Caeleb Dressel Looking For A Second Individual Event Win On Night 8 of 2024 U.S. Trials

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)
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It’s the penultimate night of finals at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials and it’s a quick session. But with three finals and the women’s splash and dash there should be plenty of excitement. Tonight, the three finals are the men’s 100 butterfly, women’s 200 IM, and women’s 800 free. After tonight, there’s just one event left for both the men and the women, which means that we’ve almost got the complete rosters for Paris 2024.

Order of Events

• Men’s 100 butterfly — final
• Women’s 50 freestyle — semifinals
• Women’s 200 IM — final
• Women’s 800 freestyle — final

Men’s 100 Butterfly

Dare Rose (photo: Jack Spitser)

Last night, Caeleb Dressel was back on top at a national level meet for the first time since 2022, charging to the win and an individual Olympic berth in the the 50 freestyle. In the same session, he took charge of the 100 butterfly, charging to the top time of the two semifinals in 50.79.

Now, he has the chance to add another event in the 100 butterfly. He’s the favorite for sure as the only man sub-51 so far this meet. But Dare Rose and Zach Harting were both 51.1 in the semifinals and are looking dangerous in the race for second.

But they’re far from the only two in the mix; Ryan Murphy is lurking in 4th place (51.43), the Wolfpack duo of Aiden Hayes and Luke Miller are hanging around, and Thomas Heilman came back in a blistering 26.65 in the semifinals for a final time of 51.58. If he takes it out faster tonight, he could jump up from 7th and make his second event.

Women’s 200 IM

Alex Walsh Kate Douglass (photo: Jack Spitser)

The roster spot tension went out of this event when Torri Huske scratched out of the final in favor of the 50 freestyle. Huske was the 3rd place qualifier and was the swimmer in the field most capable of making it a race with Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh. Now barring a huge upset, Douglass and Walsh should repeat as the United States’ 200 IM representatives and will be in the field to defend (or improve) their places on the Olympic podium.

But that doesn’t mean this race will be a snoozer. Instead it becomes completely about how fast these two stars can go. Douglass and Walsh have cruised their way through to the final and now it’s a race for all the marbles. They’re the 2nd and 3rd fastest American women of all time. Is there a record to be broken tonight?

And if so, which one: championship, U.S. Open, American?

Women’s 800 Freestyle

Katie Ledecky (photo: Jack Spitser)

Katie Ledecky takes the stage one final time this week at Lucas Oil stadium in the women’s 800 freestyle. Ledecky has been as dominant as ever at this meet, winning the 200/400/1500 freestyle, even if she wasn’t very pleased with her time in the 1500 freestyle. She’s booked her ticket to her fourth Olympics and with a win in this event will join Michael Phelps as the only swimmers in history to win an event four times at U.S. Olympic Trials.

As it was been for years, the race in the 800 free is for second behind Ledecky. But there’s quite an interesting race developing. After many top contenders scratched out of this event before prelims, Jillian Cox is the on-paper favorite for the second roster spot.

She is sitting second after prelims (8:31.58), but second through sixth place are separated by less than a second, teasing a great race for that roster spot. Two of the swimmers chasing Cox are Aurora Roghair (3rd, 8:31.59) and Paige Madden (4th, 8:31.80). Both have been having great meets, with Madden already named to the team in two events. They should push Cox during this race, along with Kate Hurst and Rachel Stege. 

Semifinals

Women’s 50 Freestyle

All the chatter is about what Gretchen Walsh will do tonight. She’s had a few days off since she last qualified for the 4×100 freestyle relay and not to mention, her opening 50 of both the 100 butterfly semifinal and final was blistering. What can she throw down in the drop dead sprint that is the 50 freestyle?

76% think she’s going 23.8 or faster 👀 https://t.co/c4vLwq4D6A

— Braden Keith (@Braden_Keith) June 22, 2024

American record holder Kate Douglass was a no show in the final heat of prelims. Torri Huske not only won that heat, but clocked a 24.47 and will head into semifinals as the fastest qualifier. Catie DeLoof and Erika Connolly (neé Brown), who went head-to-head in the swim-off for 6th place in the 100 freestyle, are the 2nd and 3rd fastest qualifiers, separated by only .02. In prelims, DeLoof clocked a personal best 24.53, whie Connolly swam 24.55 for third.

Gabi Albiero and Amy Fulmer narrowly avoided having to swim-off themselves. They tied for 15th place in 25.20, meaning the top 16 is separated by .73 seconds.