2024 U.S. Olympic Selection
Day 6 of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials begins with another short qualifying session. There are just three events on the schedule this morning: the women's 200-meter backstroke, the men's 50-meter freestyle and the men's 200-meter individual medley.
But that's not all that's planned. After the qualifiers for these three events are over, Katie DeLuff and Erica Connolly (nee Brown) will compete for the sixth and final relay berth in the women's 4×100 freestyle relay in Paris.
In the session's only women's event, the 200-meter backstroke, Regan Smith Tonight he will compete in a dirty double: 200m butterfly final/200m backstroke semi-final.
Smith has been in great form this week, impressing in her morning swims, but it looks like she won't be doing any better this morning. Like the women's 100m backstroke, this race is packed with strong competitors. Phoebe Bacon and Ryan WhiteThe women who beat Smith in this event in 2021 will be competing again, and Bacon in particular showed unheralded strength in the 100 backstroke, so she may be on her way to accomplish something special here. Kennedy Noblestood out in the 100m backstroke with a time of 58 seconds, but it was the 200m backstroke where she really shined.
Next up is the men's Splash and Dash, where all four swimmers in the newly named 4×100 Freestyle Relay in Paris will be looking to add another event to their list of competitors. After some impressive swims in the 100/200 Freestyle, Chris Juliano Maybe they can move up from the No. 10 seed. Caleb Dressel Aiming for an individual Olympic berth, Jack Alexie He will be aiming for a silver medal in the later rounds to follow up on the silver he won at the 2023 World Championships.
The final qualifying round of the session was the men's 200m individual medley. Carson Foster He will begin his bid to win the medley event after winning the 400m individual medley on night two. Michael AndrewAlthough the Tokyo Olympic athletes competing in this event have declined to compete, there are plenty of other challengers that Foster has his eye on. Shane Casas He goes in as the top seed and who knows what he has in store. Chase Cullis Foster is hoping to participate in the IM double-up, Destin Lasko, Maximus Williamsonand Trenton Julian Everyone is still hoping to book their tickets to Paris.
Women's 200m Backstroke Qualifiers
- World Record: 2:03.14 — Kayleigh McKeown (Australia), 2023
- American Record: 2:03.35 — Regan Smith2019
- U.S. Open record: 2:03.80 — Regan Smith (United States), 2023
- World Junior Record: 2:19.64 – 2:03.35 — Regan Smith (USA), 2019
- 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champions: Ryan White2:05.73
- 2024 Olympic Qualification Time: 2:10.39
Semi-final Qualifiers:
- Isabel Stadden (CAL) 2:08.53
- Katie Grimes (Sand) 2:08.68
- Claire Curzan (TAC), 2:08.90
- Phoebe Bacon (UW) 2:09.14
- Regan Smith (TXLA) 2:09.30
- Ryan White (Wolf) 2:09.66
- Tegan O'Dell (MVN), 2:09.76
- Lila Bogner (TG), 2:09.94
- Kennedy Noble (WOLF), 2:09.99
- Krista Marlin (OSU), 2:10.26
- Caroline Benz (NCAP), 2:10.47
- Audrey DeRiveau (JW), 2:10.89
- Maggie Wanezek (EBSC), 2:10.95
- Katie Choate (FLOR), 2:11.18
- Sara Rodriguez (JAC), 2:11.37
- Josephine Fuller (Tennessee), 2:11.42
The 200m backstroke preliminaries got off to a quiet start this morning. Vera Connick She swam a lifetime best of 2:12.09 and held that record until the first circle seeded heat. Isabel Stadden He won in 2:08.53, the first time that the morning's top time was well under 2:10.
Stadden's time was just shy of his season best (2:08.53), but he maintained his fastest times of the morning in the final two heats.
In the next heat, Claire Curzan Leading Josephine Fuller She took the lead after 100 meters and then took a half-length lead over the second place runner in the last 50 meters with a time of 32.09. She paced the field in the second half of the race and won her heat in 2:08.90 to move into third place overall heading into the semifinals.
Katie Grimes He thwarted a late push from the American record holder. Regan Smith In the final heat, Grimes won in 2:08.68, closing in on his personal best of 2:08.01. Smith pushed towards the back of the race but still looked smooth, finishing safely in fifth place in 2:09.30.
She is sandwiched between the Tokyo Olympians in this event. Phoebe Bacon In the morning swim, he placed fourth with a time of 2:09.14. Ryan White He finished second behind Staden in 2:09.66.
Overall, they came back in 2 minutes 11.42 seconds, the fastest cutoff time ever for a semifinal at the meet, according to the stadium announcer.
Men's 50m Freestyle Qualifying
- World Record: 20.91 — Cesar Cielo (Brazil), 2009
- American record: 21.04 — Caleb Dressel2019 / 2021
- US Open record: 21.04 — Caleb Dressel (United States), 2021
- World Junior Record: 21.75 — Michael Andrew (USA), 2017 / 2017
- 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champions: Caleb Dressel21.04
- 2024 Olympic Qualification Time: 21.96
Semi-final Qualifiers:
- Michael Andrew (Masa)/Ryan Held (Sun) 21.70
- —
- Jack Alexie (CAL), 21.74
- Chris Juliano (ND), 21.83
- August Lamb (CA-Y), 21.87
- Quintin McCarty (WOLF), 21.98
- Matt King (TFA) /Caleb Dressel (GSC) 22.00
- —
- Johnny Crow (Sunday), 22.01
- Jack Dolan (Sunday), 22.07
- David Curtis (TAC), 21.18
- Payton Sorenson (CDOG), 22.19
- Matthew Jensen (CAL), 22.24
- Adam Cheney (FLOR), 22.26
- Drew Salz (WOLF)/Daniel Baltes (OSU), 22.28
- —
Six runners broke 22 seconds in the men's 50m freestyle preliminaries. Michael Andrew He became the first swimmer under that mark when he clocked 21.70 in the first of three circle-seeded heats, smashing his previous season's best by a hundredth of a second.
