From Near Miss at Olympic Trials to Budapest Bound? Luca Urlando Among Those Stalking World Champs Bid

From Near Miss at Olympic Trials to Budapest Bound? Luca Urlando Among Those Stalking World Champs Bid

A third-place finish in an event at the United States Olympic Trials is a stinging experience, as it leaves the athlete one spot shy of qualifying for the premier competition in the sport – the Olympic Games. At least in the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle, there are additional berths available, the top-four finishers guaranteed passage to the Games.

This week, USA Swimming will conduct its International Team Trials at the Greensboro Aquatic Center, with bids to this summer’s World Championships in Budapest on the line. Although the World Champs do not hold the same prestige as the Olympics, it is no small feat to qualify for a global competition.

Here’s a look at the third-place finishers from last year’s U.S. Olympic Trials, who did not get the chance to compete in Tokyo. We are not including swimmers who were third in an event and raced in relay action or competed in another individual discipline.

Shaine Casas

Photo Courtesy: Connor Trimble

A former star at Texas A&M, Casas is now a professional training at the University of Texas and will have several opportunities to qualify for the World Champs. The event in which he was third at the Olympic Trials was the 100 backstroke, where he placed .28 behind runnerup Hunter Armstrong. Casas figures to contend for bids to Budapest in the 100 backstroke, 200 back, 100 butterfly and 200 medley.

Ross Dant

The North Carolina State standout was third in the 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle at Trials, just .13 keeping him from second place in the 400 freestyle. In Greensboro, Dant is the third seed in the 400 freestyle and the second seed in the 800 freestyle, so he is well-positioned to secure a trip to Hungary in June.

Emily Escobedo

At the Olympic Trials, Escobedo put together a strong mark of 2:22.64 in the 200 breaststroke, but was beaten to the wall by Annie Lazor and Lilly King. Lazor and King went on to capture bronze and silver, respectively, in the event in Tokyo, and Escobedo will have to get by at least one of them to reach the World Championships.

Carson Foster

Tracked down by Jay Litherland in the 400 individual medley at the Olympic Trials, Foster rebounded later in the summer by clocking the world’s top time in the event (4:08.46). Midway through his college career at Texas, Foster seems primed to advance to the World Champs in several events, with the 400 IM likely his best opportunity.

Charlotte Hook

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

A surging teenage star, Hook was third in the 200 butterfly at the Olympic Trials, placing behind Hali Flickinger and Regan Smith. Late last year, Hook further displayed her talent in the 200 fly by winning the silver medal in the event at the World Short Course Championships. Expect Hook to battle Flickinger and Smith in Greensboro.

Will Licon

The Texas product was third in the 200 breaststroke at Trials – for a second time. After finishing third in 2016, Licon replicated that finish in 2021, as his time of 2:08.50 trailed the 2:08.32 of Andrew Wilson. With Wilson having announced his retirement, Nic Fink and Licon are the favorites to qualify for Worlds.

Melanie Margalis

Battling Hali Flickinger down the stretch, Margalis was third in the 400 IM at the Olympic Trials, edged by .12 for the second slot. Margalis will not contest the 400 medley in Greensboro, but will see action in other events, namely the 200 IM. There, she will have to upend either Alex Walsh or Kate Douglass – or both – for a trip to Worlds.

Leah Smith

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

A Team USA veteran and bronze medalist in the 400 freestyle at the 2016 Olympics, Smith was third in the 400 free at last summer’s Trials. Now training at Texas, Smith has enjoyed some strong performances in the leadup to Trials, including last month at the TYR Pro Series stop in San Antonio. A return to a global champs is well within reach.

Luca Urlando

At last month’s NCAA Championships, the University of Georgia star was superb in several events. Now, Urlando will need to transfer that short-course success to the big pool, something he has proven capable of in the past. At the Olympic Trials, Urlando was third in the 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly, and both events are in play in Greensboro, especially the 200 fly, in which Urlando owns a personal-best time of 1:53.84.

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