2022 U.S. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS
The United States International Team Trials, which will serve as the selection meet for this summer, including June’s World Championships, get under way this morning in Greensboro, North Carolina. Day 1 will includes prelim races of the 200 fly and the 100 free. The women’s 800 free and men’s 1500 free will also be contested today as timed final race with the early heats swimming this afternoon before the top heats race in finals. Racing starts at 9 AM Eastern Time.
Stanford freshman Regan Smith comes in as the top seed in the women’s 200 fly, and her Olympic teammate Hali Flickinger is right behind her with the pair seeded well ahead of the field. Cal’s Trenton Julian comes in as the top seed in the men’s 200 fly, but Georgia undergrad Luca Urlando, the third seed, actually holds the field’s fastest lifetime best from high school.
A slew of Olympians highlight the women’s 100 free, with Abbey Weitzeil, Torri Huske and Erika Brown holding the top three seeds. Florida pro Caeleb Dressel, the third-fastest man ever in the 100 free, holds the top seed on the men’s side.
Women’s 200 fly
- World Record: Zige Liu (CHN): 2:01.81 (2009)
- American Record: Mary Descenza (2009): 2:04.14
- US Open Record: Hali Flickinger (USA): 2:05.85 (2021)
- Jr World Record: Suzuka Hasegawa (JPN): 2:06.29 (2017)
Top 8 qualifiers:
- Hali Flickinger (SUN): 2:07.75
- Charlotte Hook (TAC): 2:09.51
- Emma Sticklen (TEX): 2:09.71
- Regan Smith (Unattached): 2:09.83
- Olivia Carter (MICH): 2:09.84
- Rachel Klinker (Unattached): 2:10.66
- Lindsay Looney (Unattached): 2:10.80
- Amanda Ray (FLOR): 2:10.85
There was a lengthy delay before heat three due to an apparent timing system error, but that didn’t throw off second seed Hali Flickinger, who cruised to the heat win in 2:07.75. Flickinger ended up as the top qualifer.
Top seed Regan Smith used a powerful back half handily win her heat in 2:09.83. Smith qualified fourth overall following the heats.
TAC Titans’ Charlotte Hook, a high school senior and Stanford commit, won her heat in 2:09.51 to qualify second overall.
Men’s 200 fly
- World Record: Kristof Milak (HUN): 1:50.73 (2019)
- American Record: Michael Phelps (2009): 1:51.51
- US Open Record: Michael Phelps (USA): 1:52.20 (2008)
- Junior World Record: Kristof Milak (HUN): 1:53.79 (2017)
Top 8 qualifiers:
- Trenton Julian (Unattached): 1:54.34
- Zach Harting (CARD): 1:55.83
- Chase Kalisz (ABSC): 1:56.04
- Luca Urlando (DART): 1:56.50
- Alexander Colson (Unattached): 1:56.50
- Gabriel Jett (Unattached): 1:56.77
- Jace Crawford (FLOR): 1:57.40
- Nicolas Albiero (UOFL): 1:57.81
Cal’s Trenton Julian blasted a huge swim in the prelims, chopping nearly four tenths off of his seed to take the top seed in 1:54.34. He swam away from his heat and held on the final 50.
Louisville pro Zach Harting cruised to victory in his heat, holding his second seed to qualify 2nd in 1:55.83. Touching just behind him in his heat was Georgia pro Chase Kalisz, who qualified third in 1:56.04.
Luca Urlando, who came in as the third seed, qualified fourth in 1:56.50. Urlando looked strong through the first 150 but a 32 second final split saw him fade to a 1:56, well off his lifetime best.
While not qualifying for the A final, 15 year old Thomas Heilman of Cavalier Aquatics blasted a new lifetime best of 1:58.01 to qualify for the B final.
Women’s 100 free
- World Record: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE): 51.71
- American Record: Simone Manuel (2019): 52.04
- US Open Record: Simone Manuel (USA): 52.54
- Junior World Record: Penny Oleksiak (CAN): 52.70
Top 8 qualifiers:
- Natalie Hinds (Unattached): 53.77
- Claire Curzan (TAC)/Torri Huske (Unattached): 54.16
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- Mallory Comerford (CARD): 54.18
- Abbey Weitzeil (CAL): 54.19
- Erika Brown (TNAQ): 54.27
- Olivia Smoliga (SUN): 54.32
- Kate Douglass (UVA): 54.58
Florida-based pro Natalie Hinds put up an impressive 53.77 to take the top seed heading into the final. Hinds was a member of the Olympic team last summer in the 4×100 free relay.
TAC Titans’ senior Claire Curzan tied with her future Stanford teammate Torri Huske for second in 54.16, while Louisville pro Mallory Comerford dropped a bit from her seed to qualify fourth in 54.18.
Top seed Abbey Weitzeil qualified 5th in 54.19, while Tennessee pro Erika Brown, who represented the US in this event at last summer’s Olympic Games, qualified 6th in 54.27.
Men’s 100 free
- World Record: Cesar Cielo Filho (BRA): 46.91 (2009)
- American Record: Caeleb Dressel (2019): 46.96
- US Open Record: Caeleb Dressel/Ryan Held (USA): 47.39
- Junior World Record: Andrei Minakov (RUS): 47.57 (2020)
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Caeleb Dressel (GSC): 48.12
- Ryan Held (NYAC): 48.20
- Drew Kibler (TEX): 48.28
- Brooks Curry (TAQ): 48.36
- Kieran Smith (FLOR): 48.50
- Hunter Armstrong (OSU): 48.55
- Zach Apple (ISC): 48.57
- Justin Ress (MVN): 48.73
Top seed Caeleb Dressel took care of business this morning, qualifying first in 48.12. He held off a hard-charging Brooks Curry, who won the NCAA title last month. Curry qualified fourth in 48.36.
Arizona State pro Ryan Held qualified second in 48.20, while Texas senior Drew Kibler qualified third in 48.28. Florida senior Kieran Smith, best known for his mid-distance prowess, seems to expanding his range shorter as he dropped nearly a full second from his seed to qualify fifth in 48.50.
