2024 US OLYMPIC TRIALS
Hello my friends. Welcome to the final preliminary session of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. It’s been a long and somewhat bittersweet week, because while it’s the beginning of the end, it also means we’re about to name the team Olympic. This is the shortest session in terms of number of events, since there are only two events on the program: the women’s 50m freestyle and the men’s 1500m freestyle, the shortest event on the women’s side. women and the longest on the men’s side.
Weitzel Abbey will be looking to join an illustrious club having won the same event in three consecutive Olympic trials. Last night, Ryan Murphy completed the triple-double by sweeping the backs on three straight tries.
Weitzeil faces a tougher task than Murphy or Lilly King made in the 100 breaststroke, because she is not registered as a seed. This honor belongs to Kate Douglaswho recently broke the American record in this event at the Doha 2024 World Championships, where she set a new benchmark of 23.91.
The fastest woman over 50 meters, Gretchen Walshis ranked 3rd behind Douglass and Weitzeil, and after setting a new world record in the 100 fly, cannot be underestimated.
In the last elimination races of the competition, it’s true, the last races of the morning, the men will compete in the 1500 m. Just like in the 50m freestyle, the American record holder Bobby Finke leads the pack. Finke, who won the gold medal in Tokyo, is one of the big favorites for victory, as his entry time is more than 19 seconds faster than the next competitor, Charlie Clark.
If you’re the betting type, Finke should be a clear favorite, but runner-up will be up for grabs and could be one of the few swimmers. Clark has represented the United States in this event at the 2022, 2023 and 2024 Worlds, but this week he only reached the 800m final after being eliminated.
Luke Whitlockwho finished 2nd in the 800m, could be a factor in the 1500m, as he lost 5 seconds in the 800m, but as the 7th seed has many swimmers ahead of him like the 2023 NCAA champion in the mile, Will Gallant.
However, I hope you enjoyed watching and following all our coverage, because the next Olympic Trials preliminary session won’t be another four years away.
50M FREE WOMEN — Preliminaries
Semi-final qualifying:
- Torri Huske (AAC) – 24.47
- Catie Deloof (NYAC) – 24.53
- Erika Connolly (TNAQ) – 24.55
- Weitzel Abbey (CAL) – 24.56
- Simone Manuel (SUN) – 24.58
- Olivia Smoliga (SUN) – 24h70
- Gretchen Walsh (NAC) – 24.72
- Maxine Parker (CA-Y) – 24.73
- Kristina Paegle (ISC) – 24h80
- Grace Cooper (TXLA) – 24.91
- Rylee Erisman (LAKR) – 25.01
- Annam Olasewere (CPAC) – 25.12
- Brady Kendall (MICH)/Erin Gemmell (NCAP) – 25:13
- Gabi Albiero (UOFL)/Amy Fulmer (OSU) – 25:20
The first run of the morning saw UMLY’s Alexa Fulton take the win in 25.59. The rising sophomore from Texas dropped a tenth of her seed and moved into first place. Fulton would stay in that spot until Danielle Melilli took over with her 0.27 seconds behind the top seed to post a time of 25.28. Melilli’s time held on to the top spot until Lucy Mehraban of the University of Louisville posted a 25.23 in the sixth heat, lowering Melilli’s time by 0.05.
In Heat 7, two new swimmers posted times of 25.13 and 25.21. Gemmell previously made the team in Paris in the 4×200 freestyle relay. At this point, with three series remaining, there are already 11 races below what it took to reach the semi-finals in 2021.
The first of the circle heats saw four swimmers dip under the 25-second barrier as Erika Connolly, winner of two heats in the 100 freestyle, posted the fastest time in Heat 8, stopping the clock in 24.55, in front of Le 24h70 by Olivia Smoliga, Gretchen Walsh24.72 for Grace Cooper and 24.91 for Grace Cooper.
Round 9, the penultimate round, saw Weitzel Abbey and Simone Manuel also dipping under the 25-second barrier as the two Olympians stopped the clock in 24.56 and 24.58 and currently with just one run remaining in the No. 2 and No. 3 spots.
The final round was fast as Torri Huske set the best time and took the lead in the general classification in 24.47; The only swimmer under 24.5, Huske was eliminated from tonight’s 200m IM final, and with her swim this morning just 0.16 off her personal best, she put herself in a good position to add another test. Catie Deloof, who tied with Connolly in the 100 freestyle final but lost the 6th place swim meet, recorded a new personal best of 0.03 to qualify for the semifinal in 2nd place behind Huske in 24.53.
Top seed and American record holder Kate Douglas did not swim the 50m freestyle preliminaries despite appearing on the qualifying sheet.
