Wednesday was the best day of the Olympic Trials so far, and it may remain that way through the end.
Day 3 in Omaha at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials had 12 roster spots to award – doubling the first two days combined. After the youth was the big story on day 2, especially National Age Group Records by Katie Ledecky, Kevin Cordes, and Ryan Murphy, day three will continue that streak but in a bit of a different vein.
That’s because to this point, each of the 6 event-final winners thus far are returning Olympians. We’ve seen some new blood in swimmers like Claire Donahue, but none that have been able to break through and win.
That streak was broken on Wednesday, with two of the four winners being brand-new Olympians for the US (though even at that, their experience is vastly different).
On top of that, we’ll see a Lochte-Phelps final in a race where they were very well-matched.
Women’s 200 Free Semifinal
In the first women’s 200 free semi-final, there was an expectation that Dana Vollmer, swimming out of lane 4, would have a good swim and push the pace. That didn’t really happen as hoped. She didn’t look bad, but in a great closing 30 meters, she got locked in a battle between Shannon Vreeland and Megan Romano, teammates from Georgia. Vollmer didn’t have the energy (or the desire?) to fight them off at the end.
Vreeland ended up winning the heat, with a 2nd seeded overall time of 1:57.78. Vollmer was just behind in 1:57.81, and Romano was 3rd in 1:57.81. They were the 2-3-4 seeds overall.
But in the 2nd heat, Allison Schmitt had no trouble pushing an early pace. She dominated the second heat with a 1:55.59 to take the top overall speed. There’s a chance she went out too fast, but then again I think that’s where she needed to be if she wants to keep up with the best of the world.
Missy Franklin was 2nd in that heat, but didn’t get bated into showing too much. We’d find out later after her American Record in the 100 back, that she played this like few veterans in the world could, at only 17. She cruised in to a 5th seed in 1:58.04, saving enough energy for the later race.
Lauren Perdue, just a few months off of back surgery, continued to amaze by placing 7th in 1:58.28. The last finalist, almost unnoticed, was Chelsea Chenault in 1:58.64. That locked out 15-year old phenom Katie Ledecky from the final by just .02. With that kind of speed, Ledecky is dangerous.
Men’s 200 Free Final
Ryan Lochte did what Ryan Lochte has been doing throughout this meet. He controlled the race, and had a huge wall coming into the final 50.
But this time, Michael Phelps decided that the race wasn’t decided based on who is winning at 165 meters when those first strokes are taken coming from the last wall. It’s not even decided with two meters to go. It’s decided only once: at the 200 meter mark. Lochte’s head was ahead of Phelps’ as they disappeared behind the blocks into the closing inches of this 200 free, but Phelps still lit up the scoreboard first, as he’s so good at doing.
Phelps got his finger-tips to the wall in 1:45.70, with Lochte touching 2nd in 1:45.75. The two tied with identical 26.59’s on the last 50.
Still, as exciting as the race was, the times will come off as a bit disappointing. Phelps was actually faster at the Columbus Grand Prix by .01 seconds. That’s usually his mid-season rest-meet, but that shows us where he’s at in his training – more of a “rest” mode than a big taper. Lochte is likely in the same boat. France’s Yannick Agnel has been faster than those two times three-times already this season.
Ricky Berens, meanwhile, had a dreadful third 50 – almost the slowest of the entire final. But after that last turn, he showed that the East Coast isn’t the only place that can put up killer third 50. Representing the West Coast, he blew by three competitors to land himself on the medal stand in 1:46.56.
And nabbing his second guaranteed spot in the meet, Conor Dwyer was 4th in 1:46.64. That put two Florida Gators at least into this 800 free relay.
Swimmers who are also likely to swim at least preliminary heats are Matt McLean, doing a great job to make his first Olympic Team, in 1:46.78; and Charlie Houchin in 1:46.88. They were both really shooting for spots in that 400 free, but I think both far outdid most expectations and got their Olympic rings.
Davis Tarwater was 7th in 1:47.02, just missing his first Olympic Team by one spot – a situation he’s unfortunately familiar with after 2008, where he was 3rd in the 200 fly. Michael Klueh rounded out this A-final, finishing 8th in 1:48.29.
