2022 U.S. Trials: Day 5 Swims You Might Have Missed or Overlooked

2022 U.S. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS

• April 26-30, 2022
• Greensboro, NC
• Greensboro Aquatic Center
• LCM (50m)
• Start Times: Prelims – 9 am ET / Finals – 6 pm ET
• Worlds Qualifying Criteria
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• SwimSwam Pick ‘Em Contest
• How To Watch
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

The 2022 U.S. World Championships Trials concluded last night, so it’s time for our final installment of swims you may have missed. These posts focus on the swims from each day of the meet which might have flown under the radar, or not received a sufficient amount of coverage. The final day of the meet featured the women’s 1500 free, Men’s 800 free, the 200 IMs, and the 50 frees.

Let’s start with the women’s 1500 free, where 17-year-old Michaela Mattes out of Sarasota Sharks took 5th with a 16:23.44. The swim marks a personal best by 6 seconds for Mattes, coming in well under the 16:29.86 she set at the FL SZ South Sectionals meet in February of this year. Coming into 2022, Mattes had a personal best of 16:48.63, meaning she’s now dropped 25 seconds in 2022 already. With the swim, Mattes moves up to #30 all-time in the 17-18 age group.

La Mirada Armada’s Kayla Han, a 13-year-old, took 9th in the 1500 free yesterday, clocking a new personal best of 16:36.60. The swim chipped a second off her previous best of 16:37.59, which she swam at a La Mirada Armada hosted meet in January. Han has now moved up to #5 all-time among 13-year-olds, and #21 in the 13-14 age group. Bella Rongione is the fastest 13-year-old American in history, having swum a 16:27.23 at age 13.

In the women’s 200 IM ‘B’ final, a pair of 16-year-olds went 2:15 for the first time in their careers. Greater Somerset County Y’s Emily Thompson won the race, swimming a 2:15.63, with SwimAtlanta’s Katie Christopherson right behind in 2:15.76. For Christopherson the swim was a massive personal best. She entered the meet with a best time of 2:22.22, which she swam in May of 2021. Thompson’s personal best prior to yesterday’s final was a 2:16.24, which she swam last July. The duo traded the lead a few times during the race last night, but Thompson was able to run Christopherson down on the final 50, getting her hand on the wall first.

Winning the ‘C’ final of the men’s 200 IM, North Texas Nadadores 15-year-old Maximus Williamson posted a huge personal best of 2:01.45. Williamson entered the meet with a top mark of 2:06.36, then swam a 2:03.34 in prelims to qualify for the ‘C’ final. The 15-year-old flexed his backstroke ability in the heat, splitting a speedy 29.93 on the backstroke leg, which was faster than 3 of the swimmers in the ‘A’ final. Where he was at his best, however, was on the final 50, where he tore home in a stunning 27.73, which was the fastest free split of anybody in finals yesterday, including the ‘A’ finalists. With the swim, Williamson is now the fastest 15-year-old American all-time in the event.

In the men’s 50 free, 15-year-old Thomas Heilman won the ‘C’ final in 22.89. The swim puts Heilman #2 among 15-year-olds all-time in the U.S., just behind Michael Andrew, who swam a 22.82 at 15. Similarly, Diggory Dilligham, a 17-year-old out of BEND, swam a 22.48 in prelims yesterday to qualify for the ‘B’ final. He would go on to swim a 22.53 in finals, finishing 3rd in the ‘B’. With the 22.48, Dilligham is now already #18 all-time in the 17-18 boys age group.