2022 U.S. World Championship Trials: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2022 U.S. World Championship Trials

FRIDAY EVENING HEAT SHEETS

Friday night’s finals session will give us six more World Championships qualifiers for Team USA. Katie Ledecky is looking to add the 400 free to the 200/800 freestyle events for which she is already qualified, but the battle is on for second place. Leah Smith was almost five seconds faster than Bella Sims in heats, but it should be a closer race in the final. Lilly King is in position to sweep the three breaststroke events; after winning the 200 breast and 50 breast titles this week, she is top seed in the 100 breast tonight with 1:06.20. Kaitlyn Dobler, the NCAA champion in the 100 yard breast, was the only other sub-1:07 this morning. The 100 back could be the most exciting race of the night, with six of the top-10 swimmers in the world so far this season all chasing the title. Regan Smith and Rhyan White both broke 59 seconds in heats, but the field is deep behind them and Katharine Berkoff, Isabelle Stadden, Claire Curzan, and Phoebe Bacon are all contenders.

In the men’s 400 free, the odds are on Kieran Smith who won the 200 free, but he will have to beat Luke Hobson, Trey Freeman, and Coby Carrozza, all of whom qualified ahead of him. Michael Andrew and Nic Fink are the favorites in the 100 breast; they are the only two qualifiers who broke 1 minute in heats. The men’s 100 back is as crowded and as deep as the women’s. Justin Ress had the morning’s fastest time, but World Record-holder Ryan Murphy, Shaine Casas, and newly-minted 50 back World Record-holder Hunter Armstrong are all within shooting distance.

Friday, April 29

Women’s 400 Meter Freestyle – Finals

Podium:

  1. Katie Ledecky, Unattached – 3:59.52
  2. Leah Smith, Longhorn Aquatics – 4:03.15
  3. Bella Sims, Sandpipers of Nevada – 4:06.61
  4. Katie Grimes, Sandpipers of Nevada – 4:06.67
  5. Hali Flickinger, Sun Devils – 4:07.97
  6. Claire Weinstein, Sandpipers of Nevada – 4:09.39
  7. Cavan Gormsen, Long Island Aquatic Club – 4:12.92
  8. Erin Gemmell, Nation’s Capital – 4:13.63

Katie Ledecky notched the world’s only sub-4:00 time of the 2021-22 season so far with a 3:59.52 to win the women’s 400 free by 3.6 seconds. Bella Sims set the pace early on, flipping first at the 50 wall with Ledecky and Leah Smith just behind. Ledecky took over at the 100 wall, leading Sims by a quarter of a second. From there, she seemed to get faster with each 50. By the 150, Ledecky was ahead of Smith, who had moved past Sims, by seven-tenths.

By the halfway mark, Ledecky was 1.1 seconds ahead of Smith with 1:59. Sims was another second behind Smith. Ledecky continued to build her lead over the second half of the race, while Smith was unchallenged in second place.

Ledecky finished with 3:59.52, the 21st-best performance in history. Sixteen of those 21 performances are Ledecky’s; three belong to Ariarne Titmus, and one to Federica Pellegrini.

Smith took second in 4:03.15. Sims held off a very strong challenge from teammate Katie Grimes; they finished third and fourth with 4:06.61 and 4:06.67, respectively. Sims now ranks 18th in American history, while Grimes moves to 19th.

2021-2022 LCM Women 400 Free

AriarneAUS
Titmus
05/22
3:56.40 (WR)
2Katie
Ledecky
USA3:58.1506/18
3Summer
McIntosh
CAN3:59.32 (WJR)08/03
4Tang
Muhan
CHN4:01.9509/20
5Leah
Smith
USA4:02.0806/18
View Top 26»

Men’s 400 Meter Freestyle – Finals

  • World Record: 3:40.07 – Paul Biedermann (2009)
  • American Record: 3:42.78 – Larsen Jensen (2008)
  • US Open Record: 3:43.53 – Larsen Jensen (2008)
  • Jr World Record: 3:44.60 – Mack Horton (2014)
  • FINA “A” Cut: 3:48.15
  • SwimSwam Preview – M400 Free

Podium:

  1. Kieran Smith, Florida – 3:46.61
  2. Trey Freeman, Florida – 3:46.93
  3. Ross Dant, NC State – 3:47.11
  4. Charlie Clark, Ohio State – 3:49.36
  5. Coby Carrozza, Texas – 3:50.41
  6. Tyler Watson, Florida – 3:52.40
  7. Luke Hobson, Texas – 3:52.94
  8. Nicholas Caruso, Gator Swim Club – 3:53.50

After winning the 200 free on Day 2, Kieran Smith added the 400 free to his portfolio of events for World Championships, clocking a 3:46.61. Smith got out to the early lead, flipping first at the 50 wall with Coby Carrozza and Ross Dant behind him. The three were in the same order at the 100, 150, and 200 walls.

