No 100 Free For Conger, 200 Fly For Dahlia At U.S. Nationals

2018 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, July 25 – Sunday, July 29, 2018
• William Woollett Aquatics Center, Irvine, CA
• Prelims 9 AM / Finals 6 PM (U.S. Pacific Time)
• Meet website
• Meet information
• Event Order
• Full selection procedures
• Psych Sheet

Both Jack Conger and Kelsi Dahlia were faced with the same question this year as they were last heading into U.S. Nationals: 200 fly or 100 free?

With the two events falling back-to-back on day 1 of the meet, it wouldn’t make much sense to do both, though both are near the top of the country in them. Conger swam the 200 fly last year, winning the event, and Dahlia placed 4th in the 100 free and qualified for the 400 free relay in Budapest.

The two have made the same decisions this year, with Conger entered as the top seed in the men’s 200 fly and Dahlia heading into the women’s 100 free seeded 5th.

While it may seem silly to suggest that Conger might not of swam the 200 fly here, he could solidify a spot on the 400 free relay if he placed top-4 in the 100 freestyle, and then could still swim the 200 fly once he got to Pan Pacs. And then even if he missed qualifying for the meet in 100 free, he’s still close to a lock to qualify in the 100 fly (and a good shot in the 200 free).

He has also entered the 200 free, 100 fly and 50 free, while Dahlia will also swim the 50 fly, 100 fly and 50 free.

Tom Shields, who swam both races last year, has only entered the 200 fly this time around. He’ll also compete in the 50 fly, 100 fly and 200 freestyle. Katie McLaughlin, on the other hand, has entered both.

The individual 100 free does come before the 400 free relay at Pan Pacs, so, say if Conger wanted to throw his hat in the ring for a spot on the relay by swimming that, he could, but it runs into the 200 fly just like it does at Nationals. Rather than the 200 fly coming first like it does at Nats, it directly follows the 100 free on the 2nd day of the meet in Tokyo.