2024 U.S. Olympic Trials: Day 2 Prelims Preview

2024 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS

Day 2 Prelims Heat Sheet

Good morning, all you early risers. It’s day two of the 2024 US Olympic Trials. After an exciting kick-off yesterday morning, this morning is bound to bring the same energy and enthusiasm. However, with such enthusiasm, there is a small undercurrent of desperation ebbing and flowing.

While there are still eight days of events left, with the 400 frees done and dusted, the importance of the 200 free has grown considerably. And with both the men’s and women’s 200 occurring this morning, everyone will face the chopping block.

The 200 free affords a possible six roster spots, but that is a double-edged sword, as with more opportunities, there are more prospective candidates. With getting a good lane in tonight’s final of the utmost importance, let’s look at the event.

Luke Hobson leads the entries with a seed of 1:44.87, which he swam in the semifinals at the 2023 World Championships. After Hobson, it was a tight field with Kieran Smith, Drew Kibler, Jake Mitchell, and Aaron Shackell all knocking on the door. Shackell and Smith should feel buoyed by their performances last night in the 400 and may feel the freedom to let loose now that they have made the team.

The women’s 200 free sees many of the same names as the women’s 400. Katie Ledecky leads the group with a seed time of 1:54.96 but isn’t in the clear as Claire Weinstein, Bella Sims, and Erin Gemmell are also entered below 1:56. The 200 is a tale of two cities, with Sims and Weinstein looking to improve their disappointing swims from yesterday. Both added nine seconds and will look to rebound this morning. They both have other events besides this, but with six roster spots up for grabs, this may be their best shot. Fresh off the 400 victory last night, where she split 1:57.18 at the 200, Ledecky should be the clear favorite to advance, but questions swirl as to how long she plans to stay in the event.

The men’s 400 IM will see Chase Kalisz and Jay Litherland look to defend their respective gold and silver medals from the 2021 Tokyo Games. The two will have to contend with the top seed Carson Foster, however. Foster, the silver medalist at the 2023 World Championships will be looking to make his first Olympic team after falling short in 2021. Foster did no show the 400 free this morning, and is currently scheduled to do one of the dirtiest of doubles, the 200 free into the 400 IM, but we will have to wait for the heats to start to see if he will swim both.

Hometown hero Lilly King gets her first race in the big pool this morning. King, at the pre-meet press conference, was quoted as saying that this was going to be her last Olympic Trials. You can read more about that discussion here. King, the American Record Holder, will have to contend with the reigning Olympic Gold medalist, Lydia Jacoby. The Alaska native, who now trains out of Texas,  is the second seed and will look to make her second straight Olympics. The number five seed, Kate Douglass, is no longer entered in the women’s 100 breast opting to save her energy for her busy schedule later on in the meet.

Right after Lilly King gets her first swim, another American Record Holder will make their first appearance, as Ryan Murphy takes on the 100 back. Murphy is a four-time Olympic gold medalist and is the defending bronze medalist. Some of Murphy’s biggest competition will come from training partners Hunter Armstrong and Destin Lasco. Justin Ress splits Armstrong and Lasco in the entries and will look to improve upon his 5th-place finish in 2021 behind Murphy and Armstrong.