At the halfway point, Smith led Dant by six-tenths; Carrozza was another second behind Dant. Dant crept up on Smith over the next two 50s, narrowing his deficit to just .28 at the 300 wall. Meanwhile, Charlie Clark had passed Carroza and held third place.

Dant flipped just ahead of Smith at the 350 wall and Trey Freeman moved into third place, blowing by Clark. The final 50 meters was an all-out sprint. Smith regained the lead, finishing first with 3:46.61. Freeman dug deep to edge Dant for second place, 3:46.93 to 3:47.11.

The top three finishers all made the FINA “A” cut.

2021-2022 LCM Men 400 Free

2Lukas
Martens
GER3:41.6004/09
3Guilherme
Costa
BRA3:43.3106/18
4Felix
Auboeck
AUT3:43.5806/18
5Antonio
Djakovic
SUI3:43.9308/17
6Mack
Horton
AUS3:44.0605/18
7Marco
De Tullio
ITA3:44.1404/09
View Top 27»

Women’s 100 Meter Breaststroke – Finals

  • World Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King (2017)
  • American Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King (2017)
  • US Open Record: 1:04.45 – Jessica Hardy (2009)
  • Jr World Record: 1:04.35 – Ruta Meilutyte (2013)
  • FINA “A” Cut: 1:07.43
  • SwimSwam Preview – W100 Breast

Podium:

  1. Lilly King, Indiana Swim Club – 1:05.67
  2. Annie Lazor, Indiana Swim Club – 1:06.12
  3. Kaitlyn Dobler, Unattached – 1:06.19
  4. Lydia Jacoby, Seward Tsunami – 1:06.21
  5. Alex Walsh, Virginia – 1:07.59
  6. Anna Keating, Virginia – 1:08.45
  7. Mackenzie Looze, Indiana University – 1:08.83
  8. Hannah Bach, Ohio State – 1:09.36

Lilly King successfully completed her sweep of the three breaststroke events with a dominant 1:05.67 in the final of the 100 breast. King was out quickly, hitting the 50 wall in 30.81 to lead Annie Lazor by two-tenths. NCAA champion Kaitlyn Dobler was another tenth behind, and Olympic champion Lydia Jacoby trailed King by seven-tenths.

The race for second place heated up down the stretch, as both Dobler and Jacoby put pressure on Lazor over the final 25 meters. King remained untouchable out front, but Jacoby had the fastest second 50 of the field (34.71) and she fell just short of getting her hands to the wall ahead of Lazor and Dobler.

After King’s winning 1:05.67, it was Lazor with 1:06.12, Dobler with 1:06.19, and Jacoby with 1:06.21.

2021-2022 LCM Women 100 Breast

ReonaJPN
Aoki
03/02
1:05.19
2Lilly
King
USA1:05.3203/31
3Lara
Van Niekerk
RSA1:05.4708/02
4Anna
Elendt
GER1:05.5803/31
5Yu
Jingyao
CHN1:05.6309/21
View Top 27»

Men’s 100 Meter Breaststroke – Finals

  • World Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty (2019)
  • American Record: 58.14 – Michael Andrew (2021)
  • US Open Record: 58.14 – Michael Andrew (2021)
  • Jr World Record: 59.01 – Nicolo Martinenghi (2017)
  • FINA “A” Cut: 59.75
  • SwimSwam Preview – M100 Breast

Podium:

  1. Nic Fink, Metro Atlantic – 58.37
  2. Michael Andrew, MA Swim Academy – 58.51
  3. Charlie Swanson, Nova of Virginia – 1:00.06
  4. Kevin Houseman, Northwestern – 1:00.30
  5. Tommy Cope, Indiana Swim Club – 1:00.42
  6. Cody Miller, Sandpipers of Nevada – 1:00.68
  7. AJ Pouch, Virginia Tech – 1:01.07
  8. Zhier Fan, Metroplex – 1:01.38

Nic Fink became the second-fastest American of all time when he won the 100 breast final in 58.37. His performance now leads the world rankings for the 2021-22 season, moving past Arno Kamminga’s 58.52 from February. Fink’s previous personal best was a 58.50 from Olympic Trials last summer.

American Record-holder Michael Andrew set the pace on the first 50 meters, leading Fink by three-tenths at the halfway point. Fink was almost half a second faster on the back half, though, and got his hands to the wall with a .14 margin for the win.

Charlie Swanson moved past Kevin Houseman on the second 50 to finish in third place with 1:00.06. Houseman held off Tommy Cope and Cody Miller to finish fourth.

