2024 U.S. Olympic Trials: Armstrong Battles Back From a Poor Start to Safely Make the Semis

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 | Day 2
• Finals Live Recap: Day 1 | Day 2
• Day 2 Finals Live Stream (USA)
• Day 2 Finals Heat Sheet

MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE — SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 51.60 — Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 2022
• American Record: 51.85 — Ryan Murphy, 2016
• U.S. Open Record: 51.94 — Aaron Peirsol (USA), 2009
• World Junior Record: 52.53 — Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2018
• 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion: Ryan Murphy, 52.33
• 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time: 53.74

Final Qualifiers:

1. Ryan Murphy (CAL), 52.65
2. Adam Chaney (FLOR), 53.08
3. Jack Aikins (SA), 53.23
4. Hunter Armstrong (NYAC), 53.57
5. Tommy Janton (ND), 53.61
6. Jack Wilkening (MICH), 53.70
7. Will Modglin (ZSC), 53.83
8. Justin Ress (MVN), 53.78

In season, 53.57 would be an acceptable time for Hunter Armstrong. He was 55.58 at the Pro Swim Series – San Antonio meet, so two seconds faster would actually be a marked improvement. Except this isn’t in season, and this isn’t the time to be content with okay, and this is also the worst time to deal with a bad start.

Armstrong, the top seed from this morning’s prelims in the men’s 100 back, entered the 2nd semifinal as the favorite and, in his best event, a strong contender to book his ticket to Paris, but right from the get-go, Armstrong was behind.

Armstrong visibly slipped on the start and was behind by close to a body length when everyone reemerged from their start. Armstrong was last at the 50 turn, splitting 26.37. But as every experienced veteran does, Armstrong dug deep and recovered over the last 50, propelling himself through the field, passing swimmers left and right to touch 2nd in his heat in 53.57 and qualify safely through in 4th place.

“HOW DID HE DO THAT?!?!”

Hunter Armstrong with a MASSIVE recovery to finish second and advance to the men’s 100m backstroke final!

📺 NBC & @peacock | #SwimTrials24 pic.twitter.com/oGZe8kCb6l

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) June 17, 2024

Speaking after the race, Armstrong said, “I didn’t know I was 8th at the 50s. Truly, it’s all God’s plan. I just put my faith in him and let it happen the way”.

If we look at the splits, we can see how Armstrong made up the ground he lost at the start.

While tonight was obviously much slower, the differential in the 50s was less than a second, whereas in his personal best, it was 1.10 seconds. Armstrong, who was once the World Record holder in the 50 back, predictably has speed off the bat, but if he can harness that back half speed with a good start, Armstrong could be reaching new heights. Armstrong has a season-best of 52.68 from his gold medal-winning performance at the 2024 Doha Worlds.

This is not the first time that a backstroke slip has occurred in the finals session of a US selection meet. At the 2014 US National Champions, a then two-time Olympian, Elizabeth Beisel, completely flubbed at the start. Like Armstrong, she did not panic and powered through the race to come back to finish 6th.