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Disclaimer: Swim of the Week is not meant to be a conclusive selection of the best overall swim of the week, but rather one Featured Swim to be explored in deeper detail. The Swim of the Week is an opportunity to take a closer look at the context of one of the many fast swims this week, perhaps a swim that slipped through the cracks as others grabbed the headlines, or a race we didn’t get to examine as closely in the flood of weekly meets.
William Carrico delivered in a big way last weekend, punching his ticket to the U.S. Olympic Trials in two events with a pair of massive personal best times.
Competing at the Gamecock Aquatics’ Columbia Classic, Carrico started out by swimming the 400 IM solo on Friday, dropping more than five seconds from his newly-minted best time to get well under the Trials cut and lock in a lane at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Carrico put up a time of 4:22.92, getting under the OT standard of 4:25.19 and crushing his previous PB of 4:28.20, set in early March. Coming into the long course season, Carrico’s best time stood at 4:34.52.
April 10 ➡️ April 26
Hard work paid off. Freshman William Carrico will be representing UNCW and Phoenix Swimming Club at the 2024 US Olympic Trials. pic.twitter.com/XuJJSLr4Ig
— uncwswimdive (@uncwswimdive) April 27, 2024
A rising sophomore at UNC Wilmington, Carrico is coming off an impressive freshman year with the Seahawks, winning CAA conference titles in the 500 free (4:21.66) and 400 IM (3:47.31) while being the runner-up in the 200 breast (1:56.28).
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Following his performance in the 400 IM on Friday, Carrico was back in the water on Saturday, solidifying another Trials cut in the 200 breast.
The 19-year-old brought his best time down four seconds in 2:15.61, dipping under the Trials standard of 2:15.99.
That performance marked Carrico’s first best time in the event in nearly two years, with his previous mark of 2:19.70 set at the 2022 U.S. Junior National Championships.
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Dang, no drop for TWO years and then FOUR seconds!
Your call!
The 3 down votes are people realizing UNCW will win the CAA for the foreseeable future.
Congrats William!!!! So happy for you!!!