Friday, April 29, 2022
One World, Two American Records Fall in Greensboro
Hunter Armstrong set a new world record in the men’s 50-meter back, while Michael Andrew and Katharine Berkoff each lowered an American and U.S. Open record to highlight the third night of finals at the Phillips 66 International Team Trials at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C.
Armstrong, who had already set the American and U.S. Open record in the 50m back in this morning's prelims at 24.01, took it a step further and tonight lowered the world record in the event to 23.71. That shaved .09 off Russian Kliment Kolesnikov’s previous mark of 23.80, set last year in Budapest. Justin Ress also swam under Armstrong’s time from the morning with a 23.92 for second.
“It was a complete shock," Armstrong said of his record-breaking performance. "My best time before this was a 25.50 and in prelims I was able to throw down a 24.00 and that gave me hope, but, you know, Kolesnikov is one of the fastest backstrokers and freestylers in the world. To be up there with him is just incredible.”
Andrew, a 2020 Olympian in the 100m breast, showcased his skills over the shorter distance, chopping more than two tenths off Kevin Cordes’ American record of 26.76 from 2015. Andrew posted a 26.52 to just edge Nic Fink, who also swam under the previous time with a 26.55.
"The breaststroke was great," Andrew said. "Coming off the [100m butterfly] I knew it was going to take an American record to win it. I knew Nic was going to be faster and the last 10 meters was going to be a dog fight. I think Nic was leading to the 20, I pulled to the 40 and the two of us went back-to-back so to get my hand on first wasn’t all that easy to do."
Berkhoff qualified for the World Championship team in the women’s 50m back on the heels of an American-record-breaking performance in finals. She posted a 27.12 to erase Olivia Smoliga’s 27.33 from the 2019 Worlds from the books. Regan Smith also swam under the previous time with a 27.25 for second, while Smoliga actually tied her best time with a 27.33 for third. All three swimmers were under the previous U.S. Open record of 27.40, which Smith had set in prelims this morning.
Sixteen-year-old Katie Grimes, who was the youngest U.S. Olympian last summer, will be headed to another international meet but this time in a new event. Grimes jumped out to an early lead in the women’s 400m IM, and despite slipping into third going into freestyle, made a strong comeback push thanks to her distance freestyle background. She ended up touching first in 4:36.17, with Emma Weyant, the 2020 Olympic silver medalist in the event, in second at 4:37.72.
“I’ve always loved the 400 IM," Grimes said. "I think it’s a really think it’s a fun race and it’s super interesting to watch. There are so many different components that go into it. It’s just a very cool race.”
After just missing a spot on the Olympic team last summer, Carson Foster redeemed himself tonight with a World Championship berth in the men’s 400m IM. Foster and Olympic gold medalist Chase Kalisz traded leads throughout the race, with Foster pulling away on the freestyle leg to take the win, 4:09.33 to 4:10.50. Bobby Finke, who’s already made the team for Budapest, just came up short despite recording the fastest final 50 of the heat by more than a second.
“I wanted that individual swim really bad and it’s super gratifying, especially after last year,” Foster said of qualifying in the event he finished third in at last summer's U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Swimming. “[I was] just focusing on racing. Honestly–going into breaststroke–I remember last year at Trials, this is exactly what it looked like last year, so kind of changing the narrative this year and it feels really good.”
Torri Huske and Claire Curzan finished in the top two places in yet another final this week, this time in the women’s 100m fly. Huske, the American record-holder, got to the wall first in 56.28, with Curzan right behind in 56.35.
Caeleb Dressel added another event to his program in Tokyo, this time topping the field in the men’s 100m fly. Dressel set the world record of 49.45 last summer and tonight his 50.20 was good enough for a comfortable win over Michael Andrew, who also finished second in the 50m fly last night. Andrew touched in 50.88.
Lilly King, who already made the team in the 200m breast last night, will now swim the 50m breast as well after taking the win tonight in 29.76. Kaitlyn Dobler just edged 2020 Olympic 100 breast champ Lydia Jacoby for second, 30.34 to 30.35. Jacoby will still have a chance to qualify for Budapest with the 100m breast coming up later in the meet.