2021-2022 LCM Men 100 Breast

2Nic
Fink
USA58.3704/29
3Michael
Andrew
USA58.5104/29
4Arno
Kamminga
NED58.5202/20
5Adam
Peaty
GBR58.5804/05
View Top 27»

Women’s 100 Meter Backstroke – Finals

  • World Record: 57.45 – Kaylee McKeown (2021)
  • American Record: 57.57 – Regan Smith (2019)
  • US Open Record: 57.92 – Regan Smith (2021)
  • Jr World Record: 57.57 – Regan Smith (2019)
  • FINA “A” Cut: 1:00.59
  • SwimSwam Preview – W100 Back

Podium:

  1. Regan Smith, Unattached – 57.76
  2. Claire Curzan, TAC Ttitans – 58.39
  3. Rhyan White, Alabama – 58.59
  4. Katharine Berkoff, NC State – 58.61
  5. Isabelle Stadden, Unattached – 59.16
  6. Olivia Smoliga, Sun Devils – 59.29
  7. Phoebe Bacon, Unattached – 59.56
  8. Amy Fulmer, Ohio State – 1:00.48

Regan Smith looked like a woman on a mission. The World Record-holder went out like a shot and led the field from wire to wire. She flipped at 28.06, .26 ahead of Rhyan White and Claire Curzan and half a second ahead of Katharine Berkoff and Isabelle Stadden, at the 50 wall.

Smith continued her pace over the second half of the race, outsplitting everyone with the only sub-30 on the back half. She came to the wall in a blazing 57.76, winning by half a body length and taking down the U.S. Open Record, which she had set in 2021 with 57.92.

Behind her, Curzan had a stellar second 50, going 30.07 to separate herself from White. Curzan took second place with 58.39, while White successfully held off a strong charge from Berkoff. Berkoff came home two-tenths faster than White, but fell just short of third place, 58.59 to 58.61.

2021-2022 LCM Women 100 Back

ReganUSA
Smith
06/19
57.65
2Kaylee
McKeown
AUS58.3102/19
3Claire
Curzan
USA58.3904/29
4Kylie
Masse
CAN58.4006/20
5Rhyan
White
USA58.5904/29
View Top 27»

Men’s 100 Meter Backstroke – Finals

  • World Record: 51.85 – Ryan Murphy (2016)
  • American Record: 51.85 – Ryan Murphy (2016)
  • US Open Record: 51.94 – Aaron Peirsol (2009)
  • Jr World Record: 52.53 – Kliment Kolesnikov (2018)
  • FINA “A” Cut: 54.03
  • SwimSwam Preview – M100 Back

Podium:

  1. Hunter Armstrong, Ohio State – 52.20
  2. Ryan Murphy, Cal – 52.46
  3. Justin Ress, Mission Viejo – 52.73
  4. Shaine Casas, Unattached – 53.01
  5. Daniel Carr, Unattached – 53.59
  6. Jack Aikins, Virginia – 53.95
  7. Sam Stewart, Unattached – 53.99
  8. Daniel Diehl, YMCA of Cumberlands – 54.15

200 back champion Ryan Murphy got out to a fast start on the first half of the 100 back, and led by a tenth at the 50 wall with 25.18. However, the second half of the race proved crucial. Hunter Armstrong, who set the World Record in the 50 back last night, kept the pressure on Murphy, then took off halfway down the stretch to outpace the 100 back World Record-holder, 26.9 to 27.2, over the second 50. Armstrong stopped the clock at 52.20 for the win, improving his PB by .28. Murphy touched in 52.46 for second place.

Justin Ress and Shaine Casas both came home nearly two-tenths faster than Murphy, but his first 50 had made him out of reach for them. Ress finished third with 52.73; Casas, fourth, with 53.01.

2021-2022 LCM Men 100 Back

ThomasITA
Ceccon
06/20
51.60 WR
2Ryan
Murphy
USA51.9706/20
3Hunter
Armstrong
USA51.9806/20
4Apostolos
Christou
GRE52.0906/19
5Yohann
Ndoye-Brouard
FRA52.5006/20
View Top 28»

 

 

 

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Bobo Gigi
1 year ago

WOMEN’S 400 FREE
The usual 1-2
Another sub 4 for KL. We are used to it with her but let’s not forget that it’s not common.
Sims and Grimes get closer to Smith. They will play the second spot in 2024.
A little bit disappointed by Weinstein.

MEN’S 400 FREE
A weak event for US swimming in the last 40 years.
Slow race overall.
Kieran Smith is the best US male mid-distance guy. He has taken speed like his 100 free has shown. HIs best event is by far the 200 free.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST
The expected winner but I’m surprised to see Lazor finishing second. I would have picked Dobler or… Read more »

Pisspooler
1 year ago

Here’s the problem… magicians are the worst and so are people who point up to god after a race.

Come at me bro.

