SW Biweekly – Wild Trials: After A One-Year Delay, The 2021 Olympic Trials Showed It Was Worth The Wait – On Sale Now!

Cover photo by Peter H. Bick

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In this issue of SW Biweekly, read about the 2021 Olympic Trials. USA Swimming names the official team for Tokyo; Is it the end of an era for men’s swimming?; Katie Ledecky makes history as the 1500 free is opened to women; Kieran Smith achieves 400 free victory; An Olympic Trials 200 butterfly final without Michael Phelps; Ryan Lochte’s resounding impact as his career draws to a close; Allison Schmidt makes her fourth Olympic team; Regan Smith’s Tokyo ticket relieves stress while awaiting McKeon battle; Simone Manuel makes Tokyo team on the final night of Trials; Caeleb Dressel ties American record in 50 free, Michael Andrew and Nathan Adrian tie for 2nd; Paige Madden’s tumultuous journey leads to Tokyo; Annie Lazor secures first Olympic team five years after retiring post 2016 Trials; Natalie Hinds and Olivia Smoliga, swim friends and now Olympic teammates; An emotional farewell for Matt Grevers; Anthony Ervin shifts gears from athlete to advocate; Katie McLaughlin’s rocky journey lead to Tokyo; and the 2021 Olympic Trials photo gallery

[PHOTO BY PETER H. BICK]

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FEATURES

008 USA SWIMMING OFFICIALLY NAMES OLYMPIC TEAM FOR TOKYO
by Andy Ross
Following the eight-day U.S. Olympic Trials in June, USA Swimming announced it will be sending 25 men and 28 women, along with 11 coaches, to represent the United States at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

010 “MEN BETWEEN WORLDS”: END OF UNPRECEDENTED ERA OF ADRIAN, ERVIN, LOCHTE, GREVERS, JONES AND PHELPS
by Dan D’Addona
It appears to be the end of an era in men’s swimming in the United States. It was known as the “Phelps Era” for so long, but it was so much more—it was a Golden Era in men’s swimming that also included Nathan Adrian, Anthony Ervin, Ryan Lochte, Matt Grevers & Cullen Jones.

012 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS: KATIE LEDECKY MAKES HISTORY AS 1500 FREESTYLE DOOR OPENED TO WOMEN
by John Lohn
Next month, when the Olympic Games are held in Tokyo after a one-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, swimming will offer the 1500 meter freestyle for women for the first time. It has been a men’s event at every Olympics since 1904, but until now, women have only been challenged as far as 800 meters. Katie Ledecky is the overwhelming favorite to be the inaugural gold medalist.

014 KIERAN SMITH ACHIEVES COMMANDING 400 FREE VICTORY, READY TO TAKE NEXT STEPS IN TOKYO
by David Rieder
Prior to his first final at Olympic Trials, Florida’s Kieran Smith felt the nerves creeping in—even as the favorite in the men’s 400 free. But the doubts were soon erased as Smith dominated from start to finish, crushing his previous best of 3:47.71 with a 3:44.86.

016 AN OLYMPIC TRIALS 200 BUTTERFLY FINAL WITHOUT MICHAEL PHELPS? STRANGE, BUT A CHANCE TO RELIVE MEMORIES
by John Lohn
We knew the day was coming. We were well aware that the final of the men’s 200 butterfly at this year’s U.S. Olympic Trials would not feature Michael Phelps. But even in the face of long-known reality, it is odd not to see him. No arm flaps. No low and long stroke to admire. No presence of a man as reliable as they have ever come.

018 AS THE RYAN LOCHTE ERA FADES TO BLACK, HIS IMPACT WILL CONTINUE TO BE FELT
by John Lohn
Defining the success of Ryan Lochte can be achieved in several words and phrases: Olympic champ. World titlist. World record holder. Clutch performer. Desire. Belief. And while time ran out on his latest Olympic pursuit, the memories he created and impact he had will not fade.

