2016 U.S. Olympic Trials: Women’s Race Videos

2016 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS

• Sunday June 26th-Sunday July 3rd, 2016
• Century Link Center – Omaha, Nebraska
• Friday-Sunday – Prelims – 11:00 am EDT   Finals – 7:45 pm EDT
• SwimSwam Preview Links & Schedule
• NBC Televison Coverage Schedule
• Psych Sheets
• Monday heat sheets
• Live results

All available race videos courtesy of Team USA.

WOMEN’S 50M FREESTYLE FINAL

https://youtu.be/Atp1aYIFZ_s

As originally reported by Mitch Bowmile:

Top seed: Abbey Weitzeil (24.34)
World record: 23.73 – Britta Steffen (Germany)
American record: 24.07 – Dara Torres
U.S Open record: 24.13 – Cate Campbell (Australia)
U.S Nationals record: 24.25 – Dara Torres
JR World record: 24.74 – Rikako Ikee (Japan)
2012 Winning Time: 24.50 – Jessica Hardy

Abbey Weitzeil is officially leading the new age of American women’s sprinting after sweeping the two sprint freestyle events here in Omaha en route to her first Olympic berth.

Weitzeil emerged way out in front of the rest of the field in order to clock the fastest time of the field with a 24.28. That time is the fastest textile swim ever done by an American woman. Weitzeil improved her best time of 24.34 from semifinals which established her as the third fastest American woman in history.

Simone Manuel touched second behind her in 24.33. That time established her as the second fastest American woman ever in a textile suit, and the fourth fastest American woman of all time.

Finishing third was Madison Kennedy, who won’t be going to the Olympic Games.

100m backstroke champion Olivia Smoliga was fourth in 24.70. Dana Vollmer was sixth, Lia Neal was seventh,Amanda Weir was eighth.

1. Abbey Weitzeil (24.28)
2. Simone Manuel (24.33)
3. Madison Kennedy (24.48)
4. Olivia Smoliga (24.70)
5. Katrina Konopka (24.84)
6. Dana Vollmer (24.96)
7. Lia Neal (25.00)
8. Amanda Weir (25.13)

For official results click here.

WOMEN’S 100M FREESTYLE FINAL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fULwHedQcbU

As originally reported by Mitch Bowmile:

Top seed: Abbey Weitzeil (53.57)
World record: 52.07 – Britta Steffen (Germany)
American record: 53.02 – Amanda Weir
U.S Open record: 53.30 – Cate Campbell (Australia)
U.S Nationals record: 53.43 – Missy Franklin
JR World record: 53.84 – Shen Duo (China)
2012 Winning Time: 53.96 – Jessica Hardy

Abbey Weitzeil qualified for her first Olympic team with a new U.S Open record in the 100m freestyle en route to a swift 53.28.

Weitzeil managed to hold off Simone Manuel during the last 10-meters who absolutely charged in order to put up a 53.52. American record holder Amanda Weir touched in just behind Manuel in 53.75.

Lia Neal grabbed the fourth relay position with a 53.77 performance. Likely, the United States will take six for the relay, which will then include Allison Schmitt and Dana Vollmer.

Schmitt was a 53.87 and Vollmer also posted a sub 54-second swim with a 53.92 performance.

Katie Ledecky managed to dip under 54-seconds with a swift 53.99. Kelsi Worrell was eighth in 54.06.

For official results click here.

WOMEN’S 400M FREESTYLE FINAL

https://youtu.be/WTgIfVierhY

As originally reported by Mitch Bowmile:

Top seed: Katie Ledecky (4:02.62)
World record: 3:58.37 – Katie Ledecky
American record: 3:58.37 – Katie Ledecky
U.S Open record: 3:58.86 – Katie Ledecky
U.S Nationals record: 3:58.86 – Katie Ledecky
JR World record: 3:58.37 – Katie Ledecky
2012 Winning Time: 4:02.84 – Allison Schmitt

Katie Ledecky is going to be the headline of every article related to swim trials tonight. It’s going to talk about how Ledecky went out over two-seconds under world record pace at the 100, and how she held on to finish within roughly half-a-second of her own world record.

The real story, is that Katie Ledecky is beatable. And the woman who proved that Ledecky is in fact human: Leah Smith.

Smith went out fast, although Ledecky was about a body-length and a half ahead of Smith at the first 100, Smith maintained that position for the remainder of the race. Towards the end, she even chased down Ledecky towards the wall.

At the touch, Ledecky was 3:58.98, Smith was a 4:00.65. In major meets, Ledecky has never won by a shorter margin in the 400m freestyle.

Smith actually split a faster second 200 than Ledecky, putting up splits of 1:58.16 and 2:02.49 compared to Ledecky’s 1:56.28 and 2:02.70.

Smith’s performance now makes her the fourth fastest performer of all time in the 400m freestyle, and the second fastest (only behind Ledecky) in a textile suit.

