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2017 U.S. NATIONALS/WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TRIALS
- Tuesday, June 27th-Saturday, July 1st
- 50-Meter Course
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Meet Info
- Prelims timelines
- Broadcast schedule
- Event-by-event previews
- Psych Sheets
Simone Manuel (photo: Mike Lewis)
Simone Manuel has been shockingly good in the 100 free over the past year. She was already a top-tier sprinter, but after pulling off a stunning upset to tie for gold in the 100 free at the Rio Olympics, she was arguably even more jaw-dropping at 2017 NCAAs. Swimming fans watched as Manuel stepped up for the 100 free final, waiting to witness what could possibly have been the first sub-46 100 free ever done by a woman. What followed was beyond expectation, as she shattered her own American Record in 45.56. Manuel, the heavy favorite ahead of Trials, now looks to break her own American Record in the long course pool, which stands at a 52.70 from the Rio olympics.
Abbey Weitzeil, who also represented the U.S. in this race in Rio, is the 2nd fastest swimmer on the psych sheets. She’s was slightly off her bests during the short course season and hasn’t been quite as fast in-season at the Arena Pro Swim Series meets as she was last year. But it’s still likely we’ll see her on the team even if only for the relay. If she hits her stride, she could be looking at a sub-53. She’s already been 53-low a couple of times, including a 53.28 at 2016 Trials.
After a phenomenal NCAA season, Mallory Comerford looks to be the biggest threat for a roster spot behind Manuel. She made huge improvements in 2016, knocking over a second off her time to make semifinals at Trials. She’s already been half a second faster than that in 2017, putting up a quick 53.91 at the Arena Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis. With her improvements so far this year, it’s not inconceivable to think Comerford could be 53-low to 53-mid. During the yards season, she knocked over a second and a half off her best time, bringing it down to a lightning fast 46.35 at NCAAs.
Amanda Weir (photo: Tim Binning)
It’ll likely take a sub-54 to make the top 6, and 3 more swimmers return after competing on the 400 free relay in Rio: Amanda Weir, Lia Neal, and Katie Ledecky. It’s hard to predict how fast Ledecky will be since she’s one of the few swimmers who doesn’t have to taper at all for Trials to make the team in her main events, but her personal best 53.75 is from an in-season meet anyways. Weir has been representing the U.S. internationally for over a decade. Her fastest time in a textile suit is a 53.58 from 2006, but she came within 2 hundredths of that last summer, so it’s safe to say she’s one of the Americans’ top prospects in Indianapolis. Like Weir, Neal is a veteran of the 400 free relay and has continued to improve since making her first Olympic team in 2012.
Kelsi Worrell narrowly missed making the Olympic relay with an 8th place finish at Trials and set a personal best 54.00. She’s been showing great freestyle speed at the Arena Pro Swim Series meets so far this season, so we could see her dip into the 53s to snag a spot. Similarly, 2016 Trials semifinalists Olivia Smoliga and Madison Kennedy have been 54-low and could potentially take a relay spot if they’re able to dip into the 53-high range. Kennedy was 9th at Trials and boasts a personal best 54.18. Smoliga has been just off that with her personal best 54.21 and showed blistering speed during the short course season with her 46.30 at NCAAs.
TOP 8 PREDICTIONS:
| Place | Swimmer | Best Time Since 2015 | Predicted Time |
| 1 | Simone Manuel | 52.7 | 52.5 |
| 2 | Mallory Comerford | 53.91 | 53.2 |
| 3 | Abbey Weitzeil | 53.28 | 53.5 |
| 4 | Lia Neal | 53.77 | 53.7 |
| 5 | Amanda Weir | 53.6 | 53.8 |
| 6 | Katie Ledecky | 53.75 | 53.8 |
| 7 | Olivia Smoliga | 54.21 | 54.0 |
| 8 | Kelsi Worrell | 54.00 | 54.0 |
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“She was already a top-tier sprinter, but after pulling off a stunning upset to tie for gold in the 100 free at the Rio Olympics, she was arguably even more jaw-dropping at 2017 NCAAs.”
There’s pretty much nothing she could have done this year “in the bathtub” that could live up to Rio. Like, even if she’d have gone a 44, it just wouldn’t have been the same.
A gigantic upset Olympic gold medal is pretty much always going to be magnitudes ahead of any yards swim.
Is it just me, or is Mallory Comerford just ADORABLE?!!
adorable is not a swimming adjective I would say she is a bad ass mofo about to drop some bombs
Ledecky will be MUCH fresher than she was at Trials. I think she has a chance just as any other swimmer to qualify.
Prelim heat #13 tomorrow Smoliga vs Weitzeil vs Comerford. ?
What’s the event order tomorrow night? Will ledecky swim the 800 before or after the 100. Also if she gets top 2 in this event does she plan to take the individual spot or give it to the third place finisher since she already has a huge schedule?
100 before 800
Manuel
Neal
Worrell
Smoliga
Comerford
Ivey
1. Simone Manuel 53.30
2. Lia Neal 53.59
3. Mallory Comerford 53.63
4. Kelsi Worrell 53.78
5. Abbey Weitzel 53.84
6. Katie Ledecky 53.95
7. Olivia Smoliga 54.08
8. Isabel Ivey 54.19
(Amanda Weir swims 53.79 in B Final)
I don’t feel great about Weitzeil and Weir being top 6. Worrell has looked great this year so I’d give her a top 6 spot. Excited to see if someone younger (Ivey, Merrell, Ariola) can steal a finals spot away.