022 ALLISON SCHMITT SURGES TO FOURTH OLYMPIC TEAM: “THIS ONE IS DEFINITELY THE MOST EMOTIONAL”
by Dan D’Addona
Allison Schmitt, who turned 31 a week before the start of the U.S. Olympic Trials, continues to defy age, defy odds and prove she belongs among the world’s elite. She qualified for her fourth Olympics—one short of the record for American women’s swimming—with a stunning burst of speed to finish second in the 200 free.

025 TOKYO TICKET DISSOLVES STRESS FOR REGAN SMITH AS BATTLE VS. McKEOWN AWAITS
by David Rieder
Just days after surrendering her 100 back world record to Australia’s Kaylee McKeown, Regan Smith secured her spot at her first Olympic Games with a victory in the 100 back at U.S. Olympic Trials. Her strongest emotion, she said, was relief—to finally breathe with the stress of trying to become an Olympian suddenly lifted.

028 SIMONE MANUEL MAKES TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO OLYMPIC TEAM: “IT’S A BLESSING”
by Dan D’Addona
After missing the final in the 100 freestyle, and detailing her struggles with overtraining leading up to the meet, Simone Manuel had to wait until the final night of the U.S. Trials to make the Olympic team. With a late reach to get to the wall first in the 50 free, she was able to punch her ticket to Tokyo.

030 CAELEB DRESSEL TIES AMERICAN RECORD IN 50 FREE; MICHAEL ANDREW TAKES SECOND SPOT AHEAD OF NATHAN ADRIAN
by Andy Ross
America’s favorite men’s swimming star Caeleb Dressel tied his own American record of 21.04 in the 50 freestyle on the final night of the U.S. Olympic Trials.

033 PAIGE MADDEN OVERCOME WITH EMOTION AS TUMULTUOUS JOURNEY LEADS TO STUNNING OLYMPIC SPOT
by Dan D’Addona
A torn meniscus, a year out of the water, then getting COVID-19 between NCAAs and the Olympic Trials would seem quite a difficult road to take to get to this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

034 ANNIE LAZOR MAKES DREAM COME TRUE WITH 200 BREAST OLYMPIC BERTH; KING JOINS WITH BREAST DOUBLE
by Andy Ross
Five years after initially retiring after the 2016 Olympic Trials, 26-year-old Annie Lazor secured her first-ever Olympic berth by winning the 200 breast in 2:21.07.

036 NATALIE HINDS, OLIVIA SMOLIGA SHARE RARE BOND, NOW OLYMPIC TEAMMATES: “THAT IS WHY THIS IS SO SPECIAL FOR US”
by Dan D’Addona
Natalie Hinds and Olivia Smoliga swim together in practice, and just like in practice, they pushed each other in the 100 free to finish third and fourth and punch their tickets to Tokyo, earning relay spots in the 4×100 free relay.

038 AN EMOTIONAL “FAREWELL” FOR MATT GREVERS, WHOSE CAREER HAS BEEN A “WARM EMBRACE ALL THE WAY THROUGH”
by Dan D’Addona
Matt Grevers, aiming for his third Olympic team, fell four spots short in the 100 back of qualifying for Tokyo. But as he began to exit the pool deck, a thunderous ovation erupted for Matt. For nearly two decades, there hasn’t been a swimmer as universally revered and embraced by fellow swimmers, fans and everyone involved in the sport for so long.

040 ANTHONY ERVIN READY TO ‘‘LET THE TEAM GO ON WITHOUT ME’’ IN THE WATER, LEAD FOR CHANGE OUT OF THE WATER
by Dan D’Addona
Anthony Ervin quietly swam the 50 freestyle in prelims. His time was respectable at 22.61, even more respectable at age 40. But Ervin wanted to have a sort of victory lap on his own terms in a sport where he is shifting gears from athlete to advocate.

041 KATIE MCLAUGHLIN ‘‘RIDING FULL WAVE OF EMOTION’’ AFTER ROCKY JOURNEY FINALLY LEADS TO OLYMPIC DREAMS
by Dan D’Addona
As Katie McLaughlin was announced as an Olympian and the medal was placed around her neck, she was fighting back tears. It has been an emotional five years for McLaughlin. The 2016 Trials were devastating, as she made several finals, but missed out on an Olympic spot by less than a second.

043 2021 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Peter H. Bick

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