Golmaal Again at World Free 4 U
Ahead of U.S. Trials, the Superlative-fifteen Female person Swimmers in the Country
Katie Ledecky -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Alee of U.S. Trials, the Top-xv Female person Swimmers in the Country
With the U.South. Trials for this summer'southward Earth Championships coming up in less than a calendar week, it is time to appraise the best American female swimmers. Nosotros previously discussed the tiptop-fifteen men, and now we volition rank the top-15 American female swimmers based on their abilities in the long course pool and their chances to win medals at the World Championships.
The American women are coming off a very strong xv-medal performance at the Tokyo Olympics. Only three of those medals were gold, none of them in relays, just the team managed to win medals in nine out of fourteen individual events and place top-5 in 3 of the five not-medal events. Ten of the 26 swimmers who represented the U.Due south. in the puddle were teenagers, and the shortened Olympic wheel leading upwardly to the 2024 Paris Olympics should put members of that group in a position to thrive over the side by side few years.
Of course, comparing swimmers across events is a very imperfect scientific discipline, and we must weigh previous years' accomplishments confronting the results of the NCAA Championships held last month also every bit the ISL and Short Grade World Championships in December, which means projecting long course results based on short course.
Note that former Penn swimmer Lia Thomas, who became the beginning transgender female to capture an NCAA championship in swimming, was not considered for this listing because Thomas has no officially recorded swims equally a USA Pond member that would qualify her for the Trials.
A lot of the decisions involving swimmers' placement on this list heading into the v-day qualifying meet came down to tough calls, and what unfolds in Greensboro volition surely prompt a rearrangement of the pecking order, but based on performances throughout her career and over the concluding year, No. 1 was an easy choice.
1. Katie Ledecky
Katie Ledecky — Photograph Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Simply, Katie Ledecky is 1 of the greatest swimmers of this generation. While her 2021 Olympics did not friction match the incredible heights she reached in 2016, she still won her third-directly gold medal in the 800 freestyle and captured the inaugural Olympic aureate in the 1500 gratis. She swam the second-quickest time of her career in a race for the ages againstAriarne Titmus in the Tokyo 400 free earlier ending up with a silver, and Ledecky too finished fifth in the 200 free before posting the fastest dissever in the field on the U.S. women's argent-medal-winning 800 free relay team. Now training in Gainesville, Fla., Ledecky has shown no signs of an off-twelvemonth as she has been in her usual stellar form at various melody-up meets. Assuming she qualifies in the events expected in Greensboro, she will head to Budapest as the title-favorite in the 800 and 1500 free and a medal contender in the 200 and 400 free. In the 800 free, she will attempt to win her 5th consecutive world championship, which no swimmer female person or male has ever accomplished.
ii. Lilly King
Lilly Rex — Photograph Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Aside from Ledecky, the i other U.S. women'southward gilded medal in the pool in Tokyo came in the 100 breaststroke, but in a major upset, it was notLilly King achieving that honor. Instead, information technology was then-17-year-oldLydia Jacoby who pulled off the win while King settled for bronze. Only Male monarch gets the nod ahead of Jacoby because of her longevity and her overall body of work in the breaststroke events. In add-on to her 100-meter bronze, she took a silvery medal in the 200 breast in Tokyo, becoming simply the seventh adult female in history to break ii:20 on her way to her first Globe Championships or Olympic medal in the race. Male monarch then dominated the stroke on the ISL circuit, and she currently ranks second in the globe in the 100 breast (1:05.32) and third globally in the 200 breast (two:23.69).
3. Regan Smith
Regan Smith — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
This is where things got really tight on the list. Should we prioritize Olympic success nine months ago or recent record-breaking results in brusque course yards? The nod goes to Olympic success, barely. There were two other multi-fourth dimension individual Olympic medalists for the U.S. in Tokyo, and one of those swimmers wasRegan Smith. Now 20, Smith took statuary in the 100 backstroke and silver in the 200 butterfly before leading off the American 400 medley relay that eventually won silver. Smith is besides the world-record holder in the 200 back, although she did not qualify to swim that consequence in Tokyo. Her first NCAA Championships for Stanford started off a picayune rocky, particularly when she finished a distant third in the 100-yard dorsum (after entering with the American record), but she earned a come-from-behind national title in the 200 back before finishing 2d in the 200 fly less than an hr later. Smith heads to Greensboro as a slight favorite in both backstroke events and a co-favorite in the 200 fly with the next swimmer on the listing.