Women’s 100 Back Final
Natalie Coughlin very nearly did what nobody was expecting her to do. She did everything she could. She took out this 100 back like she normally does – hard – but even this was unusual for her. She opened the race in 28.50. She held it together fairly well, but ultimately came up just short in 1:00.06 (the only time she was out faster than that was the old U.S. Open Record of 58.97).
That’s a bit of foreshadowing with the “old” record. That’s because Missy Franklin, in 4th place at the turn, roared-home like a freight-train to take the win in an American Record, U.S. Open Record, 17-18 National Age Group Record, and an overall incredible swim in 58.85.
That’s puts her 4th on the all-time list, and is the fastest ever swum in a textile suit (bettering Jing Zhao’s 58.94 from 2010).
What can’t be overlooked is that this was done about half-an-hour after her 200 freestyle.
Coughlin will now be off of the Olympic Team in an event where she was the two-time defending gold medalist. Yes, she could make it in the 100 free for a relay; yes we should expect her to swim the 50 free at the end of the session as well, but even if she made the team in one of those two events, it just wouldn’t feel the same.
Rachel Bootsma couldn’t match her early-round speed, but was 2nd in 59.49. That means the average age of the two American swimmers in this event at Trials will be 17.5. That’s probably close to a record.
Olivia Smoliga was 4th in 1:00.46.
Men’s 100 Back Final
Matt Grevers is the next in a long-line of American backstrokers – after winning four-straight Olympic gold medals, Aaron Peirsol’s retirement left a bit of a vacuum. But Grevers, despite a tough two-year run, is the defending silver medalist from Beijing. But his swim tonight is even faster than Peirsol ever was, in textile at least.
Grevers won the race in 52.08, which is the best time ever done in textile and the second-fastest in history, period, after Peirsol’s World Record (.14 faster).
This race was a no-doubter, as Grevers led the whole way. With his 6’9 frame, nobody was going to out-touch him here. It’s a story of perseverance.
The battle for 2nd mirrored many that Nick Thoman and David Plummer have had in the last two years, swimming neck-and-neck down the pool. Neither started particularly hard, but they finished amazingly. Thoman came-from-behind to swim a 52.86 to make the Olympic Team, and Plummer was 3rd in 52.98.
Ben Hesen, a former NCAA Champion in this race, ended up 4th in 53.03. That’s a lifetime best for him by three-tenths.
Those four now leave the Americans sitting 1-3-5-6 in the World Rankings this year.
No new Records for Ryan Murphy in this final with a 53.92 for 6th overall; that will leave the 15-16 National Age Group Record at 53.76.
Women’s 100 Breast Final
Breeja Larson, in the women’s 100 breaststroke, gave us the best Olympic Trials moment to date in Omaha.
First, a backstory for those who don’t follow college swimming closely: This is Breeja Larson’s first long course taper. You read that right: she has never tapered in long course before.
She didn’t begin swimming seriously until her junior year of high school. Texas A&M’s Steve Bultman had the eye to grab her out of Arizona. By the end of her freshman year in college, she was a 58.5. By the end of her sophomore year in college, she was the fastest 100 yard breaststroker in yards history in 57.71.
Last summer, the anticipation was huge, but some serious illness issues meant that her summer was basically ruined.
This summer, she was on the Olympic Team, with a 1:05.92 to win. After that, she threw all Olympic Trials decorum to the wind, and sprinted over to her coach and teammates in the stands and hugged anybody in sight. As I sit here and write this recap, half-an-hour after the last race and an hour after her swim, she’s still signing autographs. Simply an amazing time, from a swimmer who hasn’t been around long enough to learn anything other than to soak in every ounce of the moment.
Now for the nuts and bolts. She has a huge pullout, derived from her pre-swimming activities. In addition to swimming (she only started her high school team as a sophomore) she also lettered in softball and track & field. She’s very tall, and she’s powerful.
That’s the highest-finish ever by a Texas A&M swimmer at the Olympic Trials (behind Cammile Adams’ 400 IM 3rd-place finish earlier in this meet), and the second-straight quadrennial that they’ve put a swimmer on the Olympic Team.
