Thursday, May 16, 2024
Top-5 Storylines Ahead of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Swimming presented by Lilly
From veteran stars looking to cement legacies to the accomplishment of qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Swimming presented by Lilly in the first place, this Trials is chock-full of intriguing storylines. Amidst the hundreds of swimmers who will be descending onto Lucas Oil Stadium this June, here is a look at some of the marquee items to watch during the nine days of competition.
CEMENTING LEGACY
In the 100-some-odd year history of Olympic swimming, only seven Americans have competed in four Olympic Games. Katie Ledecky has the chance to join that prestigious group this year.
Ledecky’s reign on distance Freestyle over the past decade-plus has been nothing short of remarkable. There are numerous Olympic and Trials-related accolades in reach for Ledecky this summer:
• If she wins the 800 Free at Trials, she will have won the most female titles in a single event in Trials history.
• If she qualifies for Paris, she will become the fifth American female swimmer to ever qualify for four Olympic Games.
• If she qualifies in the 400 Free and eventually stands on the podium in Paris, she would become the first woman to ever win three Olympic medals in the 400 Free.
• If she wins three medals in Paris, she would become the second-most decorated American swimmer in Olympic History, only behind Michael Phelps.
While Ledecky shoots for her fourth Olympic roster, there are a handful of familiar faces looking to join the three-time Olympian group: Chase Kalisz, Abbey Weitzeil, Leah Smith, Simone Manuel, Caeleb Dressel, and more.
SEEKING STARDOM
Gretchen Walsh set the pool ablaze at this year’s NCAA Championships, winning all seven of the events she participated in and setting short course yard American Records in the 50 free (20.37), 100 free (44.83), 100 back (48.10), and 100 fly (47.42). Walsh missed the Tokyo Olympic Team by just a few tenths in the 50-meter freestyle back in 2021 but has been accumulating a stellar resume since then that sets her up as a contender in numerous events at this Trials.
On the men’s side, California Aquatics’ Jack Alexy had a breakthrough year in 2023. He nearly took home the world title in the men’s 100 free from lane eight, clocking a 47.31 to propel him all the way to No. 2 on the list of fastest Americans in event history. With a maximum of 52 swimmers set to make the U.S. Olympic Team, there are sure to be a number of first-timers who will make a splash in Indianapolis and Paris this summer. Could Walsh and Alexy add an Olympic title to their
already-decorated resume? Time will tell.
THE COMEBACKS
Fan favorites, Caeleb Dressel and Simone Manuel, both took some time away from the sport following the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Since then, the duo has returned to the sport with new approaches and promising results. Dressel has been building momentum since his return to national competitions in 2023. He has captured titles in the 2023 Toyota U.S. Open and 2024 TYR Pro Swim Series and is poised to be one of the main focuses in the 100 Fly, 50 Free, and 100 Free at this Trials.
For Manuel, her comeback has featured momentous strides in the 200 Free – an event that she has only swum internationally once via a spot on the 4x200 Free Relay at the 2019 World Championships. Her 1:57.80 at the TYR Pro Swim Series Westmont this past March was the first 200 Free title she has ever won at a USA Swimming national meet, and her 1:57.37 at the 2023 Toyota U.S. Open makes her the second-fastest American this season, as of early April. Watching these two fan favorites enter the Trials waters will be a treat to see, regardless of results.
GRANDEST STAGE
As if Olympic Trials didn’t need more pressure, the venue itself has enough capacity to make this competition the highest-attended swim meet of all time. The pools (one competition and two warm-up) will take roughly three weeks and millions of gallons of water to build. The setup allows for roughly 30,000 spectators to watch the action at Lucas Oil Stadium. The current attendance record at an indoor swim meet is 25,000 from the 1936 Olympics. The excitement is palpable and the venue is gargantuan. Could we see the highest-attended swim meet ever this year in Indianapolis? Outside the venue, areas like the Toyota Aqua Zone, USA Swimming Live presented by Purdue University, and USA Swimming House presented by OneAmerica Financial will keep the party going well beyond prelims and finals. With plenty of fan activations, gift shops, music, this meet is going to be a swim-fan’s dream.
BEST-OF-THE-BEST
All eyes will be on the 50-ish athletes who come out of Trials with “Paris Olympian” titles, but let’s not count out the sheer talent of the entire Trials field. Around 900 athletes expected to compete at Trials. If you compare that to the roughly 325,000 swimmers in the nation, this Trials athlete field represents the top 0.3% of swimmers in the nation. Reaching the Olympic dream has long been the dream for these athletes, but reaching Trials is nothing short of remarkable. No matter what heat or what event you will be watching, you will be witnessing some of the most talented swimmers to come through the sport. For more on this incredible meet, head to www.usaswimming.org/Trials.
