Albert Smelzer Jumps to 9th on List of All-Time Top-100 Times in 15-16 Age Group 50 Free

2024 Southeastern Meet of Champions

• March 7-10, 2024
• Augusta, GA
• 25 yards (SCY)
• Meet Mobile “2024 Southeastern Meet of Champions”
• Meet Mobile “2024 Southeastern Meet of Champions LCM TT”

Albert Smelzer punched a ticket to Omaha at the Southeastern Meet of Champions in Georgia, qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the 50 freestyle with a time of 22.69. This is Smelzer’s first ever Trials cut.

His time in the 50 propelled him from 42nd all the way up to 9th on the list of all-time top-100 times in the 15-16 age group.

The 16-year-old Greensboro Swimming Association swimmer landed solidly ahead of the 2024 Olympic Trials cutoff time of 22.79 with his performance. Smelzer’s time makes him the fastest male swimmer in the 15-16 50 free this season and is the second fastest time to be posted in the age group since the qualifying period for the 2024 Olympic Trials began in November 2022.

Only two other swimmers from Smelzer’s age group have posted Trials cuts thus far: Eagle Aquatics’ Kaii Winkler (22.49) and Nation’s Capital Swim Club’s Josh Howat (22.76). Both now 17, the boys secured their cuts last season while still 16.

Swam during a long course time trial during the otherwise short course championship meet, Smelzer dropped half a second off of his previous personal best to land his Trials cut and shoot up the national rankings.

Aside from his performance in the 50 meter free time trial, Smelzer won two events in the regular SCY competition at the meet. He took home a victory in both the 100 and 200-yard free, throwing down personal bests in both of them; he touched in a time of 43.87 and 1:38.15 respectively.

Smelzer posted two more personal best times during the competition. He dropped over six seconds in the 200 back, placing 3rd in a time of 1:50.00, and was the runner-up in the 100 fly with a time of 48.89, just over half a second faster than his previous best.

Smelzer also achieved top finishes in his remaining five events, which included all four relays. He took 2nd in the 50 yard free in a time of 20.57.

Racing the backstroke leg, Smelzer placed 2nd in the 400 medley relay (3:23.30) alongside teammates Erik Petruzzi, Griffin Jones and Brandt Conklin before repeating the same finish in the 200 medley relay (1:32.60) alongside Payton Splawski, Petruzzi and Jones.

Smelzer contributed to a runner-up finish in the 200 free relay with Griffin, Petruzzi and Splawski; anchoring the relay for the team, Smelzer was the only one of the four to break 20 seconds in his split, throwing down a time of 19.96.

He joined teammates Conklin, Jones and Splawski for a 3rd-place finish in the 400 free relay. Once again anchoring, Smelzer posted the fastest split on the relay by nearly four seconds; he turned in a 43.80 while Jones touched in a time of 47.61.