Meanwhile, Rebecca Soni, the sure-fire favorite in this race, had a bad finish and took 2nd in 1:05.99. That’s not even her best time this year, meaning that Larson ranks 2nd in the world and Soni is still probably the Olympic favorite.
Jessica Hardy was the tough-luck third-place swimmer, with a 1:06.53 for 3rd. That is four-tenths slower than she was at the Indy Grand Prix, and more disappointment. She should still make the team in the 100 free, and probably the 50, but after saying she had given up on this race at one point, I think it really hurts her to not make the team.
Those three are the three-fastest in the world this year.
Just about everyone in the 4-8 spots had a great race in one round or another of this 100 breaststroke, but Ellyn Baumgardner had the best in finals with a 1:07.19. That’s a full-second drop off of her best time coming into this meet. Annie Chandler was 5th in 1:07.28, which was by far her best chance at making the team. She’s already said that she’s retiring after this year, and barring a big surprise in the 50 free or 200 breaststroke, she’s probably ending her career here in Omaha.
Men’s 200 Fly Semifinal
Bobby Bollier slow-paced this men’s 200 fly early, but he continued winning long course races, with a 1:56.06. That’s his best time since 2009. Davis Tarwater didn’t let the disappointment in the 200 free earlier in the session, came back and took 2nd here in 1:56.10. I don’t think that this is the race that people expected him to make the team in 1:56.10.
The 2nd heat was by-far the fastest, and Phelps was 3rd in the heat, and overall, in 1:56.42. Tyler Clary was 4th in 1:56.56. This tight-seeded final will be one of the best of the meet (and most unpredictable).
Tom Shields just missed this final, with a 1:58.75 for 9th.
Women’s 200 IM Semifinal
Sometimes, coach knows best. Paul Yetter, head coach of T2 Aquatics swimmer Liz Pelton, decided to scratch his 18-year old protege from the 100 back final where she was the 4th seed. Instead, he decided she should focus on the 200 IM that was not far after – a move that he was criticized for.
I don’t think she was getting to a 59-low in the 100 back, but she did not fail to impress in the 200 IM and made Yetter look like a genius, as she took the top seed in the semi’s in 2:11.37, winning the first heat and taking the 2nd-seed overall.
It’s going to be very obvious tomorrow when she’s swimming next to Cal’s Caitlin Leverenz (top seed – 2:10.51) that her breaststroke is where she needs the most work, but Pelton’s closing freestyle leg was outstanding (30.91 – only swimmer better than 31).
Elizabeth Beisel (2:12.27) and Ariana Kukors (2:12.32) are both in the same boat as the 3 and 4 seeds, respectively. They need to get out way better on the front-half to make the team in this event.
Maya DiRado, Jana Mangimelli, Jasmine Tosky, and Celina Li topped off this final, with Tosky (even on a second swim of the session) looking as good as she has this week.
Whitney Burnett just missed in 2:14.17, and she told Garrett McCaffrey after the race that this was the last time she’d ever swim the 200 IM.
Full session results available here.
Both Amanda Beard and Jilen Siroky were 14 when they made the 1996 squad in the 200Br. That’s easily the record
Botsford was on that squad as well at age 14.
Tom Shields trying again in 2016 which is great.
I actually thought Missy Franklin was going to swim through the touch pad! Her closing speed is absurd. And dangerous, she could sprain something in her hand/finger/wrist if she’s not careful.
Coughlin showed much resilience tonight. I thought she was so gracious and sincere to both Franklin and Bootsma at the end of the race. There isn’t anyone on the planet that could justifiably dislike Coughlin (I’m talk to you SWIM ARGENTINA).
I have a hunch/prediction that if Coughlin does not qualify for the team, Franklin will scratch the 100 back or 100 free (if possible) to let her on. NBC would eat that up. Not sure how the coaches would feel.
Now that Coughlin doesn’t get to defend her gold, the only other female swimmer who has the chance for three-peat in London in Coventry.
Unfortunately for Coventry, even if she is still going to London to defend her gold, the talent in women 200 back is probably at an all time high. Coventry would already be lucky if she can final.
re:Franklin’s closing speed, yes it is outrageous. Once she is in the momentum, she is unstoppable. I’ve said this in swiminfo after Shanghai:
Franklin is the first specimen: a really tall female swimmer who can swim really good.