4. Hali Flickinger
Hali Flickinger — Photograph Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
The last multi-time Olympic medalist from Tokyo wasHali Flickinger, now ane of the veterans of the U.S. women's squad at age 27. In her second Olympics, Flickinger took home bronze medals in both the 400 IM and 200 wing, finishing simply behind Smith in her signature butterfly race and backside fellow AmericanEmma Weyant in the longer medley race, which Flickinger actively avoided until relocating to train under double-deckerBob Bowman at Arizona State Academy. You know what you will get from Flickinger each time she races, and heading into Trials, she ranks second in the world for 2021 in both her best events.
5. Lydia Jacoby
Lydia Jacoby — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Now we arrive at the 100 breaststroke Olympic champion, the native of Seward, Alaska, and on her way to the University of Texas next flavor.Lydia Jacoby stunned the world when the trounceLilly King andTatjana Schoenmaker for gold in her first Olympic final, and later on in the meet, she swam breaststroke on two medley relays (mixed and women'south) for the U.S. She memorably lost her goggles on the mixed relay just nevertheless posted a fine split, and she helped the U.S. women earn a silver medal. However, Jacoby has not done much since Tokyo. She swam at the Brusque Class World Championships, where she was eliminated in the fifty breaststroke semifinals earlier COVID-19 protocols took her out of the rest of the encounter. Her flavor-all-time time in the 100 breast this twelvemonth is 1:06.87 (third in the country), but she improved massively throughout the season last yr. She volition need to recapture that magical form to be in contention again at the World Championships.
half-dozen. Kate Douglass
Kate Douglass — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Kate Douglassdid not look like the sixth-all-time swimmer in the country at the NCAA Championships last month. She was the Olympic bronze medalist in the 200 IM in Tokyo, and at NCAAs, she won 3 individual titles, all in American-record time, while leading her Virginia Cavaliers to four relay wins and the national squad title. Douglass became the fastest short-course-yards swimmer in history in the l gratuitous and 200 breast, a combination of records no swimmer had ever achieved before, while beating marks set byAbbey Weitzeil in the 50 free and by Rex in the 200 breast. She now ranks second all-time in the 100 fly, with only Olympic gilt medalistMaggie Mac Neil ahead of her. At Trials, we volition see how Douglass stacks upward long course in those new events. The schedule sets up for Douglass to likely race the 100 free on twenty-four hour period 1, 200 chest and/or 50 fly on day two, 100 fly on day 3 and and so possibly the 100 breast on day iv. However, the run into's last twenty-four hour period does include the 50 free and 200 IM, arguably Douglass' ii best events, so she volition either attempt the double or brand a tough decision.
7. Alex Walsh
Alex Walsh — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Just like Douglass,Alex Walsh was a ascendant swimmer at the NCAA Championships, the second three-consequence winner on the Cavaliers' championship squad. Walsh swam the fastest time in history in the 200-m IM by more than a half-second, and she likewise won NCAA titles in the 400 IM and 200 fly. Walsh was the Olympic silver medalist in the 200-meter IM in Tokyo, and she actually led for much of the race before Japan'sYui Ohashi snuck past her at the end. She will certainly be the 200 IM favorite at Trials every bit she tries to set up herself upwardly to challenge for the earth title in the event afterwards in the summer. Walsh was non in contention in any additional events at terminal year's Olympic Trials, but she is skilled across basically all strokes. Her performances this higher season left her ranked quaternary all-time in the 200 chest and 400 IM and sixth in the 200 fly (all short course yards), and she is the reigning Pan American Games champion in the 200 backstroke. So the door is open for her to excel in a variety of races at Trials.
