Olympic hopeful Carson Foster had a solid showing at the Knoxville Pro Swim, including an eye-popping 1:47 200 meter freestyle, a great swim in January. He’s been improving rapidly over the years, maturing just in time to make the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team.
Carson Foster – Jan 2020 Knoxville Pro Swim Times:
- 200 free – 1:47.7
- 200 IM – 1:59.5
- 400 IM – 4:18..8
Carson Foster – Personal Best Times:
- 200 free – 1:47.4 (2019 World Jr Champs)
- 200 IM – 1;58.4 (2019 World Jr Champs)
- 400 IM – 4:13.3 (2019 U.S. Summer Nationals)
U.S. Olympic Trials – Carson Foster Predictions:
Making the U.S. Olympic Team so young, before any NCAA experience, is a very tall order. Carson is an outlier, a rare talent who can do it.
Carson makes the men’s 4×200 freestyle relay. He advances to the 200 free final in Omaha. Youth and enthusiasm powers him past no less than two swimmers in that race final, putting him on the Team USA relay.
400 IM in the U.S. is a little soft, but someone’s going to go 4:08 or 4:09 low in Omaha to make Team USA in this event. I think that person is Carson.
I’m on the fence about the 200 IM and 20o back. Carson should final. He put great times on the board, but I see him placing 4-7 in those events.
But who cares what I think. What do you think?
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This is a Gold Medal Media production presented by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a Swimming News website.
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Like him a lot, but no.
If Ol Longbeard says no I say 90% chance. 😜
after his predictions for dressel at worlds, you have to give him some credibility 😉
Wuss. Should’ve gone for 100%
Really? I would put the 400 IM last on the things he’ll be closest in. Just too much talent with Jay Litherland and Chase (assuming he doesn’t pull what he did this summer again). Heck, Carson didn’t even win nationals with the two big guns away.
….400 IM? Here’s why– most young swimmers over-train for the Olympic year, but they can handle it because they’re young. Carson sees the biggest drop in the 400IM. The only thing that makes me nervous is that it’s the first event, and the first US OT event is so intense, so pressure-packed. It’s the first experience of venue-size, the crowd, the fire. I don’t know how these athletes do it. My heart is like a jack-hammer in my chest….just watching.
Luckily he made it to trials in 2016 so he’s at least seen it. Plus all his international experience
US OTs…either the best meet or the worst meet ever depending on how you touch.
It’s the response to pressure not just the talent that matters at trials.
Deep.
Yeah. Because youth don’t improve (Sarcasm). He will make the team. At the very least he will be able to repeat three 1:46-1:47 200 frees over a 24-hour period to make the 8 free relay. There are many post grads who aren’t doing the kind of work this kid is doing. I’m a believer. Go Carson.
I could see him being 5th-6th in the 200 free and making it for a relay.
I think he will get 3rd in the 400 I’m and just miss out, unless chase chokes.. Which would of never been a thought before last year’s results. Hopefully he is playing the long game and only focuses on the Olympics every 4 years
400IM feels like one of the softest events of US OTs. Of course, it appears that way going in, and 5 swimmers on the bubble surprise us all…so who knows. BUT RIGHT NOW, it’s def a soft event, an event to make a move on.
Curios – are you assuming Chase doesn’t bounce back fully ? B/c if he does — than the #1 spot is locked with his 4:05 ability. Then you have J. Litherland who went 4:09.2 just last July. So I wouldn’t say it’s “soft” — I’d say it’s not DEEP. If Chase or Litherland falter, then it because soft b/c it’s not like there’s 6 guys going sub 4:10.
*becomes (not because)
Not saying what or how much I know, and there’s intel I’m working from… Just saying it’s soft. It is. You get down to the 4:09 range, you are in the hunt. Carson can get there. The beauty of OTs is that it’s a breakout meet for some, and typically they are the young guns on the hard ramp up.
Thanks, Mel. Now I’m intrigued.
No way Chase is in 4:05 form this summer, I think he let it go to his head a little bit after that summer. Honestly would be pleasantly surprised to see a 4:07.
Plus he’s been probably spending most nights crying watching Seto drop world class swim after world class swim.
After reading all of the articles and stories about elite athletes and depression, I don’t understand why you would make a comment like the one regarding Seto. The swimming community is better than this.
Because this is a comment about a pro. It comes with the territory, including the fame. Do you think everyone on the MLB boards are going gentle on Jose Altuve? The idea that the swimming community is better than other sports is just an elitist joke. We have just as many cheaters, sex abusers (more actually), chokers, etc. as all the rest.
You are one big Negative Nancy Donnie Downer, Mr. Longboard.
Or sees Seto’s swims as motivation. Stop putting people down without any context. There’s not reason he won’t show up next summer. Look at Dressels summer 2018 v. 2019
I mean, Mel does hint above that there are just such reasons.
Id say its very deep. Just not very elite compared to a few years ago. The US has nearly 16 sub-4:20. That’s deep.
Agreed w/Dave. We are deep w/talent, but I’m focused on the top 2, those in the hunt. Need to be 4:09 to be in striking distance.
The 200 IM is not so set either. The US has been fairly inconsistent and light in the past few years. Im hoping our young swimmers see this opening and start thinking 154 is doable.