2023 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- June 27 – July 1, 2023
- Indianapolis, IN
- Indiana University Natatorium
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet (updated version, 6/26)
- Live Results
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- How To Watch
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap
The first session of the 2023 U.S. National Championships were a wild one. Prelims have been largely quiet at the last couple of selection meets, but that wasn’t the case today–swimmers had to be ready to race if they wanted to earn a second swim or a shot at a Worlds berth.
The overarching theme of the session was that the young stars came to play. They aren’t just going to “settle” for a Junior Worlds roster spot, they’re here to disrupt the status quo and earn their tickets to Fukuoka.
Alex Shackell (photo: Jack Spitser)
They got started in the very first event, the women’s 200 butterfly. There, Alex Shackell swam a lifetime best 2:07.95, qualifying in third for the final and moving her up to fifth all-time among American girls aged 15-16. Shackell was on fire during her yards season this year and clearly, those gains are translating to meters. Shackell had moved up to sixth earlier this season, with a 2:08.68 at the Indy Spring Cup. With veteran Flickinger moving through in sixth with a quiet 2:08.64, the second roster spot behind Regan Smith seems wide open.
Shackell pulled the 200 fly/100 free double this morning. She earned her second personal best of the session with a 54.22 in the 100 free. She ended up finishing ninth, just four-hundredths from earning a second ‘A’ final berth.
Then, it was Thomas Heilman‘s time to turn up the heat. The 16-year-old roared to a personal best of 1:55.11, dropping 1.41 seconds from his previous best of 1:56.52 from Junior Pan Pacs. The swim moved him up to second on the American boys 15-16 all-time list. Now, only Michael Phelps has been faster at his age.
Heilman qualified for the final in second, behind Carson Foster and ahead of Olympian Zach Harting and Worlds semifinalist Trenton Julian. Since Phelps’ departure, the American men have had a revolving door of representatives in the 200 fly. Foster–also a newcomer to this event on the international scene–and Heilman are poised to make this event their own.
Things continued to escalate in the 100 freestyle. Across the women’s and men’s races, only three top four finishers from last year made the ‘A’ final: Torri Huske, Ryan Held, and Drew Kibler. With the other five not making the top eight, there was a massive changing of the guard in prelims this morning.
Bella Sims (photo: Jack Spitser)
Kate Douglass asserted herself with a 52.98, cracking the elusive 53 second barrier. Her teammates Gretchen Walsh and Maxine Parker are in the championship final as well, courtesy of new lifetime bests. Walsh’s 53.64 has her running third and in line to make her first senior long-course Worlds team.
Not to be forgotten about is the eighth place qualifier, Bella Sims. The calls to #LetBellaSprint have been answered resoundingly. The teen Sandpiper swam a personal best 54.15, cutting six-tenths off her previous best from earlier this season. These young stars unseated three Olympians: Claire Curzan, Natalie Hinds, and Erika Brown.
The changing of the guard was even more apparent in the men’s race, where not only did Caeleb Dressel totally miss finals, but Brooks Curry and Hunter Armstrong both missed the ‘A’ final. Also missing out where 2022 ‘A’ finalist Kieran Smith and Shaine Casas.
So, without these familiar names who’s even swimming in the championship final?
Why, Jack Alexy, Destin Lasco, Matt King, Macguire McDuff, and Chris Guiliano. Obviously. We’ll have to wait until tonight for a Pick ‘Em update, but if you had any of those names in the top 4, congratulations.
Chris Guiliano (photo: Jack Spitser)
Alexy, Lasco, and Matt King all went sub-48 seconds for the first time in their careers, with McDuff and Guiliano also posting lifetime bests of 48.04 and 48.17. Alexy’s swim you could have seen coming after his performance at 2023 NCAAs but Lasco, McDuff, and Guiliano are surprises. All three had excellent yards seasons, but it’s still a surprise to seem them take a leap of this magnitude. For me, Guiliano dropping from 49.17 to a 48.17 and earning a lane in the ‘A’ final might be the swim of the session.
Even beyond the top eight, rising stars continued to make noise. We may have to add a #LetMaximusSprint hashtag to the repertoire. Maximus Williamson is known for his prowess in the IMs, but he proved he’s got some sprint capability as well, dropping a 49.00 to become the second-fastest American boy all-time in the 15-16 age group.
Through just one session in Indianapolis, it’s clear that there’s a changing of the guard happening. Now, which of these young stars are going to punch their tickets to Fukuoka tonight?
Guiliano! Swim of the sesh!
On the YouTube introduction for the 2023 Phillips 66 National Championships, is that Kelly Pash?
It’s odd to think for a moment (circa 2016), the swim scene was still dominated by a lot of very senior veterans (i.e. late 20s-early 30s) especially among the men. Now things seem to be gradually settling back down into an early 20s average with a couple outliers on the very young and old end. Hard to draw any specific conclusions…but perhaps speaks to the increased depth of swimmers coming of age the last few years.
What happened to Winkler in the men’s 100 free?
Broken arm on Friday riding his bike.
Shaine Casas is so frustrating. You just know he has the talent but he never seems to put it together at the right moments making him impossible to trust.
For all the undue hate Carson gets for “choking,” Casas gets off real easy
Weird to see Kibler and Hobson, who are more 200 guys, have a gap >2.5 seconds between their first and second 50s in the 100 free. Even Diehl to an extent. Good swims by all still, and makes me wonder if they have more in the tank for tonight.
There was never a doubt abt Chris Guiliano. Bro a dawg fr. Just wait til he goes 47.5 tonight
Are top six in tonights final guaranteed a spot on the roster?
I think top 4 are guaranteed and top 6 are pretty much guaranteed provided there’s roster space, which there usually is (Ryan Held Tokyo)
Selection priority begins with the winner of every event and the top 4 in the 100/200 free. Second priority is second place in every event. Third and fourth priority is 5th/6th in 100/200 free.
So short answer is no only top 4 is guaranteed, but if the total roster count isn’t capped then top 6 will make it. A situation where top 6 didn’t make it is Ryan held getting 6th in the 100 at Tokyo trials but they hit foster cap of 26 (I think) so he couldn’t go.
Not sure how to 50s factor into selection priority. Ik we only select the winner instead of top2 but idk if it’s 1/2/3/4 priority. I would assume it’s 1/2.
No. There is priority for each spot, and the 5th and 6th people in the free relays are toward the bottom of that priority list. If not enough swimmers double and triple up on events and they reach their roster limit, those spots could be left home.
Edited to add: This doesn’t happen often, but it can.
Got it, thanks!