50 Free Semifinalist Payton Sorenson Only Swam One Meet Between 2021 And 2024 Trials

2024 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS

• June 15-23, 2024
• Lucas Oil Stadium — Indianapolis, IN
• LCM (50 Meters)
• Session Start Times (ET):
  • 11 a.m. Prelims
  • 7:45 p.m. Finals (varying based on broadcast needs)
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam’s Definitive Guide to Trials
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• SwimSwam Pick ’em Contest

Between the 2021 and 2024 U.S. Olympic trials, 30-year-old Payton Sorenson swam at one singular meet. And yet, he ended up as a semi-finalist at both competitions.

Sorenson, a former BYU swimmer and 2016 NCAA All-American, turned heads in the 2nd heat of the men’s 50 free on Thursday morning when he swam 22.19 — a time that survived as the top seed all the way until the circle-seeded heats. The time would eventually settle at 12th, advancing him to the semifinals on Thursday night. In the semi-finals, he went a 22.24 to finish 14th overall.

“I wasn’t expecting to go 22-low,” Sorenson said. “I was just coming to see what I could do.”

“There’s no other atmosphere like it. Swimming at the U.S. trials is one of the greatest experiences…the crowd is electric.”

Prior to this meet though, Sorenson had only been training for two months. After setting a best time of 22.08 and finishing 12th at 2021 trials, he thought he was done with swimming for good. Sometime following that meet though, he began following Pro Swim Series meets, where he saw swimmers that he’s raced against throughout his career post fast times. He then remembered his ultimate career goal — to break 22 seconds in the 50 free. And he was so close.

So Sorenson started training two months ago, and signed up for the Cactus Classic in Arizona that took place in late May. And off just three weeks of swimming and lifting in the gym, he hit a time of 22.76 in the 50 free, booking a ticket to trials.

“It’s kind of just one of those things where it’s, ‘I’m going to sign up for a meet in May and if I get a time, great, I’m going to go,'” Sorenson said. “If not, it is what it is.”

Even though Sorenson didn’t match his goal of breaking 22 seconds, swimming at trials inspired him to keep going in the sport. He still works a full-time job as a roofer in Arizona, but he plans on entering future Pro Series meets and potentially training to hit another trials cut.

After all, as 46-year-old Gabrielle Rose showed us this week, it’s never too late to pursue a goal.

“Since I got close, I think that I’m going to keep training and see if I can go to some meets maybe in the future,” Sorenson said.