2024 U.S. Olympic Trials: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap

2024 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS

The wait is finally over.

SwimSwam is on the scene and reporting live from the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, which kick off this morning from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The competition will commence with the heats of the women’s 100 butterfly, and it will be followed by the women’s 400 free, men’s 100 breast and men’s 400 free for a four-event opening session.

Several of the top female swimmers at the Trials will be competing right from the jump withΒ Torri Huske,Β Gretchen Walsh,Β Regan Smith andΒ Claire Curzan set to take on the women’s 100 fly.

Katie Ledecky headlines the women’s 400 free with a chance to book a ticket to her fourth Olympic team in tonight’s final, while reigning world championΒ Nic Fink leads the men’s 100 breast and relatively wide open men’s 400 free hasΒ David JohnstonΒ andΒ Kieran Smith coming in as top seeds.

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

  • World Record: 55.48,Β Sarah SjostromΒ (SWE) – 2016 Olympic Games
  • American Record: 55.64,Β Torri Huske – 2022 World Championships
  • U.S. Open Record: 55.66,Β Torri HuskeΒ (USA) – 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials
  • World Junior Record: 56.20,Β Claire CurzanΒ (USA) – 2021 TAC Titans Premier Invitational
  • 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion:Β Torri Huske, 55.66
  • 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time: 57.92

Semi-Final Qualifiers:

  1. Gretchen Walsh (NAC), 55.94
  2. Torri Huske (AAC), 56.26
  3. Regan Smith (TXLA), 56.68
  4. Alex Shackell (CSC), 57.07
  5. Kelly Pash (TXLA), 57.66
  6. Beata Nelson (UN-WI), 57.68
  7. Claire Curzan (TAC-NC), 58.17
  8. Abby Arens (WOLF), 58.19
  9. Emma Sticklen (TXLA), 58.22
  10. Lillie Nordmann (ALTO), 58.38
  11. Leah Shackley (BRY), 58.47
  12. Josephine Fuller (TENN), 58.56
  13. Annika Parkhe (PAC), 58.58
  14. Olivia Bray (TXLA), 58.67
  15. Charlotte Crush (LAK), 58.68
  16. Dakota Luther (TXLA), 58.73

Gretchen Walsh couldn’t have asked for a better start to the 2024 Olympic Trials.

Coming off a standout NCAA season that was highlighted by her earth shattering record in the 100 fly, Walsh became just the seventh woman in history to break 56 seconds in the long course pool, clocking 55.94 to become the second-fastest American of all-time.

Walsh extinguished her previous best time of 56.14 to overtakeΒ Dana Vollmer for the #2 spot in American history, and she also moved up to #6 all-time.

All-Time Performers, Women’s 100 Butterfly (LCM) – Sub-56

  1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 55.48 – 2016 Olympic Games
  2. Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 55.59 – 2021 Olympic Games
  3. Zhang Yufei (CHN), 55.62 – 2020 Chinese Nationals
  4. Torri Huske (USA), 55.64 – 2022 World Championships
  5. Emma McKeon (AUS), 55.72 – 2021 Olympic Games
  6. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 55.94 – 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials
  7. Dana Vollmer (USA), 55.98 – 2012 Olympic Games

American Record holderΒ Torri Huske followed Walsh’s swim by producing the #2 time of the morning in the final heat, touching in 56.26.

Huske sits atop the world rankings this season with her blistering time of 55.68 from the Pro Swim Series stop in San Antonio.

Regan Smith topped the first circle-seeded heat in a time of 56.68, having set a PB of 56.26 earlier this year.

Smith notably had the fastest back half in the field at a scorching 29.57.

Qualifying 4th overall was Carmel’sΒ Alex Shackell, who chipped 15 one-hundredths off her previous best of 57.22 in 57.07, maintaining her place as the #3 performer of all-time in the girls’ 17-18 age group.

After breaking 58 seconds for the first time earlier this season,Β Beata Nelson had a promising opening swim to the Trials, resetting her best time in 57.68 to comfortably qualify 6th into the semis.

Lakeside’sΒ Charlotte Crush dropped nearly three-tenths from her best time to earn a semi-final berth in 15th, clocking 58.68 to slot into 10th all-time in the 15-16 age group.

In Heat 5, Jersey Wahoos standoutΒ Audrey Derivaux kicked off her first Olympic Trials with an impressive showing, notching a lifetime best of 59.25 to move into #2 all-time in the girls’ 13-14 age group.

