2021 LONGHORN ELITE INVITE
- May 20-23, 2021
- Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center
- Austin, TX
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Packet
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Start Times (US CT): Prelims 10AM, Finals 5:30PM
- Wave I & II Trials Cuts
- Day 1 Prelims Recap
The first finals session of the 2021 Longhorn Elite Invite kicked off with a stellar race between sprinter Simone Manuel and distance queen Katie Ledecky in the women’s 100 free final. On the men’s side, the top four 100 free finalists finished within 0.13s. Then, Madisyn Cox put up the No. 2 US women’s 400 IM time while Carson Foster hit another personal best in the men’s final. Following that, Ledecky was back in the water for the 400 free final with a 7-second margin victory while Coby Carrozza won the men’s race. Olivia Bray and Shaine Casas wrapped up the evening with their respective wins in the 100 fly.
Day 1 Finals Highlights
The session started off with an all-out-no-breath-sprint finish between Simone Manuel and Katie Ledecky in the women’s 100 free final. After Manuel turned first at the turn at 25.86, Ledecky’s quickened tempo gained on the sprint record-holder. Four strokes after Ledecky put her head down and whirled her arms, Manuel followed suit, leaving it up to the scoreboard to decide the winner. Taking the win by one one-hundredth was Ledecky, defeating Manuel 53.82 to 53.83, splitting 26.44/27.38. That swim narrowly missed her 2016 personal best of 53.75 from PSS Austin, but now bumps Erika Brown (54.03) for No. 6 in the US rankings.
Meanwhile on the men’s side, it was a tight race throughout the entire 100 meters between four current and former Texas Longhorns. At the finish, it was Drew Kibler (48.28) who took the narrow 0.05s victory over Maxime Rooney (49.33). In for third place was Daniel Krueger (49.36), holding off Townley Haas (49.41). The quartet now rank places 10th-13th respectively on the 2020-2021 US rankings.
Putting up the No. 2 time in the US women’s 400 IM here in Austin was Madisyn Cox, stopping the clock at 4:36.61. In the race for second, Evie Pfeifer held off Brooke Forde by 0.14s, 4:40.14 to 4:40.28. Cox now moves up to No. 6 in the world rankings.
On the men’s side, Carson Foster put up another lifetime best at 4:11.13 while Jake Foster (4:15.66) and David Johnston (4:18.29) rounded out the top 3 times. C. Foster now moves up to No. 3 in the world season rankings and No. 6 all-time in American history, passing 2019 Pan American champ Charlie Swanson (4:11.46) and 2004 Olympic runner-up Erik Vendt (4:11.27).
All-Time U.S. Performers List: Men’s 400 IM LCM
- Michael Phelps, 4:03.84 — 2008 Olympics
- Ryan Lochte, 4:05.18 — 2012 Olympics
- Chase Kalisz, 4:05.90 — 2017 Worlds
- Tyler Clary, 4:06.96 — 2009 U.S. Nationals
- Jay Litherland, 4:09.22 — 2019 Worlds
- Carson Foster, 4:11.13 — 2021 Longhorn Elite Invite**
- Erik Vendt, 4:11.27 — 2002 U.S. Nationals
- Charlie Swanson, 4:11.46 — 2019 Pan Ams
- Gunnar Bentz, 4:11.66 — 2017 U.S. Nationals
- Tom Dolan, 4:11.76 — 2000 Olympics
2020-2021 LCM Men 400 IM
Foster
4:08.46
| 2 | Daiya Seto | JPN | 4:09.02 | 04/03 |
| 3 | Chase Kalisz | USA | 4:09.09 | 06/13 |
| 4 | Brendon Smith | AUS | 4:09.27 | 07/24 |
| 5 | Lewis Clareburt | NZL | 4:09.49 | 07/24 |
After winning her non-discipline 100 free, Ledecky quadrupled the distance to win the 400 free final by seven seconds at 4:00.37. Placing second was Bahamian Joanna Evans at 4:07.33, taking down her 4:07.60 lifetime best and national record from the 2016 Olympics. Evan’s time also achieved the FINA Olympic A cut, an automatic Olympic qualification. On the men’s side, Coby Carrozza separated himself from Preston Forst to win the 400 free final by nearly a full second, 3:52.24 to 3:53.11.