I’d say the Dutch are pretty tall. Vollmer as well.
None except Missy is near 1.90m… even the Dutch top.. De Brujin was 1.78m
No one cares for your metric system here. It’s one of those made up things we americans refuse to acknowledge, like dragons, unicorns, and sweden.
Veldhuis and Vollmer are 1.81 and 1.82 according to the internet, and Franklin is 1.85 (although she may have grown), although from seeing Vollmer up close, she’s definitely more than 1.82.
Incidentally, if you search “missy franklin”, the top two suggestions are “missy franklin college” and “missy franklin cal”…
If you can not aknowledge Sweden (Women at least) there must be a problem with US..
And Thanks god for Engineering.. otherwise I would not be able at all to understand Inch and Feet system..
Haha Franklin is the first tall female swimmer to swim fast? What?
Britta Steffen – 5’11”
Femke Heemskerk – 5’11”
Marleen Veldhuis – 5’11”
Jessica Hardy – 5’11”
Breeja Larson – 6’0”
Liv Jensen – 6’3”
Cate/Bronte Campbell – 6’0”
Inge Dekker – 6’0”
Allison Schmitt – 6’1”
Sarah Sjoestroem – 5’11”
Megan Romano – 6’2”
Dana Vollmer – 6’0”
Dara Torres – 6’0”
Amanda Weir – 6’0”
Anastasia Zueva – 5’11”
Emily Seebohm – 5’11”
Christine Magnuson – 6’0”
Courtney Shealy – 6’3”
Amy Van Dyken – 6’0”
Franziska van Almsick – 5’11”
Jill Sterkel – 5’11”
I am sure the list goes on and there are probably quite a few tall and fast females I am forgetting.
HOW COULD I FORGET KRISTY KOWAL?????
6’0”
!!!!
Almost all of those you listed are 6′ or under.
I consider “really tall” or “giant”(for female swimmers) or as at least 6’2”.
And I consider “those who can swim really well/fast” as worlds or Olympics gold individual medalist.
Can’t see it in your list.
By the way, did you really create a new identity just to write this?
Yes I did change my name to post this. Not all that hard, I promise.
According to your definition of “really tall” and “really fast,” Franklin does not fall under that category either as she is “only” 6’1”.
What you should do now is swallow your pride and admit that Franklin is not the first tall swimmer to swim fast, in fact height has been a requirement for fast swimming for the better part of the past 25 years. As we all know the physics of the sport favors a taller athlete with longer levers, and a longer boat has more speed potential.
Also if you do not think the women on that list are “fast” then… Read more »
Lotte Friis is 6’2″
Sprinters(female and male) are normally very tall. Nowadays, is very rare a short swimmer in a TOP spot at any event.Of course there is some exceptions like Ye Shiwen(i find amazing if she really is 160cm) and king frog.
Beisel really isn’t all that tall either…
I don’t know if Franklin would necessarily give the spot up for coughlin but we could see something similar to what happened four years ago with Dara torres in 100 free, where she gave up her spot to focus on the 50 and relays. Missy could have the intention of just trying to be on the relay unless she post an earth shattering time that would make her the favorite for gold. Plus allowing Natalie, her idol, to be on the team would probably be a bonus for her
Why would Franklin sacrifice 100 back where she is now the favorite?
It does not make any sense.
Dara Torres never had any real intention to swim 100 free individually, she had stated it, and also, she was not the favorite in 100 free. Trickett and Steffen were the hot favorites.
I’m talking about the 100 free
@GOSHARKS (There isn’t anyone on the planet that could justifiably dislike Coughlin ):
You’ve got to be kidding. Not sure what you are referring to w/ SWIM ARGENTINA, but don’t you think Coughlin has been a little over the top with her comments saying she is the female Michael Phelps (even if she was, what person would say that about themselves?), doing photoshoots constantly instead of training, constantly tweeted about all the great things about herself, etc. Did you read her book? She blames everyone BUT herself for things that have gone wrong. Do you notice that she is never human – always has to put on a perfect face, always wears eyeliner, etc, even for interviews that take… Read more »
I use the UC Berkeley gym on a daily basis and I see her there at least a few times every week. The only time I ever talked to her was when I asked her for a photo and she was really nice about it. I haven’t read her book or her Twitter account, although I know her age-group coach almost burned her out as a distance swimmer. When did she say she was the female Phelps?
