U.S. Olympic Trials: Caeleb Dressel Blazes to Top Seed in 50 Freestyle Prelims; Nathan Adrian Fighting For Tokyo

U.S. Olympic Trials: Caeleb Dressel Blazes to Top Seed in 50 Freestyle Prelims; Nathan Adrian Fighting For Tokyo

The speed show that is the 50-meter freestyle took center stage during the seventh day of preliminaries at the United States Olympic Trials in Omaha. Fittingly, it was Caeleb Dressel who paced the way, as he dropped a mark of 21.29 in the last of the nine heats. That swim handed Dressel the top seed for the semifinals by nearly a half-second over Michael Andrew, who went 21.72.

Dressel will have a busy night at the CHI Health Center, with his semifinal of the 50 free preceded by the final of the 100 butterfly. Dressel could make a run at the world record in the 100 fly after he went 49.76 during the semifinals of that event. As for the 50 freestyle, his American record sits at 21.04.

Locked out of the final of the 100 freestyle, Team USA veteran and leader Nathan Adrian is not giving up the fight for a fourth Olympic-team berth. The 32-year-old surged over the back half of his race and clocked 21.85. He was joined in the sub-22 club by Bowe Becker (21.94) while Michael Chadwick was 22-flat.

Two-time Olympic champion Anthony Ervin, now 40 years old, was third in the fifth heat, following a performance of 22.61. Ervin shared Olympic gold with Gary Hall Jr. in 2000, then captured the title 16 years later in Rio de Janeiro.

Results:

1. Caeleb Dressel, 21.29
2. Michael Andrew, 21.72
3. Nathan Adrian, 21.85
4. Bowe Becker, 21.94
5. Michael Chadwick, 22.00
6. Payton Sorenson, 22.08
7. Ryan Held, 22.10
8. Sid Farber, 22.15
8. Adam Chaney, 22.15
8. Justin Ress, 22.15
11. Brooks Curry, 22.22
12. Zach Apple, 22.27
13. David Curtiss, 22.34
14. Dillon Downing, 22.38
15. August Lamb, 22.41
16. Will Davis, 22.43

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Halim Yussuf

2 years ago

Ervin, the 40 years old speedster.