2022 U.S. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS
- April 26-30, 2022
- Greensboro, NC
- Greensboro Aquatic Center
- LCM (50m)
- Start Times: Prelims – 9 am ET / Finals – 6 pm ET
- Worlds Qualifying Criteria
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- Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet
As the on-deck commentator noted, Leah Hayes put on a “demonstration” this morning in the women’s 400 IM preliminaries at the U.S. Trials in Greensboro, roaring to the top time of the session in 4:39.65.
Hayes, a 16-year-old out of the Fox Valley Park District Riptides, took off over three seconds from her previous best time of 4:42.97 and moves up into fifth all-time in the girls’ 15-16 age group.
All this comes despite Hayes revealing she’s currently dealing with a stress fracture in her foot after she was seen in a walking boot at the meet. She told SwimSwam that “it does not hinder me from swimming and I am able to compete.”
All-Time Performers, Girls’ 15-16 400 IM (LCM)
- Elizabeth Beisel (ABF), 4:32.87 – 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials
- Katie Hoff (NBAC), 4:36.07 – 2005 World Championships
- Janet Evans (TROJ), 4:38.58 – 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials
- Ella Eastin (SCAL), 4:38.97 – 2013 Summer Junior Nats
- Leah Hayes (TIDE), 4:39.65 – 2022 U.S. Trials
- Becca Mann (NBAC), 4:39.78 – 2014 Santa Clara Pro Swim
- Dagny Knutson (UN), 4:40.10 – 2009 Junior Pan Pacific Championships
- Mariah Denigan (CLPR), 4:40.62 – 2018 Summer Nationals
- Emma Weyant (SYS), 4:40.64 – 2018 Junior Pan Pacific Championships
- Caitlin Leverenz (EDAC), 4:40.70 – 2008 Missouri Pro Swim
Hayes, who previously ranked 16th all-time with her old best time of 4:42.97, bumps the legendary Tracy Caulkins out of the top-10 in the age group, with Caulkins having been 4:40.83 way back at the 1978 World Championships.
SPLIT COMPARISON
In Hayes’ personal best swim, which was also done in the morning heats at the Westmont Pro Swim last month (she scratched the final), she split the race very similarly, with the main differences coming on backstroke (1:11.11 compared to 1:13.19) and the first 50 of freestyle. She was a second slower coming home, but she didn’t need to give it much gas given how far ahead she was of the rest of her heat.
| Hayes, March 2022 | Hayes, April 2022 |
| 29.45 | 28.90 |
| 1:02.84 (33.39) | 1:02.38 (33.48) |
| 1:39.04 (36.20) | 1:37.98 (35.60) |
| 2:16.03 (36.99) | 2:13.49 (35.51) |
| 2:55.40 (39.37) | 2:52.97 (39.48) |
| 3:36.82 (41.42) | 3:34.30 (41.33) |
| 4:11.30 (34.48) | 4:07.02 (32.72) |
| 4:42.97 (31.67) | 4:39.65 (32.63) |
Hayes comes into tonight’s final of the 400 IM as the top seed by nearly a second and a half, with fellow 16-year-old Katie Grimes ranked second in 4:41.02. That swim also marked a best time for Grimes, who moves up from 13th (4:41.37) into 12th all-time in the 15-16 age group.
Emma Weyant (4:41.10) and Hali Flickinger (4:46.04), who won Olympic silver and bronze, respectively, in this event at last summer’s Olympic Games, rank third and fifth overall, while Justina Kozan (4:45.86) sits fourth.
Hayes has already solidifed a spot at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships by virtue of her performance in the 100 freestyle, but now is in position to take a run at a World Championship slot tonight.
Grimes now third 15-16 NAG all-time
She’s gonna have a huge swim tonight
Her 2IM is gonna be lit too. She realistically could make the team in either, even if it’s a bit of a long shot.
I get sad every time I see Dagny Knutsons name on a list like this
That #3 time on the list, Janet Evans, was set nearly 2 decades before the next oldest mark on that list. Pretty impressive.
Great job Leah! Good luck in finals.
Let us not forget, however, there’s a 15 yo from a neighboring country who also swims the 4IM
Mexico, right?
…apropos of nothing
I’m sure there are dozens of 15yos that swim the 4IM in Canada and/or Mexico.
Easy to forget just how dang good Beisel was her whole career in that 4IM.
Yes, and Katie Hoff, the US IM queen.
Yes, both of them! They were so young and putting up fast times! The longevity of Hoff’s record is kinda crazy…i thought she would re-break it a few weeks later in Beijing, but here we are 14 years later and it still stands. I also thought it would go down sometime between 2012-2016 when Biesel and DiRado were swimming lights out.
I think Beisel would have gotten it at that 2014 Pan Pacs meet in Australia if it hadn’t been held outdoors amidst blustery cold and pouring rain in the middle of the Australian winter.