Men’s 1500m Freestyle — Preliminaries
- 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 qualifications:
- Bobby Finke (ASP) – 14:59.04
- David Johnston (TST) – 15:02.42
- Charlie Clark (OSU) – 15:04.77
- Luke Whitlock (QUICK) – 15:07.36
- William Mulgrew (SAC) – 15:14.88
- Luke Ellis (SAND) – 15:14.93
- Daniel Matheson (SUN) – 15:16.84
- Casron Hick (KYA) – 15:17.36
The first round was a close and exciting affair as Josh Parent, Andrew Taylor and Lukas Vetkoetter battled it out over a 1,500 meter course. Vetkoetter led in the 400, clocking 4:05.30 to Parent’s 4:06.70 and Taylor’s 4:06.93. In the 800m, the lead increased as Vetkoetter clocked 8:13.00, more than two seconds ahead of the Florida Gators pair. But if there was one thing to practice with Bobby Finke and swimming in the Florida distance program taught them both how to half-step backwards, and Parent and Taylor both surged the last couple hundred yards. At the 1200 meter turn, the duo had caught up with Vetkoetter. The Gators would both charge against the wall, with Parent taking the win in 15:25.11, Taylor less than second behind in 15:26.07 and Vetkoetter finishing third in 15:30.65.
While the first round was a close battle, the second round was all about Carson Hick. Hick, who dropped nearly six seconds to place 10th in the 800 freestyle, was on his own for much of the 1500 freestyle as he absolutely dropped the hammer in the second heat. Hick finished 4:02.01 in the 400 freestyle and, from that point on, kept splits from 30.5 to 31.0 until the final 50, at 29.67. The Kentucky sophomore stopped the clock in 15:17.36, dropping nearly 20 seconds from his personal best, which he had just set a month ago in May.
Round 3 saw Ivan Puskovich catch the early leader, Luke Corey, and move ahead of him over the final 1100. Corey trailed Puskovich in the 400 by less than a tenth, but began splitting 31 mids from Puskovich’s 30 points. Puskovich would continue to gain ground on Corey and post a time of 15:23.03, nine seconds faster than his seed time. Corey would finish 3rd in his heat in 15:34.18 after also being passed by Matthew Chai (15:30.34).
The 4th and final heat before the circle heats only reaffirmed why distance racing is entertaining. Sandpipers’ Josh Brown and Wolfpack’s Lance Norris finished just 0.20 seconds apart, with Norris taking the win in 15:17.94 and Brown having to settle for 2nd place in 15:18.14. For reference, Caeleb Dressel won the 50 freestyle by a larger margin (0.28). Brown led in the 400 (4:02.81) and increased the lead to 1.90 seconds in the 800 (8:08.51), but Norris was still there to slowly follow him and by 1200 he had pulled within one second and at 1400 he led by more than .2 seconds. They both got their legs up in the final 100, but Brown couldn’t match Norris’ final 50 of 27.96.
The first of two circle heats, remember events without a semi-final (400 meters and above) only have two circle heats was a battle between youth and experience. Charlie Clarkseeded number two, faced Luke Whitlock, the runner-up in the 800m freestyle earlier in the competition. Whitlock was faster than Clark, rounding the 400 turn in 3:56.20, 1.11 ahead of Clark. In the 800m, however, the position had reversed and Clark, who had represented the United States in this event at the last three World Championships, had taken the lead, splitting a time of 7:58.54 to 7:59 .03 for Whitlock. Clark, who redshirted the first half of the year at OSU, hit the wall in 15:04.77, coming home in 59.90 to take the fastest time. Whitlock finished with a final 100 in 1:00.36 to hit the wall in 15:07.36. Shawmut Aquatic Club’s Will Mulgrew also fell below Hick’s time and currently sits in third place, posting a time of 15:14.88.
The last round was Bobby Finke affair. A two-time Tokyo gold medalist in the distances, Finke won the series in a controlled and smooth performance of 14:59.04 to overtake Clark’s first-place finish and complete the only swim under 15:00.00. Finke was trailed by David Johnston for much of the race as the two men were within a second of each other in the 400m, clocking 3:56.59 to 3:57.55. Johnston had actually closed the gap a bit in the 800, now being within 0.85 seconds (not much change, to be honest), but Finke, coincidentally, also picked up the pace slightly, dropping three gaps below 30 over the next 300. , while Johnston was above 30.4 on three of those same 50s.
Johnston, who is redshirting from Texas and training with Mark Shubert and “The Swim Team,” finished in 15:02.42, just 0.05 shy of his personal best of 15:02.37 from the national championships. summer 2022.