2024 US Olympic Trials Day One Prelims Overreaction: It’s Really Just My Thoughts

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
• Broadcast Info
• SwimSwam’s Definitive Guide to Trials
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• SwimSwam Pick ’em Contest
• Prelims Live Recap: Day 1 

The following article is my opinion and does not necessarily represent the views of SwimSwam or SwimSwam itself.

What a way to kick off your weekend, am I right? I don’t know how to fully put into writing my thoughts in the morning, but I’ll try my best, and much like my other attempt, I am sure it will be less of me shouting and more of a nonsensical spiralling stream of consciousness post.

The Lead-Up

Arrving at the Airport, you could definitely tell that the whole city was behind the Olympic Trials. Marketing was everywhere. As previously reported, parts of downtown have been transformed into a fan zone, replete with renamed streets and an Eiffel Tower. I walked to the pool with colleague Laura Rosado this morning, and can just say Lucas Oil Stadium is massive. I’ve been to other NFL Stadiums, mainly Gillette Stadium (yes, to see the Patriots, but also TSwift in 2011), but to see a ginormous structure of glass and brick in a neighborhood setting was startling.  Upon entering the pool, you are struck by just how large the building is, and despite having two 50 meters of pools in it, there are large swaths of empty space.

What struck me even more than the size of the pool is how quickly you become accustomed to its size. The return to the facility where my Master’s team swims is going to be hugely disappointing, haha,

But that is enough preamble, and let’s get to the swimming

The Morning

“I figure, if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one.” – Calamity Jane

Nothing against the US Men’s team, but certainly at least in today’s events, the loudest cheers and support for the the women, especially Katie Ledecky. It’s not all that surprising, as she has been marketed as one of the faces of US Swiming since she burst onto the scene in 2012 as a 15-year-old.

Shameful Twitter Plug (trust me, I’m not interested)

Massive cheers even before Katie Ledecky starts her 2024 Olympic Campaign. The crowd in Lucas Oil certainly showed up for her. #SwimSwam #Swimming #SwimTrials24

— Mark Wild (@Mark_Wild13) June 15, 2024

Ledecky’s swim was what the crowd asked for. She claimed the top spot tonight at 3:59.99 a time, which is slower than her 3:59.44 from the Atlant Classic, but it something about the .99 just seems to be more impressive. As I had to stop counting the number of SwimSwam staff members covering the meet, as I ran out of fingers, I can’t tell you the number of times she has been under 4:00, but to do so in front of a large prelims crowd like this was something special to be a part of.

However, Ledecky wasn’t the first to get a loud cheer. The first event, the women’s 100 fly, saw several occasions of loud cheering as the circle-seeded heats got things off to a bang.

Regan Smith, many of who thought she should drop the 100 fly from her schedule, electrified the crowd with a prelims swim of 56.68. While not a personal best, she won the heat by nearly a second. And set herself up for a good swim this evening.

Drawing even more reaction was Gretchen Walsh, one of the best yards sprinters of our time. Walsh stunned the crowd and perhaps herself with an eye-popping 55.94 prelims swim. With her swim, Walsh becomes the 6th fastest swimmer in the event ever and clearly has put her detractors behind her. Long Course Meters G. Walsh is here.

Torri Huske had a strong swim as well to take the 2nd seed tonight and will take lane 4 in the first semifinal, posting a time of 56.26. I don’t think Huske swam poorly, but coming right after Walsh’s stellar performance and coming so close to the World Record already this season, I expected something a little more. OK, fine, I’ll admit it:  I expected a World Record or at least an American Record. It’s not out of the realm of possibility, as both Hayley McGregory and Natalie Coughlin broke the 100-back World Record in successive 100-back heats at the 2008 Trials. (I remember watching this because, humble brag, I was watching my teammate swim as well).

Huske and her coaches are probably not paying too much attention to my desires, though, as they both have more experience at Olympic Trials and know that it’s a grind, and conserving energy might be best for her.

“The youth is the hope of our future” – Jose Rizal

Luke Whitlock proved the the future is nigh on hand. The 400 free has been a sore spot for the US men of late. Jake Mitchell had to have the swim of a lifetime and time trial the event to make the 2021 Olympic Team, as only Kieran Smith was under the OQT.

However, this morning, Luke Whitlock showed that he wasn’t waiting for the established order to cede him the reigns, but rather, he went out and seized them. Whitlock is your top qualifier for tonight’s final and wasn’t alone in the youth revolution. While there is a bevy of established veterans like Mitchell and Smith in the finals tonight, just behind them, swimmers like Sean Green (born 2007) and Luka Mikatovic (born 2009) showed that the future is bright. Green, a Georgia commit, placed 11th in a time of 3:50.55, dropping 2.49 from seed. Mijatovic was just one spot behind in 3:50.71.

While neither made the final, with the 2028 Games in LA, both are throwing their names into contention (and yes, it is way too early to be thinking about that).

“Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course” – William Shakespeare

It’s only day one; well, it’s only halfway through day one, but still, it’s not too early for some to start writing eulogies for those who had off swims. I’d counter that perhaps the issues faced by swimmers seeded 1st or seeded 99th today are learning experiences.

Yes, swimming fans will be disappointed that stars like Claire Weinstein, Gabi Albiero and Bella Sims added a lot of times in their events this morning, but that does not mean that is all bad news. What they can take and learn from theses swims is all the more important.

For example, Weinstein added 9.66 seconds to her seed time and finished 30th overall after entering as the 5th seed, but she still has some positives to take from the race. Weinstein was 1:59.32 at the 200 mark, second fastest behind only Ledecky. With such early speed, Weinstein could be looking to focus on the 200 free and should learn from her swim this morning and use it as fuel for her next events. In addition to the 200 free, Weinstein is entered in the 1500, 100 free, 200 free, and 800 free.