2022 U.S. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS
- April 26-30, 2022
- Greensboro, NC
- Greensboro Aquatic Center
- LCM (50m)
- Start Times: Prelims – 9 am ET / Finals – 6 pm ET
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The women’s 200 IM has been blown wide open at the 2022 U.S. World Championship Trials as Kate Douglass, one of the pre-race favorites, has opted not to compete in the event.
Douglass’ coaches told SwimSwam she was opting out of the event, and that was confirmed when she was absent for her heat on Saturday morning.
The 20-year-old will instead race in the women’s 50 free, the event in which she is the reigning NCAA champion in short course yards. In the LC version, Douglass is seeded fourth with her time of 24.54 from May 2021.
Update: Douglass had a very solid morning swim of 24.59, qualifying second into the championship final.
In the 200 IM, Douglass was the runner-up to University of Virginia teammate Alex Walsh at last summer’s Olympic Trials, going on to win the bronze medal at the Olympics behind Japan’s Yui Ohashi and Walsh in a personal best time of 2:09.04.
Douglass has already qualified for the U.S. World Championship team in the 200 breaststroke and the 400 freestyle relay. It’s notable that the 200 IM would coincide with the 400 free relay on the World Championship schedule this summer.
Melanie Margalis, the third seed coming in behind Walsh and Douglass, was also absent for her heat during the preliminary session.
Walsh won the last heat in a time of 2:10.51 to claim the top seed for the final, while seventh seed Hali Flickinger was also a no-show.
Big mistake
Well this is surprising, but it means we might see something great from her. Don’t forget that Douglass swam and broke the NCAA record in the 50 at NCAAs, which means she might not have been training for the 200 IM and doesn’t really want to swim it. It all goes with DeSorbo’s philosophy of “swim what you’re excited for.”
i don’t know why she did this. Better chance at 2 IM than 50F
It seems like some are treating today like anAG State meet where on the last day they want to go home so they can go to school tomorrow?
Kate might not make it out of the US in the 50 and giving up an event that she won a medal in at Olympics?!? And 2im is more open than any event imo
I agree. We seem to be okay with willingly giving away medals.
Who is we? What she does doesn’t impact you or any of us.
I wonder if the “on again, off again” nature of this World Championships throughout this winter left a bitter taste in some athletes’ mouths, and given everything the sport has been through the last three years they aren’t as pumped up about this summer’s WC meet as they otherwise might be. Just some random speculation; I don’t have any inside knowledge.
ya but when they tell you tho. #noemptylanes
Any info on the other scratches? You can kinda assume w/ Margalis, at least.
She’s probably super tired. She was a bit off in the 100 fly and this Will give her some room to Focus and perform great at worlds. She can Even win the 200 breast!
Sims 👀
Leah Hayes? Beata Nelson? No clue for that second spot.
Leah Hayes.
Beata 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
This is Hayes spot to lose. If it was SCM I’d go Beata but unless she can go 2:10 low I’m going with Leah.