FRANKLIN AND LOCHTE WIN HIGH-POINT AWARDS IN MINNESOTA

Missy Franklin (Centennial, Colo.) earned three gold medals on the final night of competition at the Minnesota Grand Prix, the first stop of the 2010-2011 USA Swimming Grand Prix Series. Franklin won the 200y IM, 200y back and 100y free, bringing her total gold medal count in Minneapolis to seven. Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) also picked up two gold medals with wins in the men’s 200y IM and 200y back. Meet high-point awards were awarded to both swimmers for their outstanding performances throughout the three-day meet, which was held at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.
 
Franklin went undefeated in all seven of her individual events throughout the course of the meet. She won the 200y IM with a time of 1:57.16, edging out fellow National Teamer Elizabeth Pelton (Baltimore, Md.) for the win. Pelton finished in 1:58.38 and Erika Erndl (Naples, Fla.) was third in 2:00.62. Franklin’s second gold came in the 200y back with a time of 1:53.17. Mission Aurora’s Bonnie Brandon was second in 1:55.94 and the University of Minnesota’s Hannah Whitehead was third in 1:57.62. Franklin’s closest race of the night came in the 100y free, which she won in 48.50. Lia Neal (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was a close second in 48.70 and Erndl picked up another bronze with a time of 49.60.
 
Lochte earned his first gold of the night Sunday with a win in the 200y IM. Lochte had a strong start in the race, however, a late surge from Todd Patrick (St. Louis, Mo.) kept him battling for the top spot. Lochte pulled off the win with a time of 1:45.35 while Patrick was second in 1:45.54. Olympic gold medalist Ricky Berens (Charlotte, N.C.) was third in 1:46.13. Lochte’s second gold came in the 200y back. He took the lead after the first 100 yards and finished the race in 1:40.44, more than four seconds ahead of the rest of the field. Rex Tullius (Port Orange, Fla.) was second in 1:44.59 and Silva Nelson was third in 1:47.00.
 
The 1650y free saw strong swims on both the men’s and women’s side. 2008 Olympian Chloe Sutton (Mission Viejo, Calif.) had an exceptional swim, dominating the field from the start to the finish. She finished in 15:42.95 for the gold while the University of Minnesota’s Ashley Steenvoorden and Loren Brandon placed second and third, respectively. Steenvoorden finished in 16:02.51 while Brandon finished in 16:19.28. On the men’s side, Olympic gold medalist Ous Mellouli of Tunisia won the event with a time of 14.27.33, the fifth fastest all-time performance in the event. Trojan Swim Club’s Mads Glaesner was second in 14:47.54 and Michael Klueh (Evansville, Ind.) was third in 14:48.74.
 
Great Britain’s Simon Burnett took home the gold with a win in the men’s 100y free. Burnett dominated the race from the start to win with a time of 42.63. Club Wolverine’s Robert Savulich was second in 43.59 and Berens was third in 44.27.
 
The USA Swimming Grand Prix Series continues January 14-17, 2011 with the Austin Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. It will be the second stop of the seven-meet series. The overall winner of the Grand Prix Series will be awarded $20,000 at the final Grand Prix held in Santa Clara, Calif., June 16-19, 2011. For a complete schedule of events and results, go to usaswimming.org/grandprix.