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 3 Finals Live Stream
- Psych Sheets
- Wave II Live Results
- Day 3 Finals Heat Sheet
Reported by James Sutherland.
MEN’S 100 BACK FINAL
- World Record: Ryan Murphy (USA) – 51.85 (2016)
- American Record: Ryan Murphy (USA) – 51.85 (2016)
- US Open Record: Aaron Peirsol (USA) – 51.94 (2009)
- World Junior Record: Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) – 52.53 (2018)
- 2016 Olympic Champion: Ryan Murphy (USA) – 51.97
- 2016 US Olympic Trials Champion: Ryan Murphy – 52.26
- Wave I Cut: 56.59
- Wave II Cut: 55.51
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 53.85
- Ryan Murphy (CAL), 52.33
- Hunter Armstrong (OSU), 52.48
- Shaine Casas (TAMU), 52.76
Ryan Murphy held off an unbelievable late push from the upstart Hunter Armstrong to win his second straight Olympic Trials 100 backstroke title in a time of 52.33, adding just over a tenth to his season-best (52.22) from last night.
That swim from the semi-finals ranks Murphy second in the 2020-21 world rankings.
Armstrong, a 20-year-old out of Ohio State, surprised many when he popped off with a 52.67 swim in the semi-finals, and he went almost a full two-tenths quicker tonight to make the team (most likely) in the second spot.
Turning seventh at the 50 in 25.73, Armstrong turned on the jets coming back, marking the only swimmer in the field to close sub-27 in 26.78. That moved him past early leader Shaine Casas to snag the runner-up spot in 52.48, making him the fifth-fastest American of all-time.
Casas, who owns a PB of 52.72, blasted out in 25.18 but faded a bit coming home, taking third in 52.76, while Bryce Mefford went sub-53 for the third time in two days for fourth in 52.91.
Two of the men expected to challenge for the second spot coming into the meet, Justin Ress and 2012 Olympic champ Matt Grevers, finished fifth and sixth in 53.00 and 53.27, respectively.
I’m so sorry that you didn’t make the Olympic team! Thank you for giving me an autograph I used to cut your hair over at Cost in Tucson Arizona. You were training over at the University of Arizona. I sure was looking for you but hopefully maybe you can do the next time
Wow his torso is godly. Lochte, 36, looks like a 36 year old in good shape. Grevers, 36, looks like a 24 year old fitness model. And he’s 6’8
Amazing career btw and a really nice guy. I once changed next to him in a locker room and I felt like a toddler.
Is he going to compete in the 100 fly or 50 free?
It’s fun seeing him do non backstroke events.
I was hoping to see him the 100 free today.
Anyone know if there’s video of the standing o? Maybe on social media somewhere (like the Jake Mitchell 400 time trial)?
Grevers is like school two days after Labor Day. All class
Much love❤️
I’ve met Matt a couple of times at USMS Nationals, back in 2015 and again in 2019. I really appreciated and got a kick out of how he spent time just walking around and chatting with various swimmers long after he swam his races. I didn’t get a chance to chat with him in 2015, just a picture (every time he was walking by I was racing or warming up/down), but I did get a chance to chat with him in 2019. I’ve chatted with plenty of other people, including other Olympians, who’ve clearly just been in those situations because they’re obligated to, but he genuinely seemed to enjoy talking with folks from all walks of life about swimming, asking… Read more »
There is a life outside swimming. These guys need to embrace it and move on. Never understand why it is so hard for these older guys to move on, and they keep hanging around trying to make Oly in their 30’s. He has as nice family, and sounds like another job, he will be fine.
If you’ve still got the fire, support around you, and that ability…. Why not? It’s human nature to want to close a chapter on your terms, if you have decided it is time. He’s held up amazingly well. Going that fast at 36? Wow. Live doing what you love as long as possible? That’s most people’s dream.
He medaled at worlds in 2017 and was still one of the best in the world through 2019. He was another athlete where the extra year hurt his chances even more. He’s faster than GB’s 100 backstroker and nearly going 52 at 36, that’s not “hanging around”, he’d make the olympics if he swam for any other country in the world. Anothony Ervin, David Plummer and even Phelps to a certain extent had some of the best swims in their careers in their 30’s so it’s not a futile thing to try and stay in the sport, especially when he’s such an amazing figure and ambassador for USA swimming
Well aren’t you just a ray of sunshine…
Good point. Tom Brady should have retired years ago. Jordan should have never come back after his first retirement. Anthony should have walked away after winning in 2000. Dara swimming in 2008 was selfish.
Spot on bud
Matt has a full life outside of swimming. He has a day job and runs a business as well as a family.
Training 2 to 3 hours a day is the mental break from all that.