Tyler Kopp Talks Cal Underwater Work, Mile Finishing Speed in 400 IM Win

2021 U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS

• When:
  • Wave I Dates: June 4-7, 2021
  • Wave II Dates: June 13-20, 2021
• Prelims: 10am CDT | Finals: 7pm CDT
• Where: CHI Health Center / Omaha, Nebraska
• 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Cuts
• Wave I & II Event Order
• LCM (50m)
• Prelims Live Stream (USA Swimming)
• Prelims Live Stream (NBC Olympics)
• Finals Live Stream (Olympic Channel)
• Wave I Psych Sheets
• Wave I Live Results

Reported by Spencer Penland.

MEN’S 400 IM  – FINALS

• World record: Michael Phelps (USA) – 4:03.84 (2008)
• American record: Michael Phelps – 4:03.84 (2008)
• U.S. Open record: Michael Phelps – 4:05.25 (2008)
• World Junior record: Ilya Borodin (RUS) – 4:11.17 (2021)
• 2016 Olympic Champion: Kosuke Hagino (JPN) – 4:06.05
• 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion: Chase Kalisz – 4:09.54
• Wave I Cut: 4:25.99
• Wave II Cut: 4:23.24

Podium:

1. Tyler Kopp (CAL) – 4:21.20
2. Kyle Ponsler (FAST) – 4:22.23
3. Dominic Falcon (UCSB) – 4:24.46

Rising Cal sophomore Tyler Kopp pulled away from the field on breaststroke, and managed to hold his lead through the finish, securing his spot in the Wave II meet. Kyle Ponsler, operating out of lane 8, managed to pull through on the back half of the race, and got his hand on the wall 2nd.

Ponsler swims for the Fishers Area Swimming Tigers in Indiana as a high school junior and is committed to swim for NC State in the fall of 2022.

Both Kopp (by 4.67 seconds) and Ponsler (by 1.60 seconds) clocked lifetime bests as they earned their ways to the Wave II meet. Kopp joins his former club and high school teammate Emma Sticklen among those who advance to the Wave II meet: Sticklen placed 2nd in the 200 fly on Friday.