Emma Weyant

View Current photo via courtesy of Jack Spitser

Emma Weyant is a competitive swimmer and member of the 2020 and 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Teams. At the 2020 Olympic Games she won a silver medal in the 400 IM with a time of 4:32.76.

Emma was ranked as the #11 recruit in the class of 2020 on SwimSwam’s Top 20 NCAA Recruits list. On April 28, 2019, Weyant announced her verbal commitment to swim at the University of Virginia.

College

2021-2022 (Virginia)

In her freshman season at UVA, Weyant was an immediate contributor. At her first ACCs, she won the 500 free (4:37.23), placed 2nd in the 400 IM (4:04.80), and finished 5th in the 1,650 (16:15.14).

At the NCAA Championships, she placed 2nd in the 500 free (4:34.99), 4th in the 400 IM (4:03.17), and 20th in the 1,650 (16:08.34). She also swam on UVA’s 2nd place 800 free relay, splitting 1:44.80 on the anchor leg.

After her freshman season, Weyant entered the NCAA transfer portal. On July 24, 2022, she announced she would be returning to her home state and transferring to Florida.

2022-2023 (Florida)

It was unclear if/when Weyant would be eligible to compete for Florida one she arrived there. However, by the start of the spring semester (January 2023), Weyant was eligible for competition, once again making an immediate impact on her new team.

At the SEC Championships, Weyant placed 3rd in the 500 free (4:37.96), won the 400 IM (4:01.18), and placed 7th in the 200 back (1:54.06). She also helped the gators to a win in the 800 free relay.

At the NCAA Championships, Weyant placed 6th in the 500 free (4:38.46), 3rd in the 400 IM (4:03.50), and 13th in the 1,650 (16:01.59).

2023-24 (Florida)

Against her former team, UVA, Weyant showed excellent form. She dropped a nation-leading 4:39.22 in the 500 free. Then she went 4:07.51 in the 400 IM and posted a 1:45.16 personal-best 200 free.

At the Georgia Invite, Weyant started things off with a 4:35.71 500 free. That sort of got lost in the noise as she placed 4th in the final but was still under the 2023 NCAA winning time. Overall, that swift final was indicative of a massive 500 free revitalization in the 2023-24 season since a post-COVID lull. Weyant was later 4:03.65 in her 400 IM, a season-best. 

Weyant stayed pretty under the radar through the winter but emerged at SEC Championships in amazing form. She kicked things off with a 1:43.33 split in the 800 free relay to help the Gators break the SEC and SEC championship records. 

The next morning, Weyant moved through the 500 free prelims easily with a 4:38.83 for 2nd. She dropped the hammer in finals. Leading by a few tenths at the 100 with a 52.46,  Weyant extended that lead to nearly 2 seconds at the finish to win in a new PB of 4:34.25

It was a similar story in the 400 IM, with Weyant taking the top seed in the final with a 4:04.62. In the final, teammate Zoe Dixon led Weyant for 300 yards but Weyant split a 55.12 on freestyle to win in a similarly dominant fashion to the 500 free. Weyant wrapped things up the next night with a 15:54.62 1650 for 2nd. Both that time and her 100 split of 9:35.11 marked new PBs.

At NCAAs, Weyant looked to be in her best-ever form. Things started off well, With Weyant splitting a 1:42.90 in UF’s 800 free relay which won a national title. 

In the 500 the following morning, Weyant was just inches off her 500 free best time with a 4:34.32 for pole position into the final. There, teammate Bella Sims and Weyant pulled off a rare 1-2 respectively. Sims was out quickly, leading wire to wire. Weyant sat 3rd for the first 200 but just sneaked ahead of Anna Peplowski and built a solid lead over Peplowski by the 450. Peplowski charged home but Weyant held her off for 2nd behind Sims in 4:33.70. 

In the 400 IM, Weyant clocked a new PB in prelims with a 4:00.98 to claim the top seed. In the final, it was all Weyant’s former teammate Alex Walsh (3:55.97) but Weyant used a well-balanced race with a blistering final 100 split of 54.48 to secure a second runner-up finish in 3:59.00.

Weyant wrapped up her meet in the mile. She looked excellent through the 1000, sitting 2nd with s 9:32.20 but Weyant was passed by a few swimmers over the back 650 as she placed 5th in a new PB of 15:49.51.

International Career

2018 Jr Pan Pacific Championships (Suva, Fiji)

At the 2018 Jr Pan pacs, Weyant took gold in the 400 IM, posting a top time of 4:40.64.

2019 Summer Nationals (Palo Alto, California)

In Palo Alto, Weyant turned heads by taking a win in the 400 IM, winning with a time of 4:35.47. She also won the 200 free B-final and got 10th in the 400 free and 1500.

2021 Olympic Trials

On the first night in Omaha, Weyant surprised once again by taking the win in the 400 IM, dropping a big PB of 4:33.81 to top perennial favorites in the event and qualify for her first Olympic team.

2021 Olympic Games

Weyant took full advantage of her only individual event at her first Olympic Games, swimming a back-half strong race to touch for 2nd in a personal best of 4:32.76 in the 400 IM earning a silver medal.

2022 World Championships

After once again qualifying for team USA at the world championship team trials in the 400 IM, Weyant made the most of her one event in Budapest. On the last day of the meet, Weyant was able to clock a 4:36.00 in the final of the 400 IM and touch for 3rd behind Summer McIntosh and her USA teammate, Katie Grimes. This earned Weyant a bronze medal.

2024 US Olympic Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)

In the 400 IM final, Weyant let Grimes get out to a big lead over the first 200 meters, nearly 4 seconds back. On the breast leg, Weyant and Lilla Bognar surged to be right about even with Grimes. Weyant split 39.05/40.23 on that 100. Down the stretch, Grimes and Weyant separated themselves from Bognar with 31-second splits. Grimes found a little more than Weyant on the final 50 but Weyant still secured a likely bid to a 2nd Olympics with a 4:35.56.

International Medals

Place Event Year Meet
Silver 400 I.M. 2021 Olympic Games
Bronze 400 I.M. 2022 World Championships

Best Times

Course Event Time Date Meet
lcm 200 Free 1:58.36 08/01/19 2019 Summer Nationals
Palo Alto, California
lcm 400 Free 4:09.07 08/03/19 2019 Summer Nationals
Palo Alto, California
lcm 400 IM 4:32.76 07/24/21 2020 Olympic Games
Tokyo, Japan
scy 500 Free 4:33.70 03/21/24 2024 NCAA Championships
Athens, Georgia
scy 1000 Free 9:32.20 03/23/24 2024 NCAA Championships
Athens, Georgia
scy 1650 Free 15:49.51 03/23/24 2024 NCAA Championships
Athens, Georgia
scy 400 IM 3:59.00 03/22/24 2024 NCAA Championships
Athens, Georgia
Emma Weyant (photo: Jack Spitser) Emma Weyant (photo: Jack Spitser) Emma Weyant (photo: Jack Spitser) Emma Weyant (photo: Jack Spitser) Emma Weyant (photo: Jack Spitser) Emma Weyant (photo: Jack Spitser) Emma Weyant (photo: Jack Spitser)