The cut-off for the semi-finals ended up being markedly quicker than it was in 2021β€”58.73 compared to 59.05 three years ago.

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

  • World Record: 3:55.38,Β Ariarne TitmusΒ (AUS) – 2023 World Championships
  • American Record: 3:56.46,Β Katie LedeckyΒ (USA) – 2016 Olympic Games
  • U.S. Open Record: 3:57.94,Β Katie LedeckyΒ (USA) – 2018 TYR Pro Swim Series
  • World Junior Record: 3:56.08,Β Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2023 Canadian Trials
  • 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion:Β Katie Ledecky, 4:01.27
  • 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time: 4:07.90

Final Qualifiers:

  1. Katie Ledecky (GSC), 3:59.99
  2. Paige Madden (NYAC), 4:04.83
  3. Jillian Cox (TXLA), 4:06.35
  4. Madi Mintenko (PPA), 4:07.53
  5. Erin Gemmell (NCAP), 4:08.42
  6. Aurora Roghair (ALTO), 4:09.67
  7. Katie Grimes (SAND) / Anna Peplowski (ISC), 4:09.87

Katie LedeckyΒ asserted her dominance right from the get-go in the women’s 400 freestyle, taking out the final heat at a blistering pace alongsideΒ Claire Weinstein before pulling away to a decisive victory.

Ledecky soared home to a time of 3:59.99, her 29th time under the 4:00 barrier.

The 27-year-old holds the top seed heading into tonight’s final by nearly five seconds, with fellow Tokyo Olympic finalistΒ Paige Madden qualifying 2nd in 4:04.83. Madden is coming off setting a best time earlier this season in 4:03.02.

Longhorn Aquatics’Β Jillian Cox chipped a quarter-second off her best time to advance in 3rd at 4:06.35, whileΒ 16-year-oldΒ Madi Mintenko broke 4:08 for the first time to move up to #6 all-time in the girls’ 15-16 age group.

The biggest story coming out of the women’s 400 free is who didn’t make the final.

Weinstein was out fast with Ledecky early but faded down the stretch, splitting 2:14-plus over the second 200 to finished 30th in 4:14.20β€”nearly 10 seconds shy of her best time.

Bella SimsΒ was in Weinstein and Ledecky’s heat but was never really in the battle at the front, trailing throughout and touching in 4:12.49 to place 20th.

Also missing out wasΒ Leah Smith, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in the event, who was 10th in 4:10.09.

Smith revealed in April that she dealt with a torn labrum earlier this year.

Weinstein (4:04.54) and Smith (4:06.80) ranked 3rd and 4th among Americans this season coming into the meet, trailing only Ledecky and Madden.

One of the swimmers who took advantage of some of the big names slipping up was Alto Swim Club’sΒ Aurora Roghair. The 21-year-old set a best time of 4:09.46 in May, and was essentially right on that (4:09.67) to make the final in 6th place, ahead of a 7th-place tie betweenΒ Katie Grimes andΒ Anna Peplowski.

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKEβ€” PRELIMS

  • World Record: 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR) – 2019 World Championships
  • American Record: 58.14, Michael Andrew – 2021 Olympic Trials
  • U.S. Open Record: 58.14, Michael Andrew (USA) – 2021 Olympic Trials
  • World Junior Record: 59.01, Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) – 2017 World Junior Championships
  • 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion:Β Michael Andrew – 58.73
  • 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time: 59.49

Semi-Final Qualifiers:

  1. Nic Fink (NYAC), 59.24
  2. Josh Matheny (ISC), 59.34
  3. Charlie Swanson (NOVA), 59.44
  4. Jake Foster (RAYS), 59.59
  5. Michael Andrew (MASA), 59.72
  6. Liam Bell (CAL), 1:00.15
  7. Brian Benzing (TUS), 1:00.16
  8. Luke Rodarte (CAL) / Tommy Cope (CW), 1:00.23
  9. Noah Nichols (CA-Y), 1:00.24
  10. Matt Fallon (UPN), 1:00.35
  11. Cody Miller (SAND), 1:00.45
  12. Daniel Roy (TDPS), 1:00.57
  13. AJ Pouch (VT), 1:00.61
  14. Will Licon (TXLA), 1:00.78
  15. Danny Kovac (TRI) / Ben Cono (TOC), 1:00.80

Reigning world championΒ Nic Fink led a group of five men sub-1:00 in the heats of the 100 breast, clocking 59.24 out of the 11th and final heat ahead ofΒ Jake Foster (59.59).

