2024 US OLYMPIC TRIALS
My friends, here it is: the final session of the 2024 US Olympic Trials. After a week of incredible racing, there are only two finals left: the women’s 50m freestyle and the men’s 1500m freestyle.
Gretchen Walsh And Torri Huske threw down the challenge in last night’s 50 freestyle semi-finals, breaking lifetime bests of 24.06 and 24.09 respectively. Not only did this move them up to 4th and 6th on the list of fastest Americans in history, but it also separated them from the rest of the field by about four-tenths – a huge margin. But Weitzel Abbey And Simone-Manuel were the first two in this event during the last two Olympic selections. They are the 3rd and 4th qualified for the final and are both aiming for an individual event for the Paris Games.
Bobby Finke should take control of the men’s 1500 freestyle. He is aiming for a sweep of the men’s distance events in Indianapolis, after winning the 800 freestyle earlier this week. It would be a huge upset if someone dethroned Finke, the American record holder and 3rd fastest of all time, as he looks to win this event for the second time in a row. The race for second place heats up behind him as Luke Whitlock eyes fixed on another Olympic event. But as he is the only man in the final apart from Finke who was under the TQO (15:00.99), it is Charlie Clark who might have an advantage over Whitlock and other likely suitors David Johnston And Daniel Matheson.
WOMEN’S 50m Freestyle — Final
Final:
- Simone-Manuel (SUN), 24.13
- Gretchen Walsh (ANC), 24:15
- Weitzel Abbey (CAL), 24.26
- Torri Huske (AAC), 24:33
- Rylee Erisman (LAKR), 24.62
- Erika Connolly (TNAQ), 24.63
- Catie DeLoof (NYAC), 24.69
- Maxine Parker (CA-Y), 24.90
On the last night of the Trials, Simone-Manuel took her swimming comeback to a new level by adding an individual event to her Olympic program in Paris. She already qualified for Team USA in the 4×100 free relay, but her victory here in the 50 free gives her a chance to compete in the 50 free for the third consecutive Olympics.
In 2021, Manuel punched his ticket to Paris at this event – his last opportunity. Tonight, Manuel took his final opportunity to compete in a two-handed individual event, swimming his best time since the 2019 World Championships and taking victory in 24.13. This time takes 0.21 seconds off her season record and places her 8th in the world this season.
Both Gretchen Walsh And Torri Huske added from their times in the semi-final, which would have obtained first and second places in this final. Despite adding 0.09 seconds, Walsh still managed to get his hands on the wall in 2nd place with a 24.15, adding to his Paris program. She was 0.02 seconds behind Manuel’s time and the swim was the second fastest of his career.
Weitzel Abbey had a good swim, taking 3rd in 24.26, knocking 0.01 seconds off her season best and finishing ahead of Huske’s 24.33.
15 years Rylee Erisman finished 5th in 24.62, taking another 0.04 seconds off his personal best. In the semifinals, she rose to 2nd place in the 15-16 age group according to USA Swimming with a 24.66. She improves her position in 2nd place in the age group with this swim, behind only Claire CurzanIt’s 24:17.
MEN’S 1500m Freestyle — Final
- World record: Sun Yang (CHN) – 14:31.02 (2012)
- American record: Bobby Finke – 14:31.59 (2023)
US Open record: Bobby Finke (United States) – 14:42.81 (2023)- Junior world record: Franko Grgic (CRO) – 14:46.09 (2019)
- 2021 US Olympic Trials Champion: Bobby Finke – 14:46.06
- 2024 Olympic qualifying times: 15:00.99
Final:
- Bobby Finke (SPA), 14:40.28 US Open record
- David Johnston (TST), 14:52.74
- Luke Whitlock (FAST), 2:53 p.m.
- Daniel Matheson (SUN), 14:59.51
- Luke Ellis (SAND), 15:06.71
- Charlie Clark (OSU), 15:12.60
- William Mulgrew (SAC), 15:17.62
- Carson Hick (KYA), 15:17.92
As expected, Bobby Finke ran away with the men’s 1500 freestyle, sweeping the men’s distance races for the second straight Olympic trials. Finke powered away to win the event in 14:40.28, erasing his own US Open record. He set that mark at 14:42.81 at the 2023 U.S. National Championships; later that summer in Fukuoka, he became the 3rd fastest in history (14:31.59), winning silver at the Worlds after an incredible run with Ahmed Hafnaoui.
His appearance here this evening places him 2nd in the world this season after Daniel Wiffenhis gold medal at the World Championships in Doha in February.
| 2 | Gregory PALTRINIERI |
ITA | 14:41.38 | 28/11 |
| 3 | Florian WELL BROCK |
GERMANY | 14:42.28 | 04/28 |
| 4 | David AUBRY |
FROM | 14:44.85 | 02/18 |
| 5 | David BETHLEHEM |
SHE | 14:46.44 | 02/18 |
See the Top 31 »
There was a great race for the second and final place in the men’s Olympic list. At the start of the race, it was Daniel Matheson went out in lane 1 who had his hand on second place, which he gave up to Luke Whitlock at the 250 meter mark. David Johnston was also trailing, and he passed Matheson at the 450 meter turn to move into 3rd.
Matheson began to lose contact with Whitlock and Johnston during the second 500 meters. Whitlock and Johnston ran side by side and watched each other closely. Johnston took second at 1,100 meters and began to increase his lead over Whitlock from there, consistently splitting 29 mids to Whitlock’s 29 highs.
Johnston held a 1.75-second lead over Whitlock heading into the final 100 meters. But like in the 800 free, Whitlock had a killer close to his race. He shifted into high gear and erased almost all of Johnston’s lead over him. The 18-year-old split a time of 57.19 over the final 100 (with a best of 27.74 over the final 50), but ran out of room to catch Johnston, touching 0.26 seconds behind Johnston for 3rd place.
Johnston held off Whitlock for second place, running a huge lifetime best of 14:52.74. It was a drop of 9.68 seconds for Johnston, who sails under the TQO and earns him his first Olympic berth after finishing 3rd in the 400 free and 4th in the 800 free earlier this week.
Heading into the final, only Finke and Clark had broken 15 minutes before. Johnston, Whitlock (14:53.00) and Matheson (14:59.51) all broke that barrier for the first time tonight. Whitlock dropped 14.36 seconds to finish 3rd and Matheson beat his old personal best by 2.44 seconds, taking 4th place in 14:59.51.