The meet continues tomorrow with prelims at 9 a.m. ET and finals at 6 p.m. ET.
Armstrong, who had already set the American and U.S. Open record in the 50m back in this morning's prelims at 24.01, took it a step further and tonight lowered the world record in the event to 23.71. That shaved .09 off Russian Kliment Kolesnikov’s previous mark of 23.80, set last year in Budapest. Justin Ress also swam under Armstrong’s time from the morning with a 23.92 for second.
“It was a complete shock," Armstrong said of his record-breaking performance. "My best time before this was a 25.50 and in prelims I was able to throw down a 24.00 and that gave me hope, but, you know, Kolesnikov is one of the fastest backstrokers and freestylers in the world. To be up there with him is just incredible.”
Andrew, a 2020 Olympian in the 100m breast, showcased his skills over the shorter distance, chopping more than two tenths off Kevin Cordes’ American record of 26.76 from 2015. Andrew posted a 26.52 to just edge Nic Fink, who also swam under the previous time with a 26.55.
"The breaststroke was great," Andrew said. "Coming off the [100m butterfly] I knew it was going to take an American record to win it. I knew Nic was going to be faster and the last 10 meters was going to be a dog fight. I think Nic was leading to the 20, I pulled to the 40 and the two of us went back-to-back so to get my hand on first wasn’t all that easy to do."
Berkhoff qualified for the World Championship team in the women’s 50m back on the heels of an American-record-breaking performance in finals. She posted a 27.12 to erase Olivia Smoliga’s 27.33 from the 2019 Worlds from the books. Regan Smith also swam under the previous time with a 27.25 for second, while Smoliga actually tied her best time with a 27.33 for third. All three swimmers were under the previous U.S. Open record of 27.40, which Smith had set in prelims this morning.
Sixteen-year-old Katie Grimes, who was the youngest U.S. Olympian last summer, will be headed to another international meet but this time in a new event. Grimes jumped out to an early lead in the women’s 400m IM, and despite slipping into third going into freestyle, made a strong comeback push thanks to her distance freestyle background. She ended up touching first in 4:36.17, with Emma Weyant, the 2020 Olympic silver medalist in the event, in second at 4:37.72.
“I’ve always loved the 400 IM," Grimes said. "I think it’s a really think it’s a fun race and it’s super interesting to watch. There are so many different components that go into it. It’s just a very cool race.”
After just missing a spot on the Olympic team last summer, Carson Foster redeemed himself tonight with a World Championship berth in the men’s 400m IM. Foster and Olympic gold medalist Chase Kalisz traded leads throughout the race, with Foster pulling away on the freestyle leg to take the win, 4:09.33 to 4:10.50. Bobby Finke, who’s already made the team for Budapest, just came up short despite recording the fastest final 50 of the heat by more than a second.
“I wanted that individual swim really bad and it’s super gratifying, especially after last year,” Foster said of qualifying in the event he finished third in at last summer's U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Swimming. “[I was] just focusing on racing. Honestly–going into breaststroke–I remember last year at Trials, this is exactly what it looked like last year, so kind of changing the narrative this year and it feels really good.”
Caeleb Dressel added another event to his program in Tokyo, this time topping the field in the men’s 100m fly. Dressel set the world record of 49.45 last summer and tonight his 50.20 was good enough for a comfortable win over Michael Andrew, who also finished second in the 50m fly last night. Andrew touched in 50.88.
Lilly King, who already made the team in the 200m breast last night, will now swim the 50m breast as well after taking the win tonight in 29.76. Kaitlyn Dobler just edged 2020 Olympic 100 breast champ Lydia Jacoby for second, 30.34 to 30.35. Jacoby will still have a chance to qualify for Budapest with the 100m breast coming up later in the meet.
The meet continues tomorrow with prelims at 9 a.m. ET and finals at 6 p.m. ET.