U.S. Nationals, Night 2: Dare Rose Returns to Worlds with 50 Fly Win
Dare Rose made his international breakthrough in the 100 butterfly at Trials in 2023. He’s getting back to that stage via the 50 fly.
Rose won the men’s 50 butterfly at U.S. Nationals on Wednesday in Indianapolis, his time of 23.06 seconds besting the field.
Michael Andrew surged late but finished second in 23.21. Shaine Casas was third in 23.29. Fourth place went to PJ Foy in 23.32, the only four Americans to hit the World Aquatics automatic qualification standard for the 2025 World Championships in Singapore.
Rose is looking to return to what he did in the summer of 2023. He won bronze in the 100 fly in Fukuoka at that summer’s World Championships to go with men’s medley relay gold and mixed medley relay silver. Rose missed out on the Paris Olympics, finishing fourth in the 200 fly and third in the 100 fly, .01 seconds behind Thomas Heilman for the second Olympic spot. He said he’s embracing the “sprinter’s life,” aided by the 50 fly being an Olympic event in 2028.
“It feels amazing,” he said. “Rough summer last year, but happy how I rebounded and definitely motivated myself.”
Rose’s time is outside of the top 10 in the world this year. The meet is proceeding without American record holder Caeleb Dressel.
Rose joined 200 backstroker Jack Aikins, another third-place finisher at Olympic Trials who missed out on the Paris Olympics, in finding their way to Singapore Tuesday night. Last summer’s miss served as fuel for Rose, one he had to weigh carefully given the blow that it was at the time.
“Just looking back and checking in on my emotions and how I felt at (Olympic) Trials and really using that to motivate me,” he said. “I’d say it was really hard at first. I remember me and Destin (Lasco), we’d go to the pool and stare at it and not even get in. It’s a long way from that.”
Andrew won the silver medal in this event at the 2024 World Championships and bronze in Budapest in 2022.
Casas’ swim was a good sign given the longer events he has ahead. Heilman was seventh Wednesday in 23.57, though the event is not his strength. It is a best time, entering with a best of 24.05.
Kamal Muhammad finished fifth, followed by Will Hayon, Heilman and Jonny Kulow, who also made the final of the 100 free.
Heilman was third in the final of the 200 fly on Tuesday night, .33 seconds behind Carson Foster for a Worlds spot. He is the only holdover from the 200 fly final in the top eight of the 50. Luca Urlando, who won the 200 fly on Tuesday, qualified just ninth in the 50. He finished second in the B final in 23.74, behind a best time of 23.66 from Matthew Klinge.