Winning the women’s 100 fly final was Olivia Bray, closing with the fastest final 50 split of 30.73 to go a season best of 58.17. Rounding out the top three women’s times were Lillie Nordmann (58.63) and Kelly Pash (59.01). Finishing in fourth was Philippines’ Remedy Rule, taking just 0.01s off her own national record at 59.55. On the men’s side, Shaine Casas affirmed his finals win with a 52.05, touching in 0.29s ahead of Youssef Ramadan (52.36).
Bray now passes up bacstroker Beata Nelson (58.37) for No. 8 in the 2020-2021 US rankings.
US Season Rankings: Women’s 100 FL LCM
- Claire Curzan (56.20), 2021 TAC Titans LC Premier
- Torri Huske (56.69), 2021 TAC Titans LC Premier
- Katie McLaughlin (57.39), 2021 CAL Spring Classic
- Kate Douglass/Gretchen Walsh (57.43), 2020 U.S. Open/2021 Dynamo LC Elite
- –
- Regan Smith (57.68), 2021 Pro Swim Series Indy
- Kelsi Dahlia (57.75), 2021 Pro Swim Series Indy
- Olivia Bray (58.15), 2021 Longhorn Elite Invite**
National Record Round-Up
- Women’s 200 Free: Joanna Evans (Bahamas), 4:07.33
- Women’s 100 Fly: Remedy Rule (Philippines), 59.55
Race Videos Provided by James Foster.
Foster goes 4:11 in the 4IM, fastest American this season, ranks 3rd in the world, 6th all time among Americans, (and the top 5 were surely all swum fully rested at national/international level meets) but there is no chatter and there are like 40+ comments all about Ledecky going a relatively mundane 53.x, what’s the deal? Kalish or Litherland is staying home. Foster’s all but punched his ticket to Tokyo.
This is so untrue. A 4:11 is not guaranteed to make the olympics this year. Ledecky has had a really tough last couple years, and is with this swim clearly returning to top form…keep in mind- she is the greatest female swimmer ever, perhaps. SO, people are excited that possibly the best female swimmer ever is back where she should be at just the right time. A 4:11 is frankly the more casual of the two swims. Context, bro, context …Bye
+ the ability for her to add to her already enormous number of Olympic medals (and those to be) with the addition of the 4×100 free relay
Because there Americans are desperate to win the women’s 4×100 free.
So who is coaching Texas?
Can you imagine if Ledecky decided to race the 10K open water? She could possibly medal in the 4×100 free relay and also win the 10K open water. I can’t imagine anyone coming close to her if she decided to do open water.
As much as I’d love to see that, I highly doubt Ledecky would do it. She’s just too good at pool swimming.
I don’t care what anyone says, Ledecky will be on that 4×100 free relay in Tokyo.
I’d love that!
Won’t be good news for the US’ chances of gold. The relay needs pure sprinters splitting low 52.
She’s split 52.6 before so 52 low is possible pure sprinter or not. She also just beat Simone so looking good.
I find it kind of impressive that he only dropped 4 tenths but he improved each of his 100s by a tiny bit. The consistency shows that he’s ready to swim fast anytime. Let’s go!
Thank you so much Swim Swam for posting videos. It is really nice to be able to watch swimming again.
Just looking at Grant Shoults time.. I know hes battled injury/surgery, but has he done a Wave 2 cut in the qualifying period?
Yes, 3:51.48 in the 400 free (at the 2019 Art Adamson invite), but that is his only Trials cut of any wave.
In case anyone is curious, Foster’s short course 400IM improved 2 seconds between Big 12’s (probably lightly rested) and NCAA’s and that was still a couple seconds slower than his PB