Thursday, April 28, 2022
Dressel, Bacon Set U.S. Open Records at Phillips 66 International Team Trials
Caeleb Dressel and Phoebe Bacon set new U.S. Open records and more than a dozen other swimmers punched their ticket to this summer’s FINA World Championships in Budapest during the second night of finals at the Phillips 66 International Team Trials at the Greenboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C.
Dressel set the 50-meter fly U.S. Open record–which represents the fastest swim recorded on U.S. soil-in the final event of the night, clocking in at 22.84 to narrowly edge Michael Andrew, who posted a 22.87. Both swimmers cleared the previous record of 22.91 set by Bryan Lundquist way back in 2009.
“I actually had no idea," Dressel said, referring to him breaking the record. "I didn’t know it was that until [the Olympic Channel] interview. I’m happy with it. We’re not going for times here, we’re going for place so I’m fine with it. Still have a lot to clean up though.”
Katie Ledecky added a second event to her program for this summer’s World Championships after winning the 200m free handily in 1:55.15, faster than her swim last summer in Tokyo. Fifteen-year-old Claire Weinstein will be headed to her first World Championships after taking second in 1:57.08, while Leah Smith (1:57.44) and Hali Flickinger (1:57.53) will join them as part of the 4x200m free relay.
“I would have liked to have been a little faster, but I can’t complain," Ledecky said. "I’m excited about the group for the relay and getting that together. I think we have a lot of potential and I think it’s a young group too so to get those guys some experience will be great.”
Kieran Smith successfully defended his 200m free title from last summer, holding off Drew Kibler for first, 1:45.25 to 1:45.32. Kibler was part of the U.S.’s 4x200m free relay in Tokyo and will now have the chance to swim the 200m free individually as well. They’ll be joined by Carson Foster (1:45.66) and Trenton Julian (1:46.69), who finished third and fourth tonight.
“That was a really good time for where I’m at," Smith explained. "I’ve been swimming less than my best, especially in the collegiate season, so it’s so reassuring to make sure I can still put up a world-leading time at this point.
“That relay is going to be great. Lots of fast times here. We’re always all clutch on relays so I’m excited for that swim.”
The women’s 200m breast featured an interesting duel between Olympic silver medalist Lilly King, Olympic bronze medalist Annie Lazor, and recent NCAA 200-yard breast champion Kate Douglass. While King took the race out fast as usual, Douglass had the fastest second 100 of the threesome and ended up sneaking in for second in an upset, as King touched first in 2:21.19 and Douglass second in 2:21.43. Lazor wound up third in 2:21.91.
The men’s 200m breast final turned out to be even closer than the women’s, with a dead heat between 2020 Olympian Nic Fink and Charlie Swanson. Swanson turned ahead going into the final 50, but Fink’s strong closing speed gave him a huge surge at the end and the two swimmers touched at exactly the same time with matching 2:08.84s.
“I definitely saw some splashes where there might be people so that was kind of a flag for me to be on the lookout," Fink said of the final stretch. "I knew I was going to have a pretty good last 50 [meters] and I really built into it, threw the tempo in kind of at the end. It was surprising to see that we tied, but I also wouldn’t have been surprised of [Swanson] out-touched me. I just knew it was going to be a close race.”
In a replay of Olympic Trials last summer, the final of the women’s 200m back featured three swimmers vying for two individual spots. Once again, it turned out to be Phoebe Bacon and Rhyan White filling those spots, with world record-holder Regan Smith finishing third. Bacon and White had nearly identical splits the entire way, with Bacon just touching ahead at the finish, 2:05.08 to 2:05.13. Both those times were more than a second faster than they went last summer in Tokyo. Smith finished third with a 2:05.65.
“It’s pretty freakin’ awesome," Bacon said of qualifying for world championships. "It’s been a really long month coming off of NCAAs, trying to transition into that long course mindset, but all the work I did – I guess – paid off.”
Six-time Olympic medalist Ryan Murphy will be headed to another major international meet after finishing atop the men’s 200m back. After winning gold in 2016 and silver last summer, Murphy will have a chance at another top finish after placing first in 1:55.01. Shaine Casas, who narrowly missed making the team for Tokyo, grabbed second in 1:55.46.
“I mean the first one is always going to be a little nerve wracking, but it’s nice to punch a ticket and hopefully I can find some things to improve on there and hopefully have some good [races] the rest of this week,” Murphy said after his swim.
Claire Curzan and Torri Huske will both now be going to Budapest after finishing 1-2 in another event. Last night, the pair finished first and second in the 100m free with Huske taking first, and tonight they flip-flopped places in the 50m fly. Curzan topped the finals heat in 25.49, just a hundredth off Kelsi Dahlia's American record time, with Huske right behind in 25.68. Kelsi Dahlia wound up third in 25.71.
"Kelsi [Dahlia] is a great swimmer so it’s obviously a very fast time," Curzan said of nearly reaching the American record. "I wasn’t really looking for a record, I was just looking to race. It was pretty exciting.
