Gallant finishes third in two events at national championships

Canton’s Will Gallant had a pair of third place finishes at the recent Phillips 66 U.S. Open national swimming championships at Indiana University’s Natatorium in Indianapolis.

Gallant was third in the men’s 1,500 meters and 800 meter races. The top two finishers in each race qualified for the upcoming world championship meet in Japan.

Olympic champion Bobby Finke set new U.S. Open records in sweeping the 1,500 meter and 800 meter races. Finke won the 1,500 with a time of 14:42.81 with Charlie Clark finishing second in a personal-best time of 14:50.84. Gallant was third in the 1,500 with a time of 15:02.63.

In the 800 meters, Finke prevailed with a time of 7:40.34 with Clark finishing second with a time of 7:40.34. Gallant was third in 7:50.75.

It was the first big meet for Gallant since winning the NCAA Division I championship in March in the 1,650 meters with a personal-best time of 14:28.94, beating teammate Ross Dent of North Carolina State by less than two seconds.

Avon High graduate Madison Kennedy also swam at the U.S. Open meet in Indianapolis in the 50 meter freestyle. She was 40th with a time of 25.67 seconds.