2024 U.S. Olympic Trials: Douglass Looking to Add 200 IM to Event List (Day 7 Prelims Preview)

2024 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS

• June 15-23, 2024
• Lucas Oil Stadium — Indianapolis, IN
• LCM (50 Meters)
• Session Start Times (ET):
  • 11 a.m. Prelims
  • 7:45 p.m. Finals (varying based on broadcast needs)
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam’s Definitive Guide to Trials
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• SwimSwam Pick ’em Contest
• Prelims Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6
• Finals Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6

Day 7 Prelims Heat Sheet

It’s another short prelims session as we begin to wind down at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials; in fact, it’s the penultimate day of prelims as tomorrow is the last day of prelims (there are no prelims on day 9).

The morning starts with the men’s 100 butterfly. The top two seeds, Dare Rose and Shaine Casas, are still looking to make the Olympic team. Rose finished 4th in the 200 fly, and this is his last chance to make the team. Casas took on the 200 IM semifinals last night, where he won the first semifinal in 1:57.87, and is the second seed tomorrow night.

Behind those two is the World Record holder, Caeleb Dressel. Dressel made the Olympic team as a member of the 4×100 free relay but has yet to book an individual spot. In the semifinals of the 50 free last night, he won the second semifinal in a time of 21.61 and, like Casas, is the second seed into tomorrow. The top two in the 200 fly are also represented in the event, as Thomas Heilman is the 4th seed, and Luca Urlando is the 38th seed, but Urlando has scratched out of the event.

The women’s 200 IM will see a pair of Virginia teammates look to repeat their finish from the 2021 Trials as Alex Walsh and Kate Douglass take on the 200 IM prelims. Both Walsh and Douglass swam the 200 breast last night, where Douglass swam to victory. Her time of 2:19.46 was a new course record and was just only .16 away from her American Record. Walsh finished 3rd after looking to be in a good position to qualify for her second Olympics. Leah Hayes, a 2022 World medalist in this event, is the 4th seed. Hayes finished 5th in the 400 IM and is set to join Walsh and Douglass at UVA this fall. Many thought Torri Huske, the 3rd seed in the 200 IM, may scratch the event in favor of tomorrow’s 50 free, but she has decided to stay in the event.

The top seed in the 800 free needs no introduction, but Katie Ledecky, the World Record holder, leads the field with a seed time of 8:07.07. Ledecky is well clear of the field by over 12 seconds, but it’s close behind her. Jillian Cox would be the favorite based on seed time, as she is the only other entry under 8:20, but training partners Claire Weinstein and Katie Grimes are always looking dangerous, except that Grimes (#4) and Leah Smith (#5) have scratched, and it’ll be a two-person race for second place.