“I’m so excited. We’ve literally been on every international trip together. I’m super happy to have her and probably have her in the event there.”
The meet continues tomorrow with prelims at 9 a.m. ET and finals at 6 p.m. ET.
Dressel set the 50-meter fly U.S. Open record–which represents the fastest swim recorded on U.S. soil-in the final event of the night, clocking in at 22.84 to narrowly edge Michael Andrew, who posted a 22.87. Both swimmers cleared the previous record of 22.91 set by Bryan Lundquist way back in 2009.
“I actually had no idea," Dressel said, referring to him breaking the record. "I didn’t know it was that until [the Olympic Channel] interview. I’m happy with it. We’re not going for times here, we’re going for place so I’m fine with it. Still have a lot to clean up though.”
Katie Ledecky added a second event to her program for this summer’s World Championships after winning the 200m free handily in 1:55.15, faster than her swim last summer in Tokyo. Fifteen-year-old Claire Weinstein will be headed to her first World Championships after taking second in 1:57.08, while Leah Smith (1:57.44) and Hali Flickinger (1:57.53) will join them as part of the 4x200m free relay.
“I would have liked to have been a little faster, but I can’t complain," Ledecky said. "I’m excited about the group for the relay and getting that together. I think we have a lot of potential and I think it’s a young group too so to get those guys some experience will be great.”
Kieran Smith successfully defended his 200m free title from last summer, holding off Drew Kibler for first, 1:45.25 to 1:45.32. Kibler was part of the U.S.’s 4x200m free relay in Tokyo and will now have the chance to swim the 200m free individually as well. They’ll be joined by Carson Foster (1:45.66) and Trenton Julian (1:46.69), who finished third and fourth tonight.
“That was a really good time for where I’m at," Smith explained. "I’ve been swimming less than my best, especially in the collegiate season, so it’s so reassuring to make sure I can still put up a world-leading time at this point.
“That relay is going to be great. Lots of fast times here. We’re always all clutch on relays so I’m excited for that swim.”
The women’s 200m breast featured an interesting duel between Olympic silver medalist Lilly King, Olympic bronze medalist Annie Lazor, and recent NCAA 200-yard breast champion Kate Douglass. While King took the race out fast as usual, Douglass had the fastest second 100 of the threesome and ended up sneaking in for second in an upset, as King touched first in 2:21.19 and Douglass second in 2:21.43. Lazor wound up third in 2:21.91.
The men’s 200m breast final turned out to be even closer than the women’s, with a dead heat between 2020 Olympian Nic Fink and Charlie Swanson. Swanson turned ahead going into the final 50, but Fink’s strong closing speed gave him a huge surge at the end and the two swimmers touched at exactly the same time with matching 2:08.84s.
“I definitely saw some splashes where there might be people so that was kind of a flag for me to be on the lookout," Fink said of the final stretch. "I knew I was going to have a pretty good last 50 [meters] and I really built into it, threw the tempo in kind of at the end. It was surprising to see that we tied, but I also wouldn’t have been surprised of [Swanson] out-touched me. I just knew it was going to be a close race.”
In a replay of Olympic Trials last summer, the final of the women’s 200m back featured three swimmers vying for two individual spots. Once again, it turned out to be Phoebe Bacon and Rhyan White filling those spots, with world record-holder Regan Smith finishing third. Bacon and White had nearly identical splits the entire way, with Bacon just touching ahead at the finish, 2:05.08 to 2:05.13. Both those times were more than a second faster than they went last summer in Tokyo. Smith finished third with a 2:05.65.
“It’s pretty freakin’ awesome," Bacon said of qualifying for world championships. "It’s been a really long month coming off of NCAAs, trying to transition into that long course mindset, but all the work I did – I guess – paid off.”
Six-time Olympic medalist Ryan Murphy will be headed to another major international meet after finishing atop the men’s 200m back. After winning gold in 2016 and silver last summer, Murphy will have a chance at another top finish after placing first in 1:55.01. Shaine Casas, who narrowly missed making the team for Tokyo, grabbed second in 1:55.46.
“I mean the first one is always going to be a little nerve wracking, but it’s nice to punch a ticket and hopefully I can find some things to improve on there and hopefully have some good [races] the rest of this week,” Murphy said after his swim.
Claire Curzan and Torri Huske will both now be going to Budapest after finishing 1-2 in another event. Last night, the pair finished first and second in the 100m free with Huske taking first, and tonight they flip-flopped places in the 50m fly. Curzan topped the finals heat in 25.49, just a hundredth off Kelsi Dahlia's American record time, with Huske right behind in 25.68. Kelsi Dahlia wound up third in 25.71.
"Kelsi [Dahlia] is a great swimmer so it’s obviously a very fast time," Curzan said of nearly reaching the American record. "I wasn’t really looking for a record, I was just looking to race. It was pretty exciting.
“I’m so excited. We’ve literally been on every international trip together. I’m super happy to have her and probably have her in the event there.”
The meet continues tomorrow with prelims at 9 a.m. ET and finals at 6 p.m. ET.