Michael Andrew Scratches 100 Fly For Day 6 Prelims of U.S. Trials

2021 U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS

Fourth-seeded Michael Andrew will not swim the 100 fly on Friday morning, instead gearing up for the evening’s 200 IM final and his shot at a second Olympic event.

That’s a bit of a departure from his early Olympic Trials strategy. The 22-year-old Andrew took on a challenging 100 breast/100 back double early in the meet, despite many expecting him to scratch the back and focus in on the breast. Andrew still made the Olympic team with a 100 breast win, though the final wound up closer than either the heats or semifinals were.

Andrew also led heats and semifinals of the 200 IM on Thursday. He would have been a top candidate to make the Olympic team in the 100 fly, given his American record 100 breast and career-bests in the 200 IM. But the 100 fly/200 IM double Friday night would have been even tougher than his 100 breast/100 back double, and Andrew has scratched out of heats of the fly, using the morning to rest up for his 200 IM final at night.

Two other top-10 seeds scratched events for Friday morning. Alex Walsh is out of the 200 back – she qualified for her first Olympic team via a 200 IM win on Wednesday. Ashley Twichell is out of the 800 free – she’s already earned an Olympic berth in the open water 10K and was 5th in Wednesday’s 1500 free.

All scratches from the top 40 seeds:

Women’s 800 free

  • #7 Ashley Twichell
  • #11 Emma Weyant
  • #23 Claire Tuggle
  • #27 Kendall Dawson
  • #39 Kristen Cornish

Men’s 100 fly

Women’s 200 Back

  • #7 Alex Walsh
  • #12 Claire Curzan
  • #21 Amy Bilquist

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Anti-Hoosier
3 years ago

Michael Andrew is the most over hyped swimmer in the last 30 years.

Cheesehead swim
3 years ago

I really really hope Ryan held beats MA in the 50 and gets on the team for sure, cuz I’m scared he won’t make it with the 6th in the 100

Swimlikefishdrinklikefish
Reply to  Cheesehead swim
3 years ago

I think held will make it for the relay, suprised he wouldn’t take a run at the fly tho

WhoGoesHere
3 years ago

After his 50.80, and the way he swims prelims at this meet, I’d love to see a 50 low. I was hoping for a prelim all-out swim, then scratch semis. But his 200 IM should be the priority. After the meet, maybe a 100 fly time trial? Just for a best time (and a new article on this site).

BillyBob
Reply to  WhoGoesHere
3 years ago

I’d pay $50 to see a 100 fly time trial. Can we start a gofundme?

Xman
Reply to  WhoGoesHere
3 years ago

At this point in the meet there is no need do a prelim swim and scratch.

I think he did backstroke as a sort of prep for the IM and not to make the team.

BillyBob
Reply to  Xman
3 years ago

That’s a good point. A lot of swimmers are struggling with the flags. I’m sure it helped having 3 100s done.

Rafael
3 years ago

Andrew giving up 100 fly pretty much buries Held hopes right?

Akos
Reply to  Rafael
3 years ago

You mean in the 50? You really never know with that race. Held had a really good start on his 100, which is promising for the 50 at least.

Rafael
Reply to  Akos
3 years ago

I mean on the team.. Probably won´t have enough doubles for 6th places to be called for relays

caleb
Reply to  Rafael
3 years ago

There will be plenty of doubles, people are overstressing over that. (Dressel x 2, Murphy, Andrew, Smith, Wilson, at least one of the distance guys, would be 7. Andrew or held in the 50 would be 8 (doubles) and I think they only need 6

Rafael
Reply to  caleb
3 years ago
  • 6 doubles on either the men’s or women’s side means all priority 2 athletes (2nd-place finishers) can be added for that gender
  • 8 doubles on either the men’s or women’s side means all priority 3 athletes (5th-place in 100/200 free) can be added for that gender
  • 10 doubles on either the men’s or women’s side means all priority 4 athletes (6th-place in 100/200 free) can be added for that gender

10 doubles are needed

JP input is too short
Reply to  Rafael
3 years ago

Dressel 50, 100 free, 100 fly. Murphy 100, 200 back. Smith 200, 400 free. Wilson 100, 200 breast. Kalisz 200, 400 IM? That would be 11, plus Apple doubles 100 free individual and 200 free relay spot.

And Brooks Curry is going to win the 50 free so that’ll give him a double with the 100 free relay spot 🙂

JP input is too short
Reply to  caleb
3 years ago

Yeah, I will eat a sock if Finke doesn’t make the mile.

Wahooswimfan
Reply to  Akos
3 years ago

Anthony Ervin will win the 50, with Nathan Adrian second.

BillyBob
Reply to  Rafael
3 years ago

All of MAs 200 IM training could put his 50 free at 21.6 or higher. I’m still hoping for a 21.2 but that’d be surprising even for the biggest MA believers.

sven
Reply to  BillyBob
3 years ago

I think 21.2 is more likely than 21.6, personally. That would be wild, but the kid is having the meet of his life and the starts and front halves of his races certainly suggest his speed is very much intact.

BillyBob
Reply to  sven
3 years ago

If he goes 21.2 he’ll possibly win 5 medals in Tokyo. Assuming he makes both medley relays.

Ol' Longhorn
3 years ago

Man, he could’ve gone 50.4 the way he’s been dropping, a lock for top 2, and would’ve made Dressel sweat until the last 10 meters. Must suck to have so much versatility. And in contrast to the other guy, he actually swims the events, so we have actual times, and not just hyperbolic conjecture.

Swimlikefishdrinklikefish
3 years ago

Held out, is he done or is he satisfied with the relay

TheloniusPunk
Reply to  Swimlikefishdrinklikefish
3 years ago

He’s going all in on the 50 free.

Sharkspeed
3 years ago

Dude is ALL IN!!
Let’s hope to see something special! Maybe a sub 1.55?!

Lawrence
3 years ago

He loose d opportunity. He is the top for this event. The highest chance to beat caeleb dressel

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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