2024 U.S. Olympic Trials: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2024 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS

• June 15-23, 2024
• Lucas Oil Stadium — Indianapolis, IN
• LCM (50 Meters)
• Session Start Times (ET):
  • 11 a.m. Prelims
  • 7:45 p.m. Finals (varying based on broadcast needs)
• Meet Central
• Broadcast Info
• SwimSwam’s Definitive Guide to Trials
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• SwimSwam Pick ’em Contest
• Prelims Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3
• Finals Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2
• Prelims Live Stream
• Day 3 Finals Live Stream (USA)
• Day 3 Finals Heat Sheet

The Paris Olympic roster promises to grow by a significant margin tonight with five of the six events on tonight’s schedule being finals, and two of them with relay berths up for grabs.

The night will kick off with the final of the women’s 400 IM, where Tokyo silver medalist Emma Weyant and two-time World Championship silver medalist Katie Grimes are the overwhelming favorites to claim the two American roster spots after cruising to the top two seeds this morning.

• Day 3 Finals Live Stream (USA)
• Day 3 Finals Heat Sheet

Next up we’ll see the men’s 200 free, the first relay selection final of the competition which will be a must-see showdown.

The top three seeds, Luke Hobson, Kieran Smith and Drew Kibler, all broke 1:46 in the semis and figure to be the three men battling for the two available individual slots at the Games, while the rest of the field will be fighting it out for the remaining relay slots.

One man in the hunt for one of those spots is Blake Pieroni, the 28-year-old veteran who briefly retired from the sport and has come back with a newfound fire over the last year. Pieroni has a chance to qualify for his third straight Olympics if he finishes inside one of the relay spots, which will be officially the top four tonight and likely the top six at the meet’s end.

Tokyo Olympians Brooks Curry and Jake Mitchell, 400 free Olympic qualifier Aaron Shackell and one of the 100 free favorites, Chris Guiliano will be the other swimmers in the hunt. Shackell got into the final after winning a tightly contested swim-off on Sunday night.

The third final of the night will be the men’s 100 back, where Ryan Murphy aims to earn his third straight Olympic berth and begin his pursuit of reclaiming the gold medal he won in Rio. At the last Olympics in Tokyo, Murphy won bronze behind Russians Evgeny Rylov and Kliment Kolesnikov, who will be absent in Paris.

Hunter Armstrong is expected to land the other Olympic spot in the event, having placed 9th at the Games in Tokyo (missing the final by .01). Armstrong is coming into tonight’s final after avoiding a scare in the semis, having slipped off the blocks and rallying to erase an early deficit.

One of just seven men in history to have broken 52 seconds, Armstrong will be out in Lane 6 tonight after clocking 53.57 in the semis, trailing Adam Chaney (53.08) and Jack Aikins (53.23) who both set best times in the semis.

The women’s 100 breaststroke final promises to be interesting, with home crowd favorite Lilly King leading the charge after a dominant showing in the semis. Defending Olympic champion Lydia Jacoby is poised for a showdown with Kaitlyn Dobler and Emma Weber, and maybe even Kaelyn Gridley and Alex Walsh, for the second spot after all five were separated by just 45 one-hundredths in the semis.

The session’s finale will surely bring fireworks with Katie Ledecky and Claire Weinstein ready for another showdown and Simone Manuel likely having another trick up her sleeve in the women’s 200 free.

Manuel will have another opportunity to provide some outside smoke, as the two-time Olympian will be situated out in Lane 8 tonight after she showed some incredible front-half speed in the semis. However, it projects to be Ledecky, Weinstein and potentially Paige Madden and Erin Gemmell, in the battle for individual spots.

The other four women will be battling for the final two relay spots: Katie Grimes, Alex Shackell, Anna Peplowski and Manuel.

We’ll also see the semi-finals of the women’s 100 back tonight, and world record watch will be in effect after Regan Smith made her 57.93 prelim swim look way too easy.

