Despite not being quite at her best, Abbey Weitzeil punched her ticket to a third straight Olympic Games at the U.S. Trials last month in Indianapolis.
The 27-year-old placed 5th in the women’s 100 freestyle, earning her a nod on the U.S. women’s 400 free relay in Paris, and she also neared qualifying individually in the 50 free, placing 3rd.
Speaking with California outlet City News Service, Weitzeil admitted that she felt a bit ‘off’ at the Trials, and revealed she tested positive for COVID-19 after the meet.
“I was a little tired. I don’t want that to be a headline, that she had COVID at the Olympic Trials,” Weitzeil said. “I found out after I had tested positive for COVID after I got home. I think I had COVID at the meet.”
In the 100 free, Weitzeil got slower through each of the three rounds, clocking 53.56 in the prelims, 53.66 in the semis and 53.70 in the final—all shy of the season-best 53.53 she set at the U.S. Open in December.
“I was going through a lot. I was really tired and I didn’t know why,” she said.
In the 50 free, the former Cal Golden Bear rebounded with a solid showing in the final, touching in 24.26 to set a new season-best after having gone 24.27 at the San Antonio Pro Swim in April.
Last year, Weitzeil was on career-best form at the U.S. National Championships, setting lifetime bests of 24.00 in the 50 free and 52.92 in the 100 free, qualifying to swim both races at the 2023 World Championships where she finished 4th and 6th, respectively.
Her times from the 2023 Nationals would’ve been fast enough to qualify individually at the Olympic Trials. Simone Manuel (24.13) and Gretchen Walsh (24.15) went 1-2 in the 50 free, while Kate Douglass (52.56) and Torri Huske (52.93) placed 1st and 2nd in the 100 free.
A four-time Olympic medalist, Weitzeil recently told City News Service she no longer had symptoms and will travel with Team USA to training camp in Croatia after they wrapped up the first stage of their Olympic prep in Cary, North Carolina.
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Weitzeil admitted she was emotional watching the Olympic Trials this year, riding the highs and lows of the most pressure-packed meet on Earth.
“I was crying happy tears, crying sad tears for people,” she said. “It was a great, great meet to watch and feel those happy emotions and also just a stressful time.
“It was hard but I’m super happy.”
One of the veteran members of the U.S. roster, Weitzeil said she is embracing her new role on the Olympic team.
“I have a different role than I’m used to having on Team USA. I think I’m just grateful to be part of it.”
Heading to Paris having won a medal in the women’s 400 free and 400 medley relays in both Rio and Tokyo, Weitzeil will surely race the prelims of the 400 free relay at the Games, and a fast split there could lead to more opportunities throughout the meet.
Anyone heard about this??? Kaii Winkler switched to Germany
The entries are up on the World Aquatics website.
Some surprises:
Perkins was mentioned on here about a week ago. Someone had inside information.
Hafnaoui seems to be entered too.
I don’t see Hafnaoui entered.
How does it work when an athlete replaces another who was expected to enter the event? Does the replacement athlete have to also meet the Olympic qualifying standard?
Yes
What else is Steenburgen swimming? (I thought she was just 100/200 free, so that’d be interesting.)
100 free and 200 IM
Thank you Mr. Troyy!!! Smart move by Summer.
Technical question: Why can she qualify for the team as the 5th placed swimmer (relay only?) whereas the 4th placed swimmer of the Lithuanian relay cannot swim there according to World aquatics. Is it about the time that she achieved in the trials?
Yes it’s about the 4 other team members either being selected for another event or having the A cut.
That’s unfortunate for Abbey and I’m glad she was able to make the team.
I do not know what protocols Abbey took to avoid illness prior to the meet, and my comment is not intended to blame Abbey for having COVID. However, I’m routinely shocked by how few swimmers appear (based on social media) to mask when traveling. Elite swimmers often post pics/ videos of themselves or their teammates on planes and they basically never have face masks on. I know masks aren’t perfect, but they still filter out the majority of viral particles.
These athletes make huge sacrifices; waking up early to train in a cold pool, hours in the weight room, limited social life outside of… Read more »
Agree completely. The sensible thing in my view is to mask when sick and the week or two leading up to big events (vacation, important weddings, the Olympics…). And it’s certainly not just (or even mostly) about COVID–no one wants the flu during vacation, or to have their training disrupted by a cold leading up to the biggest competition of their lives. I had hoped some of the East Asian mask culture would wear off on Americans during COVID, but no such luck.
One swim in the heats of the W 4 x 100 FR-R and that’s it.
I think we should shut down everything again. The Olympics should be virtual. Maybe the athletes can compete through Wii or something like that
I hope she’s healthy 100%. USA needs her in the relays.
Not really. Gretchen Simone Kate Tori.
Yes she is a good relay swimmer..I don’t trust gretchen in that relay…huske witzel Manuel Douglas…for the final
Weitzel always delivers in relays.
Her splits last year were quite mixed.
I not wearing never mask. Ilness person must stay home with very hard illness just like 2021. I cured two time and I having mild long covid. I am unvaccinated person with milder underling conditions. I am not afraid ICU. Death risk is very low by women under 40 years age and 4times lower than males.
You have long covid but won’t wear a mask and you are unvaccinated? Truly?
Yes, I want freedom. Without mask is better breathing. My long covid is very mild: fatigue, I need Livol multi vitamins every day, hand mild motor problems. I can still swim.
Health professionals wear masks and they can still breathe. So can my asthmatic sister.
This is individual. Health workers is healthly persons.. I want not wearing after mandates. Never.
if you had masked back then you might be a healthy person now
Also I hoped Michael Andrew make olympic team. He not do olympic team.
ahh damn you took it too far
the troll always reveals itself 😭😭😭
I think I love you