In the final heat, Ryan Held Held tied Andrew's time to become the fastest qualifier, having already recorded the fastest time this season with a time of 21.68 seconds.
Last night's 100m freestyle individual qualifying round Jack Alexie and Chris Juliano He joined the top pair of sub-22-second times this morning. Alexy qualified in a season-best 21.74, while Giuliano has been in good form in the competition. He finished in 21.83, 0.13 seconds off his lifetime best.
Virginia August Lamb Lam also set a lifetime best in qualifying, significantly bettering the personal best of 22.23 he set in 2021. There were signs that Lam was on the verge of doing something big this week, when he recorded his fastest time in three years, 22.31, at the NCAP Elite Invitational a few weeks ago.
Caleb Dressel He easily advanced to the semi-finals, finishing in a tie for seventh place with a score of 22.00. Johnny Crow.
Peyton SorensonThe 31-year-old Sorenson had a great swim in the second heat, coming within one-tenth of his lifetime best in just his second competition since the 2021 Olympic Trials. Sorenson finished in 22.19 to advance to the semifinals in 12th place.
Men's 200 Individual Medley — Qualifying
- World Record: 1:54.00 — Ryan Lochte (USA), 2011
- American Record: 1:54.00 — Ryan Lochte (USA), 2011
- U.S. Open record: 1:54.56 — Ryan Lochte (USA), 2009
- World Junior Record: 1:56.99 – Hubert Koss (HUN), 2021
- 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champions: Michael Andrew1:55.44
- 2024 Olympic Qualification Time: 1:57.94
Semi-final Qualifiers:
- Carson Foster (Rays), 1:58.38
- Maximus Williamson (LAC), 1:58.58
- Chase Cullis (TXLA), 1:58.62
- Grant House (Sunday), 1:58.83
- Kieran Smith (RAC), 1:59.04
- Shane Casas (TXLA), 1:59.10
- Owen McDonald (ISC), 1:59.13
- Destin Lasko (CAL), 1:59.45
- Mitchell Schott (PRIN), 1:59.67
- Rex Maurer (TXLA), 1:59.71
- Arsenio Bustos (WOLF), 2:00.08
- Ryan Melani (KYA), 2:00.16
- Baylor Nelson (TAMU), 2:00.17
- Nate Germonprez (TXLA), 2:00.21
- Trenton Julian (MVN), 2:00.24
- Collin Gear (MICH), 2:00.34
Grant House and Owen MacDonald In the penultimate heat of the men's 200m individual medley, both men fought their way back to catch up. Carson FosterBoth men overtook Foster in the freestyle and although Foster appeared to be in cruise control, he didn't let either get ahead of him and instead picked up the pace in the final metres to get his hands on the wall first.
Foster finished in 1:58.38, the fastest time of the morning. Three runners went under 1:59. Maximus WilliamsonWilliamson struggled early in the 200m freestyle but looked much better this morning, winning her final heat in 1:58.58 and now trails Foster by just two tenths of a second heading into the semifinals.
Chase Cullis He played solidly in the first circle seeding heat, Deston Lasko (1:59.45), and the swim was 1:58.62.
Top Seed Shane Casas He took sixth place in 1:59.10 and comfortably advanced to the semifinals.
Neither Daniel Diehl or Jay Litherland They were preparing for the preliminaries, and both swimmers will compete in the 200m backstroke final later tonight.
Women's 100m Freestyle – Swim-off
- Erica Connolly (nee Brown), 53.76
- Katie DeLuff53.80
In the 100m freestyle, which was his fifth appearance at the tournament, Erica Connolly (nee Brown) got the job done, Katie DeLuff She won the 6th place match in the women's 100m freestyle. As a reminder, the 5th and 6th place finishers in the 100m and 200m freestyle will be added to the Olympic roster, subject to available spots. With this win, Connolly has booked her ticket to Paris and earned a place on the Olympic team for the second time.
After falling behind on the turns, Connolly outdid De Loof by a quarter of a second, 53.76 to 53.80, both swimmers faster than the 53.86 they swam in the actual final.
Men's 50m Freestyle Swim-off
- Tommy Palmer (Sunday), 22.23
- Dillon Downing (SA), 22.24
The swim-off to determine the first alternate for the men's 50m freestyle also looked like it would end in a near tie. Tommy Palmer Palmer recorded her second personal best of the day to finish in 17th place. Prior to this meet, Palmer's best time was 22.77 seconds, which she set at the Trojan LA Invitational in July 2023.
Both Palmer and Downing swam faster than their preliminaries' time of 22.33 seconds, with Palmer beating Downing by just one-hundredth of a second.
Downing's time of 22.24 was also a personal best, slower than the 22.31 he recorded last summer.