1. Katie Ledecky (3:58.98)
2. Leah Smith (4:00.65)
3. Cierra Runge (4:07.04)
4. Lindsey Vrooman (4:08.99)
5. Allison Schmitt (4:09.25)
6. Stephanie Peacock (4:09.53)
7. Hannah Moore (4:09.54)
8. Hannah Cox (4:09.72)

For official results click here.

Women’s 800m freestyle (partial)

https://youtu.be/bC4_DbyBXHo

As originally reported by Mitch Bowmile.

Top seed: Katie Ledecky (8:10.91)
World record: 8:06.68 – Katie Ledecky
American record: 8:06.68 – Katie Ledecky
U.S Open record: 8:06.68 – Katie Ledecky
U.S Nationals record: 8:17.12 – Janet Evans
JR World record: 8:11.00 – Katie Ledecky
2012 Winning Time: 8:19.78 – Katie Ledecky

Katie Ledecky put everyone on the edge of their seats through 600-meters tonight as she chased her own world record, finishing shy of that mark, but still claiming gold and securing the event for Rio.

At the 50-meter mark Ledecky turned slightly faster than the first 50 split of her world record. By the 100, she was 0.99 seconds under world record pace. At the 200, she was almost a full second and a half under pace splitting a 1:58.75.

Halfway through, Ledecky turned at the 400 a full second under world record pace with a 4:02.21 split. She stayed under world record pace through 550-meters before falling off that pace.

At the 650, Ledecky really started to drop off the pace, slowly but surely falling farther and farther from her record each 50. At the final touch, Ledecky was an 8:10.32 to take the win, just slightly faster than what she swam yesterday morning.

As expected, Leah Smith finished second in 8:20.18 to secure a second individual event for Rio.

WOMEN’S 100M BUTTERFLY FINALS

https://youtu.be/x_ZkasTvjcI

As originally reported by Mitch Bowmile

Top seed: Dana Vollmer (56.90)
World record: 55.64 – Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden)
American record: 55.98 – Dana Vollmer
U.S Open record: 56.38 – Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden)
U.S Nationals record: 56.42 – Dana Vollmer
JR World record: 56.99 – Penny Oleksiak (Canada)
2012 Winning Time: 56.50 – Dana Vollmer 

Although there was plenty hype leading up to the women’s 100m butterfly, it undersold the actual hype that was featured during the women’s 100m butterfly showdown between 2012 Olympic gold medallist Dana Vollmer andKelsi Worrell.

Out fast as she usually is, Vollmer turned first at the 50-meter wall with both her and Worrell already establishing themselves as the clear leaders. Coming off the wall Worrell began to slowly but surely close in on Vollmer.

In the last 15-meters, Vollmer began to tighten up slightly and Worrell flew past her, putting almost a body-length between the two as she stretched out to the wall to punch in her ticket to Rio with a time of 56.48.

Worrell’s last 50 was fast, in fact she split under 30-seconds coming home with a swift 29.97 split to secure her first place position.

Although Vollmer finished behind Worrell, she still managed to touch in for second and will also likely be heading to the Rio Games.

Vollmer was a 57.21 at the touch, still over a full second ahead of third place Kendyl Stewart who grabbed third in 58.22.

Worrell’s time now vaults her to second in the world behind only world record holder Sarah Sjostrom.

1. Kelsi Worrell (56.48)
2. Dana Vollmer (57.21)
3. Kendyl Stewart (58.22)
4. Cassidy Bayer (58.35)
5. Sarah Gibson (58.79)
6. Claire Donahue (58.81)
7. Hellen Moffitt (59.23)
8. Hali Flickinger (59.31)

For official results click here.

Women’s 100m breaststroke

https://youtu.be/TG9PmpF5dA0

As originally reported by Mitch Bowmile:

Top seed: Lilly King (1:05.94)
World record: 1:04.35 – Ruta Meilutyte (Lithuania)
American record: 1:04.45 – Jessica Hardy
U.S Open record: 1:04.45 – Jessica Hardy
U.S Nationals record: 1:05.34 – Rebecca Soni
JR World record: 1:05.39 – Ruta Meilutyte (Lithuania)
2012 Winning Time: 1:05.92 – Breeja Larson

One more event, two more first time Olympians.

Lilly King has had an incredible season; she was electric at the NCAA Championships, and now just a few short months later she’s secured her spot on the Olympic roster to represent the stars and stripes in Rio.

King was out first with Katie Meili hot on her trail, but in the last 25-meters she closed strongly to put up a 1:05.20. That time for King is the fastest time in the world this year, distancing herself from previous world number one Yulia Efimova by exactly half-a-second.

Meili was a safe second behind King in 1:06.07, putting up the sixth fastest time in the world this season. Molly Hannistouched behind Meili in 1:06.65 for third.

Breeja Larson took advantage of the opportunity she was given to swim in the championship final. She qualified ninth after prelims, but a scratch by Melanie Margalis bumped her into the final. The 2012 Olympic Trials champ finished fourth in 1:07.53.

1. Lilly King (1:05.20)
2. Katie Meili (1:06.07)
3. Molly Hannis (1:06.65)
4. Breeja Larson (1:07.53)
5. Andee Cottrell (1:07.59)
6. Jessica Hardy (1:07.73)
7. Sarah Tucker (1:08.19)
8. Miranda Tucker (1:08.19)

For official results click here.

