Jordan Wilimovsky Becomes 1st American to Double in Pool & Open Water

2016 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS

On Sunday evening, in the final race of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, Jordan Wilimovsky finished 2nd in the men’s 1500 free. He swam 14:49.19, which was 1.5 seconds behind the winner Connor Jaeger but 17 seconds ahead of the 3rd-place finisher, which qualified him again for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team.

That makes Wilimovsky the first American ever to qualify for the Olympic Games in both open water and the pool in the same year.

That designation will carry a special challenge in 2016. If Wilimovsky finals at the Olympics in the 1500, he will swim that race on the 13th, and the open water 10k just 3 days later on the 16th.

That’s the closest the two races have ever been together in the three editions of open water swimming at the Olympics. In 2008, the men’s 10k took place 4 days after the 1500m final, and in 2012 it was a whopping 6 days later.

Wilimovsky is not the first swimmer from anywhere to pull double duty. Famously, Ous Mellouli took bronze in the 1500 and then gold in the 10k in London four years ago, though as mentioned he had twice as big of a gap as Wilimovsky will. American Chloe Sutton swam the 400 at the 2012 Olympics in the pool and the 10k in 2008 in open water.

Wilimovsky is the defending World Champion in the 10km open water marathon swim. He’s training with his home club, Team Santa Monica in California, while taking a redshirt season from Northwestern University.

 

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Marc Lubner
8 years ago

Incredible result for a great guy ! Family all so impressed !

Swim Fan
8 years ago

Jordon, work on your turns! Rowdy noticed that you lost about 0.3 second per wall. Cut that in half and you can beat Connor since you only lost to him by 1.5 seconds overall. I would love to see you medal in both events, the 10K and the 1500. Go for it!

Human Ambition
Reply to  Swim Fan
8 years ago

He is significantly shorter than CJ and therefore loses by anthopometry in each turn. This is not the case in open water.

Tina Sartorius
8 years ago

So very proud of you, racing down your dream

Tina Sartorius
8 years ago

So proud of you, racing down your dream

Attila the Hunt
8 years ago
Michelle Oswald
8 years ago

Can’t wait for Rio!!!! Congrats to Jordan and Coach Dave!!!!!! Proud of you guys!!!!

Conor
8 years ago

No ous meluli was in it

Kim Franz
8 years ago

Congrats to Jordan and the Wilimovsky family!!!

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Braden Keith

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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