2021 U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS
- When:
- Wave I Dates: June 4-7, 2021
- Wave II Dates: June 13-20, 2021
- Prelims: 10am CDT | Finals: 7pm CDT (8PM finals on Friday & Saturday)
- Where: CHI Health Center / Omaha, Nebraska
- 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Cuts
- Wave I & II Event Order
- LCM (50m)
- Day 6 Prelims Live Stream (NBC Olympics)
- Psych Sheets
- Wave II Live Results
- Day 6 Prelims Heat Sheets
Michael Andrew has been under World Record pace for three-fourths of the 200 IM twice now at the 2021 U.S.Olympic Trials Wave II. But his closing speed on the freestyle left him 1.26 seconds off the record in the semifinals Thursday night.
He took out the race in 23.9. It is rare to break 24.0 on the butterfly leg; Ryan Lochte‘s World Record swim at the 2011 World Championships started off with a 24.89. Andrew also beat Lochte’s breaststroke split by .82. Their backstroke splits are not too far off, with Lochte ahead by.60.
The biggest difference between their race splits? Lochte closed the race in under 28 seconds, at 27.49. Andrew finished in 29.96.
Michael Andrew 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Splits Comparison
| MICHAEL ANDREW – 2021 US OLYMPIC TRIALS SEMI-FINALS | MICHAEL ANDREW – 2021 US OLYMPIC TRIALS PRELIMS | RYAN LOCHTE – 2011 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (CURRENT WR) | |
| 1st 50 | 23.9 | 24.13 | 24.89 |
| 2nd 50 | 29.19 | 29.52 | 28.59 |
| 3rd 50 | 32.21 | 32.76 | 33.03 |
| 4th 50 | 29.96 | 29.84 | 27.49 |
| Final Time | 1:55.26 | 1:56.25 | 1:54.00 |
Watch Lochte’s World Record-setting approach here:
Ryan Lochte – 2011 World Championships
The most memorable case where someone went out ahead of the World Record pace but missed it in recent history was the men’s 200 IM final at the 2016 Olympic Games. Brazil’s Thiago Pereira was first at the 50-meter mark, ahead of gold medalist Michael Phelps. He remained in medal contention and below Lochte’s World Record pace through the 100-meter mark.
Pereira was still challenging World Record pace until he fell off on the breaststroke and freestyle. He split a 30.65 on the 50 freestyle compared to the World Record split of 27.49. You can watch the race video here.
Thiago Periera 2016 Olympics Splits Comparison
| Thiago Pereira (2016 Olympics Final) | Michael Phelps (2016 Olympics Final Champion) | Ryan Lochte– 2011 World Championships (current WR) | |
| 1st 50 | 24.74 | 24.91 | 24.89 |
| 2nd 50 | 28.71 | 28.54 | 28.59 |
| 3rd 50 | 33.92 | 33.51 | 33.03 |
| 4th 50 | 30.65 | 27.7 | 27.49 |
| Final Time | 1:58.02 | 1:54.66 | 1:54.00 |
Andrew, unlike Pereira, had a solid breaststroke split that was .8 faster than Lochte’s World Record pace. Andrew will race the event in the finals tonight, which start at 8 pm U.S. Central Time.
This guy has spectacular strokes all around, including free. Is his “Special Sauce” top-speed training from his dad to blame? Seems to me he wasn’t sandbagging the free at the end–he truly was gassed.
Love to see a new legend break the 1:54.00 mkt , but 2.5 seconds slower in the final 50 metres free, a wiiiide gap, no matter what the 3 earlier splits are ..
We have another “Michael” and “Ryan” in swimming, this time it’s Michael Andrew and Ryan Murphy!
They’ve replaced the namesakes Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte!
What I see is MA using his sprint technique on the las leg of 200 IM. If he could focus on developing a better gliding technique for the 200 maybe then he could shave of 1sec max
MP should give some advice for Andrew on that last 50
Question: can one break 50 fly WR in 200 IM. I mean, if one does, is that official?
I think one can and it will be official, because both the start and the finish are the same. Just like Ryan Murphy WR that was made in medley relay.
In europe and Australia, you can even try to qualify for the 100 free by blasting the first 100 of a 200 for example so yeah
Not in IM but almost every 200 breastroker is out faster than Anton! But others are learning….see Zac! And Fink was good too last 50
I don’t think he’s going for WR today. By no means he won’t get it some time later. But one step at a time. I think his focus today is on touching first. His race strategy is clearly winning focused, to extend the gap in the first 150 to virtually end the game at the beginning of free split. And I hope that he can keep his free at 30 max.