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
- Worlds Qualifying Criteria
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Carson Foster posted a 1:45.57 in the prelims of the 200 freestyle to claim the top seed going into the finals as well as the 3rd-fastest time in the world this year. The swim represents a massive improvement for Foster and sets him up well for not only a spot on the 4 x 200 freestyle relay, but also an individual berth on the world championship team.
With this swim Foster is now the 8th-fastest American all-time in the event. Of current competitors, meaning those who swam the race today in Greensboro, the only swimmer with a higher all-time ranking than Foster is Kieran Smith who sits 3rd with a 1:44.74 from the lead-off leg of the 4 x 200 freestyle relay last summer in Tokyo.
Foster’s previous best time stood at a 1:46.67 from the championship final of the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials where he placed 8th.
Splits Comparison
| Foster 2022 | Foster 2021 | |
| 1st 50 | 24.70 | 25.06 |
| 2nd 50 | 26.38 (51.08) | 27.00 (52.06) |
| 3rd 50 | 26.97 (1:18.05) | 27.20 (1:19.26) |
| 4th 50 | 27.52 | 27.41 |
| Total Time | 1:45.57 | 1:46.67 |
Foster was faster on every leg of the race save for the final 50 where he was 0.11 slower than his split in his 2021 performance.
Foster will face off against 2021 Olympic Trials champion Kieran Smith and 2022 NCAA Champion Drew Kibler, who placed 3rd at U.S. Trials in 2021. Other big names in the ‘A’ final include Luca Urlando who qualified yesterday in the 200 fly, and Trenton Julian, who is tentatively qualified for the team in the 200 fly after placing 2nd to Urlando Tuesday.
Top 8 Qualifiers, Men’s 200 Freestyle:
- Carson Foster (TEX): 1:45.57
- Drew Kibler (TEX): 1:46.25
- Trenton Julian (Unattached): 1:46.76
- Kieran Smith (FLOR): 1:46.78
- Coby Carrozza (TEX): 1:46.86
- Luke Hobson (TEX): 1:46.92
- Trey Freeman (FLOR): 1:46.98
- Luca Urlando (DART): 1:47.37
This also makes Foster the 3rd-fastest in the world this year trailing Germany’s Lukas Martens and British Olympic silver medalist Duncan Scott. Foster’s time also puts him just ahead of the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the 200 free, Tom Dean, who currently holds a 1:45.73 season best.
2021-2022 LCM Men 200 Free
Popovici
1:42:97 WJR
| 2 | Hwang Sunwoo | KOR | 1:44.47 | 06/20 |
| 3 | Thomas Dean | GBR | 1:44.98 | 06/20 |
| 4 | Drew Kibler | USA | 1:45.01 | 06/20 |
| 5 | Duncan Scott | GBR | 1:45.02 | 07/30 |
Foster has been known as a very strong prelims swimmer, though despite entering several high-profile ‘A’ finals as the top seed, Foster has had difficulty getting his hand on the wall first. Foster entered the finals of the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials as the top seed in the 400 IM, and despite leading through the first 200 meters was run down by Chase Kalisz and Jay Litherland. At the 2022 NCAA Championships, Foster posted the fastest prelims time in the 400 yard IM, scaring Kalisz’s American Record, only to fall off the pace and place 3rd in the championship final.
The 200 freestyle is different than the 400 IM in that Foster can afford to place lower than 1st or 2nd. As long as he is in the top-4 he will be guaranteed a spot on the World Championship team. If he’s 5th or 6th he will probably get a spot on the team, though it’s too early in the meet to say for certain.
No one cares. He’s gonna add at least 3 seconds at finals as per usual
I’m just wondering if he listens to his coaches or not. If you flip turn at the 150 in prelims with a sizable lead you should be trained to shut it down into the wall. You see some of the elite guys just cruise the first half of the race and turn on the jets on the back half to do just enough to win a heat. We see Casas overswim this morning also. So they don’t listen to their coaches or they are being told to swim fast in prelims which would seem to be stupid advice. The other option which I like is they both cruised this AM and are about to drop some big swims.
Y’all are COLD blooded. 😯. A lot of this comes from the overhype from media, swimsites, commentators, etc. It’s like the old Michelle Wie saga. She was overhyped and fans/players had issues with it until she won something which was a US Open for her. The hate (not all) will die down as soon as he stacks medals
Michelle Wie’s problem is that she is 6 foot 1 in a sport with so many moving parts that height is a disadvantage especially for females. Fans and the sports media were laughably ignorant about that. As soon as I saw Wie at 13 years old I emphasized online there’s no chance she lives up to expectations, given that height. The best female golfers are 5 foot 6. That height enables enough wiry power while also being close enough to your work. There was a 15 year stretch from 1997 through 2011 in which every LPGA Player of the Year had a listed height of 5 foot 6. Over the subsequent decade every Player of the Year has been either… Read more »
I wish someone like Michael Phelps or Ryan Lochte would tell Carson how to get off the last turn like they did and not to glide into the finish.
Ryan Lochte and gliding into the finish hmm…
This is good news for the 800 relay. But it’s gonna be hard for him to get an individual spot ahead Smith & Kibler.
This man is nothing but resilient and I am excited for what he does tonight. Southwest Ohio is so proud of you. You have been working towards your goals for so long.
As other commentators have noted, I don’t understand the hate. It does not make sense. I wonder if these same people who are wishing him a 1:48 in the final are rejoicing when student-athletes take their own life, a seriously terrifying trend. We have understand that comments, even if a joke, do play a role in how the athlete AND those who are reading perceive themselves and their struggles.
With this said, it is refreshing to see that most of these hate comments are clearly… Read more »
Unfortunately the internet has become a place for everyone to give their opinions both positive and negative.
-Goes 1:48 in the final to finish 8th
-Goes 1:42.9 at a random meet a week after Worlds
its gonna be in the texas pool too watch
As coaches, we see the struggles that swimmers like Carson go through. Talented and hard working swimmers struggle all the time at all levels. Even the Greats have had their difficulties…many times after they’ve had great success. Struggle is what swimmers do every day in practice and at many meets. Its part of the journey. Its how you grow as a person and athlete and get to the next level. Carson is in Very good hands. As long as he believes in himself, trusts his coaches, and doesn’t let comments from knuckleheads get to him, he will do great things. These are my thoughts.
Yes. It’s almost people rejoice in seeing him fail. Let’s remember that Carson is great and when he inevitably plays a key role on an international team, it’s good for all of America.