Morning Blast: Jack Conger, Claire Adams, Maxime Rooney Star at U.S. Nationals

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Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott

By David Rieder

Michael Phelps had earned the spotlight; leave no doubt about that. After all, the greatest our sport has ever seen had just uncorked a race faster than he had put together in six years in his signature event. He deserved the attention. Phelps was back. But during the very same finals session at U.S. Nationals in San Antonio, Jack Conger, Claire Adams, and even Maxime Rooney had all done enough to put their names into the Olympic conversation. They get their love here.

Let’s begin with Conger, who posted an extremely impressive 200 fly despite finishing more than a second and a half behind Phelps. Conger touched in 1:54.58, the eighth-fastest time in the world for 2015 and one that would have placed him fifth at the World Championships this week. Conger now ranks second among Americans this year, well ahead of Tom Shields’ 1:55.75 from Kazan.

After an extremely successful short course season in which he set an American record in the 200-yard butterfly and helped Texas to a national championship, Conger is in the midst of a long course breakout. He split under 48 on the 400 free relay at the World University Games, and he also earned silver in the 100 free and bronze in the 100 back in Gwangju. Conger enters today’s 100 fly as the number two seed, and after dropping almost four seconds off his lifetime best in the 200 fly, he could have another big jump coming in the shorter distance.

Then there’s Adams, who took a full second and a half off of her best time to win her first National title in Friday’s 100 back. Adams jumped from a 1:01.12 to a 59.58, the ninth-best time in the world this year and a new world junior record in the event. Adams’ time would have placed her sixth at the World Championships this week, and among Americans, only Natalie Coughlin (59.05) and Missy Franklin (59.40) have swum faster this year. Having established herself as a force in the 100, what can Adams do in Sunday’s 200, where she enters seeded 17th at 2:12.02?

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Photo Courtesy: Peter Bick

And don’t forget about Rooney, who came out on top of a really tight finale of the men’s 200 free. Rooney entered the world top-20 with his 1:47.10, and he, too, will be in the conversation for an Olympic berth as the Americans will select six swimmers to swim on the 800 free relay at the Olympics. Rooney, just 17, dropped more than two and a half seconds from his best time between Juniors and Nationals.

This year’s Nationals missed the 200 freestylers selected for the World Champs team, but Rooney’s time would still have placed him second at last year’s domestic showcase, ahead of names like Conor Dwyer and Reed Malone. That American 800 free relay desperately needs a spark after losing the World title in the event for the first time in more than a decade, and Rooney, at just 17 years of age (he’ll be 18 at Olympic Trials), could be just that.

Rooney also has a chance to inject some youth to a men’s National team that lacks much. In the past three Olympic cycles, only three teenagers have qualified for the men’s Olympic swim team: Phelps and Larsen Jensen in 2004 and Nathan Adrian in 2008. No teens made the team that headed to London in 2012. Rooney, who has already committed to swim at Florida beginning in the fall of 2016, could have another big drop in him that could take him to Rio.

At a time when the American team has struggled mightily at the World Championships, the proceedings in San Antonio have helped to restore hope, as young swimmers look like they could contribute even as soon as the Olympics next summer. On an evening where it was a 30 year old (Phelps) who made the biggest headlines at Nationals, the big efforts of the young talents may prove just as significant.

*In terms of today’s events, keep an eye on a big youth vs. veteran showdown in the men’s 50 free. American stalwarts Cullen Jones and Josh Schneider highlight the field in the men’s 50 free, but Caeleb Dressel could pose a threat after his impressive victory in the event at the NCAA Championships as just a freshman. Dressel has never broken 22 in the event (he enters with a seed time of 22.35), but that could be in cards today.

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Becky Benjamin Farley
8 years ago

Congratulations Claire! We are watching you online and cheering you on!

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