New Olympic Trials Cuts Everywhere at Auburn’s Richard Quick Invite

Auburn hosted the Richard Quick Invite this weekend, which resulted in a bunch of new Olympic Trials cuts. The Auburn University contingent had a strong weekend, headed by rising sophomores Aly Tetzloff and Zach Apple.

Tetzloff won the 100 back in 1:03.17 and the 50 free in 26.20. The backstroke was a new OT cut, while she was .01 off of the Trials cut in the 50. She time trial-ed the 50, however, and swam a 25.89 for her first venture under 26 seconds and another Trials cut.

Apple, meanwhile, went under the 200 free OT cut with a 1:50.29 in prelims. He ended up winning the final with an even faster time (1:50.01). Louisville University commit Sam Steele swam a 1:51.26 in prelims to get under the OT cut as well. Grady Heath of Bolles, a rising sophomore with the Florida Gators, just missed the OT cut in prelims but came back for a 1:51.62 in finals to get the cut.

In the women’s 200 free, sprint free veteran Amanda Weir turned in a 2:01.11 in prelims, but scratched the final. She’s been 2:00 twice this spring, and with a best time of 1:58.56 from ten years ago less than two seconds away from her 2016 best, Weir could find herself moving past prelims in this event at Trials if she chooses to swim it.

Apple also rocketed to new lifetime bests and OT cuts in the 50 and 100 free- he was 22.84 in prelims of the 50 and swam a 49.51 in the 100 free prelims. A small Brazilian contingent put up strong times in the sprint free as well– Bruno Fratus was 22.15 in the 50 free prelims, though he was touched out in the final by Marcelo Chierighini‘s 22.29. Renzo Tjon a Joe of Suriname was 22.74 for third in the final. Another big name was Roland Schoeman, who was 23.10 in that same final.

In a 50 free time trial, 16-year-old Will Davis sprinted to an impressive time of 22.86 to grab an OT cut. That’s Davis’ first time under 23, and also marks his first OT cut. He now ranks 5th all-time in the 15-16 age group in this event.

15-16 Age Group 50 Free Rankings 

1. Michael Andrew 22.33
2. Caeleb Dressel 22.39
3. Shayne Fleming 22.72
4. James Jones 22.81
5. Will Davis 22.86
6. Daniel Krueger 22.89
7. Drew Kibler 22.97

Chierighini also won the 100 free in 48.75 over Apple (49.43 in finals) and Tjon a Joe (49.59). Chierighini’s country mate Felipe Lima won the 100 breast in 1:01.24. Bolles 17-year-old James Daugherty along with SwimAtlanta’s Jared Clance both punched their tickets to Omaha in a 100 breast time trial– Daugherty was 1:03.05, while Clance was 1:03.43.

More Auburn swimmers touched under OT cuts– Ashley Neidigh swam a 4:17.00 in the 400 free prelims, and then touched at 8:49.86 in the 800, getting under the OT cut in both. Michael Duderstadt, a rising senior, earned the OT cut in the 200 IM with a 2:04.16. He also swam a quick 28.14 in the 50 breast.

Other OT Cuts:

• Andrew Winton, 4:26.79 in the 400 IM. Winton time trial-ed a 200 IM Sunday night, just sneaking under the OT cut with a 2:05.08. That’s one hundredth faster than the cut.
• Chris Thames, 56.91 in the 100 back (was 58.42 before this weekend), 2:02.18 in 200 back.
• Carl Madden, 3:55.77 in the 400 free.
• Zachary Smith, Nicholas Loomis, and William Pisani in the 100 fly. Smith was 54.69, dropping from 55.56 from two weeks ago, while Loomis was 54.44 and Pisani 54.70.
• Alexander Taylor, who is swimming for Kentucky in the fall, touched at 2:05.06 to slide under the 200 IM OT cut by .03.