When heat sheets were posted for day 3 at the 2014 U.S. National Championships, the biggest surprise for us was the absence of Kyle Whitaker in the men’s 400 IM.
He’s been swimming well all week, with lifetime bests in the 200 fly (1:56.6) and the 200 free (1:49.71), a drop in the 400 IM for the Club Wolverine swimmer seemed like a good bet, and that would have meant a good chance at National Team qualification.
But have no fear, it’s not injury that kept Whitaker from swimming this race, it’s preference to focus on the 200 IM on Sunday, his coach Mike Bottom told us today.
Whitaker will swim a time trial in the 100 fly on Friday instead of the 400 IM, and he will be the 6th seed there. That appears to be a better chance for him at making the Pan Pacs team this year, though that will depend a lot on how well Lochte, Phelps, and Dwyer are swimming (they’ve been up-and-down at this meet).
I went to NCAAs in March, I was in awe of Kyle Whitaker in the 400IM prelims, doing fifteen yards underwater off last turn, very impressive.