2016 U.S Olympic Trials: Day Eight Finals Live Recap

2016 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS

• Sunday June 26th-Sunday July 3rd, 2016
• Century Link Center – Omaha, Nebraska
• Friday-Sunday – Prelims – 11:00 am EDT   Finals – 7:45 pm EDT
• SwimSwam Preview Links & Schedule
• NBC Televison Coverage Schedule
• Psych Sheets
• Sunday heat sheets
• Live results

Tonight’s finals session will mark the official end of the 2016 U.S Olympic Trials where the remaining roster spots will be filled and a complete picture of the American Olympic swim team will emerge.

The first event of the night is the women’s 50m freestyle where Abbey Weitzeil is the top seed. Weitzeil already won the 100m freestyle earlier in the week, and is currently looking to add a second event for Rio.

Second seed Madison Kennedy has yet to make the team and will be driving to the wall in order to secure her spot on the team. In order to do so she’ll need to beat Simone Manuel, Olivia Smoliga, Lia Neal, Dana Vollmer, and Amanda Weir.

Of the women in the 50m freestyle final, only Kennedy and Katrina Konopka have yet to make the team.

The men’s 1500m freestyle is guaranteed to add at least one new swimmer to the pool roster for Rio. Connor Jaeger is the top seed in the 1500, and he’s already made the team with his performance in the 400m freestyle. None of the other competitors in the final have made the team so far, so it will be a dog fight to get their hands on the wall.

Jordan Wilimovsky is the second overall seed heading into finals and is already on the Olympic roster, but not as a pool swimmer. Wilimovsky is qualified to swim the 10km open water event in Rio.

Following the two finals, the complete U.S Olympic team will be revealed.

WOMEN’S 50m FREESTYLE FINAL

Top seed: Abbey Weitzeil (24.34)
World record: 23.73 – Britta Steffen (Germany)
American record: 24.07 – Dara Torres
U.S Open record: 24.13 – Cate Campbell (Australia)
U.S Nationals record: 24.25 – Dara Torres
JR World record: 24.74 – Rikako Ikee (Japan)
2012 Winning Time: 24.50 – Jessica Hardy

Abbey Weitzeil is officially leading the new age of American women’s sprinting after sweeping the two sprint freestyle events here in Omaha en route to her first Olympic berth.

Weitzeil emerged way out in front of the rest of the field in order to clock the fastest time of the field with a 24.28. That time is the fastest textile swim ever done by an American woman. Weitzeil improved her best time of 24.34 from semifinals which established her as the third fastest American woman in history.

Simone Manuel touched second behind her in 24.33. That time established her as the second fastest American woman ever in a textile suit, and the fourth fastest American woman of all time.

Finishing third was Madison Kennedy, who won’t be going to the Olympic Games.

100m backstroke champion Olivia Smoliga was fourth in 24.70. Dana Vollmer was sixth, Lia Neal was seventh, Amanda Weir was eighth.

1. Abbey Weitzeil (24.28)
2. Simone Manuel (24.33)
3. Madison Kennedy (24.48)
4. Olivia Smoliga (24.70)
5. Katrina Konopka (24.84)
6. Dana Vollmer (24.96)
7. Lia Neal (25.00)
8. Amanda Weir (25.13)

For official results click here.

MEN’S 1500m FREESTYLE FINAL

Top seed: Connor Jaeger (14:58.59)
World record: 14:31.02 – Sun Yang (China)
American record: 14:41.20 – Connor Jaeger
U.S Open record: 14:45.54 – Peter Vanderkaay
U.S Nationals record: 14:45.54 – Peter Vanderkaay
JR World record: 14:51.55 – Mack Horton (Australia)
2012 Winning Time: 14:52.19 – Andrew Gemmell

American record holder Connor Jaeger won the 1500m freestyle to close out the trials in speedy fashion, fighting to the wall with Jordan Wilimovsky as the two secured another event for Rio.

The two were way out in front chasing down Peter Vanderkaay’s U.S Open record of 14:45.54, but ultimately fell short as Jaeger won in 14:47.61 and Wilimovsky was second in 14:49.19.

With that second place finish, Wilimovsky became the first American to qualify for the Olympic team in both open water and the pool.

1. Connor Jaeger (14:47.61)
2. Jordan Wilimovsky (14:49.19)
3. Michael McBroom (15:06.60)
4. Chris Wieser (15:09.70
5. PJ Ransford (15:12.54)
6. Logan Houck (15:13.89)
7. Robert Finke (15:18.40)
8. Zane Grothe (15:30.79)

For official results click here.