WOMEN’S 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINAL

• World Record: 4:24.38, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2024 Canadian Trials
• American Record: 4:31.12, Katie Hoff – 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials
• U.S. Open Record: 4:28.61, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2022 U.S. Open
• World Junior Record: 4:24.38, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2024 Canadian Trials
• 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion: Emma Weyant, 4:33.81
• 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time: 4:38.53

1. Katie Grimes (SAND), 4:35.00
2. Emma Weyant (FLOR), 4:35.56
3. Lilla Bognar (TG), 4:37.86
4. Leah Smith (TXLA), 4:39.87
5. Leah Hayes (TIDE), 4:41.32
6. Lucy Bell (ALTO), 4:41.40
7. Zoe Dixon (FLOR), 4:42.01
8. Audrey Derivaux (JW), 4:46.89

Lucas Oil Stadium was brought to its feet over the final 100 meters of a thrilling final in the women’s 400 IM, as early leader Katie Grimes was caught by Emma Weyant and Lilla Bognar on the breaststroke leg and the three swimmers went toe to toe coming home to find out who would lock in a spot on the Paris Olympic team.

After leading by more than three seconds at the 200, all of a sudden Grimes found herself in 3rd place at the 300-meter turn, but she didn’t panic. Grimes produced the top freestyle split in the field to pull ahead of Bognar and then locked in a stroke-for-stroke battle with Weyant, getting the best of her over the closing meters to book the win in a time of 4:35.00.

Although the time is well shy of her lifetime and season-best times, the performance does secure Grimes a berth on the pool swimming roster for Paris after she qualified in open water last year.

Weyant, the Tokyo silver medalist, had a solid performance to earn the runner-up finish and another Olympic berth, touching in 4:35.56. The swim is her fastest this season by more than three seconds.

Team Greenville’s Bognar dropped more than three seconds from her personal best, clocking 4:37.86 to place 3rd and move into 9th all-time in the girls’ 17-18 age group. The 17-year-old had previously been 4:40.97 last year at Junior Worlds.

The 29-year-old veteran Leah Smith, who dealt with a torn labrum earlier this year, moved up from 7th at the 250 to claim 4th in 4:39.87, while 14-year-old Audrey Derivaux rode the momentum from the crowd to sit in 2nd early before fading to 8th in 4:46.89—still a very impressive performance after her big drop this morning.

MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE — FINAL

• World Record: 1:42.00 — Paul Biedermann (GER), 2009
• American Record: 1:42.96 — Michael Phelps, 2008
• U.S. Open Record: 1:44.10 — Michael Phelps (USA), 2008
• World Junior Record: 1:42.97 — David Popovici (ROU), 2022
• 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion:  Kieran Smith, 1:45.29
• 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time: 1:47.06

1. Luke Hobson (LAKE), 1:44.89
2. Chris Guiliano (ND), 1:45.38
3. Drew Kibler (NYAC), 1:45.60
4. Kieran Smith (RAC), 1:45.61
5. Brooks Curry (CAL), 1:45.89
6. Blake Pieroni (ISC), 1:46.09
7. Jake Mitchell (FLOR), 1:46.48
8. Aaron Shackell (CSC-IN), 1:47.37

Luke Hobson made the decisive move on the third 50 in the final of the men’s 200 freestyle, taking over the lead in a bunched up field and only extending it coming home, clocking 1:44.89 to secure his first Olympic berth.

Hobson, who continues the Texas Longhorn legacy of male Olympic qualifiers in the 200 free/800 free relay, was just two one-hundredths shy of his lifetime best set at the 2023 World Championships.

The race behind Hobson was a wild one, with his former Longhorn teammate Drew Kibler looking like he was tightening his grip on it as he held the lead through the 100 and still sat in 2nd at the 150. However, Notre Dame’s Chris Guiliano refused to settle for a relay spot at the Olympics, he battled home in 27.15 to overtake Kibler and snag the second individual spot in Paris in 1:45.38, a massive new personal best.

Kibler qualified for his second straight Olympic team by touching 3rd in 1:45.60, as did Florida’s Kieran Smith, who represented the U.S. individually three years ago in Tokyo and will return in Paris for relay duties (and the 400 free).

Smith was .01 back of Kibler in 1:45.61, while Brooks Curry broke 1:46 for the first time to place 5th and likely earn a ticket to Paris (1:45.89).

The 6th and final Olympic relay spot, assuming roster numbers allow it, will go to Blake Pieroni, as the 28-year-old (likely) books a spot on his third Olympic team after briefly retiring from the sport post-Tokyo. Pieroni’s time of 1:46.09 tied his prelim swim, which was the 2nd-fastest of his career.