Smith-King-Huske-Curzan
1 year ago

2022 Phillips 66 International Team Trials
Top 25 All-Time Performances
Women’s Events
400 FR – Ledecky, 21st
800 FR – Ledecky, 6th
50 BK – Berkoff, 5th; Smith, 23rd
100 BK – Smith, 8th
200 BK – Bacon, 12th; White, 14th; Smith, 21st
50 BR – King, 24th

Someone else can research the men.

Mister Kraljas
1 year ago

hunter armstrong will be first man ever to break 51

Swimmerfromjapananduk
Reply to  Mister Kraljas
1 year ago

Let’s see if he breaks 52 first

WhatIDo
Reply to  Mister Kraljas
1 year ago

First person to break 50

Thorpedo
Reply to  WhatIDo
1 year ago

49

Becky D
Reply to  Thorpedo
1 year ago

30

Sink or Swim
1 year ago

Rooting for Shaine in the 200 IM! I hope he feels great and rocks a great swim. Good luck, Shaine!

Derrick
1 year ago

The Texas men quietly having a very good meet.

At least 6 already headed to Budapest:

Kibler
Carson Foster
Casas
Swanson
Carrozza

Corbeau [for Team NL]

Plus maybe Jake Foster in the 200 IM and Johnston in the 800 tomorrow….

BearlyBreathing
Reply to  Derrick
1 year ago

I’m really hoping this meet serves to get Carson Foster out of the national mindset and into the international. He’s too good of a swimmer to be left at home.

oxyswim
Reply to  Derrick
1 year ago

Jake doesn’t have a shot in the 2IM

Mark
1 year ago

I don’t think it really matters who you have in the medley and mixed medley relays, the world and olympic champions in the respective races, namely Team GB, still wins!!!!

Mister Kraljas
Reply to  Mark
1 year ago

WELL AT LEAST

Swimmerfromjapananduk
Reply to  Mark
1 year ago

The us won the mens and came 2nd in the womens. Gb didn’t even final in the womens. Gb only has a chance at the mixed

Sub13
Reply to  Mark
1 year ago

The male medley relay could go either way, leaning USA, but I think GB should win the mixed medley unless something goes wrong.

Assuming both go FMMF (which they both should as that’s the best team for both), Dawson/Peaty/Guy/Hopkin should be faster than Smith/Fink/Dressel/Huske unless someone performs below expectations. Smith and Dressel should gain about a second on their legs, Peaty should gain about 2 seconds and Hopkin should gain a second, leaving it GB by about a second.

Troyy
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

The only reason the US didn’t contend in the mixed medley in Tokyo is their coaches’ stupidity.

Dawson didn’t impress at trials and is managing a back injury so if she can’t get back in form in time for Worlds they’ll need to use Medi Harris. Let’s assume they go the same time as in Tokyo:

GBR 3:37.58

Then if you add up the winning times from US trials and adjust for relay changeovers (-0.5 x 3) you get this and this doesn’t take into account Dressel not being fully tapered:

USA: 57.76 + 58.37 + 50.01 + 53.35 – (0.5 * 3) = 3:37.99

Admin
Reply to  Troyy
1 year ago

In Tokyo, I don’t think the United States’ best would’ve beaten GB. MA (or Fink for that matter) wasn’t going to split 58.37-.5, Dressel wasn’t going to go another 49.0 at the end of a triple, Abbey wasn’t going to go 52.8 after the 100 free final, and I don’t have a ton of confidence that Regan or Rhyan White would go 57.7.

A better lineup could have medaled, but I don’t think they would have won.

dressel 49.7 100 fly tonight
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

to be honest peaty doesn’t look as fast as he did last year and Fink looks to be stepping up on the breaststroke

AnEn
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

I hope that you are british/trolling, otherwise this level of delusion would be inexcusable.
“Hopkin should gain a second” … ???

The fact that GB could realistically win this event just shows how absurd this event is.
In 6 out of the 8 individual 100 m races the US is clearly better (men’s/women’s 100 m fly/back, men’s 100 m free, women’s 100 m breast) and in the women’s 100 m free both countries are about equal. In only 1 out of the 8 individual 100 m races (men’s 100 m breast) GB is without a question better.

Last edited 1 year ago by AnEn
Mark
Reply to  AnEn
1 year ago

How is it absurb?! The British have a talented team and they are the Olympic gold medalists. They’ll beat the Americans again in the Worlds and you can say how absurd it is again. If the Americans were and are better they’ll win simple as but they’re not so they won’t.

Smith-King-Huske-Curzan
Reply to  Mark
1 year ago

What?

Team GB did not even medal in the women’s 4 x 100 meter medley relay.

Mark
Reply to  Smith-King-Huske-Curzan
1 year ago

Soery I should have made myself clearer I was referring to the men’s and mixed relays – GB all the way no doubt about it!!!!

CavaDore
1 year ago

Lots of third place finishes for NC State tonight. Ouch

About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …

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