Will Swim Star Shaine Casas Make the U.S. Olympic Team?

Gold Medal Minute presented by SwimOutlet.com

Shaine Casas is the swimmer to watch. His star is rising fast! Shaine can swim backstroke, butterfly, IM, and freestyle at the elite level. Sounds like he even wants to make a run at breaststroke.

Shaine’s consistently racing fast—making improvements like an age grouper. He was recently ranked #42 on SwimSwam’s list of the Top 100 Swimmers in the World heading into 2021. Frankly, I think that ranking should’ve been lower. See his personal best times listed below! At the college level, he’s pure gold, but can he net hardware this summer? Can he make  the U.S. Olympic Team?

WAY TO EARLY 2021 SWIMMING PREDICTIONS

I see this Texas A&M swimmer making the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team in the 100 back, 200 back, and maybe even the 200 IM. He’s probably going to final at U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha in a few more events. But who cares what I think? I’d like know what you think in the comments. Give me your best swimming analyst?

Shaine Casas SwimSwam BIO + Personal Best Times:

  • 100 yard back – 43.87
  • 200 yard back – 1:36.54
  • 100 yard fly – 44.98
  • 200 yard fly – 1:39.23
  • 200 yard IM – 1:38.95
  • 100 meter back – 52.72 (from 2019!)
  • 200 meter back – 1:55.79 (from 2019!)

Follow Shaine Casas on Instagram here.  

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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

Opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the interviewed guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the hosts, SwimSwam Partners, LLC and/or SwimSwam advertising partners.

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Coach Macgyver
3 years ago

I’m saying yes. 100-200 back.

Captain Ahab
3 years ago

Swim Swam posed the question: Will Shaine Casas Make The Olympic?

Answer: Yes

Reason: Because he does not have choice.

Tinky Winky
3 years ago

My money is on Dresses.

tea rex
Reply to  Tinky Winky
3 years ago

That would be a drag race!

Texas A&M
3 years ago

Backstrokes are over. Jiayu Xu wins gold in the 100, Rylov in the 200, both in World Record times. Americans will be lucky to get a backstroker under :53 this Olympics. Murphy had a wonderful run, but I doubt he could make the Olympic team in both backstrokes, maybe none.

@officialdeanfarris
Reply to  Texas A&M
3 years ago

Strongly disagree. Murphy will definitely make it, probably in both events. I also think there will for sure be at least 3 guys under 53 at Trials. And if Murphy can break the curse, we are bound to see a world record fall.

Dudeman
Reply to  Texas A&M
3 years ago

Murphy is still solidly top 2-3 in the 100 and by far #1 in the 200 in America (the only person that can beat him LCM is Rylov as we’ve seen the last few years). There’s also at least 3 guys in the US capable of going 52 mid (Murphy, Grevers, Casas and Pebley have all been 52)

Xu winning the 100 is a safe bet, honestly if Rylov can put together a decent 100 back instead of trying to even split the race he could realistically do the 100/200 double gold in Tokyo. As for the 200 back world record, it’d be amazing to see someone go 1:52 again, which hasn’t happened since 2011, so I think a record… Read more »

Rafael
Reply to  Dudeman
3 years ago

I would not be suprised to see Rylov at least break Locthe 200 back time.. And He or Kolesnikov break Lacourt ER of 100 at least

swimfan210_
Reply to  Texas A&M
3 years ago

I do agree that Xu/Rylov are the favorites but don’t think we’ll see 2 WRs. And I think someone will be under 53 for the US. Justin Ress was 53.37 in January (Murphy went 53.55), might go 52 with some taper. Casas/Grevers/Pebley in hunt also.
Murphy is still seen as a favorite to make the team in both backstrokes but with the depth, he’s not safe.

Hswimmer
3 years ago

Michael Andrew and Shaine Casas in 200 IM, heard it here first

Skoorbnagol
Reply to  Hswimmer
3 years ago

Kieran Smith and Seliskar.
If Smith doesn’t swim then Carson Foster.
Feel Casas will go 200back (he’s no lochte for that double) and MA will close in 31.0 after been under WR pace at 150m. Those would be my bets.

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Skoorbnagol
3 years ago

The 31 closing 50 is a pretty safe bet.

swimfan210_
Reply to  Hswimmer
3 years ago

Don’t think Andrew will make it. He often goes really fast in-season, but doesn’t really live up to the expectation post-season. But in 2020-2021 he didn’t have a good ISL season and we haven’t seen him in LC yet.

The unoriginal Tim
Reply to  Hswimmer
3 years ago

The thing is at the Olympics you need to do 2 x 1.56 and then a 1.55 to win/medal. The ability to be that consistent and do those times while conserving energy is insane. That is what blows my mind about Phelps 8 gold run most of all. He did that consistently on so many swims.

Mr Piano
Reply to  The unoriginal Tim
3 years ago

1:56 lol. MA will only need to be 1:58 in the prelims, 1:57 in the semis, then rip out a 1:55 in the final. It will be difficult.

Not Shaine Casas
3 years ago

Yup, No Doubt.

SCCOACH
3 years ago

Yes

Tito
3 years ago

Dont let yard times fool u.

See: david nolan

Admin
Reply to  Tito
3 years ago

Shaine ranked 5th-best in the world in the 2019 Summer World Championships season, with a swim from US Nationals, in long course. That swim came when he was only 18.

swimgeek
Reply to  Tito
3 years ago

Dude. This trope again. He went :52/1:55 LC backstrokes in 2019. And he’s much faster now . . .

Skoorbnagol
Reply to  Tito
3 years ago

Harsh on Nolan.
Ok he wasn’t Lochte but
100free 49 low
200free 1.48
100bk 55
100fly 52.1
200IM 1.58
Nolan made academic choices first over his swimming imo
Them times are nothing to complain about.

About Gold Medal Mel Stewart

Gold Medal Mel Stewart

MEL STEWART Jr., aka Gold Medal Mel, won three Olympic medals at the 1992 Olympic Games. Mel's best event was the 200 butterfly. He is a former World, American, and NCAA Record holder in the 200 butterfly. As a writer/producer and sports columnist, Mel has contributed to Yahoo Sports, Universal Sports, …

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