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 57.33, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2023 World Cup – Budapest
• American Record: 57.51, Regan Smith – 2024 NOVA Speedo Grand Challenge
• U.S. Open Record: 57.51, Regan Smith (USA) – 2024 NOVA Speedo Grand Challenge
• World Junior Record: 57.57, Regan Smith (USA) – 2019 World Championships
• 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion: 58.35, Regan Smith
• 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time: 59.99

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Regan Smith (TXLA), 57.47 AR
2. Katharine Berkoff (WOLF), 57.83
3. Josephine Fuller (TENN) / Kennedy Noble (WOLF), 58.79
4. –
5. Rhyan White (WOLF) / Claire Curzan (TAC-NC), 59.08
6. –
7. Leah Shackley (BRY), 59.25
8. Phoebe Bacon (UW), 59.33

After Katharine Berkoff made history by becoming just the fifth woman in history to break 58 seconds in the first semi of the 100 back, Regan Smith one-upped her in the next heat.

Smith, who has had an air of invincibility so far this week showing incredible form, blasted her way to a time of 57.47 in the second semi, lowering the American Record of 57.51 she set last month. The swim for Smith also tied for the 4th-fastest performance ever, with Kaylee McKeown owning the three fastest and having also been 57.47 once.

Prior to that, Berkoff joined the sub-58 club in 57.83, moving her up to #4 all-time as she overtakes Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan, who just last week went under 58 for the first time at the Australian Trials in 57.88.

All-Time Performers, Women’s 100 Backstroke (LCM)

1. Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 57.33 – 2023 Budapest World Cup
2. Regan Smith (USA), 57.47 – 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials
3. Kylie Masse (CAN), 57.70 – 2021 Canadian Olympic Trials
4. Katharine Berkoff (USA), 57.83 – 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials
5. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS), 57.88 – 2024 Australian Olympic Trials

Josephine Fuller and Kennedy Noble, who both broke 59 seconds for the first time this morning, produced matching 58.79s to advance to the final in a tie for 3rd, Fuller’s swim marking a new PB by .01.

MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE — FINAL

• World Record: 51.60 — Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 2022
• American Record: 51.85 — Ryan Murphy, 2016
• U.S. Open Record: 51.94 — Aaron Peirsol (USA), 2009
• World Junior Record: 52.53 — Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2018
• 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion: Ryan Murphy, 52.33
• 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time: 53.74

1. Ryan Murphy (CAL), 52.22
2. Hunter Armstrong (NYAC), 52.72
3. Jack Aikins (SA), 52.74
4. Adam Chaney (FLOR), 53.44
5. Justin Ress (MVN), 53.57
6. Will Modglin (ZSC), 53.69
7. Jack Wilkening (MICH), 53.79
8. Tommy Janton (ND), 53.87

Ryan Murphy‘s run of domestic dominance in the men’s 100 backstroke continued on Monday night, as the 28-year-old booked his ticket to a third consecutive Olympic Games with a wire-to-wire victory.

Murphy and Hunter Armstrong flexed their early speed on the opening 50, distancing themselves from the field with opening splits of 25.28 and 25.36, respectively. Murphy had more to give on the back half, pulling ahead of The Magic Man and powering to the wall in a time of 52.22, tying his 10th-fastest performance ever.

Armstrong had to fend off a hard-charging Jack Aikins on the second 50, but had just enough to hold on for 2nd and book a likely Olympic berth in a time of 52.72, four one-hundredths shy of his season-best 52.68.

Aikins, who took a redshirt year from the NCAA to focus on the Olympic Trials, followed up his 53.23 PB from the semis by rocketing to a time of 52.74, breaking 53 for the first time and narrowly missing upsetting Armstrong. Aikins was also 3rd in the 200 back at the 2023 World Trials, and based on his form, will be one to watch in that event later in the week.

Adam Chaney set a best time of 53.08 last night, and after blazing out to a 25.56 opening 50, faded a tad down the stretch but still took 4th in 53.44.

WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE — FINAL

• World Record: 1:04.13 — Lilly King (USA), 2017
• American Record: 1:04.13 — Lilly King, 2017
• U.S. Open Record: 1:04.45 — Jessica Hardy (USA), 2009
• World Junior Record: 1:04.35 — Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2013
• 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion: Lilly King, 1:04.79
• 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time: 1:06.79

1. Lilly King (USC), 1:05.43
2. Emma Weber (CA-Y), 1:06.10
3. Lydia Jacoby (STSC), 1:06.37
4. Kaitlyn Dobler (TDPS), 1:06.77
5. Kaelyn Gridley (DUKE), 1:07.03
6. Alex Walsh (NAC), 1:07.38
7. McKenzie Siroky (UN-MI), 1:07.71
8. Ella Nelson (NAC), 1:07.83

Just like Murphy in the men’s 100 back, Lilly King is simply undeniable in the women’s 100 breaststroke on U.S. soil.

King, who has been getting a massive pop from the Indianapolis faithful all week, jumped out to the early lead in the final and never loosened her grip, extending her advantage down the back half to touch 1st by a relatively wide margin in a time of 1:05.43.

The time dips under King’s season-best of 1:05.57 set in last night’s semis.

It was an incredible battle for 2nd, with Kaitlyn Dobler hot on King’s heels over the first 50 before Emma Weber charged through into the runner-up position. Reigning Olympic champion Lydia Jacoby started to make a big move with 25 meters to go, but it was too late, as Weber held firm to touch 2nd in 1:06.10, another best time, to likely book her ticket to her first Olympics.

Jacoby, who has been as fast as 1:05.74 this season, has looked maybe just a touch off in each of the three rounds thus far, and though it was a gallant effort coming home in the final, she won’t have the opportunity to defend her Olympic gold medal in Paris after placing 3rd in 1:06.37.

Dobler (1:06.77), Kaelyn Gridley (1:07.03) and Alex Walsh (1:07.38) all added a bit of time from the semis to place 4th, 5th and 6th, respectively.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE — FINAL

• World Record: 1:52.23 — Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 2024
• American Record: 1:53.61 — Allison Schmitt, 2012
• U.S. Open Record: 1:54.13 — Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2023
• World Junior Record: 1:53.65 — Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2023
• 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion: Katie Ledecky, 1:55.11
• 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time: 1:57.26

1. Katie Ledecky (GSC-FL), 1:55.22
2. Claire Weinstein (SAND), 1:56.18
3. Paige Madden (NYAC), 1:56.36
4. Erin Gemmell (NCAP), 1:56.75
5. Anna Peplowski (ISC), 1:57.04
6. Alex Shackell (CSC-IN), 1:57.05
7. Simone Manuel (SUN), 1:57.13
8. Katie Grimes (SAND), 1:57.33

Katie Ledecky would not be denied.

After Claire Weinstein made a move on the third 50 of the women’s 200 free, pulling nearly dead even with Ledecky, the greatest female swimmer we’ve ever seen responded by blazing down the final length in 29.87 to win comfortably.

Ledecky touched in 1:55.22, three one-hundredths faster than last night and a quarter of a second shy of the season-best 1:54.97 she established at the Pro Swim in San Antonio.

Weinstein wasn’t the only one pushing Ledecky through the 150, as Paige Madden, who qualified alongside Ledecky earlier in the meet in the 400 free, was right there with 50 meters to go as well.

The lactic acid started to catch up to Weinstein and Madden coming home, but they held tough, with Weinstein doing just enough to touch 2nd in 1:56.18 to qualify for her first Olympic team. Weinstein clocked in at 1:55.86 in the semis, and overall has responded well after the wheels fell off during the second half of her 400 free prelim during the first session of the competition.

Madden matched the personal best she set in the semis to place 3rd in 1:56.36, while Erin Gemmell moved up from 6th at the 100 to place 4th in 1:56.75, securing a spot on her first Olympic team.

In-state products Anna Peplowski (Indiana University) and Alex Shackell (Carmel Swim Club) created a big enough buffer over the first 150 that they were able to hold off Simone Manuel and Katie Grimes and place 5th and 6th, meaning they’ll be nominated to the Olympic team at the end of the meet pending roster numbers.

None of the four set new personal bests, though Peplowski’s 1:57.04 was just five one-hundredths back of hers.

Grimes, coming off the 400 IM, was well back at the 150 but stormed home in 29.71, a faster closing split than Ledecky. Her final time of 1:57.33 was just shy of the PB she set in the semis (1:57.19).