2021 U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS

• When:
  • Wave I Dates: June 4-7, 2021
  • Wave II Dates: June 13-20, 2021
• Prelims: 10am CDT | Finals: 7pm CDT
• Where: CHI Health Center / Omaha, Nebraska
• 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Cuts
• Wave I & II Event Order
• LCM (50m)
• Day 4 Prelims Live Stream (NBC Olympics)
• Psych Sheets
• Wave II Live Results
• Day 4 Prelims Heat Sheets

18-year-old James Plage dropped seven seconds to go 7:56.87 in the 800 free at this morning’s Olympic Trials prelims. That moves him to #11 all-time in USA Swimming’s 17-18 age group rankings.

Plage’s previous best time was an 8:03.84 from Junior Nationals in the summer of 2019. He swam the event just one time last season, going 8:04.0 in December of 2019 before graduating high school and joining NC State as a freshman this past season.

Plage, who represents Wolfpack Elite and The Aquabears, focused mostly on short course in his freshman NCAA season, dropping 9 seconds in his 1650 (to 14:48), 7 in his 500 (to 4:17.8) and nearly 3 in his 200 free (to 1:37.0). His only long course swims registered this season were times of 8:08 in the 800 and 15:37 in the 1500 at a local North Carolina meet.

The 18-year-old has already had a banner Olympic Trials meet. On day 1, he dropped 1.6 seconds in the 400 free to go 3:51.41. That was good for 16th overall. This morning’s swim won his heat and put him 5th overall heading into tomorrow night’s final.

7:56.87 moves Plage to #11 all-time in USA Swimming’s 17-18 age group history. He passes open water legend Fran Crippen, who was 7:57.04 in the age group back in 2002. Plage sits 8.8 seconds behind Larsen Jensen‘s National Age Group record, but could crack the top 5 in age group history if he can go 7:54.5 or better in the final.

Further back in this morning’s heats, 18-year-old Charlie Clark of Ohio State dropped five seconds to go 7:58.50. That moves him to #18 all-time in the 17-18 age group. Clark is 10th and won’t make the final without scratches above him.

Other age group swims checking into the all-time ranks in this event: 18-year-old Daniel Matheson dropped from 8:09.0 to 8:05.09 for 20th. That moves him up to #53 all-time in the U.S. 17-18 ranks. 16-year-old Josh Parent dropped from 8:08.9 to 8:08.13. That got him 24th and moves him from #37 to #30 in the all-time U.S. 15-16 ranks.