Fink and Foster were the two U.S. representatives in this event at the 2024 World Championships, producing respective times of 58.57 and 59.48 in Doha which ranked them 1-2 among Americans this season coming into the meet.

The penultimate heat sawΒ Michael Andrew take things out fast for the early lead before he was overtaken byΒ Josh Matheny (59.34) andΒ Charlie Swanson (59.44) down the stretch, with Andrew rounding out the top five in 59.72.

The swim for Swanson marked a new lifetime best, knocking off his previous mark of 59.89 set last summer.

Putting up monstrous best times to qualify 6th and 7th wereΒ Liam Bell andΒ Brian Benzing, who both came in with best times in the 1:01.1 range and took off essentially a full second, with Bell at 1:00.15 and Benzing in 1:00.16.

The #3 seed coming in,Β Noah Nichols, and the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist,Β Cody Miller, were among the group of swimmers in the 1:00-mid-range qualifying for the semis. Nichols and Miller both came in with season-bests of 1:00.2 and put up times of 1:00.24 and 1:00.45, respectively.

Tying for 16th were Danny Kovac andΒ Ben Cono in 1:00.80, meaning we’ll likely see a swim-off for the last spot in the semis.

The swim for Kovac was a new lifetime best, his first time sub-1:01, while Cono’s PB of 1:00.18 stems from the 2021 Olympic Trials.

Three swimmers were disqualified in the event, two for “alternating kicks, Zhier Fan andΒ Alex Lakin, whileΒ Flynn CrisciΒ says he was dinged for doing a dolphin kick at the finish.

MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE β€” PRELIMS

  • World Record: 3:40.07, Paul Biedermann (GER) – 2009 World Championships
  • American Record: 3:42.78, Larsen Jensen – 2008 Olympic Games
  • U.S. Open Record: 3:43.53, Larsen Jensen (USA) – 2008 Olympic Trials
  • World Junior Record: 3:44.31, Peter Mitsin (BUL) – 2023 European Junior Championships
  • 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion: Kieran SmithΒ β€” 3:44.86
  • 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time: 3:46.78

Final Qualifiers:

  1. Luke Whitlock (FAST), 3:46.42
  2. David Johnston (TST), 3:47.17
  3. Jake Mitchell (FLOR), 3:47.76
  4. Aaron Shackell (CSC), 3:47.96
  5. Jake Magahey (SA), 3:48.16
  6. Kieran Smith (RAC), 3:48.25
  7. Daniel Matheson (SUN), 3:48.57
  8. Bobby Finke (SPA), 3:48.63

Fishers Area’sΒ Luke Whitlock had a statement swim in the final heat of the session in the men’s 400 free, storming his way to the top time of the session by three-quarters of a second.

The 18-year-old fired off a time of 3:46.42, obliterating his previous best time of 3:49.10 and moving into #2 all-time in the boys’ 17-18 age group, trailing onlyΒ Larsen Jensen‘s effort from the 2004 Olympics.

All-Time Performers, U.S. Boys’ 17-18 400 Freestyle (LCM)

  1. Larsen Jensen, 3:46.08 – 2004
  2. Luke Whitlock, 3:46.42 – 2024
  3. Michael Phelps, 3:46.73 – 2003
  4. Klete Keller / Aaron Shackell, 3:47.00 – 2000 / 2003

Whitlock went toe to toe withΒ David Johnston andΒ Jake Mitchell in the eighth and final heat, and the trio ended up securing the three middle lanes for the final.

Johnston, the top seed coming in, clocked 3:47.17 for 2nd, while Mitchell rallied over the last 150 to snag 3rd in 3:47.76.

Five of the eight ‘A’ final qualifiers ended up coming out of the last heat, withΒ Jake MagaheyΒ andΒ Daniel Matheson also getting in on the action.

Carmel’sΒ Aaron Shackell impressed in Heat 7, outduellingΒ Kieran Smith to touch 1st in 3:47.96, with Smith securing a spot in the final not too far behind in 3:48.25.

Age group phenomΒ Luka Mijatovic had a tantalizing battle in Heat 6 withΒ Norvin Clontz, storming his way to a new lifetime best of 3:50.71, just three one-hundredths shy ofΒ Larsen Jensen‘s National Age Group Record for 15-16 boys of 3:50.68 set in 2002.

Mijatovic ended up 12th overall. He set his previous best of 3:51.18 in March, breaking his own 13-14 NAG record.

