Longhorn Elite Prelims: Carson Foster Throws Down 4:11 400 IM; Ledecky Puts Up 4:02 400 Free

Photo Courtesy: Carlos Morales

Longhorn Elite Prelims: Carson Foster Throws Down 4:11 400 IM; Ledecky Puts Up 4:02 400 Free

As the countdown to Olympic Trials reaches 24 days, many of the best from Texas, Stanford and Texas A&M have met in Austin this week in the last hurrah before the Trials in Omaha.

The best swim of the day perhaps came from 19-year-old Carson Foster, who swam a lifetime best in the 400 IM heats with a 4:11.56 which puts him fourth in the world for 2021 as he also leads the American rankings, improving on his season best of 4:13. He will race tonight alongside his brother Jake Foster (4:18.43) who should be closer in the final.

Men’s 400 IM World Rankings 2021:

4:09.02, Daiya Seto, JPN
4:09.87, Lewis Clareburt, NZL
4:11.17, Ilia Borodin, RUS
4:11.56, Carson Foster, USA
4:11.88, Yuki Ikari, JPN
4:12.03, Wang Shun, CHN
4:12.60, Peter Bernek, HUN
4:12.67, Max Litchfield, GBR
4:12.95, Brodie Williams, GBR
4:12.98, David Verraszto, HUN

Katie Ledecky, the reigning Olympic champ and world record holder in the 400 free, swam a routine 4:02.38 this morning as she was off her season best of 3:59 but she may have an opportunity to race under 4:00 tonight in the final. Joanna Evans, swimming in her home pool, was a 4:12.19 for second seed as the Bahamian is trying to reach a 4:07.90 to make the FINA A standard and qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. She will have good competition around her in Chloe Stepanek (4:15.37), Katie Drabot (4:16.05) and Morgan Tankersley (4:18.75) in tonight’s final.

Shaine Casas, one of the rising stars out of Texas A&M, swam a 51.73 in the 100 butterfly which put him as the fourth fastest American this year in that event. Casas may shy away from the 100 fly in favor of the 200 back for Olympic Trials, but a 51.73 is still worth noting. He will race alongside Angel Martinez (52.68) and Youssef Ramadan (52.79) as they are chasing the FINA A standard of 51.96 to try and qualify for Tokyo for Mexico and Egypt, respectively.

Reigning Olympic champ Simone Manuel swam a solid 54.03 in the 100 freestyle heats as her season best is a 53.3 which puts her at the top of the national leaderboard. She was ahead of Katie Ledecky in the 100 free heats as Ledecky was a 54.25.

Drew Kibler swam a 49.49 in the 100 free heats as he is ahead of fellow Longhorns Daniel Krueger (49.59), Maxime Rooney (49.65) and Townley Haas (49.74) as it could take around a 48 to win the final.

Evie Pfeifer is on top of the 400 IM field with a 4:41.60 ahead of Madisyn Cox (4:45.53) and Brooke Forde (4:47.23), while Coby Carrozza (3:52.18) is leading the men’s 400 free field and Olivia Bray is the top seed in the 100 butterfly (58.45).

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