@Distance Alum: That is exactly right. I’ve never been able to pin it down. Never disliked her, but never felt she was endearing at all.
@CalBearFan: You didn’t see her on Piers Morgan (CNN) two weeks ago or so saying that. That clip kind of went viral. No doubt she comes across as nice, but likely very superficial.
It sounds like Coughlin’s success and ability to apply make-up have really offended you.
The comments regarding “the female Michael Phelps” come from an interview with Piers Morgan, that I watched, during which Morgan asks Coughlin if she is the female Michael Phelps. Coughlin replies: “In some ways, I am the female Michael, but it’s apples and oranges.” To say that she considers herself the female Michael Phelps is to take her comment and the interview out of context. There are, in fact, some ways in which she is the female Michael, including but not limited to:
1. her versatility (including qualifying for all Olympic Trials events at age 15 or 16)
2. her enumerable records broken… Read more »
Touche!! ^^
Saying that she is the female Michael in anyway is pretty bad.
Watch the morning show on Swimming World Magazine sometime. At 6a.m. she has make up on.
Qualifying for Trials in all events (oh, and she was 17) does not a Michael Phelps make. That would be more like making the Olympics in every event, or even winning a gold medal in nearly every event. The point is not whether or not she is, it is whether she even partially said that.
As an example of what the problem is, here is a tweet from her tonight (who would say that sort of thing???):
I did my best to get through all the autographs tonight, but need to… Read more »
Who are you, her old Terrapins’ coach? “I can honestly say that if she had stuck with Terrapins instead of playing her games, she might have been as big as Michael Phelps”. She’s become one of the most decorated swimmers/Olympians/college athletes in history under Teri McKeever, after she was about to quit swimming under the Terrapins. That was a decade ago and I doubt she’d still be swimming if she had trained anywhere else.
Talk about teenage resentment!
1) With 2 men having been in the vicinity of Peirsol’s WR, it significantly amplifies the chance that record will fall
2) Having dropped over a second in the backstroke from ’11, a similar drop in the 100free (from 49.2) would put him at 48 very low and a heated contender for an individual spot.
ATM, based on swims we’ve seen so far, I suspect this is more or less what we’re going to see in the 100free:
Adrian 47.9 (I’m afraid to put faster as we’ve seen how tough 48.00 has been to break)
Feigen 48.1 (+/- 0.1 projected from his Charlotte win)
Grevers 48.3 (+/- 0.2, I feel he’s not going to drop as much… Read more »
We don´t know how Greevers training was.. his 100 back was probably the most surprising time of all Trials..
But those times are not near enough to beat the Aussies, and are on par with French..
I don’t know why, but I am sensing Adrian will finally have a bit of break through and go 47.7-47.8
His 50 indicates that he should be capable of swimming those times
The men’s 4×100 Free Relay is on the second day of competion this year, putting it right after the semis of the men’s and women’s 100 Back. That may rule out Grevers for the night swim.
Phelps has the 200free semis just before it as well… but the US will not have a shot with out him…
Is it possible that natalie could still swim on the medley relay if she makes the team? For example Missy wins the 100 free by a big margin (greater than the .22 she is better than Bootsma in 100 back). Than it would make sense to have Natalie swim back in prelims to save Bootsma (depending on both of their conditions) and then runner ups in the other 100’s (or the 3rd in the 100 free if Dana is the 2nd fastest)
This would give natalie a probable 4×100 medley gold and keep the relay fresh for finals where they could set the WR
However, this is a little Coughlin bias because i’m a huge fan, but thoughts?
there would be no point unless Bootsma really doesn’t show up.
But will Bootsma even need the rest? I don’t see her making it in any other event, so the only events she’ll have in London are the 100 back and the relay, and I don’t think it would be too taxing for her to swim both prelims and finals on the relay.
