2021 U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS

• When:
  • Wave I Dates: June 4-7, 2021
  • Wave II Dates: June 13-20, 2021
• Prelims: 10am CDT | Finals: 7pm CDT
• Where: CHI Health Center / Omaha, Nebraska
• 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Cuts
• Wave I & II Event Order
• LCM (50m)
• Day 5 Finals Live Stream
• Psych Sheets
• Wave II Live Results

200 fly champion Hali Flickinger, and the top four men in the 100 free — Caeleb Dressel, Zach Apple, Blake Pieroni, and Brooks Curry fielded questions shortly after the end of Thursday night’s session at the 2021 US Olympic Trials.

Asked about tonight’s race, Dressel said that he

…thought that was one of the most technically correct 100 Frees I’ve swum, so really happy with my approach to that.  Parts of this meet that are quite unfortunate. I wish 100 Free was a little bit earlier so I could get the weight off my shoulders, but I’m fine with where we are at right now. I’m looking forward to 100 Fly tomorrow and then 50 Free after that. 

Dressel was asked about the possibility of Florida sweeping the men’s freestyles. Current Gators Kieran Smith has won the 200 and 400 free, and Bobby Finke won the 800 tonight.

I look up to both those guys. I don’t care if they’re younger than me, what they brought to the university. I’ve learned things from both of them, so we’ll keep the ball rolling. I’m not guaranteed any wins or anything like that, sweeping the freestyle events. I’ve got a butterfly event to swim tomorrow so I’m focused on that. 

Flickinger, who is a University of Georgia alum who recently made the switch to train under Bob Bowman at Arizona State, described how the training environment there has helped her.

ASU took a year off of college swimming, so I got to spend every day with them. We were all on the same schedule. I just was able to spend so much time with them, which I think really helped relieve my mind, because I was just having fun and enjoying it. Yeah. 

WOMEN’S 200 FLY FINAL

• World Record: Liu Zige (CHN) – 2:01.81 (2009)
• American Record: Mary Descenza – 2:04.14 (2009)
• US Open Record: Hali Flickinger (USA) – 2:05.87 (2018)
• World Junior Record: Suzuka Hasegawa (JPN) – 2:06.29 (2017)
• 2016 Olympic Champion: Mireia Belmonte Garcia (ESP) – 2:04.85
• 2016 US Olympic Trials Champion: Cammile Adams – 2:06.80
• Wave I Cut: 2:14.59
• Wave II Cut: 2:12.56
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 2:08.43

1. Hali Flickinger (SUN), 2:05.85 US
2. Regan Smith (RIPT), 2:06.99
3. Charlotte Hook (TAC), 2:07.92

As we’ve seen numerous times over the past few years, Hali Flickinger and Regan Smith locked horns once again in the women’s 200 fly final, with Smith, as usual, jumping on the early lead.

Flickinger didn’t let her get away, however, and the two turned almost dead-even at the 100, just under 1:00. Flickinger pulled away on the last 50, out-splitting Smith by almost a full second in 33.12, as she earns the right to represent the U.S. in this event at a second straight Olympics.

Flickinger took one back for the veterans, in a sense, as we’ve seen the youngsters come out on top in a lot of the events recently, especially on the women’s side.

Oh, and Flickinger’s time was pretty good too.

Her 2:05.85 improves on her personal best by .02, set in 2018, lowering her own U.S. Open Record. The UGA grad notably changed training bases, joining Bob Bowman at ASU, after winning silver at the 2019 Worlds in this event.

Smith held on for second in 2:06.99, six-tenths off her PB, to add a second event in Tokyo.

17-year-old TAC Titan Charlotte Hook made a valiant charge late in the race, ultimately taking third in 2:07.92. Hook was a PB of 2:07.87 in 2019.