8. Claire Curzan
Claire Curzan — Photograph Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Claire Curzan is some other swimmer who has been on a hot streak in recent months. She was a semifinalist in the 100 fly at her first Olympics terminal year, but in the months since, the 17-yr-old has captured six medals at the Short Course Earth Championships, including individual bronzes in the 50 wing and 100 fly, and she lowered the American record in the 100-g fly (since broken by Douglass) in February. And through the year's ii stops on the TYR Pro Swim Series, she has been phenomenal, picking up four wins at each, and she heads to Trials (just a one-hour drive w on I-40 from her dwelling house in Cary) ranked first in the U.S. for 2022 in the 100 fly, 50 costless, 100 free, 100 dorsum and 200 dorsum. Curzan did non swim her best at the biggest competitions in 2021, so she will be aiming for deliver on all those stiff swims if she wants to qualify for the U.Due south. team for Budapest in multiple events.
9. Torri Huske
Torri Huske — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Torri Huske was the breakout star of the U.Due south. Olympic Trials in 2021 as she brokeDana Vollmer'due south nine-twelvemonth-old American record in 100 butterfly to qualify for her kickoff Olympic team. In Tokyo, Huske swam just off her all-time time in the 100 fly concluding, but she finished a heartbreaking 4th identify, just one hundredth backside statuary medalistEmma McKeon. She ended up earning a silver medal as part of the U.S. women's 400 medley relay, and afterwards last the Olympics, she began her college career at Stanford. Huske had an up-and-down first NCAAs equally she placed 2d toAlex Walsh in the 200 IM so second toKate Douglass in a tight 100 wing terminal (where a long cease may accept cost Huske the title). Huske enters Trials with the advantage of having already performed in the bright spotlight of Olympic Trials and then coming close to winning an Olympic medal, but her 100 fly figures to be ane of the about competitive events of the meet. She will likewise have a chance to make the World Championships team in the sprint freestyles (peculiarly every bit a relay swimmer) and possibly the 200 IM.
ten. Emma Weyant
Emma Weyant — Photograph Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Another swimmer who began her college career post-obit the Olympics,Emma Weyant had a quiet NCAAs compared to some of her Virginia teammates. She placed second in the 500-thou free and 4th in the 400 IM and too anchored UVA'southward second-place 800 costless relay. But we cannot forget what Weyant accomplished in long course less than nine months ago. She made a run at Olympic gold in the 400-meter IM and finished backside only Yui Ohashi. She flew under the radar heading into Olympic Trials before pulling off an upset win and then taking care of business in the Tokyo final. She volition non be a contender to qualify for Worlds in whatever other event, merely Weyant's long course 400 IM is special.
11. Erica Sullivan
Erica Sullivan — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
A steady climb to the summit of U.S. altitude swimming culminated in Tokyo equallyErica Sullivan captured the silverish medal in the women's 1500 freestyle. Sullivan sabbatum in fifth and sixth place for almost of the race before running down her opponents and finally moving into second to complete a ane-2 U.S. finish. Sullivan had delayed the start of her college career by three years to set for the Olympics, and she switched her delivery from USC to Texas, simply she finally enrolled in the autumn of 2021 at age 21. Her get-go collegiate season saw her place 2d at the NCAA Championships in the 1650-yard free (despite swimming in an early estrus) and third in the 500 free equally she played a large function in the Longhorns finishing second in the team competition.
12. Annie Lazor
Annie Lazor — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
A tardily-career surge allowedAnnie Lazor to authorize for her kickoff Olympic team at historic period 26. Lazor, who trains with Lilly King at Indiana Academy, was incredibly emotional upon qualifying for the Games, specially after her father passed away only months before, and in the Tokyo final, she moved into medal position on the third 50 and then held off surging Russian teenagerEvgeniia Chikunovato grab an Olympic statuary medal. Lazor has looked expert in the early going of 2022 with her flavor-best mark of 2:22.59 in the 200 breast ranking first in the world, and Lazor is also a talented 100 breaststroker. She finished third in the event at Olympic Trials, and she would probable be a medal contender at World Championships if she could get by one of King orLydia Jacoby at Trials.