Placing 11th was LIAC’sΒ Sean Green, who dropped his best time down from 3:53.04 to 3:50.55 to rank him 18th all-time in the boys’ 17-18 age group.

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKEβ€” SWIM-OFF

  • World Record: 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR) – 2019 World Championships
  • American Record: 58.14, Michael Andrew – 2021 Olympic Trials
  • U.S. Open Record: 58.14, Michael Andrew (USA) – 2021 Olympic Trials
  • World Junior Record: 59.01, Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) – 2017 World Junior Championships
  • 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion:Β Michael Andrew – 58.73
  • 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time: 59.49
  1. Danny Kovac (TRI), 1:00.47
  2. Ben Cono (TOC), 1:00.50

Danny KovacΒ andΒ Ben Cono put on a show to conclude the first session in Indianapolis, battling stroke for stroke in the 100 breaststroke with a spot in the semis on the line.

In the end, it was Kovac getting his hands on the wall first by three one-hundredths, 1:00.47 to 1:00.50, to solidify a spot in tonight’s session.

The swim for Kovac marked his second consecutive lifetime best on the day, while Cono’s was quicker than the prelims (1:00.80) but shy of his PB set at the 2021 Trials (1:00.18).

In This Story

1256
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

1.3K Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Tay
3 days ago

Why is Natalie Hinds not at trials??

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
3 days ago

I’m hoping Katie Ledecky can break the U.S. Open Record (3:57.94) in the W 400 FR tonight.

Bailey Ludden
3 days ago

Why didn’t Hobson swim the 400? I figured Carson just didn’t want the extra stress but Hobson could’ve won it

HeGetsItDoneAgain
Reply to  Bailey Ludden
3 days ago

Focusing on 100/200 instead of 200/400. Almost nobody can make all 3 work and the 400 is in an era being dominated by 800/1500 guys instead of 200 guys.

Bailey Ludden
Reply to  HeGetsItDoneAgain
3 days ago

No chance he wouldn’t win this 400 final…. Much better chance here than the 100 but his 100 has improved

oxyswim
Reply to  Bailey Ludden
3 days ago

No chance the dude with a 3:49 PB wouldn’t win the final???

Swim dad
3 days ago

What in the world happened to Bella? I thought she would be in contention for an Olympic spot and she was even well off making finals…

DK99
Reply to  Swim dad
3 days ago

I think she got too caught up in being ‘the girl with the most Trials cuts’ and didn’t focus into 1/2 events

saltie
Reply to  Swim dad
3 days ago

I’m a huge UF fan, and obviously the training works for many, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good fit for everyone. She’s been off all year. Shoulda stayed with SAND for the Olympic year

oxyswim
Reply to  saltie
3 days ago

Yeah, look at how well Claire and Katie swam today /s

phelpsfan
3 days ago

Any way for Canadians to watch finals without a VPN?

Daddy Foster
Reply to  phelpsfan
3 days ago

I’ve tried to find a torrented livestream of Peacock… no luck yet though.
Think we’re gonna have get a VPN and monthly Peacock subscription…

DK99
Reply to  Daddy Foster
3 days ago

Usa swimming app shows it, don’t need anything just download it and watch

phelpsfan
Reply to  DK99
3 days ago

Only shows prelims.

phelpsfan
Reply to  Daddy Foster
3 days ago

Damn πŸ˜”πŸ˜’

phelpsfan
3 days ago

1.2k comments is crazy 😭😭

Last edited 3 days ago by phelpsfan
RealCrocker5040
3 days ago

Brett H is so unbelievably obnoxious holy crap

Yikes
Reply to  RealCrocker5040
3 days ago

What now?

RealCrocker5040
Reply to  Yikes
3 days ago

Calling one of the swimswam editors in public a p**sy because of a very minor incident from long ago

Yikes
Reply to  RealCrocker5040
3 days ago

JFC

Xman
Reply to  RealCrocker5040
3 days ago

What happened

phelpsfan
Reply to  RealCrocker5040
3 days ago

What incident?

Yikes
3 days ago

I can’t believe I have to wait 3 more hours for finals….. 8p is so late!

SHRKB8
Reply to  Yikes
3 days ago

Tell me your a swimmer without saying your a swimmer hahahahaha 8pm….so late πŸ˜‰πŸ˜. Always the way with a person up at 4am each day 😁.

Yikes
Reply to  SHRKB8
3 days ago

Yeah I mean Aussie finals was easier for me! A former swimmer with little kids, at that!

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

Read More »