While I would love to see Natalie get another gold, we have yet to see what Schmitt can do in this 100 when she’s tapered. And if she keeps swimming as well as she has been, I could easily see the relay being Franklin/Soni/Volmer/Schmitt in London.
anything is possible if you get on the team.
Boostma (or Franklin) might be off-form for whatever reason etc etc.
The US will probably field completely different teams for both prelims and final. They did that in Beijing.
Grevers is swimming the 100 free, he might give Feigen and the others fits for the 2nd spot. I’m assuming Adrian will get the top spot. But I don’t know how much work Grevers has put into his freestyle lately.
Grevers seems to be on form (and that’s an understatement), and he probably take the second spot behind Adrian.
They both could go sub 48.
Just an observation, it seems to me that the 100s events are relatively faster so far (women 100 fly/back, men 100 back) than 200s or longer.
Just saw that Phelps scratched the 100 Free tomorrow.
Just looked at the start list and was just about to comment on this.
He’s gotta still get a spot on the relay anyway, right? If Michael Phelps wants to be on that relay, I don’t see how anyone says no.
Unless the 100 free springs a few surprising bolters, he’ll be on it. And even if there are, he’ll still be on it. 🙂
He´ll probably be…
I would not get surprised if no sub-48 happens also.. Is it happens it will be only Adrian with a 47.9.. People should stop thiking the trials will have Magnussian Times.
Rafael,
Well, I was involved in these huge debate a couple months ago in this site with Mel Stewart who predicted that there will be a few 47low and 47mid in Omaha.
I think Mel is thinking 47 low is easy..
Even guys I thought could go 47 mid will have to Prove That ( Hayden and Cielo)
You’d need to have four guys go sub 48 in order to kick Phelps off the relay. Don’t see that happening.
if One guy goes sub-48 it will be Nathan.. not anyone else.. hope for 2 48 flat at least.. othewise France and Russia can kick US out of podium.
Things are looking better on the ladies side.. but not on the guys..
anyone already in the team is ELIGIBLE to swim ANY relay, at the discretion of the coaches.
example: Stephanie Rice swam backstroke leg in AUS 4×100 MR when Seebohm was too sick to swim in Shanghai.
@James
Yes, Lochte and Phelps probably weren’t tapered, but those times would probably battle for 6 and 7th in the Olympic final.
What Im very curious about is that Phelps was slower than he was at the Grand Prix meet. He was definitely not worth a 4:07 at that meet though. I guess we have to wait on the other events to see what this means, but based on this swim Phelps is probably looking at a 1:54.5 to 1:55.0 tomorrow.
What I think is that Phelps and Lochte are going to throttle some of the times they do here in London and it’s not all to do with taper either. It’s gamesmanship.
I really doubt that either of them would throttle times to show gamesmanship.
You misunderstand. They’re showing gamesmanship here, at trials, by not showing their hand. Ever come to an open doorway at the same time as someone else, and then you stop to let them go inside first, only to have them do the same? They only did enough to stay with each other, it was purely tactical.
I doubt it was gamesmanships, especially when so much is at stake.
They didn’t really know where each other was at the finish line, they could not afford to slow down.
This is men 200 free, not 400 IM.
not fully tapered/fully rested may be a reason why they swam quite slow (also recovery at their age is not quick as when they were 19), but not because of gamesmanships.
The only thing at stake are two tickets to London.
Keith,
That’s right, the stakes were two tickets to represent USA in individual 200 free.
With Berens and Dwyer lately swimming great, both just could not afford to do their gamesmanships.
Hell, Phelps didn’t do gamesmanships in 400 IM (in fact, it was obvious he was all out), and Lochte was only slowing down in the last 10 m when he was sure he was far ahead of anyone else.
I’m thinking both him and Lochte are just going for 1 or 2 in everything they swim.
At worlds Phelps: 24.25/26.68/27.20/26.66
At trials Phelps: 24.89/26.85/27.37/26.59
To me this just looks more like 1) not rested 2) just wants to make sure he gets qualified.
I think Phelps can still do 1:54low tomorrow if not just under it.
200 fly is his natural event.