Wednesday, April 27, 2022
Ledecky Qualifies for Fifth World Championships on Phillips 66 International Team Trials Opener
Night one of the 2022 Phillips 66 International Team Trials, which will serve as the selection meet for three international teams this summer–the 2022 FINA World Championships, 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships and 2022 Mel Zajac meet–got off to an exciting start as Hali Flickinger, Luca Urlando, Torri Huske, Caeleb Dressel, Katie Ledecky and Bobby Finke punched their individual tickets to Worlds at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C. Athletes who finish first in their event will qualify for the Worlds team, while additional athletes will be added later pending results and other swimmers qualifying in multiple events.
Hali Flickinger and Regan Smith, who represented the U.S. in the women’s 200-meter fly in Tokyo and won bronze and silver medals, respectively, led the way once again in Greensboro. Flickinger led from start-to-finish, extending her lead on the third 50 to touch in front of Smith, 2:06.35 to 2:07.93.
On the men’s side, Luca Urlando and Trenton Julian made up for finishing just outside the Olympic picture last summer with the top-two swims tonight in the men’s 200m fly. Julian led most of the race before Urlando tracked him down on the final length, out-splittling him by more than a second to take the win, 1:54.10 to 1:54.22. Zach Harting, who swam the event in Tokyo, was third in 1:55.09.
“I was just trying to relax as much as possible that first 50," Urlando said. "I wanted to build into my turns and really come off that last 50 hard.”
A pair of Olympic teenagers led the way in the women’s 100 free, although in different events than they qualified in last summer. Torri Huske, the American record-holder in the 100m fly, led the way in 53.35, with Claire Curzan close behind 53.58. Erika Brown (53.59) and Natalie Hinds (53.65), who were also part of the team in Tokyo, grabbed the third and fourth spots to qualify for the 4x100m free relay.
The men’s 100m free featured a handful of familiar faces, headlined by Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel, who out-swam the rest of the heat on his way to a 47.79. Brooks Curry, who was a surprise addition to the U.S. team in Tokyo, finished in the runner-up spot at 48.04, followed by Ryan Held in 48.18. Drew Kibler and Hunter Armstong, Olympians from last summer in the 4x200m free relay and 100m back, respectively, tied for fourth with matching 48.25 performances. Due to the fourth-place tie, the final relay-spot finishers will be confirmed later in the competition.
“I’m happy with the time," Dressel said. "I haven’t really seen any fast times all year, so to see a :47 right now, I’m just really happy with it. I got nothing to complain about.”
Katie Ledecky will have the opportunity to continue her international dominance in the women’s 800m free after crushing the field tonight in 8:09.27, more than three seconds faster than her Olympic gold medal-winning time last summer. She becomes just the 12th American since 2001 to qualify for at least five FINA World Championships teams.
“I’m really happy with that time," Ledecky said. "That is the fastest that I have been in a couple of years. It is really great to get kickstarted on a good note and get my ticket punched for Budapest.”
Leah Smith, a 2016 Olympian in the 800m free, distanced herself from the rest of the field to finish second in 8:17.52.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Bobby Finke is headed to another international meet after cruising to a comfortable victory in the men’s 1500m free. Finke had a big enough lead already that he didn’t need an insane last 50 to get to the wall first; he ended up stopping the clock in 14:45.72, with Charlie Clark also breaking 15 minutes and taking second in 14:51.78.
The meet continues tomorrow with prelims at 9 a.m. ET and finals at 6 p.m. ET.
Hali Flickinger and Regan Smith, who represented the U.S. in the women’s 200-meter fly in Tokyo and won bronze and silver medals, respectively, led the way once again in Greensboro. Flickinger led from start-to-finish, extending her lead on the third 50 to touch in front of Smith, 2:06.35 to 2:07.93.
On the men’s side, Luca Urlando and Trenton Julian made up for finishing just outside the Olympic picture last summer with the top-two swims tonight in the men’s 200m fly. Julian led most of the race before Urlando tracked him down on the final length, out-splittling him by more than a second to take the win, 1:54.10 to 1:54.22. Zach Harting, who swam the event in Tokyo, was third in 1:55.09.
“I was just trying to relax as much as possible that first 50," Urlando said. "I wanted to build into my turns and really come off that last 50 hard.”
A pair of Olympic teenagers led the way in the women’s 100 free, although in different events than they qualified in last summer. Torri Huske, the American record-holder in the 100m fly, led the way in 53.35, with Claire Curzan close behind 53.58. Erika Brown (53.59) and Natalie Hinds (53.65), who were also part of the team in Tokyo, grabbed the third and fourth spots to qualify for the 4x100m free relay.
The men’s 100m free featured a handful of familiar faces, headlined by Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel, who out-swam the rest of the heat on his way to a 47.79. Brooks Curry, who was a surprise addition to the U.S. team in Tokyo, finished in the runner-up spot at 48.04, followed by Ryan Held in 48.18. Drew Kibler and Hunter Armstong, Olympians from last summer in the 4x200m free relay and 100m back, respectively, tied for fourth with matching 48.25 performances. Due to the fourth-place tie, the final relay-spot finishers will be confirmed later in the competition.
“I’m happy with the time," Dressel said. "I haven’t really seen any fast times all year, so to see a :47 right now, I’m just really happy with it. I got nothing to complain about.”
Katie Ledecky will have the opportunity to continue her international dominance in the women’s 800m free after crushing the field tonight in 8:09.27, more than three seconds faster than her Olympic gold medal-winning time last summer. She becomes just the 12th American since 2001 to qualify for at least five FINA World Championships teams.
“I’m really happy with that time," Ledecky said. "That is the fastest that I have been in a couple of years. It is really great to get kickstarted on a good note and get my ticket punched for Budapest.”
Leah Smith, a 2016 Olympian in the 800m free, distanced herself from the rest of the field to finish second in 8:17.52.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Bobby Finke is headed to another international meet after cruising to a comfortable victory in the men’s 1500m free. Finke had a big enough lead already that he didn’t need an insane last 50 to get to the wall first; he ended up stopping the clock in 14:45.72, with Charlie Clark also breaking 15 minutes and taking second in 14:51.78.
The meet continues tomorrow with prelims at 9 a.m. ET and finals at 6 p.m. ET.