Gabriel Jett Builds on Freshman Campaign, Now 7th-Fastest US Man Ever in 200 Fly

2022 US SUMMER NATIONALS

• Tuesday July 26 – Saturday, July 29, 2018
• William Woollett Aquatics Center, Irvine, CA
• Prelims 9 AM / Finals 5 PM (U.S. Pacific Time)
• Meet website
• Meet information
• Psych Sheet
• OMEGA Live Results
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap

19 year-old Gabriel Jett rocketed up the all-time 200 fly rankings among US men, ultimately securing a national title with a stunning 1:54.37 in the 200 fly on the first night of the 2022 US Summer National Championships. Jett came into the day with a lifetime best of 1:56.58 from April’s US Trials, and he shaved a bit off of his best time this morning with a 1:56.35 in prelims.

But the big swim came in finals. Jett went out fast, hitting the halfway point in 54.28 (25.85/28.43), but held it together on the back half, splitting 29.54 and 30.55 to touch in 1:54.37. That time makes him the 7th-fastest American performer ever.

ALL-TIME TOP US PERFORMERS, 200 FLY

1. Michael Phelps, 1:51.51 – 2009
2. Tyler Clary, 1:53.64 – 2009
3. Carson Foster, 1:53.67 – 2022
4. Luca Urlando, 1:53.84 – 2019
5. Gil Stovall, 1:53.86 – 2008
6. Trenton Julian, 1:54.22 – 2022
7. Gabriel Jett, 1:54.37 – 2022

Jett’s time tonight would be competitive on the international stage. 1:54.37 is good enough to have put him into the finals at last month’s World Championships in Budapest, where it would have finished in 5th place – ahead of the actual 5th place finisher, American Luca Urlando. The other American entry at Worlds, Trenton Julian, finished 16th.

Only Phelps and Urlando have been faster as teenagers, among Americans, than Jett.

That swim tonight echos what Jett was able to do in yards this last season as freshman member of the Cal Bears team. He was a “Best of the Rest” ranked recruit coming out of the class of 2021, but he continued to drop massive time in Berkeley.

Time Drops in Freshman Season at Cal (Yards):

Jett hit most of those best times prior to championship season, but he still came up with a couple big swims at NCAAs. His hit 1:40.22 in the 200 fly A-finals,  earning a 6th place and 13 points for the Bears. On the opening night of the meet, Jett split 1:31.54 on the 800 free relay, helping Cal to a 4th-place finish.

Cal will need Jett and other underclassmen to contribute after finally losing one of the best classes in recent history, including Daniel Carr, Bryce Mefford, Reece Whitley, and Trenton Julian. With another year of experience under belt and big-time swim pedigree – his parents Scott Jett and Kristie (Krueger) Jett combined for 31 All-America honors while at Auburn – Jett appears to be a burgeoning star for the Bears, and possibly for Team USA as well.