2017 U.S. NATIONALS/WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TRIALS
- Tuesday, June 27th-Saturday, July 1st
- 50-Meter Course
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Meet Info
- Prelims timelines
- Broadcast schedule
- Event-by-event previews
- Psych Sheets
Olympic and Georgia Bulldog teammates Melanie Margalis and Hali Flickinger have both entered tough doubles with their 200 frees on day 2 of U.S. Summer Nationals.
Margalis has entered the 200 free and 200 breast, which run back-to-back on Wednesday. The lineup creates for a tough call for Margalis. She made the U.S. Olympic team in the 200 free, finishing 6th at Olympic Trials. She’s also currently ranked #2 among Americans in that event this season, trailing only Olympic champ Katie Ledecky.
But she’s also the third-ranked American in the 200 breast, and actually finished higher in that race (5th) at Olympic Trials than she did in the 200 free.
It’d be a tall order to swim both, so the likely scenario is that Margalis chooses to scratch one as the meet gets closer. On the other hand, Margalis is a pretty tough swimmer who has no events on day 1 or day 3, so swimming both the 200 free and 200 breast on day 2 might be a possibility.
Flickinger, meanwhile, is doubling up on the 200 free and 200 back. The 200 breast is between those two events, which would make the double more doable for Flickinger, if she doesn’t choose to scratch one. Neither of those events was Flickinger’s ticket to the Olympics last summer; she did that in the 200 fly, which happens on day 1 of nationals.
Flickinger did make semifinals of the 200 free at Trials last summer, and placed 24th in the 200 back. She currently ranks 8th among Americans in the 200 free this season, which puts her in range of a relay slot in an event that should take the top 6 finishers to Worlds. But with 2016 Olympic champ Maya DiRado retired out of the 200 back and 2012 Olympic champ Missy Franklin sitting the summer out, Flickinger sits 4th this season in a field without many experienced stars, which might make an easier road to a World Champs roster spot.
Update: Texas Longhorn pro Madisyn Cox has entered the same 200 free/200 breast double as Margalis. Cox is more likely to prioritize the breaststroke, where she ranks #2 nationwide for the season.