Women’s 100m backstroke

https://youtu.be/titmXC36SxA

As originally reported by Mitch Bowmile.

Top seed: Olivia Smoliga (59.16)
World record: 58.12 – Gemma Spofforth (Britain)
American record: 58.33 – Missy Franklin
U.S Open record: 58.67 – Missy Franklin
U.S Nationals record: 58.67 – Missy Franklin
JR World record: 59.37 – Minna Atherton (Australia)
2012 Winning Time: 58.85 – Missy Franklin

Olivia Smoliga and Kathleen Baker are going to Rio.

In one of the most anticipated finals of the night, Smoliga and Baker managed to hold on to their positions as the top 100m backstrokers after the semifinals by finishing first and second. Smoliga charged on the last 20 meters and pushed out in front to grab the win in 59.02.

Baker wasn’t far behind her in 59.21. Amy Bilquist touched in third in 59.37 just 0.16 seconds off qualifying for her first Olympic team.

After taking the seventh and eighth seeds in the 100m backstroke after semifinals it was clear that Missy Franklinand Natalie Coughlin were going to have their work cut out for them.

Between the two of them, they make up the last three Olympic gold medals in the 100m backstroke, and neither of them will get the chance to add another one this time around. Franklin turned in eighth, and wasn’t able to make much of a push at the end of the race, ultimately finishing in seventh with a 1:00.24. Coughlin faded to eighth, clocking in a 1:00.48.

1. Olivia Smoliga (59.02)
2. Kathleen Baker (59.29)
3. Amy Bilquist (59.37)
4. Ali DeLoof (59.69)
5. Hannah Stevens (59.97)
6. Clara Smiddy (1:00.12)
7. Missy Franklin (1:00.24)
8. Natalie Coughlin (1:00.48)

For official results click here.

Women’s 200m backstroke

https://youtu.be/w5irpG8ezeM

As originally reported by Mitch Bowmile.

Top seed: Maya DiRado (2:08.14)
World record: 2:04.06 – Missy Franklin
American record: 2:04.06 – Missy Franklin
U.S Open record: 2:05.68 – Missy Franklin
U.S Nationals record: 2:05.68 – Missy Franklin
JR World record: 2:07.43 – Daria Ustinova
2012 Winning Time: 2:06.11 – Missy Franklin

Maya DiRado took the first final of the night with a swift 2:06.90 that put her well ahead of the rest of the field as she won her third event of these Olympic trials. DiRado took the lead at the 100-meter mark and never looked back, holding her consistency into the wall as she touched in for gold at 2:06.90.

The race for second behind her was between Amy Bilquist, Missy Franklin, and Lisa Bratton for the majority of the race. Although Danielle Galyer took it out fast with the leaders, she was passed heading into the 150-wall.

At the 150 it was Franklin in second with both Bilquist and Bratton hot on her tail. Heading into the wall, it looked as though both Bilquist and Bratton were gaining on Franklin. Regardless of that fact, she managed to hold on for silver securing a 200m backstroke swim at the Olympic Games.

At the touch Franklin was a 2:07.89, Bratton was a 2:08.20 for third, and Bilquist was a 2:08.30 for fourth.

Franklin’s lineup is now complete. She’ll be on the 4x200m freestyle relay and compete in both the 200m freestyle and 200m backstroke. DiRado will be swimming three individual events now, adding the 200m backstroke to her lineup which includes both medley swims.

For official results click here.

Women’s 200m IM

https://youtu.be/OwDaZd5r2JY

As originally reported by Mitch Bowmile:

2016 Top seed: Maya DiRado (2:10.09)
World record: 2:06.12 – Katinka Hosszu
American record: 2:06.15 – Ariana Kukors
U.S Open record: 2:08.66 – Katinka Hosszu
U.S Nationals record: 2:09.34 – Julia Smit
JR World record: 2:11.03 – Viktoria Gunes
2012 Winning Time: 2:10.22 – Caitlin Leverenz

Maya DiRado added a second event to her schedule for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, rocking a swift 2:09.54 to give her the win by over half-a-second.

The real battle was for the second spot. On the final turn, Melanie Margalis turned in fifth, over a body-length behind DiRado and Leverenz who were leading the way.

Off the wall, Margalis started charging and she began to creep up on Leverenz. Leverenz didn’t budge, and the two went stroke for stroke into the wall. Margalis opted for a glide in, Leverenz took the extra stroke.

Margalis was second in 2:10.11, Leverenz was third in 2:10.16.

With the second spot going to Margalis, Leverenz will not be going to the Olympic Games.

1. Maya DiRado (2:09.54)
2. Melanie Margalis (2:10.11)
3. Caitlin Leverenz (2:10.16)
4. Madisyn Cox (2:11.24)
5. Ella Eastin (2:11.49)
6. Bethany Galat (2:12.82)
7. Meghan Small (2:13.31)
8. Emily Cameron (2:14.16)

For official results click here.