Joao De Lucca was Considering Retirement Last Summer (Video)

^{Reported by Karl Ortegon.}

MEN’S 200 FREE

• Olympic Trials Cut: 1:50.79

1. Joao De Lucca (Cardinal Aquatics) – 1:49.48
2. Luca Urlando (DART Swimming) – 1:49.51
3. Chase Kalisz (Athens Bulldogs) – 1:50.47

Cardinal Aquatics’ Joao De Lucca flew out to a lead with a 53.05 going out, and had a huge lead coming down the final 50. Luca Urlando absolutely careened down the stretch in the final 50. Over 1.2 seconds behind De Lucca at the 150 mark, Urlando came back with a field-best 27.12 on the last 50, with De Lucca just being able to hold on, 1:49.48 to 1:49.51. Chase Kalisz, meanwhile, was the only other person under 1:51 with a 1:50.47.

That time is Urlando’s first sub-1:50 swim ever, and he improves upon his previous best from this past summer’s Jr Pan Pacs. He moves to #6 all-time in the 15-16 age group, just behind Ian Crocker and just ahead of Maxime Rooney.

U.S. 15-16 RANKINGS – 200 FREE

1. Carson Foster – 1:48.57
2. Caeleb Dressel – 1:48.64
3. Jake Magahey – 1:48.65
4. Drew Kibler – 1:49.04
5. Ian Crocker – 1:49.48
6. Luca Urlando – 1:49.51

Lakeside Swim Team’s Hunter Tapp was 1:52.71 for the B final win.