals start at 6 p.m. CT. Race footage from the meet will be broadcast LIVE throughout the weekend on www.swimnetwork.com. For a complete schedule of events and results, go to usaswimming.org/grandprix.