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2022 U.S. Trials: Day 5 Swims You Might Have Missed or Overlooked

2022 U.S. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS

The 2022 U.S. World Championships Trials concluded last night, so it’s time for our final installment of swims you may have missed. These posts focus on the swims from each day of the meet which might have flown under the radar, or not received a sufficient amount of coverage. The final day of the meet featured the women’s 1500 free, Men’s 800 free, the 200 IMs, and the 50 frees.

Let’s start with the women’s 1500 free, where 17-year-old Michaela Mattes out of Sarasota Sharks took 5th with a 16:23.44. The swim marks a personal best by 6 seconds for Mattes, coming in well under the 16:29.86 she set at the FL SZ South Sectionals meet in February of this year. Coming into 2022, Mattes had a personal best of 16:48.63, meaning she’s now dropped 25 seconds in 2022 already. With the swim, Mattes moves up to #30 all-time in the 17-18 age group.

La Mirada Armada’s Kayla Han, a 13-year-old, took 9th in the 1500 free yesterday, clocking a new personal best of 16:36.60. The swim chipped a second off her previous best of 16:37.59, which she swam at a La Mirada Armada hosted meet in January. Han has now moved up to #5 all-time among 13-year-olds, and #21 in the 13-14 age group. Bella Rongione is the fastest 13-year-old American in history, having swum a 16:27.23 at age 13.

In the women’s 200 IM ‘B’ final, a pair of 16-year-olds went 2:15 for the first time in their careers. Greater Somerset County Y’s Emily Thompson won the race, swimming a 2:15.63, with SwimAtlanta’s Katie Christopherson right behind in 2:15.76. For Christopherson the swim was a massive personal best. She entered the meet with a best time of 2:22.22, which she swam in May of 2021. Thompson’s personal best prior to yesterday’s final was a 2:16.24, which she swam last July. The duo traded the lead a few times during the race last night, but Thompson was able to run Christopherson down on the final 50, getting her hand on the wall first.

Winning the ‘C’ final of the men’s 200 IM, North Texas Nadadores 15-year-old Maximus Williamson posted a huge personal best of 2:01.45. Williamson entered the meet with a top mark of 2:06.36, then swam a 2:03.34 in prelims to qualify for the ‘C’ final. The 15-year-old flexed his backstroke ability in the heat, splitting a speedy 29.93 on the backstroke leg, which was faster than 3 of the swimmers in the ‘A’ final. Where he was at his best, however, was on the final 50, where he tore home in a stunning 27.73, which was the fastest free split of anybody in finals yesterday, including the ‘A’ finalists. With the swim, Williamson is now the fastest 15-year-old American all-time in the event.

In the men’s 50 free, 15-year-old Thomas Heilman won the ‘C’ final in 22.89. The swim puts Heilman #2 among 15-year-olds all-time in the U.S., just behind Michael Andrew, who swam a 22.82 at 15. Similarly, Diggory Dilligham, a 17-year-old out of BEND, swam a 22.48 in prelims yesterday to qualify for the ‘B’ final. He would go on to swim a 22.53 in finals, finishing 3rd in the ‘B’. With the 22.48, Dilligham is now already #18 all-time in the 17-18 boys age group.

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aquajosh
2 years ago

Here’s a swim you missed: Kasia Wasick went 24.49 at the Jax50 yesterday.

Scott
2 years ago

Really enjoyed these articles for this meet. As an average swim fan I tend to miss the performances of the up-n-comers. It’s nice to see how the next generation that isn’t necessarily qualifying for the team is still improving.

PK Doesn’t like his long name
2 years ago

Loved this concept all meet. Please bring these back for senior nats level meets in the future.

Eli
2 years ago

Worth noting that Claire Weinstein dropped over 20 seconds in the 1500!

Swimmerfromjapananduk
2 years ago

That 27.7 coming home was a performance befitting of a maximus

Tom
2 years ago

No mention to Zane ‘s 5th place finish in the B final ?

Tomek
2 years ago

Maximum effort from Maximus

MIKE IN DALLAS
2 years ago

I love reading these kind of articles!
Sure, everyone knows about ‘the big fish’ who are going to worlds, but this kind of reporting and highlighting is so essential — both for readers and for swimmers!

Ferb
Reply to  MIKE IN DALLAS
2 years ago

A lot of these swimmers are undoubtedly the “big fish” of the future.

SCCOACH
Reply to  MIKE IN DALLAS
2 years ago

Rowdy should look at these articles instead of reminiscing over Phelps races all day

Smith-King-Huske-Curzan
Reply to  SCCOACH
2 years ago

Time to promote the sack Gaines, promote Beisel campaign.

Big Mac #1
Reply to  Smith-King-Huske-Curzan
2 years ago

Promote Melvin campaign

Joel
Reply to  SCCOACH
2 years ago

That would require preparation.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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