14-Year-Old Audrey Derivaux Makes U.S Trials 400 IM Final, Moves To 7th In Age Group (4:45.23)

2024 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS

It’s Monday morning, so there’s understandably a smaller crowd at prelims of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, but they got plenty loud early for Audrey Derivaux, 14, in heat 3 of the first event, the women’s 400 IM.

The age group standout had a big swim from the outside in lane 1, dropping over four seconds from her personal best to move up to 7th all-time in the girls’ 14-14 age group. Derivaux, who swims for the Jersey Wahoos, sped to a final time of 4:45.23, bettering the 4:49.32 she swam at 2023 Junior Nationals for the second-fastest time by a 13 year old girl.

All-Time Rankings, U.S. Girls’ 13-14 400 IM (LCM)

  1. Becca Mann, 4:39.76 — 2012
  2. Katie Anderson, 4:39.82 — 2004
  3. Kayla Han, 4:42.96 — 2023
  4. Erika Hansen, 4:44.45 — 1985
  5. Claire Tuggle, 4:44.81 — 2018
  6. Elizabeth Beisel, 4:44.87 — 2007
  7. Audrey Derivaux, 4:45.23 — 2024
  8. Mariah Denigan, 4:45.41 — 2018

Over the next three heats, Derivaux’s time held up to qualify her for the final in 8th place, earning her a finals berth at her first Olympic Trials.

Compared to her previous personal best, Derivaux improved on the first three legs of the race. She dropped over three seconds on the butterfly leg.

2024 U.S. Olympic Trials

2023 Junior Nationals

100

1:02.28

1:05.54

200

2:11.35 (1:09.07)

2:15.78 (1:10.24)

300

3:37.90 (1:26.55)

3:43.27 (1:27.49)

400

4:45.23 (1:07.33)

4:49.32 (1:06.05)

That opening butterfly split is huge for Derivaux as her best event is arguably the 200 butterfly, where she’s seeded 18th in 2:10.81. She already took time off her 100 fly personal best at this meet, swimming 59.25 to finish 24th and move up to 2nd on the age group rankings of that race.

Derivaux has been on fire this spring. At the Martha McKee Open in May, she logged 10 best times over the course of the four day meet, two of which she has already bettered in Indianapolis.

Derivaux has a busy schedule at Trials, as evidenced by her marching out for her 100 backstroke heat less than 30 minutes after making the 400 IM final. She finished third in her heat (1:02.02). She’s also slated to race the 200 fly, 200 back, and 200 IM.

4
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

4 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
4 months ago

Good luck tonight!

woleai
4 months ago

I think Erika Hansen was 15 in 1985. In 1984 when she was 14, she was 4:45.48 or something like that.

HeatFan14
4 months ago

Her 2028 stock is skyrocketing. I can say I was here.

Naya Missy
4 months ago

What happened to Becca Mann? Is she still swimming? (Primarily open water?)

About Sophie Kaufman

Sophie Kaufman

Sophie grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, which means yes, she does root for the Bruins, but try not to hold that against her. At 9, she joined her local club team because her best friend convinced her it would be fun. Shoulder surgery ended her competitive swimming days long ago, …

Read More »