CEMENTING LEGACY
In the 100-some-odd year history of Olympic swimming, only seven Americans have competed in four Olympic Games. Katie Ledecky has the chance to join that prestigious group this year.
Ledecky’s reign on distance Freestyle over the past decade-plus has been nothing short of remarkable. There are numerous Olympic and Trials-related accolades in reach for Ledecky this summer:
• If she wins the 800 Free at Trials, she will have won the most female titles in a single event in Trials history.
• If she qualifies for Paris, she will become the fifth American female swimmer to ever qualify for four Olympic Games.
• If she qualifies in the 400 Free and eventually stands on the podium in Paris, she would become the first woman to ever win three Olympic medals in the 400 Free.
• If she wins three medals in Paris, she would become the second-most decorated American swimmer in Olympic History, only behind Michael Phelps.
While Ledecky shoots for her fourth Olympic roster, there are a handful of familiar faces looking to join the three-time Olympian group: Chase Kalisz, Abbey Weitzeil, Leah Smith, Simone Manuel, Caeleb Dressel, and more.
SEEKING STARDOM
Gretchen Walsh set the pool ablaze at this year’s NCAA Championships, winning all seven of the events she participated in and setting short course yard American Records in the 50 free (20.37), 100 free (44.83), 100 back (48.10), and 100 fly (47.42). Walsh missed the Tokyo Olympic Team by just a few tenths in the 50-meter freestyle back in 2021 but has been accumulating a stellar resume since then that sets her up as a contender in numerous events at this Trials.
On the men’s side, California Aquatics’ Jack Alexy had a breakthrough year in 2023. He nearly took home the world title in the men’s 100 free from lane eight, clocking a 47.31 to propel him all the way to No. 2 on the list of fastest Americans in event history. With a maximum of 52 swimmers set to make the U.S. Olympic Team, there are sure to be a number of first-timers who will make a splash in Indianapolis and Paris this summer. Could Walsh and Alexy add an Olympic title to their
already-decorated resume? Time will tell.
THE COMEBACKS
Fan favorites, Caeleb Dressel and Simone Manuel, both took some time away from the sport following the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Since then, the duo has returned to the sport with new approaches and promising results. Dressel has been building momentum since his return to national competitions in 2023. He has captured titles in the 2023 Toyota U.S. Open and 2024 TYR Pro Swim Series and is poised to be one of the main focuses in the 100 Fly, 50 Free, and 100 Free at this Trials.
For Manuel, her comeback has featured momentous strides in the 200 Free – an event that she has only swum internationally once via a spot on the 4x200 Free Relay at the 2019 World Championships. Her 1:57.80 at the TYR Pro Swim Series Westmont this past March was the first 200 Free title she has ever won at a USA Swimming national meet, and her 1:57.37 at the 2023 Toyota U.S. Open makes her the second-fastest American this season, as of early April. Watching these two fan favorites enter the Trials waters will be a treat to see, regardless of results.
GRANDEST STAGE
As if Olympic Trials didn’t need more pressure, the venue itself has enough capacity to make this competition the highest-attended swim meet of all time. The pools (one competition and two warm-up) will take roughly three weeks and millions of gallons of water to build. The setup allows for roughly 30,000 spectators to watch the action at Lucas Oil Stadium. The current attendance record at an indoor swim meet is 25,000 from the 1936 Olympics. The excitement is palpable and the venue is gargantuan. Could we see the highest-attended swim meet ever this year in Indianapolis? Outside the venue, areas like the Toyota Aqua Zone, USA Swimming Live presented by Purdue University, and USA Swimming House presented by OneAmerica Financial will keep the party going well beyond prelims and finals. With plenty of fan activations, gift shops, music, this meet is going to be a swim-fan’s dream.
BEST-OF-THE-BEST
All eyes will be on the 50-ish athletes who come out of Trials with “Paris Olympian” titles, but let’s not count out the sheer talent of the entire Trials field. Around 900 athletes expected to compete at Trials. If you compare that to the roughly 325,000 swimmers in the nation, this Trials athlete field represents the top 0.3% of swimmers in the nation. Reaching the Olympic dream has long been the dream for these athletes, but reaching Trials is nothing short of remarkable. No matter what heat or what event you will be watching, you will be witnessing some of the most talented swimmers to come through the sport. For more on this incredible meet, head to www.usaswimming.org/Trials.