13. Katharine Berkoff
Katharine Berkoff — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
The first non-Olympian on this list isKatharine Berkoff, who placed fourth in the 100 backstroke at Olympic Trials. However, a long course jump looks imminent afterward Berkoff delivered a magnificent performance to win the NCAA title in the 100-grand back last month. She posted a time of 48.74, exactly 1 2nd faster than she swam on the style to the 2021 national crown in the consequence, and she demolished the previous American record by four tenths. Admittedly, Berkoff volition not benefit from swimming more than half the race underwater when she transitions to long form racing, only she has a solid track record in the fifty-meter puddle equally well. The stunning nature of that short course swim indicates that Berkoff should have a large performance in shop for long form besides.
14. Katie Grimes
Katie Grimes — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
It's safety to say thatKatie Grimeswould not take been on this listing ane year ago. Grimes was just xv when broke out at the 2021 Olympic Trials. She followed up an unexpected 3rd-place finish in the 1500 freestyle by finishing second in the 800 costless and claiming a spot in Tokyo alongside Katie Ledecky. In Tokyo, Grimes was the second-fastest swimmer in prelims before placing quaternary in the final. She posted a serial of incredible swims at Wintertime Junior Nationals in December: 4:32.97 in the 500-yard gratis, 4:00.66 in the 400 IM and 15:34.72 in the 1650 free. Those times in both freestyle races were faster than the winning marks at the recent NCAA Championships. More recently, Grimes won the U.S. national 10k open h2o championship to secure herself a spot at the Earth Championships, and in Greensboro, she volition be gunning to qualify for the pool squad every bit well. She will be a contender in distance freestyle and perchance the 400 IM.
xv. Abbey Weitzeil
Abbey Weitzeil — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
The top U.Due south. sprinter over the past twelvemonth has beenAbbey Weitzeil, a 25-year-old and a veteran of two Olympic teams. Weitzeil was the only American to qualify for the finals in the l and 100 freestyle in Tokyo, and she swam a gallant anchor leg on the U.South. women's 400 medley relay to secure a silverish medal afterwards leading the 400 free relay squad to bronze earlier in the meet. After a strong fall representing the LA Current in the ISL, Weitzeil won six medals at the Brusk Grade World Championships in Abu Dhabi, a haul which included the first individual medal of her career at a major international come across, a bronze in the 100 free. She has been the most consequent U.S. sprint freestyler in recent years, which makes her a slight favorite in both events for the Greensboro Trials.
Others Considered
Just missing this list was the swimmer who finished fourth in both backstroke events in Tokyo, Alabama'due southRhyan White. She was a contender only not a favorite to qualify for the Olympic squad last yr, only she ended upward beating out a stiff field to finish second behindRegan Smith in the 100 back at Olympic Trials and then upsetting Smith andPhoebe Bacon in the 200 back.
Gretchen Walsh, Alex's younger sister, came very close to earning a spot on this list afterwards she swam faster than the previous American records in finishing second in the 50-yard free and 100 back at NCAAs and besides winning the national championship in the 100 free. At the very to the lowest degree, the younger Walsh is a contender to qualify for Earth Championships in a relay.
Speaking of sprinters, reigning 50 and 100 free globe champion Simone Manuelhas not competed since the Tokyo Olympics, so her status for Trials is unclear. Manuel did not authorize for the 100 gratuitous final at Olympic Trials concluding twelvemonth, and afterward, she revealed she had been diagnosed with Overtraining Syndrome. Manuel did bounciness back to win the 50 free at that meet, and she was used on the U.S. women's 400 free relay in Tokyo.
The most recent U.S. swimmer to set an individual earth record wasKelsi Dahlia, who bankrupt the short course meters marker in the 100 butterfly during the 2021 ISL final. Dahlia missed final twelvemonth'due south Olympic team subsequently finishing fourth in the 100 wing at Olympic Trials, and she faces a tough battle this year with the iii swimmers who placed alee of her (Torri Huske,Claire Curzan andKate Douglass) all returning.
Source: https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/ahead-of-u-s-trials-the-top-15-female-swimmers-in-the-country/
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