Caeleb Dressel Scratches Again; Ryan Lochte Drops 400 IM on Day 3 at Nationals

2019 PHILLIPS 66 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

American swimmer Caeleb Dressel, fresh off his 8 total medal performance at the World Championships, has scratched another event at the 2019 US National Championships on Friday. He won’t swim the 100 fly, which was one of his 4 individual gold medals at Worlds last week, just as he didn’t swim the 100 free and 200 free on Wednesday and Thursday.

While it was believed that Dressel would eventually race this weekend in Stanford, he still hasn’t through day 3 of the 5 day championship. He still has remaining entries in the 100 breast, 200 IM, and 50 free in the final 2 days of the meet.

Other Worlds team member scratches include Mallory Comerford out of the 100 fly and Hali Flickinger out of the 400 IM. Neither swimmer is in California. Regan Smith, meanwhile, will swim the 100 fly, keeping with her trend of swimming all of her entries aside from the backstrokes in which she broke World Records in Gwangju. The anticipation has deflated just a little, because while Smith has been pretty good, and won the 200 fly title, she hasn’t shown the otherworldly speed this week that we saw from her at Worlds.

Another big scratch on the day comes from Dressel’s fellow Florida alum Ryan Lochte, who was scheduled to swim the 400 IM. In his first meet back from a 14-month suspension for receiving an IV in violation of FINA anti-doping rules, Lochte’s swims have been mixed. On day 1, he swam a 1:57.88 in a 200 IM time trial, which makes him the 4th-fastest American in the event this season. His 200 free on Thursday, however, saw him swim a 1:50.25 in the 200 free, finishing 37th and short of qualifying for any finals.

Lochte is still scheduled to swim the 100 fly on Friday morning, where he’s seeded in an early heat.

Other Scratches:

  • Worlds swimmer Ella Eastin and her Stanford teammate Allie Raab have scratched out of the 400 IM, where she was seeded 10th, but would have bumped up to 8th without Eastin or Flickinger racing. Neither has raced yet at this meet in spite of being in their home pool.
  • The 10th seed in the 100 fly, Umitcan Gures, has scratched. The rising Harvard sophomore is a Turkish national and holds individual Turkish Records in 3 events.

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Leavingonthetop
5 years ago

Lochte wouldve went 4:12 and won 400im

Wahooswimfan
5 years ago

Pro swimmers often have contractual
Obligations to sponsors to make an appearance at big meets such as this – so they may enter and do one event to fulfill those obligations. I would bet Lochtes and Dressel each only swim once –

DMacNCheez
Reply to  Wahooswimfan
5 years ago

Well Lochte is about to swim his 3rd race so this ain’t it chief

David
5 years ago

He’s scratched the 100 and 50 fly and free as well as the im’s
What’s left
Doggie paddle?

A$AP Pocky
5 years ago

Ryan Lochte looks like a system quarterback

Kristiina
Reply to  A$AP Pocky
5 years ago

No. He results too bad after timetrial swim what can not watch everyone. Also he is bar again yesterday eveneng with retired Cullen Jones. No pro.

The Original Tim
5 years ago

Hey, at least Dressel actually scratched ahead of time today, unlike yesterday’s no-show. Making progress!

Ol’ Longhorn
5 years ago

Dressel after a weeks worth of pre-workout = Macho Man Randy Savage. I can see Dressel flying off the top rope.

Samesame
Reply to  Ol’ Longhorn
5 years ago

What is the pre-workout that everyone mentions? Sorry , I don’t know .

Philip Johnson
5 years ago

It’s inevitable for all of us, even Olympic champion swimmers (although Phelps has kept his physique it looks like).

dmswim
Reply to  Philip Johnson
5 years ago

Phelps has the advantage of having cut out drinking in his post-professional life. Keeping your physique is a lot easier when you go from drinking excessively while working out a lot to working out less and not drinking at all.

The Original Tim
Reply to  Philip Johnson
5 years ago

Lochte’s just a bit older than me, but I’m pretty proud to say that in my full blown dad-bodding-30s, I’ve set several lifetime PRs, so look out 1:54.00, Lochte’s coming for ya! 😀

iLikePsych
5 years ago

Even the piano is relieved Lochte scratched the 4IM

Smith-King-Dahlia-Manuel
Reply to  iLikePsych
5 years ago

The piano is temporarily unemployed and is looking for another suitor.

Cal fan
Reply to  Smith-King-Dahlia-Manuel
5 years ago

He’s on an all expenses paid vacation after Chad La Clos 200 fly at world

Mr Piano
Reply to  Cal fan
5 years ago

Nah

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Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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